There is a saying, often attributed to Santayana: "Those who fail to learn history are forever condemned to repeat it." While in most cases it is a foreboding omen warning against the willy-nilly disregard for past consequences in matters of greater significance than video games, it is no less important in our chosen field of obsession. Sega, it appears, has not learned much from history, and instead willingly chooses to repeat it. The results, while neither disastrous nor ominous, are not nearly as great as they could have been.
Sonic Mega Collection, released late in 2002, is the culmination of half a decade of games featuring one of video gaming's most popular and easily recognizable icons, Sonic the Hedgehog. Consisting of the four core Sonic games and about five other Sonic-related titles, all of which appeared on the Genesis between 1991 and 1996, Mega Collection lives up to its name in that it is pretty much the entirety of the Sonic legacy (short of the Sonic Adventure games, which appeared on the GameCube in separate releases, and Sonic CD, which has yet to appear outside of its Sega CD and PC incarnations). However, while it may be heartening for some players to note that the titles have been ported with almost unerring accuracy, this fact will fill others with a sense of dread.
As noted above, the games are direct and perfect ports of their original releases. This means that the games play exactly and unfailingly like the way they did some ten years ago on your Genesis. It also means that no additional features were added to the games in the interest of accessibility. Sonic 3 and Sonic and Knuckles remain the only games with a save feature; players must complete all other games in one sitting or not at all. Couple that with the legendary difficulty of some of the bosses in the original games, and you have a sure-fire recipe for frustration.
In preserving the original code (I am told from sources that the game actually is running emulated versions of the original ROMs, which is supported by the fact that all the old tricks still work), Sega has also preserved the original feel of the Sonic games, not to mention the most stirring and memorable music of the era, re-created in glorious 16-bit MIDI and FM synthesis. There is little more gratifying than blazing through Green Hill like a bat out of hell, and little so intense as facing down the hapless Dr. Robotnik/Eggman as he attempts to end your session with one of his myriad hedgehog-disposal devices. In essence, this is old-school as pure as it gets, folks. Anything more authentic and you'd be blowing dust from the cartridges. For those of us experienced enough to appreciate the challenge of going through Chemical Plant and Sky Garden again, it comes as a welcome contender. For players new to gaming since the 3D revolution, it may be an experience just a little too intense and too difficult. As said, for players of all stripes, the lack of save features makes the games some very taxing trials indeed.
This is not to say that playing the games repeatedly is a drawback with no reward. On occasion, after playing a game X number of times, one may unlock one of the additional titles. The problem is that, for the most part, the "rewards" are a pittance. Flicky and Ristar have very little significance in the grand scheme of things, and quite frankly they could have easily and painlessly been dropped in favor of Sonic CD or even the Saturn version of 3D Blast. Come to think of it, with the exception of Sonic Spinball, the non-Sega developed Sonic titles have largely been embarrassments (case in point: Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine, while a decent version of Puyo Puyo, probably could have done much, much better without grafting the abysmal DiC-licensed character designs on to it). Why Sega would pursue the continued dredging of what many Sonic purists believe to be mistakes is a matter far beyond my humble reckoning.
This brings me to what will probably be unanimously called the largest waste of space on the disc, the "Extras" menu. Containing images from the love-it-or-hate-it Archie Comics series' covers and other illustrations of the major players in the series, the Extras menu is more malicious teasing than pleasant fan-service (not in the porno sense of the phrase... thankfully). There are also five pitiful movie clips -- three of them promotional clips from the 2002 Japan World Hobby Fair, and two of them taken from Sonic CD. I wish I had something more pleasant to call this besides a waste, but that's all it really is -- space that could have easily been used to provide additional features or, heaven forbid, the missing games from the series.
When it comes down to it, there is little that can be said about so-called "retro packs" which does not reflect what was said about the games as they were initially introduced. What the retro packs then have to offer is improvements, and the way in which each game is presented. I suppose it is a bit unfair to hold every collection package to the standards set by Nintendo's Super Mario All-Stars-- a game ten years old itself-- but when you take a keen eye to both sets, you realize the comparison must be made. Both presume to bring their company's mascot to a new audience, and in doing so ensure the immortality of those icons. Where Mario All-Stars succeeds, however, is where Sonic Mega Collection falters.
The Bottom Line
Given that the games themselves are pure representatives of what many consider to be the best age of modern video gaming, Sonic Mega Collection's core components have managed to age themselves quite well, to the point where they become exceptional titles in and of themselves. Sega, however, has seen fit to present the games in such an unflattering collection as to present players with a difficult choice: Do I support the half-assed porting of some of gaming's most treasured titles to current systems, thus ensuring that future retro releases for the company will be as dismal? Or do I withhold my money and wait for Sega to release an unfettered, improved version of the games -- a release that may not come due to supposedly lackluster performance and a dearth of interest? It is a very tricky position that Sega has put us in, and I do not envy the player who comes across the title on the store shelves looking for a new challenge. However, I can say this. If you have not had the pleasure of playing the classic Sonic titles, I highly recommend you do so. Whether you choose to do so on the Gamecube or on the original Genesis is a choice I must leave up to you and your conscience.
