My younger self loved this collection. Nowadays you can't walk 5 feet without stumbeling over some Sonic games.
This is the weaker bundle of course when comparing to Sonic Mega Collection, but has some "Gems" which deem it worthy of playing.
Of course the main course is Sonic CD, Sonic R, Sonic the Fighters, to start with Game that everyone hates after watching Jontron's Video on Sonic R.
So to be honest, I am the polar opposite of the general opinion on Sonic R with the controls (the main "issues" with the game), now I will agree that they're unorthodox if you played something like Mario Kart but let give my in depth thoughts on it.
The controls are fine, just look at tilting the stick as soft turning and pushing the triggers for sharper turns
The constant hitting walls doesn't really hinder you at all, yeah you bounce but it not really frustrated me at all
The real issues are the lack of tracks (because of the horrible time crunch the developers had to endure)
Sonic R is solid and shouldn't be judge too hard
and for Sonic the Fighters, it's cool. I came for Sonic R & I already have Sonic CD on Steam
Also Tail's Adventure was fun
Of course the main course is Sonic CD, Sonic R, Sonic the Fighters, to start with Game that everyone hates after watching Jontron's Video on Sonic R.
So to be honest, I am the polar opposite of the general opinion on Sonic R with the controls (the main "issues" with the game), now I will agree that they're unorthodox if you played something like Mario Kart but let give my in depth thoughts on it.
The controls are fine, just look at tilting the stick as soft turning and pushing the triggers for sharper turns
The constant hitting walls doesn't really hinder you at all, yeah you bounce but it not really frustrated me at all
The real issues are the lack of tracks (because of the horrible time crunch the developers had to endure)
Sonic R is solid and shouldn't be judge too hard
and for Sonic the Fighters, it's cool. I came for Sonic R & I already have Sonic CD on Steam
Also Tail's Adventure was fun
guardo no meu #heart
Solid collection, introduced me to sonic and it had the US soundtrack on CD so Sonic booom sonic boooom
I thought I had played the Mega Collection, but turns out this is the one I actually played. Giving it a two stars because most of these games suck massive balls, I mean what is this selection?
This was my introduction to a few of these games, but I will talk about them separately even if I didn't actually play the original versions, just to keep this review short.
This was my introduction to a few of these games, but I will talk about them separately even if I didn't actually play the original versions, just to keep this review short.
played through sonic cd, i'm still yet to play the others though
This collection has sonic R in it so it immediately the greatest thing ever
I grew up poor. My mom didn't have money to throw around on expensive electronics like a Sega CD, and I refuse to believe anybody in America owned a Sega Saturn, so I spent several years holding onto PC copies of Sonic CD and Sonic R that I was only able to play when I visited friends and family fortunate enough to own a PC. That changed when I moved in with my dad, but I was swiftly banned from using the computer after shorting out his Sony Vaio, which put me back to square one.
I didn't take good care of my games back then, and by the time Sonic Gems Collection released in 2005, I'm not even sure either of those discs would've worked. Not that I needed them to anymore. I could play Sonic CD at my leisure now. And yeah, Sonic R and a bunch of Game Gear crap... cool, whatever-- SONIC CD, hell yeah!!!
Regardless of my own situation, Sonic Gems made available several games that were becoming increasingly difficult to find and play even in the early aughts, and I think that's pretty cool. It's also far from perfect and falls short of being a truly great collection in a way that was so perfectly in-character for Sega not just then, but now and probably always.
Multiple Game Gear titles are absent, like the original 8-bit Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic Drift, though their direct sequels are part of the compilation. And again, no Master System versions because Sega has never deemed them to be historically valuable. I doubt preservation of media was at the forefront of Sega's mind when they put this package together in 2005, but even disregarding the significance of availability, being able to play the better versions of these games and having a more complete catalogue to choose from would've been nice!
Other notable exclusions include Bonanza Bros. and the Bare Knuckle (see: Streets of Rage) games, which can be unlocked in the Japanese version of Gems but were omitted from the American release, likely to avoid a Teen rating. Which, it's worth mentioning, is very stupid. SegaSonic the Hedgehog and Knuckles' Chaotix are also absent, though it wouldn't surprise me to find that difficulties in porting/emulating these titles made it more trouble than it's worth for Sega. All of this leaves Gems feeling incomplete and were it your intention back in '05 to build a comprehensive collection of Sonic's pre-2000s games, then both Mega Collection and Gems would've left you frustratingly short of your goal.
Despite being overpriced and underbaked, it let me play Sonic CD and Sonic R at my convenience, and it holds some importance for being the first home release of Sonic the Fighters after the Saturn port was unceremoniously cancelled. The museum also features a ton of key art and promotional material, much of which has been made widely available since Gems and in higher quality, but which was at the time harder to come by. So, it's not without its positives, even if its main draw is Sonic CD.
In fact, this is still the only way for me to play Sonic CD on a CRT. I never did get a Sega CD, and the high prices they fetch today coupled with how cheaply they were made makes it highly unlikely I'll ever get comfortable enough to invest in something so prone to failure. But that's alright, I can just pop Gems into my GameCube... or at least I'd like to, but it's scratched in just the right spot to cause the game to crash on the final act of Metallic Madness. I thought Gems was a bit too expensive at the time, so the idea of dropping at least 45 dollars on another copy today is unappealing. That means the only option left to me is loading the game off my Wii or PS2's hard drive. Even today I am jumping through an innumerable amount of hoops to play fucking Sonic CD. I guess some things never change.
