I decided to take the day off, today, and simply bask in the glory that is the HD collection.

Games of the past came as single entities but now you can pay forty bucks and get three games. Today, a Killzone HD collection was announced which will include Killzone 1, 2 and 3, with the original game revamped for 720p.

Not only that, but the collection also includes all of the Killzone 2 and 3 multiplayer packs for free.

By releasing HD collections, gaming companies are hitting us right where it hurts – in the nostalgia. I for one am an absolute sucker for anything that has ‘collection’ tacked on the end of it, including the Jak and Daxter collection, Ratchet and Clank collection, Metal Gear Solid collection and both God of War collections.

And that’s not a complaint. A lot of core gamers have been playing for years, and those hitting the mid-twenties mark will have very clear memories of playing older games like Jak and Daxter. It’s a smart move, and one that is obviously paying off.

There’s a Silent Hill collection, a Devil May Cry collection. There’s also rumours of numerous HD remakes in the works, including a Final Fantasy X port which I have my fingers firmly crossed for, despite the fact there is currently no evidence to suggest it is even slightly legitimate.

Upcoming HD collections include a Dragonball Z Budokai collection for both PS3 and Xbox 360, which will bring a largely ignored series to a wider audience, particularly in a country like New Zealand where Dragonball Z hasn’t had the longevity of the Pokemon franchise.

What I’m curious to find out is whether or not younger gamers are actually interested in these games – are there 12-year-olds playing the Ratchet and Clank trilogy? Do ten-year-olds dream of exploding sheep? If they do, they probably aren’t reading this anyway. Bugger.

In either case, if you’re looking for a good way to kill a few hours and bring back some fond memories, just type ‘collection’ into the search bar of any online game store; it’ll be like Christmas.