Sonic Origins: A Sturdy Fan’s Perspective – Reader Feature

Let me first say that the Sonic games were my first real gaming experience; Sonic 2 to be specific. The Mega Drive was my first console, there were two Sonic cartoons on television at the same time and even my bank (TSB) held a promotion where you could pay a pound to get Sonic posters. From my then perspective, at least the perspective of a child, Sonic was everywhere. So Sonic Origins is for me the pinnacle of nostalgia, so I may be more forgiving for some things and less for others.

I dipped in and out of the 3D games and enjoyed and hated their releases in (almost) equal amounts, but even with the 2D outings on the Game Boy Advance and the Rush series on the DS, it never even got close to the quality not fitting from those Mega Drive originals – and that’s where Sonic Origins comes in for me.

I want to discuss this release as a hardcore fan of the Mega Drive series. I have played these games indoors and even bought several standalone and re-releases over the years and, despite some issues, I believe these are the best re-releases the series has ever received.

So let me discuss the changes to the games that really elevate them for me; the widescreen support is probably the best new feature because of what it adds in presentation and extra response time. Bug fixes like Knuckles that move a few pixels forward when you look up have been fixed and there are cosmetic changes, such as that Super Sonic has more sprites to accommodate certain situations, such as turning on a barrel. They even turned the Tails two-decker sprite upside down so that Sonic’s name is now displayed correctly and not just the correct image that was reversed.

The special stages are now sharp and smooth and the special shields in Sonic 3 & Knuckles actually repel enemy projectiles. The integration of the drop dash from Sonic Mania and the intro and outro shorts is also worth changing. You can even play as Tails and Knuckles in the first game and use the dash. There are still many changes, such as the re-launch of the standalone Big Arms boss of Sonic 3 and Sonic 2’s secret Hidden Palace Zone that have been included, but I think I’ve had enough of this.

However, that is not to say everything is wonderful. I noticed in Marble Garden Act 1 that once you reach a certain point where debris falls it does not stop unless you enter a Special Stage or complete the level. I have also noticed many previously avoidable pressure situations where standing a little too close to a danger or running too far ahead and simply brushing against a death trap will kill you. I’m sure it’s much more forgiving in the original editions and it can be very frustrating at times.

The biggest problem for me though, and it’s inevitable, is the replacement music for Sonic 3 & Knuckles. I understand it had to be changed and I also understand that the ‘new’ tracks are not really new; they were the prototype tracks before the final music was added. They were even seen in the original computer release. However, they just do not sound right.

It’s all a matter of taste, and to be so used to a game, but to have such a big change, undoubtedly colors my view and I think they sound bad and, worse than that, flat and without any bite. I would have preferred to have compiled brand new tracks, but I understand why they chose to work on these existing tracks. What I do not understand is how they managed to make the prototype cuts sound less complete or developed than they were before. Regardless, these are actually just three zones.

It’s also disappointing that you can not play the two halves of Sonic 3 separately, to appreciate all the differences between them, but the music was also a big part of the change there, so it goes in tandem with my points up the soundtrack.

I have read reviews lamenting the lack of a rewind feature, as with the NES / SNES mini, but the removal of a live system and the ability to use coins to replay special stages makes me a non- issue. I’m aware that I’m just discussing the anniversary issues, and neglecting to mention the classic mode, the museum, boss rush, mirror mode, or even mission mode, but they are not the real meat here and mostly feel like stuffing.

I admit that developers who worked on the game were disappointed with the final product, but I still think it’s by far the definitive official release – and what would be a Sonic game without being rushed to meet a deadline ? Even the original release of Sonic 3 was so quickly injured that it had to be split into two games to fulfill a deal with McDonald’s, so at this point it’s equal to the course.

If Sega had allowed a little more development time and allowed a patch to correct the criticism Sonic Origins received, that would be a perfect release; However, I do not think it is likely.

Sonic Origins’ admittedly high price is quite an obstacle for newcomers (and even veterans alike), but I’m sure a price drop on this collection, or even just a physical release, will solve this problem and hopefully the sales will then be encouraging. be enough to Sega that Sonic Mania 2 will be green light. Perhaps the series can then reclaim what originally made it such a powerhouse in the Mega Drive era.

By reader Kane

The reader’s attribute does not necessarily represent the views of GameCentral or Metro.