Sonic Origins Collection Announced, Releasing June 23rd, 2022

Heresy!!!

No, seriously, I prefer SCD to S2 and S1. S3K still wins the match.

 

Or perhaps SCD is the ?

Only one way to settle this. Shadow the Hedgehog deathmatch VS. mode!

-----

On a serious note, I'm glad they've removed any and all ambiguity about whether this is a real port or enhanced emulation. SEGA's been known to be misleading, either intentionally or otherwise.

 

The best of the worst is Sonic Heroes.

 

While I love all of the games of the Genesis era.. I would rank them, from top to bottom: 3&K, CD, 2, and 1.. CD’s unique time traveling gimmick really set it apart from 2 for me, even though I played 2 since I was like 5-6 years old.. when I got to 3&K, the expansive story, cutscenes, and bigger zones really helped solidify it as my favorite 2D Sonic.. I respect Sonic 1 for laying the groundwork for the franchise, and I adore Mania for expanding on the classic Sonic gameplay (although the reused zones bring it down just a slight bit), but 3&K is the magnum opus of classic Sonic for me.

 

As for the Jam vs Mega collection debate, it seems like we're all in the same boat on this one- we want a collection with as indulgent of a presentation as Jam, while also having the resounding legacy and impact Mega Collection had on the younger generation at the time (mine).

But if I may... if you had to choose just one, and only one, what would it be? In this case, I'm actually more tempted to get selfish and ask for a Jam 2- and I've never even played the real deal!

 

Between the 2? Mega Collection for sure. If these games are preserved long enough, then maybe someday we'll finally be rid of the "Sonic was never good" crowd.

 

Maybe not with this current Origins Collection, but I could see them doing a Mega Collection/Plus/Gems styled compilation of more obscure games in the future. More so if we had M2 working on the emulation (Assuming they are not leading the development of Origins). We had their port of Fighters on PS360 that could be updated and brought over (Weird it never got a PC release), and with the revival of Mighty and Ray SegaSonic could be ported over/emulated, with controls being the only issue. I've configured around and found using the analog stick plus pulling the triggers to emulate swiping a trackball works decently enough, but PlayStation also has their touchpad and the Switch could be played on the go. Sonic R could be updated from its PC release with the proper lighting engine that fans have ported over, or go back and rework the Saturn source code (Can't really picture Saturn emulation going smoothly). Along with those some really obscure games like Waku Waku Partol Car, Popcorn Shop and Cosmo Space Fighter could be included, not for their gameplay but more the museum aspect of it.

Genesis/Mega Drive era games not remastered in Origins could be included as roms with savestate/rewind features, making both Mean Bean and Spinball a lot more easier for casual gamers. Throw Chaotix and 3D Blast into the mix and you're covered most everything (Bonus points for a ported Saturn/PC unlockable version of 3D Blast). As for Master System and Game Gear games, I would prefer they include the Master System version over any Game Gear one, but if we are going all out then having both playable would be great for preservation sake, but even more so if you give the player the option to change the region of release for those Sonic and Tails 2 Triple Trouble purists.

Stepping back, that would basically cover everything that encompasses the Classic era baring Pocket Adventure, but that makes me think outwards even more. We could have even further collections with an Advanced series collection of 1, 2, 3, Battle & Pinball Party, bonus points for adding Pocket Adventure for the pre-Dimps era team. I've seen on YouTube that there are GBA emulation cores that support multiple instances, so imagine 4 player split screen emulating the link cable. There would be some work needed to be done, like muting the background audio track for the other racers and normalizing the soundeffect audio mix. Rivals could be added if they really wanted to cover that mid 2000's portable era. (Though these games are still purchasable on the Playstation store as of this date, but we know that has already been down once now). The 3 Rush games (Shut up, Colors DS is just Rush 3) missed a good opportunity with the WiiU Virtual Console (Though they can be VC injected into Metroid Prime Hunters for those with Homebrew), but I'd still be fine enough with a side by side display, even a top/bottom configuration for switch if you want to rotate the display playing portably, but if would be neat for a swapping play window if the emulator detects a swap in hud placement or something for an additional option.

