Sonic Compilations: Your Opinions and Ideas

[Indigo Rush]

When it comes to being a Sonic fan, it's always nice to have accessibility to all of Sonic's most popular installments in the franchise, and in some cases, even the less notable ones. While not everybody is itching to play Sonic Labyrinth or Sonic the Fighters, there is still something satisfying about being able to play each and every game that the series has given us.

It's that very reason that we've had compilation packages and ports released over the years. Even as early as 1995, we've had collection packages in the form of Sonic Classics (within the same hardware generation, no less!) and 1997's Sonic Jam, which has been considered to be one of the best (and rarest) collection packages around.

By far, Wii owners have it best, with not only the original trilogy (& Knuckles) and even the spin-offs downloadable for Virtual Console, but with the advent of backwards compatibility, are able to play Sonic Mega Collection, Sonic Gems Collection, the Adventure titles and all of the spin-offs of that generation. This means access to all of the obscure Game Gear titles, the Riders games, Heroes and even the controversial Shadow the Hedgehog.

While other consoles certainly have access to the "fabulous four," (Sonic 1, 2, 3 & Knuckles) they're unable to have the complete package (complete, barring Knuckles Chaotix) without access to Gems Collection or Sonic Adventure 2.

Now with our community's influence (namely Taxman), we are able to experience an enhanced port of Sonic CD on virtually every console imaginable (besides Nintendo's Wii and 3DS, but they have Gems Collection at least). Keeping this in mind, would it not be a good opportunity to take advantage of the Retro Engine, a fantastic piece of technology, and give the "fabulous four" (or is it five, now?) the same kind of treatment as Sonic CD has received in the form of a new compilation package?

Now, simply advertising those games as a collection package with some extra goodies might not do so well now, since these games are already available for download or via backwards compatibility with Mega Collection (+). This is why it might be beneficial to release a more complete collection package, including enhanced ports of the Genesis classics, as well as every notable game released prior to 1998?

Essentially, release a pre-Adventure era compilation with enhanced ports of the 4 main Genesis titles (and CD) and emulations of the other spin-offs (as putting that kind of effort into every game is not feasible) as a sort of fusion between Mega Collection and Gems Collection. This would include games on the SEGA Saturn, CD, 32X and Master System as well, to make this collection a worthwhile purchase. Assuming that the next hardware generation will be backwards compatible (and that it would not take too much disc space), it could be released on our current hardware generation on the 360, PS3 and Wii-U (and PC, too?).

I'd even go so far as to suggest a "handheld" collection for the 3DS and PSP (Vita?), including the Game Gear games and Gameboy Advance games (and Sonic Pocket Adventure!). Additionally, an "Adventure" collection for the same systems as a "pre-Adventure" collection, containing the enhanced ports of Sonic Adventure 1 & 2, as well as Sonic Shuffle, Sonic Heroes, Shadow, and Sonic Riders.

At this point I'm just tossing ideas out, but I think you understand what I'm driving at. The goal is to have every Sonic game available to play on the latest hardware systems with some fun unlockables and memorabilia to pad things out, and I don't think there's anything so wrong with that, do you?

What kind of compilations are your favorite? Would you like to see every game available to current hardware systems? With downloadable games on the rise, would it make special collection packages redundant? And if you were to design a compilation package, how would you do it?

Edited November 26, 2011 by Indigo Rush

[Milo]

A Sonic Advance Collection featuring the Advance trilogy with Pinball Party and Battle (and maybe Pocket Adventure, perferrably as a unlockable) with expanded/additional content would be nice.

I would personally like to see another compilation of pre-1997 Sonic games, which would essentially be a combination of Sonic Mega Collection Plus and Sonic Gems Collection, to put it frankly. Along with Sonic Megamix and Knuckles' Chaotix. Maybe some expanded content for the classic games as well (i.e. new modes, more playable characters in previous games -Tails/Knuckles in Sonic 1/CD; Amy made playable-, an "ultimate lock-on" locking all five games together, etc.?)

[Indigo Rush]

Sonic Megamix? But that's a fangame (a hack, actually), unless you mean something else?

[Cola]

I wouldn't want another Classic Compilation. I would, however, love to see the Genesis titles on the Nintendo eShop as part of the "3D Classics" series.

I'd also love a full retail collection that places Sonic Adventure, Sonic Adventure 2, Sonic Heroes, and Sonic Shuffle into one package. They could rebuild the gameplay engine from the ground up, to patch up any bugs. Plus, since both Adventures (and to an extent, Sonic Heroes), are based off similar, if not the same engine, it would be pretty freaking awesome. Throw in the ability to use character skins (mainly swapping between new, Unleashed based models and the original models, but maybe also costumes and Classic Sonic), swap between original voice tracks and ones with the new actors, an enhanced, online multiplayer mode, and a museum with unlockable videos and goodies, and we've got ourselves a winner! By the way, I intended this for 3DS.

