Review theWellRedMage 5/5 · Apr 26, 2017
Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection (2009) reviewed by the Well-Red Mage
"Sega does what Nintendon't."
Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection, I'll say right at the start, is one of the best single volume retro compilations I've played. It goes to great lengths to capitalize on delicious nostalgia. The main menu resembles the top of a Sega Genesis and shows a cartridge for the game on the right where you can see demo …
"Sega does what Nintendon't."
Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection, I'll say right at the start, is one of the best single volume retro compilations I've played. It goes to great lengths to capitalize on delicious nostalgia. The main menu resembles the top of a Sega Genesis and shows a cartridge for the game on the right where you can see demo footage, cover art and read historical factoids. The collection opens with is this wonderful sequence, a wall of tv screens flash 16-bit imagery from Sega games recognizable even to this Nintendo fan. The music and the visuals builds up to this incredible crescendo that got me excited to dive right in.
But where to begin? The collection boasts an impressive 49 games from the Genesis/Mega Drive, Master System and the arcades! Other retro compendium games I've played in recent history include The Disney Afternoon Collection and the Mega Man Legacy Collection, both of which feature incredibly accurate and tight controls for perfect, streamlined emulation of the NES era. However, neither of those spectacular collections had more than six games apiece. Here we're talking about one short of fifty!
With Sega's biggest (and only?!) mascot emblazoned across the cover and with his name in the title, we shouldn't be surprised that this library of Sega games includes lots of Sonic. There are six Sonic games here. You know, let me just list the games. For science.
Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle Alien Storm Altered Beast Beyond Oasis/The Story of Thor Bonanza Bros. Columns Comix Zone Decap Attack Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine Dynamite Headdy Ecco the Dolphin Ecco: The Tides of Time ESWAT: City Under Siege Fatal Labyrinth Flicky Gain Ground Golden Axe Golden Axe II Golden Axe III Kid Chameleon Phantasy Star II Phantasy Star III: Generations of Doom Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium Ristar Shining Force: The Legacy of Great Intention Shining Force II: The Ancient Seal Shining in the Darkness Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master Sonic & Knuckles Sonic the Hedgehog Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Sonic 3D Blast/Flickies Island Sonic Spinball Streets of Rage Streets of Rage 2 Streets of Rage 3 Super Thunder Blade Vectorman Vectorman 2
The other games are unlockable after completing certain in-game requirements and grabbing a few trophies/achievements. These challenges include things like collecting a certain amount of points on this game or beating a boss in that game. Here are the unlockable titles, mainly arcade games:
Alien Syndrome Altered Beast (arcade) Congo Bongo Fantasy Zone Golden Axe Warrior Phantasy Star Shinobi Space Harrier Zaxxon
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