Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection

Sega Mega Drive Ultimate Collection
Developer(s)	Backbone Entertainment
Publisher(s)	Sega
Platform(s)	PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Release	NA: February 10, 2009 EU: February 20, 2009 AU: February 20, 2009 (PS3) AU: February 26, 2009 (X360)
Genre(s)	Compilation
Mode(s)	Single-player, multiplayer

Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection, known as the Sega Mega Drive Ultimate Collection in PAL regions, is a compilation of video games developed by Backbone Entertainment for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 consoles. The compilation features 48 Sega games (49 counting two versions of Altered Beast) which were previously released for the Mega Drive/Genesis (including most of the Sonic the Hedgehog titles released for the system), arcade and Sega Master System. It is similar to the Sega Genesis Collection released previously for the PlayStation 2 and PSP, however it contains 16 (in NTSC regions) more games (including unlockable extras).

List of games

Mega Drive/Genesis games (40 total)

• 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 Flickies Island/Blast
• Sonic Spinball
• Streets of Rage
• Streets of Rage 2
• Streets of Rage 3
• Super Thunder Blade
• Vectorman
• Vectorman 2

Unlockable extra games

• Alien Syndrome (arcade)
• Altered Beast (arcade)
• Congo Bongo (arcade) (under original title "Tip Top" in some regions)
• Fantasy Zone (arcade)
• Golden Axe Warrior (Sega Master System)
• Phantasy Star (Sega Master System)
• Shinobi (arcade)
• Space Harrier (arcade)
• Zaxxon (arcade)

According to Ethan Einhorn, the producer for the collection, the three "lock-on" games (Knuckles in Sonic 2, Sonic 3 & Knuckles, and Sonic & Knuckles) were not included citing "tight development times", and that including them would have meant "dropping several titles from the collection altogether", specifically the aforementioned nine unlockable games since "they all required unique emulation solutions".

Additional features

As well as being able to play the games in their original aspect ratio and appearance, players also have the option of switching to a wide-screen view, as well as turn on a smoothing option akin to those featured on Mega Drive/Genesis titles released on XBLA or PSN. Titles can be arranged alphabetically, chronologically, by genre, or by player-assigned rating. Each Mega Drive/Genesis game also has a "museum" similar to the previous Sega Genesis Collection that consists of information, trivia, box art, and cartridge art. The collection also features interviews with some of the original game developers.

Reception

The compilation received mostly positive reviews. IGN gave Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection a 9.0/10 score and an Editor's Choice Award, praising the addition of a rating system for each game and the Streets of Rage series, among other things. Greg Miller of IGN said that he "can't recommend this game enough". Retro Gamer rated the game 98%. It also received the award for Best Anthology in GameShark's Game of the Year Awards 2009.

Sega Mega Drive LP Vinyl

Sega Mega Drive Vinyl is a soundtrack featuring music from the games in this compilation and was only made available in Australia and New Zealand. The release was limited to 3500 copies worldwide with each one being numbered. Vinyl #0002 has been auctioned on a New Zealand auction website TradeMe for the Starship Children's Health foundation.