What? I love my 3DS, and it needs some god damned sanc games

EDIT: Oooh, oooh, and the 3D Classics Sonic 2 and Sonic 3 & Knuckles will have online multiplayer.

Edited November 26, 2011 by Yoshi

[JezMM]

As long as it's not detracting resources from the main, new games, I'm all for it.

A remake of the entire Mega Drive trilogy & knuckles would be pretty awesome using CD XBLA's engine, especially if they included a marathon "full story" mode that let you play through all three games in one go with Sonic and Tails (and consistant sprites and physics for everything, preferrably Sonic 3 styled), remade special stages to make them a bit better presented for the modern generation (again, like they did for CD), and perhaps little inbetween game cut-scenes to explain what's normally just in the manuals.

Perhaps some world maps would also allow the game to remain uninterrupted, so should you finish Sonic 1 or 2 without the emeralds, it could be Sonic and Tails "going back" to previous stages to collect the ones they missed so the story can continue onto Sonic 3. Alternatively, perhaps they can take the emeralds back from Eggman with the only penalty being the lack of being able to play as Super Sonic etc.

EDIT: Oh, oh, who said Advance collection? I'm up for that. Please please give us Sonic Pocket Adventure too.

It could be called "Sonic: The Rise and Fall of DIIIIIIIMMMMMMPSSSSSS". Title screen music is Splash Hill.

Edited November 26, 2011 by JezMM

[Indigo Rush]

Plus, since both Adventures (and to an extent, Sonic Heroes), are based off similar, if not the same engine, it would be pretty freaking awesome

Actually, Heroes uses an entirely different engine from the Adventure games. In fact, if I have my facts straight, they had to switch said engine in mid-development to Renderware, which is why the game ended up being so glitchy.

[Cola]

Actually, Heroes uses an entirely different engine from the Adventure games. In fact, if I have my facts straight, they had to switch said engine in mid-development to Renderware, which is why the game ended up being so glitchy.

Well, excuuuuuuuuuuuuuse me, Princess!

Just kidding. :v

Thanks for the info, Indy. You can agree that the gameplay is rather similar, right?

Edited November 26, 2011 by Yoshi

[No more]

The great Sonic Crossover. All the games which don't star him alone/unlockable

including

-Christmas NiGHTS

-All the M&S olympics titles

[Rusty Spy]

Just for once I'd like to see Sonic CD be in the same compilation as the Genesis trilogy. But all the same, Mega Collection is already everything I'll ever need to keep the Genesis games alive for me. The only way you'd get me to buy Sonic 1-3&K is if they either did an HD remake or ported it to the 3DS and not make it look like shit.

An Advance compilation would be pretty meh. The last thing I need is to have to play through them again and get the chaos emeralds.

An Adventure compilation would be neat I guess, at least if they dusted it off and added some additional features, primarily online multiplayer. They could take the DLC available for the original DC version and make it available as unlockables n stuff.

Tell ya what I WOULD buy; Sonic 1-3&K compilation on PSN with expanded online multiplayer ala Sonic 2 with full levels you can race on for 1 and 3 (3 would also update the competition levels to use the regular sprites and gameplay; potentially make them full levels etc.)

[JezMM]

Oh, that's a point. Advance compilation NEEDS to have a selectable Special Stage entry/difficulty level between "Original" and new option, "Reasonable".

Advance 1 gets actually decent controls and perspective, Advance 2 either makes S.Ring collection permanent or make it so you only need 4 out of 7 to reach a special stage maybe. Advance 3 was actually okay. In all cases some kind of hint system should provide clues on the ones you're missing. Maybe a hot/cold emerald shard style tool for tracking them down after you've cleared the game.

[Marcello]

Oh, that's a point. Advance compilation NEEDS to have a selectable Special Stage entry/difficulty level between "Original" and new option, "Reasonable".

Advance 1 gets actually decent controls and perspective, Advance 2 either makes S.Ring collection permanent or make it so you only need 4 out of 7 to reach a special stage maybe. Advance 3 was actually okay. In all cases some kind of hint system should provide clues on the ones you're missing. Maybe a hot/cold emerald shard style tool for tracking them down after you've cleared the game.

Something like Generations' Red Ring hints would be ok.

[thesketchsector]

I liked them, although I think we have enough that unless you're focusing on unreleased titles, they should be left alone. My favourite collection is actually Classic Collection just because I love the fact you can now play the Mega Drive titles handheld without it being Sonic Genesis, and I didn't own a PSP anyway.

