Sonic Mega Collection Plus

Overall, in the way of compilations this is one of the best. The emulation seems to be just about dead on, and I haven't witnessed anything that seems to be out of the ordinary with it. You can't add any borders like you sometimes can in other games (no Game Gear border for instance) but that doesn't really matter.

In the 16-bit wars of the early 1990’s most people predicted that the Super Nintendo would easily destroy all the competition when it came out in 1991, like they ruled the game market in 1985 to 1990. In the video game wars Sega was used to being the second banana or runner up in the gaming world, but they were planning a big secret weapon to help them fight off Nintendo’s new system.

By a show of hands, how many people have not played a Sonic the Hedgehog game ever? I mean ever? I thought so. At some point in your gaming life, you had to have picked up the controller of a Sega Genesis, Sega CD, Sega Saturn, Sega Dreamcast, Playstation 2, Xbox, or Nintendo GameCube. Sonic has been seen on every one of those consoles that I mentioned. Now here's a question: How many of you can't find or sold off your Genesis's, or threw away that Sega Game Gear? And how many of you who did every once in a while wish you could break out Sonic 2, or Sonic GG for a little while, or show your kids what you used to play? Well, thanks to Sega and Sonic Team, you can be playing any of the original games that put Sega on the map for good.

Even with that, I am happy to be playing Sonic again! Sometimes the nostalga just takes over. Even listening to some of the music tracks in that old Genesis 16-bit midi-like sound brings back memories of my youth, working at Electronics Boutique (which BTW for trivia purposes at the time I was there was also called Games & Gadgets). Ahhh, the memories. Anyway, all in all a nice compilation to have, especially if you spend your days on Ebay trying to find these games.

Throw all of this together on one disk and you've got easily one of the most appealing collections of old games ever devised. Those who purchased Mega Collection on the GameCube will be miffed but for PS2 and Xbox owners this is an essential purchase. The emulation of the games is nigh-on perfect (although pedants will note that sound emulation is a little off) and save states are even offered should you wish to stop playing before you finish (how did we ever do it all in one sitting before?). There's virtually nothing to complain about here and Sonic Mega Collection Plus comes highly recommended - glowing praise for classic Sonic? Who'd have thought it?

Who'd have thought it? Sonic the Hedgehog, unashamedly one of the 'old guard' of computer game culture, enjoyed a stellar return to popular form in 2004. Spurred on by a new cartoon series and the critically derided Sonic Heroes (which topped the UK charts for months on end), it seemed that a re-release of the GameCube Sonic Mega Collection was on the cards for PS2 and Xbox late in the year to capitalise on the resurgence. 'Only' months later, Mega Collection Plus finds its way to European shores and the classic titles that near-defined video games for a generation of gamers find themselves before a new generation.

As Sega would have us believe, its Xbox compilation of 13 old-school Sonic games is no mere Sonic Collection. Oh, no. As you might remember, last year's GameCube compilation was entitled Sonic Mega Collection -- and that doesn't even do justice to the new one's grandness. In fact, the addition of the Sonic Game Gear titles makes this package nothing less than a Sonic Mega Collection PLUS!

When Sonic first hit the console market he caused a big stir. Sure, it was a platform game, but the combination of an immediately likeable character and insanely quick gameplay struck a chord with players. The now-famous hedgehog and his friends have through the various game releases wowed and entertained players over various adventures and game environments.

You especially won't notice it on Sonic 3D Blast and Sonic Spinball, mainly because they suck and aren't worth your time. Blast is Traveller's Tales valiant yet decidedly fun-free attempt to bring Sonic into an isometric environment, while Sonic Spinball serves more as a straight-up attempt by Sega to milk a successful franchise by placing the character into a pinball game. It doesn't work.

Sonic Mega Collection Plus is perhaps one of the best compilations you could ask for. At a mere $20, gamers can enjoy 20 classic games. The majority of these games features Sega's icon, Sonic, though a few other Genesis gems are included to round out the deal. The youthful blue hedgehog was once more recognizable than Mickey Mouse (that's no lie) and though Sonic isn't quite as hip these days, he's still one of video game's most significant icons. This isn't a collection of mediocre old school games, this is a collection of every pre-Saturn sonic title. That's a heavy load of goodness any fan should be excited about.

