I absolutely adored these games as a kid. The music, stages, progression and animations were so satisfying. 3 and 3-D were my personal faves of the bunch, and didn't have the chance to try the later iterations. It stuns me me that so few developers try to emulate the satisfying progression of 90's games. Start poor/low and work your way up the ladder. I know many opt for that rpg-lite formula ala Assassin's Creed but few go as in depth as titles like Road Rash, MechWarrior 2, Wing Commander etc. I miss that old design choice.
Great video btw.