Reviews from

in the past


What SHOULD be a slam dunk - Sonic 3 & Knuckles, finally on a handheld console again! - is dragged down by shoddy port jobs and licensing issues that wreck the soundtracks for the aforementioned.

Sega price-gouging by releasing an expanded 'Plus' version later down the line, too, is an irritating trend they've slowly begun to make more common. A damn shame that this collection turned out as rough as it did.

buying this collection for more than 20 dollars is the hardest scam ever

I'm pretty sure Mexican cartel members wont rob you nearly as hard as sega is

While more dense with content and games, wouldn't recommend over Mania

Les jeux sont toujours aussi bien mais en tant que collection c'est un peu nul

shameless rip off of a collection

Pasted from Steam

In its current state I cannot recommend purchasing Sonic Origins. Sega has a lot to fix about this, and until then I am keeping my review marked as "not recommended."

I considered writing more here (and even did begin to) but in the end I decided to scrap it, because the flaws of this collection have already been heavily documented at this point by others to the point where it would really just be a waste of my time, so I won't beat around the bush. I'm just putting this out here so that I can aid in getting the word out about this, because I truly do believe Sega can and should do better.

One of the only reasons I even purchased this to begin with was because I knew the legends at Evening Star and Headcannon were involved, and to hear straight from a developer that Sega mishandled their work for the project is very disappointing. Until this is at the very least addressed, I will not be able to recommend this product to anyone.


sonic 1: sucks, never playing ever again.
sonic cd: better than 1, not really a high bar but it still isn't great.
sonic 2: better than the previous but i hated the last 3 levels.
sonic 3 and knuckles: alright i guess

overall review: i do not like these games.

I almost went insane when i was doing sonic 1 & cd special stages

absolutely pitiful collection, the only thing it has going for it is widescreen and it fumbles everything else

The games themselves are great. This port however, is not. Lackluster on features and very lazy product from Sega. This game almost feels like a cash grab for how little it adds to the collection of games (and the things it takes away). Unfortunately, these are not really the definitive way to play these games. However, they are your only option on modern digital storefronts because Sega removed the previously available versions.

I'm not enough of a Sonic nerd to know or care if these are the definitive editions of these games (I never had any issues with any of them), but I got 2 pretty OK games and 3 (well, 2.5 but & Knuckles took me longer than CD so I count them separately) great games for a decent price, and there's a good bit of bonus content like challenges, art galleries and fun stuff like Mirror Mode that makes me think it's worth it regardless.

I’m not one of those Sonic fans that can look at these remastered classics and tell where they went wrong or where they nailed the conversion, but what I CAN tell you is I really needed my 2D Sonic fix and this game came through in spades. Each Genesis game seems to be lovingly brought up to speed for modern consoles, and I actually enjoyed the added mission modes. Normally I don’t poke around Boss Rush game types but something about this one felt inviting. The lollipop presentation and stunning new animated intros to each game feels like the team making it felt proud of the legacy and their work.

In an era of remakes, remasters, and rebootquels, sometimes just making HD ports with a fresh coat of paint is a decent option. I’m any case, Sonic Origins acts as a decent appetizer before the inevitable Sonic Mania 2 (except consider skipping Sonic CD, it feels like molasses and will do nothing to fulfill your need for speed!)

Honestly, I think this is a great way to experience the old-school Sonic games. It could've used a few more features here and there, but it does feel like a nice celebration of old-school Sonic.

sonic 1 sucks, sonic 2 and 3 are cool but the final bosses sucked ass, and I completely forgot sonic cd exists

It's legit the best way to play the classic Sonic Games as of today. The basic improvements like resolution are there, the mission mode is super fun and the new cutscenes are fantastic! The lost music for Sonic 3 does suck, but I think the replacement tracks are fine. So overall a great experience!

Widescreen, sem time out, vida infinita e fisica reformulada. Fizeram Sonic 1 ser jogável, parabéns

it's the classic sonic games... again. In widescreen!!!

If there's one thing I'll give it for it's the fact you're able to play the HD remasters of the original (and best!) Mega Drive Sonic games on console and all. However, it doesn't excuse the level of quality the dev team put out for this compilation, especially how they handled the original mobile ports created by Christian Whitehead.

Actually pretty good compilation of games, it doesn't have a ton of customization for all the games. Like drop dash, insta shield and more but will still be enjoyable to casual players.

Probably the best official way to play the classic sonic games, but there are a lot of annoying little issues.

Now, I like these games in this collection well enough, but I do not think this is the definitive way to play these games at all. When you've been playing these games as long as I have, you notice very miniscule changes to these games like the new widescreen messing up strategies on boss fights and several physics adjustments. Not to mention, 30 bucks for 4 games? I guess Plus adds a collection of Game Gear games, but I honestly don't think anyone is itching to play those. Also, why include the Game Gear versions of Sonic Spinball and Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine but not the Genesis versions of those games? Hell, why even have the Game Gear versions of these specific games when they were also on the Master System in a less compressed quality? It really does feel like a slapdash new addition for some DLC. Don't even get me started on Sonic 3's music. I understand with the Michael Jackson lawsuit stuff the music changes were unfortunately bound to happen, but the music that they replaced just doesn't sound good. That's not an issue with the compositions either, it's just the instruments are terrible. Senuoe also composed a new Super Sonic theme that reeks with Sonic 4's fake FM. Sure, playing as Amy is a fantastic feature, and the new cutscenes are nice, but Sonic Mega Collection Plus remains the best collection of these games, with way more games and content. The Sonic 1,2 and CD ports made by Taxman and Stealth are better than the ones in this collection, and Sonic 3 Complete and S3 AIR are the best ways to play those games as well. See if you can get those, and don't even worry about Origins.

good way to play the original sonic trilogy and cd with the coin system for retrying special stages and infinite lives but like its still expensive for what you get especially with no original micheal jackson tracks and no savestate system because some of the checkpoints without rings suck like the last boss of sonic 2 or like letting you switch between past present future easier in cd and with games like this you expect them to add content a little especially how 1 cd and 2 kinda just end even when you get the emeralds but in the end still very convenient

Had this originally logged as the base Sonic Origins game, I eventually updated to the Plus edition, so my thoughts will include the additions that came from that.

