Sega is making a comeback of sorts. The legendary video games company has launched Sega Forever, which is devoted to keeping the Sega name alive long into the future. And what better way to do that than to reach back into the past and bring classic Sega games to your smartphone.

There was a time, not so long ago, when Sega was the biggest games company on the face of the planet. In terms of consoles, the Genesis (or Mega Drive) was a colossal success. And then there are the famous characters, such as Sonic the Hedgehog, Alex Kidd, Ecco the Dolphin, and, er, Seaman.

And then Sega released the Dreamcast, a woefully underrated console, and the whole thing went belly-up. Sega still exists, and still makes arcade machines and games for other consoles. And now, thanks to Sega Forever, the company is making its mark in the world of mobile gaming too.

Keeping Classic Sega Games Alive Forever

Sega Forever is the new banner under which dozens of classic Sega games will be released on Android and iOS. The games will be completely free to play, and supported by ads. Anyone willing to pay for the privilege can turn off the ads forever for a one-off payment of $1.99 (per title).

Sega has kicked things off with five Genesis titles: Sonic the Hedgehog, Comix Zone, Altered Beast, Kid Chameleon, and Phantasy Star II. New games will be launched every two weeks, with titles from the Master System, the Game Gear, the Saturn, and the Dreamcast still to come.

All Sega Forever titles will be available to play offline, with online leaderboards available for those who like comparing their talents with others. The older Sega titles will be brought to smartphones thanks to emulation, while the more recent titles will require full ports to iOS and Android.

Bringing Old Games to a New Audience

The one thing Sega has in spades is pedigree, so it's right to focus on bringing its old games to a new audience using a modern platform. Will it succeed? That depends how good the emulations and ports are, especially when the best Dreamcast games become available on mobile.

Were you a big fan of Sega during its heyday? If so, what is your favorite Sega game of all time? Did you prefer Sonic to Mario? What was the last Sega game you played? Will you be downloading some of the Sega Forever titles? Please let us know in the comments below!