SOnic Ultimate Genesis
normally try to avoid talking about price in reviews, because 1UP isn't really in the business of clinical, Consumer Reports-style evaluations of games. We'd rather write about the games themselves than our blind estimates of what fits your personal spending habits. In the case of Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection, though, I'd be remiss in not mentioning the price. What we have here is a ludicrous value: 49 games for $30. Add in the fact that a good number of these games sell individually on Virtual Console or Xbox Live Arcade for five to eight bucks apiece and you have a compilation that merits a look simply for being an accessory to frugality.
Admittedly, not every one of the four dozen games on here are classics, and several of the genuine masterpieces have become victims of compilation fatigue, having been rereleased so many times they approach the likes of Tetris and Pac-Man in terms of sheer ubiquity. It's hard to feel too excited about playing Sonic yet again, classic though it may be. And the likes of Golden Axe III may have a handful of fans who will find enjoyment in its mediocrity through the pain-dulling powers of nostalgia, but more reasonable gamers will probably skip them. Still, pare this collection down to the selections that could rationally be called "good" or "great" and you have something like 20-30 16-bit classics, with a handful of niche novelties to satisfy fans with broader than avearage tastes.
Click the image above to check out all Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection screens.
Even so, the Ultimate Genesis Collection could include a hundred greats and still be better off ignored if the presentation were a sloppy mess. By and large, though, Backbone Entertainment has redeemed itself here; while some of the company's older Genesis emulation work was downright awful, this collection is much closer to ideal...though not without a few issues. The graphics are a little on the fuzzy side due to some unwelcome anti-aliasing that results from being upscaled to HD resolutions. Sound effects are spotty, too, with occasional pops and hisses that weren't present in the original games. There are more overt bugs as well; for instance, the music in Fatal Labyrinth sometimes cuts out after leveling up and refuses to return until you reach the next experience level.
As a result, die-hard Genesis fans are bound to be disappointed. After all, Sega's Japanese fans are treated to a much high caliber of compilation with the import-only Sega Ages releases; but those also contain a mere handful of games yet cost about as much as this entire collection. Clearly Sega of America has gone for quantity over quality here, putting together a value-oriented bundle for the Wal-Mart audience; Americans are averse to paying more for less, even if a smaller selection allows for higher quality presentation. This is the dollar menu combo of compilations rather than the gourmet selections Sega sells in Japan -- and for all that, the results are a lot better than they could have been. Despite some minor flaws and glitches, the Genesis games here feel right. Controls are snappy and responsive, and the music itself has that hauntingly electronic sound that was a trademark of the console. The Genesis's music sounded like the future to me, back when the system was brand new -- a cold, austere future -- and 20 years later this collection perfectly recreates that unique quality.
Click the image above to check out all Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection screens.
The breadth of selections is also impressive, covering practically every genre in detail. While a few of the omissions grate (really, not a single Wonder Boy or Monster World game? No sports titles?), everything from platformers to RPGs is accounted for. Plus, a handful of arcade and Master System games whet the appetite for further compilations that delve into other facets of Sega's history. The only real drawback to these bonuses is that they're hidden as unlockables with some irritating requirements. For instance, if you want to play Phantasy Star, you'll need someone to come over to your place and play a level of Sonic 2 in coop mode -- the collection doesn't offer Internet play, despite unofficial emulators having supported netplay for, oh, about a decade now.
Taken for what it is, though -- a cheap collection of tons of Genesis games -- the Ultimate Genesis Collection satisfies. No compilation is ever perfect, and Sega and Backbone definitely leave room for improvement. But there's a lot of great gameplay to be had here, and plenty of interesting obscurities for the adventurous to explore -- and all for an enticing price.