I didn't take good care of my games back then, and by the time Sonic Gems Collection released in 2005, I'm not even sure either of those discs would've worked. Not that I needed them to anymore. I could play Sonic CD at my leisure now. And yeah, Sonic R and a bunch of Game Gear crap... cool, whatever-- SONIC CD, hell yeah!!!
Regardless of my own situation, Sonic Gems made available several games that were becoming increasingly difficult to find and play even in the early aughts, and I think that's pretty cool. It's also far from perfect and falls short of being a truly great collection in a way that was so perfectly in-character for Sega not just then, but now and probably always.
Multiple Game Gear titles are absent, like the original 8-bit Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic Drift, though their direct sequels are part of the compilation. And again, no Master System versions because Sega has never deemed them to be historically valuable. I doubt preservation of media was at the forefront of Sega's mind when they put this package together in 2005, but even disregarding the significance of availability, being able to play the better versions of these games and having a more complete catalogue to choose from would've been nice!
Other notable exclusions include Bonanza Bros. and the Bare Knuckle (see: Streets of Rage) games, which can be unlocked in the Japanese version of Gems but were omitted from the American release, likely to avoid a Teen rating. Which, it's worth mentioning, is very stupid. SegaSonic the Hedgehog and Knuckles' Chaotix are also absent, though it wouldn't surprise me to find that difficulties in porting/emulating these titles made it more trouble than it's worth for Sega. All of this leaves Gems feeling incomplete and were it your intention back in '05 to build a comprehensive collection of Sonic's pre-2000s games, then both Mega Collection and Gems would've left you frustratingly short of your goal.
Despite being overpriced and underbaked, it let me play Sonic CD and Sonic R at my convenience, and it holds some importance for being the first home release of Sonic the Fighters after the Saturn port was unceremoniously cancelled. The museum also features a ton of key art and promotional material, much of which has been made widely available since Gems and in higher quality, but which was at the time harder to come by. So, it's not without its positives, even if its main draw is Sonic CD.
In fact, this is still the only way for me to play Sonic CD on a CRT. I never did get a Sega CD, and the high prices they fetch today coupled with how cheaply they were made makes it highly unlikely I'll ever get comfortable enough to invest in something so prone to failure. But that's alright, I can just pop Gems into my GameCube... or at least I'd like to, but it's scratched in just the right spot to cause the game to crash on the final act of Metallic Madness. I thought Gems was a bit too expensive at the time, so the idea of dropping at least 45 dollars on another copy today is unappealing. That means the only option left to me is loading the game off my Wii or PS2's hard drive. Even today I am jumping through an innumerable amount of hoops to play fucking Sonic CD. I guess some things never change.
sonic r my beloved
This compilation is only worth it for Sonic CD, Sonic R, and Sonic Fighters... everything else is "meh."
I want more collections like this. Let's face it there are like four separate ways to play the original Sonic The Hedgehog on Nintendo Switch alone. I think SEGA should release another collection focusing on more obscure games. Speaking on this game though I don't really visit many of the games here. Sonic R is a fun little distraction when I have nothing better to do and Sonic The Fighters.... Exists well enough but I do really appreciate the bonus game gear games.
This is basically a collection of scraps after Mega Collection took all the good stuff, but a way to play Sonic's more obscure games is still appreciated and the art gallery's actually really cute
While it has some enjoyable titles, I am personally not a fan of any of the Game Gear games. I feel this collection could've been stronger had it not focused so heavily on them, the Mega collection released on the same consoles is just superior in every way.
And with better ways to access most of this collection through emulation or other releases, this is really just the Sonic the Fighters disc.
And with better ways to access most of this collection through emulation or other releases, this is really just the Sonic the Fighters disc.
Foi aqui que nasceu o meu amor pela franquia.
Fairly solid collection for some of the lesser-known, experimental and weird Sonic games from the 90's, spent an ungodly amount of time in Sonic R as a kid because it's so comfy.
Only problem is that Knuckles Chaotix is missing despite having all the artwork there for it.
Only problem is that Knuckles Chaotix is missing despite having all the artwork there for it.
o rei das coletaneas
This is honestly where they put the games that get a lot of undeserved hype. Mega Collection Clears
This was the first game my parents bought me alongside the ps2, perhaps the start of my "gamer journey"....I cant describe the amount of nostalgia I feel when thinking about this...
Sonic the Fighters was awesome, Sonic CD left me with his opening song stuck inside my head until this day and Sonic R was immensely fun to play against my younger sister....oh the memories
Sonic the Fighters was awesome, Sonic CD left me with his opening song stuck inside my head until this day and Sonic R was immensely fun to play against my younger sister....oh the memories
it's a bunch of mid all in 1 disc, so yay
A unique collection of some of Sonic's lesser talked-about games. To be honest, the three games the box heavily advertises (CD, fighters, and R) are the main stand-out titles that will give you the most entertainment with their unique mechanics & art directions. The game gear selection has not exactly aged the best unfortunately... Makes me wonder about all the other obscure sonic games that could have been included.
Honestly a pretty mid collection aside from Sonic CD. Fighters and Sonic R are pretty cool to have though, and the UI and extras are nice
I am very ashamed i spent a solid chunk of my childhood playing sonic R
Somehow the presentation of this and Mega Collection just fucking hit the spot, with Origins paling in comparison to them.
However, I must remove half a star for Sonic CD being region-locked. I didn't get to hear that glorious Japanese soundtrack until the game's re-release in 2011.
However, I must remove half a star for Sonic CD being region-locked. I didn't get to hear that glorious Japanese soundtrack until the game's re-release in 2011.