So to TL;DR recap, give me 4 more collections.
1. Sonic Arcade Collection: include SegaSonic, Fighters, R, Waku Waku Partol Car, Popcorn Shop and Cosmo Space Fighter.
2. Sonic Classics Collection: includes Chaotix, Spinball, 3D Blast, Mean Bean Machine, and all Master System and Game Gear games (Fine with just one rom of each, but ideally both console and region selectable.
3. Sonic Portable Collection: Includes Advance 1, 2, 3, Battle, Pinball Party, Rivals 1&2, with Pocket Adventure as an Unlockable.
4. Sonic Rush Collection: Rush, Rush Adventure, and Colors DS

 

My kinda guy :D

 

Iizuka: “ Since it's in the early stages of the project, there's not much I can talk about in detail..”

I just seemed to gloss over that quote.. I don’t know when this interview was conducted, but is anyone else concerned by this? If this is supposedly coming out before Sonic 2 (movie) that’s anywhere between 6-8 months before release.

I don’t know how long it takes to port old school games to modern platforms (whether the Taxman versions are being used or not) but on the surface this is looking like a rush job and I’m really praying and hoping that it’s not, especially in the case of 3&K.

Likely I’m just grasping at straws here, but it’s still something to think about.

 

Maybe he said that just because he doesn't want to draw too much attention for this right now, since Colors isn't released yet.

 

I checked three different sources and all they said was 2022. For all we know that could be November. Which would give them 16 months.

 

When has any Sonic game not been a rushed job?

 

No, iirc (I read the interview) it was stated that origins will definitively release before the Sonic 2 movie on April 8.

Can someone intelligent (aka, not me) find it?

 

https://www.thegamer.com/sonic-origins-ports-native/

I can’t find the actual interview but this article mentions it

 

To be fair, if they're intending to use the Retro Engine versions of 1, 2 and CD, then that'd be just under a year to remake Sonic 3 & Knuckles in the Retro Engine, as well as adding their extras. Given all the presentational assets and functional designs are already there, maybe this is reasonable? I wouldn't know, I've never been involved with gamedev, but this seems like a light project, relatively speaking.

 

This has become a game of telephone. The article you linked cites Siliconera (sorry, Sliconera) as their source.

Note that it says "Sonic sequel", not "Sonic movie sequel".

https://www.siliconera.com/sonic-origins-native-port/

Here's what the Siliconera article actually says:

 

Yeah I have no idea how the hell I missed that.. whoever wrote that article I linked really twisted the words to make it seem like it’s coming before the movie.

When I first read those words, I immediately thought of the movie first because the new game, to me at the moment, doesn’t fit the definition of a sequel per se.. yes it will be released after Forces but it’s not a continuation of that game (it’s not Forces 2 lol).. it’s a new concept, new story, and it looks like different gameplay if the leaks are to be believed.

The article you linked is written much better and actually specifies that it’s coming before the next 3D game (although we kinda knew that already)

Welp, now we are back to square one.

 

Thanks for clearing that up

 

They might port 1, 2 and CD to the latest version of the engine to allow/make easier the addition of new features, or just because newer versions of the engine exist. I wouldn't be able to tell what changed between versions, however, so maybe there's no reason to do that.

 

After replaying the OG games last week, I have to say I actualy disagree now and think CD is one of the better games in the classic 5.

Sonic 1 is really constricted in how it allows you to move through the game after the GHZ (and sans SLZ). Many levels are focused on accurate platforming challenges and learning the levels rather than running through an big level with a sense of...freedom, that the others have. Many levels don't even have multiple paths.

2 is better with this, more paths to explore, level design built with speed in mind, and overall more enjoyable gameplay. But exploration is something the game features, but never really rewards.

CD has unrestricted level design that allows you to play Sonic how you desire. No being slowed down by blocky platforming sections, no levels full of tight corridors that don't allow you to build any speed, just GO. The game even rewards exploration by giving you the option of either gathering the time stones for the perfect ending or destroying robotnik's time machines in each level. Though you're better off doing the Time Stones because it's way easier.

The game has flaws, for sure, the bosses being way too easy being a big ones. The levels are ambitious, to a fault, that gives the game a bit of a lack of focus. And S3 and K found the perfect balance between speed, platforming, and exploration in VERY well designed levels so it makes CD's effort at the same thing look comparatively amateur.

I still think the game has a lot of good going on for it that people miss, especially because of the OG games Sonic 1 is probably the one people come back to the least so CD has to be the worst by default. Still think it's worth replaying and doing so with this context in mind.