Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection

Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection Sega Mega Drive Ultimate Collection
North American Universal cover
Developer(s)	Backbone Entertainment
Publisher(s)	Sega
Platform(s)	Xbox 360, PlayStation 3
Release
Genre(s)	Compilation

Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection (Sega Mega Drive Ultimate Collection in PAL regions) is a compilation of video games developed by Backbone Entertainment for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 consoles. The compilation features more than 40 Sega games which were previously released for the Genesis/Mega Drive console (including most of the Sonic the Hedgehog titles released for the system), and features arcade titles as well.

List of Games

• Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle ¹
• Alien Storm
• Alien Syndrome (arcade) ⁴ [1]
• Altered Beast ^{1 7} [2]
• Beyond Oasis
• Bonanza Bros. ^{1 5}
• Columns ¹
• Comix Zone ¹
• Congo Bongo (arcade) ⁴ [3]
• Decap Attack ¹
• Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine ²
• Dynamite Headdy
• ESWAT: City Under Siege
• Ecco the Dolphin ¹
• Ecco: The Tides of Time ¹
• Fantasy Zone (arcade) ⁴ [4]
• Fatal Labyrinth
• Flicky ^{2 1}
• Gain Ground ¹
• Golden Axe ¹
• Golden Axe II ¹
• Golden Axe III ¹
• Golden Axe Warrior (Sega Master System) ⁴ [5]
• Kid Chameleon ¹
• Phantasy Star (Sega Master System) ^{3 4}
• Phantasy Star II ^{1 3}
• Phantasy Star III: Generations of Doom ^{1 3}
• Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium ¹
• Ristar ^{1 2}
• Shining in the Darkness
• Shining Force
• Shining Force II: Ancient Sealing
• Shinobi (arcade) ⁴ [6]
• Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master ¹
• Sonic 3D Blast ²
• Sonic & Knuckles ²
• Sonic Spinball ²
• Sonic the Hedgehog ^{1 2}
• Sonic the Hedgehog 2 ^{1 2}
• Sonic the Hedgehog 3 ²
• Space Harrier (arcade) ⁴ [7]
• Streets of Rage ⁵
• Streets of Rage 2 ⁵
• Streets of Rage 3 ⁵
• Super Thunder Blade ¹
• Vectorman ^{1 6}
• Vectorman 2 ^{1 6}
• Zaxxon (arcade) ⁴ [8]

¹ These games have previously appeared in the Sega Genesis Collection

² These games have previously appeared in the Sonic Mega Collection

³ these games were part of the Phantasy Star Collection

⁴ these games have to be unlocked

⁵ These games were in the japanese version of the Sonic Gems Collection & cut out overseas

⁶ These games were kept in the overseas version of the Sonic Gems Collection

⁷ the arcade version is present as an unlockable

The collection also features 9 unlockable games: 7 arcade games, and two Master System games. The collection also features interviews with the original game developers. All items can be unlocked by earning Achievements (360) and Trophies (PS3).

According to Ethan Einhorn, the producer for the collection, the three "lock-on" games (Knuckles in Sonic 2, Sonic 3 and Knuckles, and "Blue Sphere") were not included citing "tight development times", and that including them would have meant "dropping several titles from the collection altogether", specifically the aforementioned 9 unlockable games since "they all required unique emulation solutions".

Reception

Reception

Aggregate score

Aggregator	Score
Metacritic	81% (X360) 79% (PS3)

Review scores

Publication	Score
GamePro	9.0/10
GameZone	9/10
IGN	9.0.10

IGN has given Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection a 9.0/10.0 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".

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 PAL regions. 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 Foundation.

“The auction is a great way to help the kids at Starship and also give New Zealanders an opportunity to bid for some unique SEGA memorabilia,” - Gary Russell, Brand Manager for Sega New Zealand.