You can't find a better deal than 20 games for 20 dollars. While not every Sonic game is a winner, the majority are. These games, though old, are superior to Sega's more recent 3D Sonic offerings. Nothing has changed (though, for some reason, you can save your progress mid-game on Xbox), but that's okay. Sonic Mega Collection Plus offers gamers a chance to step back in time to look at games when they were a little simpler and in some ways a little better. I'm not a fan of the ugly border put around the screen, but otherwise there's nothing that should keep a Sonic fan from snagging this one up.

Once again the old school bug has struck. We’ve had a Street Fighter collection, a Mega Man collection, and reworks of several classic series released over this past year. Well now Sega has given us another collection of games starring probably their most famous creation, Sonic the Hedgehog. In case you’ve never played a Sonic game before, Sonic the Hedgehog is Sega’s answer to Nintendo’s Mario. Just like Mario, Sonic is an icon in the gaming industry and the Sonic games have helped shape the video game industry. Sonic Mega Collection Plus is an expansion collection of games that offers players to see the good and sometimes bad side of the blue hedgehog.

Ok, it’s official…I’m old. When a game that was released when I was a senior in high school is now considered one of the “granddaddy” videogames of all time, then the Metamucil and Depends can’t be too far behind. Maybe I’m exaggerating a tad, but I will admit that I’ve been playing a ton of classic compilations as of late and lovin’ every minute of it. Midway hit us with their second installment of Arcade Treasures a few weeks back and now Sega has released an almost all-encompassing collection focusing on their speedy blue mascot, Sonic the Hedgehog.

Sonic Mega Collection came out about this time 2 years ago for the Nintendo GameCube, and as I was eager to get my hands on it. While an incomplete overview of Sonic’s past titles, the promise of more was enough to satiate me at the time, and the collection was a good introduction to what made SEGA’s mascot such a beloved character.

Whether you love Sonic or hate him, it’s hard to deny that this is one great collection. Twenty games for a budget price is hard to resist, and many of them are simply classic. Many others, however, are flat-out crap. It’s fun to see the old Sonic Game Gear titles, but looking at them on a big screen made my eyes catch fire, and Sonic 3D Blast is about as much fun as taking a swim in a chemical treatment vat. Still, despite the presence of some really questionable games, this is the best disc a Sonic the Hedgehog fan can ever invest in. If you grew up with these games, they’re still a joy to play. New converts to the Sonic fold will get a great introduction to the ‘hog’s history.

Why a nocturnal, insectivorous mammal was chosen as Sega's mascot and challenger to Mario's platforming preeminence, we may never know. What we do know is that the aptly named Sonic is blue, fast, and remarkably tolerant of the titian-tinted, two-tailed toddler Tails, who has tagged along on the spiny hedgehog's missions since Sonic 2. Sonic Mega Collection Plus (like the GameCube's Sonic Mega Collection) features the exploits of Sonic and pals across seven classic Sonic games for the Genesis. You'll also be treated to several unlockable titles, both for that platform and for the Game Gear.

Whether you'll be playing Sonic Mega Collection Plus on a PS2 or on an Xbox, you'll be treated to emulation that's virtually indiscernible from the original games running on the original hardware. For $19.99, Sega's offering a lot of cobalt blue for the buck, and those with a "need for speed" will certainly enjoy having this collection of classics on a single disc.

The announcement of Sonic Mega Collection Plus felt like a real kick in the breadbasket for loyal GameCube owners. After all, they had already bought the game two years prior, except there was no "Plus" attached to the end -- leading to a sinking sensation that PS2 owners were getting something more worthwhile as a reward for not being more enthusiastic Sega customers.

Wer schon unlängst einmal das alte Sega Mastersystem aus dem Keller holen und abstauben wollte, braucht diesen ungeliebten Gang nicht mehr zu machen. In der Sonic Mega Collection Plus sind alle Spiele mit dem blauen Igel auf einer PC-DVD verewigt. 18 Spiele, die in den 90er-Jahren das Mastersystem und den Gamegear heimsuchten, finden sich neben Extras wie Comicheften und Minifilmchen auf dem Silberling. Zwar ist eine Steuerung per Maus und Tastatur möglich, doch mit einem Gamepad sind Sie besser beraten. Schade, dass Sonic nur in der Mini-Auflösung von 640x480 Pixel durch die bunten Welten düst.

