Ranking the Classic Games Included in Sonic Mega Collection

Following his successful debut on the Nintendo Gamecube in Sonic Adventure 2 Battle, Sonic would become the star of his very own compilation on the same system. Entitled Sonic Mega Collection, this collection would contain every Sonic game ever released for the Sega Genesis, including those that required lock-on technology, as well as a couple of bonus titles. Whereas the later Sonic Gems Collection would feature more weak than solid titles, the games in this set are largely good and lots of fun to play. I feel that I should take all twelve games (including the unlockable titles) from the Gamecube version (I have not played the Playstation 2 or Xbox versions, nor do I ever plan to do so) and rank them from worse to best. The games in Sonic Mega Collection are listed thus...

12. Sonic 3D Blast: Sonic's final Genesis game was, unfortunately, not the best way to close out his five-year history on the venerable 16-bit console. While it dazzled with some nice computer-rendered graphics and a cool soundtrack, its game play was frankly terrible. An isometric view for Sonic coupled with a somewhat slower speed felt just plain wrong, as did the task of saving little birds trapped within robots and bringing them to safety. Add a lack of a save feature and you have what is perhaps an early example of why Sonic and 3D do not seem to mix very well as well as one of the worst Sonic games of all time. Nintendo gave Mario a great exit on the Super NES with Super Mario RPG, so why couldn't Sega do the same for Sonic?

11. Sonic Spinball: This pinball game has its fair share of strengths and weaknesses. On the one hand, you have some great bonus games, a catchy soundtrack, and even appearances by Princess Sally, Rotor the Walrus, and Bunnie Rabbot from the Sonic SatAM animated series. On the other hand, the classic sound effects sounded noticeably off and the challenge is a bit too high. Controls that sometimes do not function as well as they should do not help, and the final boss battle does not make it clear when you can and cannot do damage to Robotnik's machine. It is superior to the Game Gear version, but it still could have been better.

10. Flicky: This arcade port, starring the bird who would make numerous cameos appearances in Sonic games, is a surprisingly decent entry that has you spiriting little chicks to safety while avoiding foes. The background music is quite catchy, and the game play and bonus levels are pretty fun. The only drawback is that this is an arcade game, and thus its appeal is somewhat limited. Even so, it is a nice port and I would like to see Flicky appear in another game of his own someday.

9. Blue Sphere: The special stage of Sonic 3 gets its own game which was unlocked by locking the original Sonic onto Sonic and Knuckles. The objective is to accumulate blue spheres while avoiding red ones, and the speed increases as you go, making things a little tougher. With lots of stages, this game will certainly keep you busy for quite some time. However, there is nothing more to this game than simply playing through numerous special stages, so those looking for a bit more depth will be disappointed. Still, this is a nice and fun addition that is worth a try.

8. Knuckles in Sonic 2: The super cool echidna gets to explore the stages of this classic title in a mode that required you to lock Sonic 2 onto Sonic and Knuckles. Knuckles could glide and climb walls, which would allow players to discover new secrets and play the game in a whole new way. The overall experience is as fun as ever, but be warned that Knuckles' ability to jump is more limited than Sonic's, making the last boss battle almost impossible (especially considering that you cannot grab rings during the fight). As a whole, however, this variation of Sonic 2 is cool and challenging.

7. Sonic the Hedgehog 3: It was this game that introduced Knuckles, the blue sphere special stages, and some nice new shields such as the bubble and lightning shields. It also has some exciting levels, awesome boss battles, and nice animations and music. As exciting as the game is, however, the game is quite short with only twelve stages in total, despite having a save feature. This was the result of rushing the game out before it was truly ready, though the release of Sonic and Knuckles would help to complete the story. As it is, the game remains fun and is a true classic, even if it is merely a half-finished title.

6. Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine: In this Tetris-style game, you must save the residents of Beanville from being changed into robots by defeating Robotnik's mechanical minions one by one before taking on the mad doctor himself. Like a lot of puzzle games, this one can become addictive and keep you hooked for hours. You can play story, endless, and two-player modes, and the inclusion of characters from the Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog animated series is a nice touch. If there is one flaw, it is that this game can make you lose track of time in a hurry. Definitely one of the best puzzle games on the Genesis.

5. Sonic the Hedgehog: There is certainly no denying that the original Sonic is a video game classic. It introduced the world to Sonic, Robotnik, golden rings, Chaos Emeralds, and many features that would become standard for many years to come. It has nearly twenty stages of high speed action, challenging bonus levels, memorable tunes, and non-stop fun. However, I feel that some of the later Genesis games would improve the series by leaps and bounds. Even in this early stage, Sonic had the makings of a superstar, and it is because of this amazing game that he has become an iconic pop culture legend.

4. Sonic and Knuckles: Basically, this could be called Sonic 3: Part 2, as it continues the story begun in Sonic 3 and has many of the same features introduced in that game. It also introduces Knuckles as a playable character, and his abilities gave the game quite a bit of depth. The usual exciting levels, boss battles, and bonus stages were abundant, and the many ways to beat the game would keep players coming back for more. The original version was notable for including lock-on technology which allowed players to lock select games into the Sonic and Knuckles cartridge in order to unlock new features in other titles. While Sonic and Knuckles was a great game by itself, it became even better when Sonic 3 was locked onto it and it became...

3. Sonic 3 and Knuckles: Simply put, this is Sonic 3 the way it was meant to be played, with a massive amount of stages, multiple routes, and a ton of endings to unlock. For the first time, Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles were all playable, and each character could take his own routes through every stage, finding new secrets and encountering new perils in the process. The result is a very large game, and a true Sonic masterpiece. Sadly, it was also the last great Sonic game released for the Genesis, as Sonic 3D Blast, as I mentioned earlier, failed to give the hedgehog a grand send off.

2. Ristar: When his father is kidnapped by the wicked space tyrant Greedy, a young star must explore the galaxy in order to save him. Overlooked when it was released later in the Genesis' life, this game is quite amazing, with clever level designs, innovative boss fights, a cool soundtrack, and an overall superb quality. As short as it is, it remains very enjoyable, so much so that one wishes for Sega to revive the character for a new adventure. Until and unless they do, be sure to check out this overlooked, but awesome, game.

1. Sonic the Hedgehog 2: In addition to having more levels, a greater challenge, and some of the most memorable music in the series' history, this game introduced several features that would become commonplace in later games. Tails was introduced as Sonic's sidekick, a mechanical version of our hero was first sighted, and Sonic's plane, the Tornado made its debut. We also had the first appearance of Super Sonic, tough bonus levels, and a really hard final boss. All of these combine to create a game that has rightfully been called one of Sonic's best, and one that must be played by all Sonic fans.

As you can see, most of the games on this list are well worth playing for the challenge, secrets, high speed action, and most of all, the great sense of fun. Sonic's Genesis days were probably his best, as the games released on later systems have largely only proved how bad the mixture of Sonic and 3D really is. While not every game in this set is a masterpiece, there is no denying that the collection, for the most part, is a fine example of Sonic at his best. One wishes that Sega would bring Sonic back to his roots and forget about useless gimmicks such as teams, guns, and werehogs. Unless and until they do it, one should check out the games in this compilation, as they show how Sonic games used to be so awesome. Why Sega cannot make such games like these again, I may never know.