Sonic Mega Collection Plus

Sonic was the reason I started playing videogames. No one could match him for speed, blueness - and for being just so darn cool. He was certainly cooler than a certain fat, middle-aged plumber. Indeed, Sega did what Nintendon't - and now please excuse me while I hide under a rock until all the Nintendo-loving NZGamer.com staff members give up the chase.

In case you have been living under a rock for the last decade, Sonic is Sega's biggest mascot and money-maker. From his early days on the Megadrive and Master System, to the recent Sonic Heroes, Sonic has spun his way down the years through about forty different titles. It is fitting, therefore, to have a package that lets us look back to where it all began.

Sega released the Sonic Mega Collection for the Gamecube about a year ago, bringing together the main Megadrive games with a couple of bonus features. The Xbox and PS2 versions now boast an extra six Game Gear Sonic games, and the rather weighty title, Sonic Mega Collection Plus.

The core Megadrive titles are without a doubt the highlight of this package. Sonic 1, 2, 3, and Sonic & Knuckles all hold up well a decade on, and are still a blast to play. This is Sonic Team at their peak, creating amazing, multi-layered levels filled with vibrant colours and exceptional (for the time) graphics. The combination of speed and exploration makes the gameplay simple yet deep, encouraging players to keep coming back for more.

It's the combination of Sonic 3 & Knuckles that has always been Sonic's high point for me. Together, these games form an adventure spanning fourteen levels and the ability to become Hyper Sonic, among many other things. This is 16-Bit gaming at its best.

The remaining 16-Bit titles, however, don't fare as well. While Dr. Robotniks Mean Bean Machine remains solidly enjoyable and addictive, titles such as Sonic Spinball are simply no fun at all. This is no fault of the emulation on this collection (which is nearly flawless) - they were just pretty weak games to begin with. They?re clearly spin-offs (sorry) commissioned by Sega to bring in the cash, and while companies like Traveller's Tales - makers of Sonic 3D Blast - obviously tried hard, the result is not worth much of your time.

The six Game Gear titles included also vary in quality. Sonic 1 and Sonic Chaos are easily the best, reproducing the Megadrive series' speed and character. The first one especially remains fun, and the music is the least grating out of all the Game Gear titles - please note, you may want to turn your volume down before loading one of these games up. As for the rest, they're really only there for completeness' sake. As a Sonic fan, I was interested in seeing Sonic Drift, Sonic Labyrinth, and Sonic Blast, if only because I hadn't played them before. After a couple of minutes in each game I wanted to quit very badly. A slightly more puzzling (sorry again) inclusion was the Game Gear version of Mean Bean Machine, which is certainly only there to complete the collection.

The selection of games is what I found the most agitating. Why include a game like Sonic Labyrinth or Sonic Drift and exclude, at the very least, the other Game Gear titles that were actually playable? I'm talking about Sonic 2 and Sonic Triple Trouble, which are nowhere to be seen. Similarly, they forgot about Tails' Adventures, but that was always going to be a long shot.

However, the biggest gaping hole is left by the omission of one of the best Sonic games ever: Sonic CD. Something claiming to be 'Mega' and 'Plus' - or even a 'Collection' - should not be allowed to overlook this Mega-CD gem. I remain perplexed as to why Sega omitted it - there?s certainly enough space on the disc. I'm sure there are many Sonic fans out there who would gladly take Sonic CD over Spinball any day. Perhaps they're saving it for the Sonic Mega Ultra Super-Plus X 2000 Collection?

The compilation also includes various features and unlockable content. It includes all the original game manuals, and covers of Sonic comics throughout the years, along with a small collection of pictures and movies from Sonic Heroes. Nothing special here, but it was nice to read those old manuals. There are four non-Sonic games that can be unlocked, ranging from good (Comix Zone and Ristar) to average (The Ooze and Flicky). Some of them require you to have a saved game of Sonic Heroes on your memory card - you can decide if it's worth it.

In the end, though, this is still the best Sonic collection you can find, and it really isn't that bad. I had a lot fun reliving the past for a few days while I sped through the main Megadrive titles - it was kind of creepy how much I remembered of each level. One thing to note, though: in the States, this game is selling for $US 20, which works out at about $NZ 30. However, over here, the game is selling at around $NZ 70-80. It's up to you how much you want to spend on this collection - it is the best one around, and if you don't have a PC, it's pretty much the only one around. While a more accurate title for the package would be Sonic Average Collection, you will still have a lot of fun with (some) of the titles that are included. Having said that, I'm going back to Mushroom Hill Zone to nab all those pesky chaos emeralds! Ah Sonic, will I still be playing you when I'm 50? Probably...