Aside from some noticeable omissions, this is Sonic at his absolute best.
But enough reminiscing. Is Sonic Mega Collection any good? Well, yeah, it really is.
The original Sonic the Hedgehog was released in 1991 and pretty much put the Sega Genesis on the map. In comparison to slower platformers like Super Mario Bros., Sonic the Hedgehog was faster, smoother, and full of attitude. The game followed Sonic, who is out to save the planet from the megalomaniacal Dr. Robotnik. Sonic must progress through the many zones throughout, all while collecting the Chaos Emeralds to stop Robotnik from turning the citizens of the planet into robots. Sonic the Hedgehog retains the traditional collecting notions, similar to Mario, but the game looked so much livelier and more creative than other platformers. It also was much faster. Sonic would plow through loops and leap onto platforms. The surreal Special Stages were graphically stunning in 1991, showing what the Sega Genesis was capable of. The environments were diverse and beautiful, and the overall gameplay felt controlled and solid. While some may call it dated by today's standards, Sonic the Hedgehog really was new for its time, and it really holds up well amongst the many 16-bit titles available.
Then came Sonic 2 in 1992, the game that hit gamers like a sledgehammer. Sonic the Hedgehog was great, but Sonic 2 blows it clear out of the water. Sonic must stop Dr. Robotnik once more, but now he has a companion: Miles "Tails" Prower, a two-tailed fox who follows Sonic throughout his adventure. Thanks to a handy little concept called "Blast Processing," Sonic 2 was a bigger, faster, and better game than its predecessor in nearly every way. The levels are much more intricate than in Sonic the Hedgehog, and the overall presentation emphasizes speed over everything else. Loops, corkscrews, springs, and spikes abound, along with plenty of new enemies and bosses. The cosmetic design is fantastic and the more creative levels really do offer some cool quirks and environmental tricks. Sonic 2 is an amazing title, but if there's one thing that is really misses, it's the Special Stage design. It's incredibly difficult, and with Tails following Sonic around, it's downright painful to play. The half-pipe ring-collection stage looks great, but it's difficult, especially considering that you need 50 rings and an unmarked lamppost to activate it. Still, Sonic 2 could very well be the best standalone Sonic game on the collection.
Sonic 3 was released in 1994, and continued the Death Egg Saga that Sonic 2 began. After crash-landing on Floating/Angel Island, Robotnik tricks the native guardian Knuckles into stealing the Chaos Emeralds from Sonic. It's up to Sonic to reclaim the Chaos Emeralds and stop Robotnik from repowering the Death Egg. Sonic 3 is significantly shorter than Sonic 1 and 2, but it has some stellar level design, improved Special Stages, and better graphics. Still, it's shorter and focuses a bit more on exploration than the high-speed, ring-collecting antics of Sonic 2. The story is deeper as well, and as Knuckles' debut, it's a memorable installment. Also, the ability to choose either Sonic, Tails, or both adds some depth to the game, with each character having special skills. It's not perfect, but it's definitely a great Sonic title.
Sonic and Knuckles picks up after Sonic 3 and is the first game with Knuckles as a playable character. The ability to glide, climb, and break through walls is great, especially in challenges that only Knuckles can tackle. It's essentially Sonic 3 with some new levels, but the creativity in the levels is remarkable. Sonic and Knuckles was famed for having the "Lock-On" cartridge, allowing the player to play as Knuckles in Sonic 2 with a Sonic 2 cartridge, or conjoin the Sonic 3 and Sonic and Knuckles games to produce the massive Sonic 3 and Knuckles (arguably the best Sonic game ever made). While the Lock-On games must be…well…unlocked, they remain incredible games and well-worth including on Sonic Mega Collection.
Along with the main Sonic Genesis romps, you also get a few more obscure games. Sonic Spinball is a slightly frustrating pinball game featuring Sonic, but still is pretty fun. Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine is a Puyo-Pop clone with some wacky characters to play against; it's a fun distraction, and has a solid versus multiplayer component. Sonic 3D Blast, however, is an odd, isometric treasure hunt with good graphics and creative level design, but frustrating controls and very low speed. It's probably the worst game on the disc. Unlockable games like the Blue Sphere minigame, the puzzle game Flicky, and the superb platformer Ristar are also included, rounding out a solid collection of Sonic titles. While not all of them are good, the majority is fantastically compiled into one of the all-time best deals for the Gamecube.
The graphics and sound stay true to their roots, with colorful and creative world design and all of the catchy level themes that you've grown to know and love. Seriously, who doesn't remember the Green Hill Zone theme? Still, some sounds have static and aren't ported as well as they could've been, but the presentation is pure Sonic. Even the compilation menu screens look good. The inclusion of art, comic covers, and movies add some extra incentive to check out the compilation. It's a Sonic fan's dream game, and it holds up quite well, both technically and content-wise. Many of you are probably wondering where Sonic CD is on this disc, and really, it should've been on this compilation, considering that many gamers believe it to be the best and most comprehensive Sonic title. Well, it's not, and it's a disappointment. It's a dent in an otherwise incredible ride. Still, all of the Genesis memories of Sonic are back in Sonic Mega Collection, and anyone who's played through a Genesis Sonic game is bound to find something worthwhile in this collection.
Pros
+ A reasonably priced collection of some of the best games of the 16-bit era
+ Nice collection of extras
+ Retains all of the fun of Sonic's hey-day
Cons
- You probably won't like Sonic 3D Blast
- Some noticeable absences
Sonic Mega Collection takes everything that made Sonic good and mashes it together into a superb package that any Gamecube owner should check out. The groundbreaking Sonic 1, the superb Sonic 2, the amazing Sonic 3 and Sonic and Knuckles, along with plenty of other Sonic Genesis greats are all here, and they haven't lost any of their fun factor. The great presentation and solid collection of extras and unlockables really make the compilation seem complete. Sadly, though, it's not. The omission of Sonic CD is a major letdown, but all of the rest of Sonic's best 2-D outings are present and accounted for. Whether or not you've experienced Sonic's side-scrolling beginnings really doesn't matter; Sonic's original Genesis classics are timeless. While many may dismiss Sonic's greatness based on his recent 3-D efforts, Sonic Mega Collection shows the blue hero in his absolute prime. Unless you're totally against playing these games with anything other than a Genesis controller, Sonic Mega Collection is a comprehensive compilation holding some of the best games of the 16-bit era that is sure to satisfy.