Greatest Hits

What are Greatest Hits?

Games need marketing. This is a fact. Even old games need to sell. Games that sell loads, however, are forever immortalised on their respective platforms in ranges generally referred to as Greatest Hits. The name differs depending on platform, as well as the amount needed to sell before considered a Greatest Hit. Greatest Hit games usually have different packaging and a reduced price, including, if available, some downloadable content.

Various Greatest Hits Brands

Platinum Range / Greatest Hits / PlayStation The Best

Games on Sony platforms that sell over 400,000 copies after one year are put into the Platinum Range. The Platinum Range only exists in PAL regions. In North America it's known as the Greatest Hits range (easily noticeable for the PSOne by the neon green on the spine of the cover booklet and the case's spine). In Japan it's known as The Best range. In 2000, the PlayStation the Best range was replaced by PSOne Books. In September 2012 SCEE announced its PS3 Essentials collection of 'critically-acclaimed at pocket-friendly prices'. These are available at retail and the European PSN store.

Platinum Hits

Games on Microsoft platforms that have sold 400,000 copies within nine months after release are called Platinum Hits. In PAL regions they are called Xbox Classics. There are also Best of Platinum Hits that are best-selling platinum hits, with the PAL equivalent being Best of Classics. There are also games that have been designated suitable for all ages and called Platinum Family Classics, with its other titles being Best of Platinum Family Classics. There is no PAL equivalent to either category.

Player's Choice

Games on the SNES, Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Nintendo 64, and Game Boy Advance that have sold over a million copies are called Player's Choice. For the GameCube a title must sell over 250,000 copies.

Nintendo Selects

On May 15th, 2011 Nintendo started using the name Nintendo Selects instead of Player's Choice for selected Wii games. The Wii games that are labeled as Nintendo Selects sell for a reduced price with a changed cover art. The first games selected to be a part of Nintendo Selects were:

• Animal Crossing: City Folk
• Mario Strikers Charged
• Mario Super Sluggers (Only a Nintendo Select in the US)
• The Legend of Zelda: The Twilight Princess
• Punch-Out!!
• Super Paper Mario
• Super Mario Galaxy
• Wario Ware: Smooth Moves (Only a Nintendo Select in Europe)
• Wii Sports

Sega All Stars

Games on the Sega Dreamcast that sell a lot (the quantity hasn't been specified) are put into the Sega All Stars. Because of the Dreamcast's short lifespan, only 17 titles were turned into Sega All Stars.