News | 4/26/2012 at 3:04 PM

Golden Axe and Streets of Rage SEGA Vintage Collections Coming to XBLA

Bust heads with blades or knuckles, depending on the collection.

Last month we reported on a rumor that the Golden Axe and Streets of Rage series would be getting new Xbox Live Arcade releases. Those rumors have been all but officially confirmed by Xbox.com product pages for both collections, which showed up and then vanished yesterday. Thankfully a NeoGAF user captured the product descriptions and screenshots for both releases, which are titled SEGA Vintage Collection: Golden Axe and SEGA Vintage Collection: Streets of Rage.

SEGA Vintage Collection: Golden Axe will contain Golden Axe (arcade version), Golden Axe 2, and Golden Axe 3. The first Golden Axe was previously released on XBLA and PSN; presumably, it will be pulled once the new collection shows up. Sadly, co-op classic Golden Axe: The Revenge of Death Adder and versus fighter Golden Axe: The Duel won't be part of the new collection.

SEGA Vintage Collection: Streets of Rage will contain Sega Genesis titles Streets of Rage, Streets of Rage 2, and Streets of Rage 3. Streets of Rage 2 was previously released on XBLA and PSN and will likely be replaced by the new collection as well.

All of the games in these collections are already available in the retail anthology Sonic's Ultimate Sega Genesis Collection for Xbox 360 and Playstation 3. Still, the new collections feature slick 3D interfaces (see above), widescreen borders, online multiplayer, new extras, and their own sets of Achievements, so beat-em-up afficionados may want to pick up the XBLA releases anyway. Still no word on PSN versions, but they seem likely.

Each game included in SEGA Vintage Collection: Golden Axe and SEGA Vintage Collection: Streets of Rage will include both local and online co-op for 2 players.  Co-Optimus will have release details soon.