I'm trying to figure out who Sonic Mega Collection Plus is for. Diehard Sonic The Hedgehog fans would already have all the great Genesis games in their possession, surely. And if they wanted a convenient way to play those greats, they could use emulation to back up their hard copies--I'm thinking that emulation is legal in this capacity. So perhaps SMC+ is for the true Sonic collector, who just has to own everything Sonic.

There are some truly magic moments here that transcend nostalgia. Even now, that first time you achieve absolutely blinding speed is exhilarating. For us, it was the Chemical Plant Zone in Sonic 2, watching Sonic go so fast that he practically breached the right-hand side of the screen. Ten years and hundreds of other platform games have done nothing to dull the impact of the blue blur pushing the boundaries. Heck, he probably invented that turn of phrase, too.

Frage: Was haben Sonic Mega Collection Plus und unser Chefredakteur gemein? Antwort: Beide sind uralt und sehen kacke aus. Aber, wie schon oft erwähnt, ist es ja nicht das Aussehen von Belang, nein, es sind die inneren Werte, die zählen. Diese Sega-Oldie-Kollektion hat in der Hinsicht einiges zu bieten - zumindest für Nostalgie-Fans.

Le grand Sonic est de retour ! Mais cette fois, Sega nous offre ce qui se doit d’être une anthologie de la série, puisque le DVD regroupe pas moins de 20 titres déjà parus sur des supports antérieurs, et réédités sans aucune modification. Quand on lit ça, on se dit qu’on a entre les mains un pur Collector ! Il faut dire que le chiffre impressionne, et que si vous êtes fan, votre coeur a dû faire un bond dans votre poitrine. Voyons voir cependant si Sega n’a pas fait les choses à moitié...

Der schnellste (und blauste) Igel der Videospiel-Historie bekommt seine eigene Sammlung. In der Sonic Mega Collection stecken unter anderem die Jump&Run-Klassiker Sonic 1 bis 3 sowie diverse Denkspiel-Ableger. Weil die Titel technisch veraltet sind, lohnen sich die 20 Euro Kaufpreis aber nur für überzeugte Sonic-Nostalgiker.

Flottant sur la vague de plus en plus étendue de la nostalgie, ce Sonic Mega Collection Plus offre à tous les joueurs désireux de découvrir les monuments de jouabilité et d'intérêt une occasion inespérée. S'adressant autant aux fans qu'aux novices donc, il commet pourtant l'affront de ne pas être assez complet pour les uns, et pas assez attirant pour les autres. Une bonne compilation malgré tout, qui aurait mérité un peu plus d'égards. Et je finirais sur ces mots de Jean Giraudoux : "De ces hérissons écrasés, vous en voyez des dizaines qui ont l'air d'avoir eu une mort de hérissons. Leur museau aplati par le pied du cheval, leurs piquants éclatés sous la roue, ce sont des hérissons crevés et c'est tout. Ils sont crevés, en raison de la faute originelle des hérissons, qui est de traverser les chemins départementaux ou vicinaux..."

Flottant sur la vague de plus en plus étendue de la nostalgie, ce Sonic Mega Collection Plus offre à tous les joueurs désireux de découvrir les monuments de jouabilité et d'intérêt une occasion inespérée. S'adressant autant aux fans qu'aux novices donc, il commet pourtant l'affront de ne pas être assez complet pour les uns, et pas assez attirant pour les autres. Une bonne compilation malgré tout, qui aurait mérité un peu plus d'égards. Et je finirais sur ces mots de Jean Giraudoux : "De ces hérissons écrasés, vous en voyez des dizaines qui ont l'air d'avoir eu une mort de hérissons. Leur museau aplati par le pied du cheval, leurs piquants éclatés sous la roue, ce sont des hérissons crevés et c'est tout. Ils sont crevés, en raison de la faute originelle des hérissons, qui est de traverser les chemins départementaux ou vicinaux..."

Unfortunately, none of the games are presented in their full glory. For one thing, the sound effects are not perfectly synchronized with the action, and even the music seems a tad off at times. The game screens are reduced in size and surrounded by a black border, which is totally lame. You can save your games in-progress, but it's a shame high scores can't be saved as well. Extras include hidden games (Comix Zone, Flicky, Ristar, Blue Sphere), original manuals (digitized), comics, and illustrations. There are less extra features that the GameCube version, and most notably absent are those kick-ass Sonic CD videos. Sonic Mega Collection Plus may suffice for casual fans, but if you have a choice, opt for the superior GameCube version.