Sonic Mega Collection

First off, this has a 60Hz mode which allows you to play these classsics in their intended format without massive black borders and a slightly lower framerate (which the Megadrive had in spades). Games available at the start include Sonic 1, 2 and 3, Sonic & Knuckles, Sonic 3D, Sonic Spinball and Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine. There are plenty of other games to unlock; Sonic 1 & Knuckles (opening the blue sphere mini-game), Sonic 2 & Knuckles, Sonic 3 & Knuckles, the rather old Flicky, and finally Ristar.

... they can be completed fairly easily but the sense of nostalgia is so great you won't even care (that is, of course, if you've played them before). My only major gripe with this is that if you're hell bent on using the D-Pad to control the movement, it a bit awkward with it being stuck so far out the way. It feels quite un-natural and it doesn't help further with the D-Pad being so small. You can use the 3D stick which is actually quite good, but I suppose it's whatever you're used to.

Oh, and another thing, the cheats still work for all the games (but remember that the A and B buttons are the wrong way round on the controller (B is A, A is B and X is C). Also included is lots of bonus stuff from illustrations and comic covers to movies of upcoming games and even the Sonic CD intro and ending sequences. But you won't spend much time looking at these.

Overall then, this is an essential buy. If you don't like Sonic then this is quite possibly a nightmare so I'd look at something else. Sonic Adventure 2 Battle was disappointing with only a handful of good levels (although these were poor at best). Sonic Mega Collection is worth every penny and I would recommend this to any Sonic fan.

The title says it all really, a collection of sonic titles, and other sonic extras all bundled onto a single gamecube disc. These include Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic 2, Sonic Spinball and Dr. Robotniks Lean Bean Machine. In total there are seven individual games. These games, aside from Dr. Robotniks Mean Bean Machine which is a puzzler, all consist of a neat platforming adventure in which you collect as many gold rings as possible, while trying to get from beginning to end in the quickest time possible. Sounds simple, but it's great fun.

The conversion to the Gamecube could have been much better however. The game could have included several more of the sonic titles, such as Sonic CD, but unfortunately, Sega didn't decide to include this, whatever the reason.

The graphics haven't been improved to the slightest, but this could be a bad or a good thing. If you are a hardcore Sonic fan, you'd want everything in it's original form. If you were new to Sonic, you'd wonder how the game is so bland compared to other titles on the system. I'd wished they had at least perfected the animation in the game, spruced up the graphics, and included extra levels. If they have added the levels, I've yet to see them.

Aside from the main games, there is a host of Sonic extras. These include original art that featured in the Sonic comics, adverts for some Sonic games, even the introduction and ending for the missing game, Sonic CD. These are a neat little touch to the game, and also what makes this an essential buy for any Sonic fan.

However, when you complete a Sonic game, you always feel you've accomplished a lot, even if the ending is a bit cheesy, and in this there are six endings to look forward to.

This won't appeal to the masses, as most of us own most of the Sega games, but if you don't, go ahead and catch up on the best years of Sega's life.