Sonic Mega Collection Plus Review by: janus - 9.7/10
Sonic Mega Collection Plus: Revive the Hey Days of the Blue HedgehogAs this is yet another compilation, I will just mention some major feature differences. The review will therefore be short.Because of its poor marketing strategies (and inferior machines in some respects) Sega was never able to overcome Nintendo or Sony in the console wars. Nevertheless it did leave a legacy of fine games, especially from Sonic, its official mascot. Sonic Mega Collection Plus allows you to play
every single Sonic game up to the end of the 16-bits era. Come discover or rediscover why this blue hedgehog and his mutant fox friend with two tails were so popular.
Graphics: 9/10
The games are carbon copies of the original games, which means that the graphics were good for the time but are definitely outdated for the 21st century. Also the copying also include the VERY annoying lags from Sonic the Hedgehog 1 in the Labyrinth Zone and in the two-player mode/special stages in Sonic the Hedgehog 2, both on the Sega Genesis
However, the Game Gear games did profit from this transition to the PlayStation 2. The image is much larger, making it easier to see what's on the screen. I remember when playing Sonic the Hedgehog 2 for GG; you could barely see the pebbles going towards the boss at the end of the first zone. And for Sonic the Hedgehog 1 (both for Genesis and the Sega Master System) you can see the emeralds better since your eyes are not just focused on Sonic
Music: 9/10
Once again, the music is exactly the same as on their previous version. And once again the Game Gear/Master System music profited from a PS 2 upgrade. The sound is much clearer and also much more enjoyable. I even daresay that the music from Sonic 1 Master System was superior to many Nintendo games, with more complex arrangements and longer loops.
However the sound effects are at best at par with their NES counterparts. They are clear but are much less varied; they are limited to Sonic collecting/losing rings, jumping and hitting the end-of-the-zone panel.
Addictiveness: 10/10
If you thought the Mario games were addictive, wait until you play the Sonic games.
The older Game Gear games (before Sonic Chaos) obliged you to look for the emeralds
inside the stage rather than inside a hidden special stage, making you want to explore everywhere.
And should you take a bad turn and die, you can take advantage of the RAM saving feature (much like the features you had in Final Fantasy Origins or when you use savestates) and load before the separation of the road. You can also save on your memory card, a big plus from most of the games since they didn't include a save feature.
Story: 5/10
Sonic games, like many other platform games, have a rather slim story line and usually just have a succession of stages with a boss at the end of 2-3 of these stages.
Until Sonic 2 (Genesis), your goal is simply to go through each zones and defeat the evil Dr. Ivo Robotnik (also know as Eggman) so you can free the Flickys that have been "robotized" by him. The emeralds don't serve much purpose other than saying that you truly found everything.
Starting in Sonic 2 however the plot gets more elaborate. This time getting the emeralds can transform you into Super Sonic (you are invincible to everything but bottomless pits and being crushed) and therefore keep Robotnik from fueling his ultimate weapon, the Death Egg (a big, round space station with his face on it). From the Sky Chase Zone to the end of Sonic 3 and Knuckles, it's just one continuous zone divided in many segments. Not many 16-bits games were able to achieve such continuity.
Depth: 9/10
I was amazed to see so much development for the Master System/Game Gear Sonics. Both Sonic 1 had much more to explore that even Super Mario Bros. 2. The other games (except Sonic Spinball) also offered a lot to be explored, which will keep you very busy.
Difficulty: 8/10
Despite my age, I still think that Sonic is a difficult game. It was very obvious on the Master System/Game Gear as sprite limitations kept Sonic from getting all his rings back when he hits an enemy. And in Sonic 2, you can't even get rings when fighting Act 3 bosses!
The Genesis games are easier but are still a challenge. Once one learns to appreciate the spin dash, one will find that Sonic 1 is rather difficult without that innovative feature that lets you accelerate rather than wait for a loop/tunnel to give you speed.
In short, Sonic Mega Collection Plus is a must-have for any Sonic fan out there that love having physical copies of their favorite games. Since the cartridge era is long-gone, this CD alternative will not only save space but also help you save your progress so you can always take the optimal route.
Graphics
9 Sound
9 Addictive
10 Story
5 Difficulty
8
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