I'll admit the only game that I'm hankering to play is Pocket Adventure, so something along those lines would be okay in my book, if it were released onto a virtual shop or something, even if it might be difficult to work out given SNK are involved and such.

[JezMM]

Something like Generations' Red Ring hints would be ok.

Edited November 26, 2011 by JezMM

[Stritix]

Actually, Heroes uses an entirely different engine from the Adventure games. In fact, if I have my facts straight, they had to switch said engine in mid-development to Renderware, which is why the game ended up being so glitchy.

[Marcello]

I was gonna say that but the Advance series' levels are a ton more generic without specific memorable set-pieces. You really couldn't use non-visual hints without a complete second-by-second text description of the level.

Edited November 26, 2011 by MarcelloF

[Sean]

Sega shouldn't re-release the Genesis games again. They're already on every feasible platform out there, and any enhancements I could possibly want out of them have been done in hacks. Even then, with the exception of Sonic 3 Complete (which I can't see Sega ever doing), I can live with just playing the untouched originals.

I also strictly avoid repurchasing titles I own unless they're substantial remakes or there's no convenient way of playing the versions I already have. I'm not referring to having to switch between systems to play games, because I always put away my consoles after every use and thus see no need for the convenience of having every game on one platform. I make exceptions when it comes to older games that no longer work for me - for example, the 1990s PC releases of Sonic CD and Sonic & Knuckles Collection require patches to work on newer computers, and the discs are already worn down pretty badly. I replaced S&KC by buying Mega Collection for the GC and I'll get Sonic CD on Steam down the line, but beyond those games, I've seen no need to buy any other Sonic re-release.

Everyone and their dogs have access to the Genesis games, so the last thing people should be doing is encouraging them to make another re-release of games that everyone already owns three copies of. Compilations should focus on obscure titles that haven't seen wide release yet deserve to be experienced at least according certain people - games like the Advance series (much as I despise them), the Saturn titles, and Chaotix make good contenders. Just throwing in every single game before (or hell, even after) Sonic Adventure isn't going to cut it for me.

[Jeffhog]

The Genesis titles are already downloadable within today's consoles, so I see no need for a compilation release.

The Advance games, however, need to come back.

[Dantemustdie00]

Definately a Advance games collection, including Sonic Battle to go with it since it kinda ties in with Advance 3. They should do that for the 3DS.

Theirs really no need for another Genesis compilation, at least for several more years I guess. Both Genesis and Dreamcast Era games are slowly showing up as DLC games anyway

[Salamander]

I assume that the Advance games will be candidates for the 3DS eShop in like a million years when they start releasing GBA games on there.

[Old dead account]

I'd love a the collection to end all collections with the same care given to it as the new Sonic CD remake. Compiation of every single sonic game that has ever been on a sega system and Sonic Pocket Adventure, with the advance games as a wiiU exclusive. Just imagine it

All genesis games

All game gear games

All Saturn, SegaCD, and 32X games

All dreamcast games

Same care and effort as the Sonic CD port...

[R@fÆL]

Advance compilation would be awesome!!! I really love the advance titles. But I must admit, I'd definitely buy an Adventure compilation game even though I already have them like there times already. I have never played knuckles Chaotix nor SEGASONIC so it'd be awesome to at least let them the see light of day again.

Wait, there's also the Sonic Sega Pico games.

And Sonic Shuffle...

and Battle...

And All the cell phone games...

My hopes went down.

Edited November 26, 2011 by R@qH1eL

[Place]

This is probably impossible on so many levels, but here it is anyways:

Sonic Lost Collection

Contains all of the following:

Rereleases of Death Egg Saga (Sonic 1-Sonic 3 & Knuckles)

Knuckles Chaotix

Sonic CD port with Tails (unlockable)

SegaSonic The Hedgehog

Original Beta of Sonic X-Treme (unlockable)

Every Sonic Cafe game EVER ('cause we're just dying to play Darts with Sonic tacked on for some reason)

Sonic Shuffle (DLC includes playable Omochao)

Tails and the Music Maker (Yes, I'm serious.)

Sonic's Gameworld (YAAAAYY)

SegaSonic Popcorn Shop (I'm DEAD SERIOUS.)

SegaSonic Cosmo Fighter (Kinect exclusive!)

Another gallery featuring all the same Sonic art/screensavers/Channel art that we've seen before.

Another bizzarely catchy opening theme.

All of this on one amazing disc. Universal on every current/next gen console. Doing so would make me very happy, Sega.

EDIT: Also Pocket Adventure. The world needs to see why it's worthy of getting a 10/10 from IGN.

Edited November 27, 2011 by RockThePlace

[Jacky]

nope, no need for anymore collections. I'm pretty sure every classic sonic game has been ported to just about every console known to man already.

An Advance collection for 3DS would be neato tho.