Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection Explained

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

List of games

Sega Genesis

• Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle (1989) †
• Alien Storm (1991)
• Altered Beast (1989) †
• Beyond Oasis (1994)
• Bonanza Bros. (1991) †
• Columns (1990) †
• Comix Zone (1995) †
• Decap Attack (1991) †
• Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine (1993)
• Dynamite Headdy (1994)
• Ecco the Dolphin (1992) †
• (1994) †
• (1990)
• Fatal Labyrinth (1990)
• Flicky (1991) †
• Gain Ground (1991) †
• Golden Axe (1989) †
• Golden Axe II (1991) †
• Golden Axe III (1993) †
• Kid Chameleon (1992) †
• Phantasy Star II (1989) †
• Phantasy Star III: Generations of Doom (1990) †
• Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium (1993) †
• Ristar (1995) †
• Shining Force (1992)
• Shining Force II (1993)
• Shining in the Darkness (1991)
• (1993) †
• Sonic & Knuckles (1994)
• Sonic 3D Blast (1996)
• Sonic the Hedgehog (1991) †
• Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (1992) †
• Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (1994)
• Sonic Spinball (1993)
• Streets of Rage (1991)
• Streets of Rage 2 (1992)
• Streets of Rage 3 (1994)
• Super Thunder Blade (1988) †
• Vectorman (1995) †
• Vectorman 2 (1996) †

† Previously available in Sega Genesis Collection.

Unlockable extra games

• Alien Syndrome (arcade) [1987]
• Altered Beast (arcade) [1988] †
• Congo Bongo (arcade) (under original title Tip Top in some regions) [1983] †
• Fantasy Zone (arcade) [1986]
• Golden Axe Warrior (Master System) [1991]
• Phantasy Star (Master System) [1987]
• Shinobi (arcade) [1987]
• Space Harrier (arcade) [1985]
• Zaxxon (arcade) [1982] †

† Previously available in Sega Genesis Collection.

According to Ethan Einhorn, the producer for the collection, the three "lock-on" games (Knuckles in Sonic 2, Sonic 3 & 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 nine unlockable games since "they all required unique emulation solutions".

Reception

Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection received "generally favorable" reviews, according to review aggregator Metacritic.