This collection should have been so easy to make at least "good," but I must admit that it's really just passable. This collection does not offer much that can't just be obtained via emulation or mods, and those have implemented them better.

The best part of this collection is the fact that these games are playable with widescreen as well as a more steady frame rate, and the newly added cutscenes are high quality and do a nice job tying the games together. The added Missions give long-time fans something new to do, though there are not tons of these and veterans of the series will be able to get through them quickly.

Apart from what is listed above, many of the other things advertised as being highlights of this package include island models (which are just animations that play on the menu), a gallery (which includes some nice things, but very little that was refreshingly new or has not been accessible online for a very long time), and now Amy as a playable character - which is admittedly nice to have but it does not feel like it is fully realized.

Game Gear games were also included later on down the line, but it really feels like this was done as a way of boasting that there are now a whopping 16 games here versus the original 4. But even then, these Game Gear additions host no improvements over just emulating them. Any slow down, issues, and glitches are fully present. This could have been a great opportunity to increase the amount that can be seen of screen, and to give these games a breath of fresh air with more consistent frame rates and consistent ruling to platform touch detection, but none of these things were done. Fans can revisit the original Game Gear games with no additional polish at all - for an extra cost.

Ultimately, as a long time Sonic fan, it's nice to see that these games will continue to be easily accessible for a future audience. But it is sad to see that there was really a golden opportunity to help these games take the next step - to improve and make these games even better - but instead it feels like just the bare minimum was done.

It's really just a collection of emulators, some mods, and it's missing some iconic music tracks. Fans have been able to basically play the series like this for years, and for free (or at least much cheaper) This is a hard sell for $40 to anyone, Sonic fan or not. That kind of money could get you so much more these days.

Got it for switch on launch and as was disappointed. The games do work they get the job down but that’s it. They could have really did more. The drop dash being in the new games is nice but that’s about it. No customization really. Sonic 3&K has its save selector so why don’t the other games implement it? And the classic mode isn’t classic mode. Its literally anniversary mode shrieked to a 4:3 screen. Are you kidding? 60 dollars for this? Come on Sega. I only beat Sonic 2 on this before leaving it alone.

Well, if it weren't for the save bug that wiped my data halfway through Sonic 3 & Knuckles, I probably would have given Sonic Origins a warmer recommendation, but as it stands, it's still a solid collection and probably the best way to experience the classics.

While some, of course, will disagree with that, for me, it was probably the only viable way to experience the 2D entries. That's all thanks to the addition of Anniversary Mode, which allows you to play with infinite lives and in 16:9. While the latter isn't that substantial, unlimited tries made the game much more palatable for me.

I've had a tepid relationship with the 2D Sonics in the past, mostly due to the difficulty and not ever clicking with the 'flow' of platforming, but thanks to Anniversary Mode, I was able to see them through. Well, mostly, besides that pesky save bug.

It's a good thing too, since even with the benefits of Anniversary Mode, I was still having trouble with certain bosses in these games. Not for lack of trying and understanding the patterns, but mostly because a handful of them can require split-second moves that aren't telegraphed clearly a lot of the time.

Despite the occasional difficulty spike and the save bug, I still had a decently fun time with this collection. My rating from most to least favorite of them is as follows:

- Sonic the Hedgehog 2
- Sonic 3 & Knuckles
- Sonic CD
- Sonic the Hedgehog

(Switch the first two around and that'd be my ranking for the soundtracks - without a doubt the best part of these games)

6/10

As nice as it is to own the (mostly) definitive versions of these games in a single package, I can't help but feel like the 'anniversary collection' aspect is a little... shit. What's here is great, it just needed more of it.

What I'm trying to say is... this absolutely demolishes Mario 3D All Stars.


Good collection flawed by bad music in few stages in Sonic 3. Hopefully they replace it one day. Fan versions of these games on PC are still better tho.

Hm. This game is certainly something, alright. I guess I'll preface this by saying that if you have never played a sonic game before, this will definitely be the easiest way to go to enjoy those games. To a casual fan, this is a great way to enjoy the classic sonic series. However, as a more serious sonic fan, this compilation is so, so, SO agonizingly close to being a definitive experience for all these classic titles, but falls just barely short of actually taking those titles from their fan-developed counterparts. A compilation that is somehow less than the sum of its parts is a very strange thing indeed. You get the Taxman remastered ports of sonic 1, 2, and CD here with the drop dash included, plus a brand new port of sonic 3 & knuckles also with drop dash support and in widescreen for the first time. The games all play perfectly fine but there's just a bunch of tiny little annoyances that add up over time, such as tails' AI not really working all that right and you constantly hear him jumping and smashing into things offscreen which can be annoying, theres some occasional bugs and whatnot, and they absolutely BUTCHERED the audio in sonic 3, using lower-quality audio recordings of the game audio plus worse re-recordings of replacement tunes for the licensed tracks. By all accounts and purposes especially considering how much I love sonic, I should have absolutely loved this compilation, but instead I just found myself kinda eh on it.