SEGA's Most Memorable Collection | Sonic Mega Collection 

This game made a Sonic fan.

This collection is still 100X better than Origins could ever hope to be.

I used to think that the cartoon intro to Sonic CD seen in the little history video was an actual cartoon series. I actually used to go around to all of the used video stores asking if they had the “Sonic CD cartoon show” lol.

What I don't like about most Sonic-related compilation games is that Blue Sphere, Knuckles in Sonic 2 and Sonic 3 & Knuckles are not included in them.

While Gamecube didn't have the GameGear titles in the Mega Collection, those titles are unlockable in Sonic Adventure, so gamecube users still get the full Sonic dose - and even more ;)

Honestly, the menus in the original mega collection release are a work of art and despite the relatively lackluster game selection compared to Plus, I still consider it the definitive sonic compilation purely because of the effort put into interface. I straight up want a retroarch-style emulator frontend that shamelessly rips off SMC's menus.

Let's be real, this game wouldn't be popular without the soundtrack. The soundtrack MADE this game and is Sonic's best video game music of all time. And Sonic's game mostly all have VERY catchy tunes.

This is one of my favorite releases from SEGA. I was quite surprised to find in on a store shelf in 2017 and I bought it immediately (not knowing if it would work on windows 10) and it works on windows 10. And that Extras Menu soundtrack... just amazing!

I played that game so many times i loved it especially the comics and videos on it. It made me have a deep connection with the characters and franchise as a kid , now i look back thinking those were good times. Thanks so much for making this video about this game. Keep being awesome my friend until next time.

The unlocks being based on # of times the game was started is due to cheap/lazy coding. Basically, all the unlock code is just added to the front-end/hub app that they use to launch the emulated roms. This way everything is encapsulated in the front-end app and the game rom files do not have to be modified. Much easier and quicker to code it this way as opposed to finding the sources for all these games, then pay programmers to modify them... Basically instead of modifying many game roms, you add code to 1 game front-end app that you can copy and paste to unlock any # of games. Just economics my man.

It’s a pretty decent collection but as you said, having to play sonic 3 and sonic & Knuckles 20 times each to unlock Sonic 3 & Knuckles is pretty dumb

2:55 *Ah yes, my favorite Knuckles*

I came for the singing echidna I stayed for the reviews Seriously your reviews are great

Something very important that's not mentioned here is that in PAL regions the Gamecube version is the only one that offers 60hz support. Also personally I found Mega Collection on GC eventually made me more comfortable with using the stick over the Dpad.

Over 3 years late to mention this, but i can confirm that the collision issues you mentioned with Sonic 1 are not exclusive to Mega Collection. That’s just how the game is lol Ive played sonic 1 as much as ive played 3&k so im pretty familiar with it

Fun Fact: Sonic CD, Sonic R, Sonic Shuffle, Vectorman, and an early prototype of Sonic 1 were supposed to be in Mega Collection at one point. The first four were omitted due to storage problems, and the prototype's ROM image was lost. (Though CD, R, and Vectorman made it to Gems Collection)

ATTENTION: The ‘Ugandan Knuckles’ meme scattered here is actually a FrameRater meme called ‘Knuckles Sings”. Know this before you comment about it.

2:40 *Sonic Gems Collection for the Cube*

This game is way better than Gems Collection

I have a *lot* memories with this game. It was one of the first games I got on my gamecube, and I played it for YEEEEEEEARS. I can't tell you how absolutely stoked I was when I unlocked Ristar. I played all the games on it religiously, and it has stuck with me ever since.

You could play the Mega Collection Plus Game Gear games on the GameCube through Adventure DX. With that, 20 emblems would get you a new Game Gear game, so you could unlock all the Game Gear games through Adventure DX.

I never had a problem with the GameCube D-pad while playing Sonic. But that music while looking in the extra menu is just memory lane soothing

2:54 does anyone remember when that meme wasn’t dead?

The greatest game compilation ever.

You didn't even mention that "Sonic 1" in this collection is a (then) new revision with spike bug fixed.

This collection was my childhood!

The first Sonic game I ever played!

I loved the menu system too, spent lots of time admiring the art and reading the manuals. I loved that video that showed the evolution of sonic as well. Great collection game.

I didn't grow up playing Sonic, but I seriously love this collection. Too bad it's the only compliation to include Sonic 3 and Knuckles.

I have Mega Collection Plus and as far back as I can remember (this was my first game) I've had Comix Zone and The Ooze unlocked. Guess I just really liked playing those Sonic games a lot.

this was my intro to most classic sonic games (I had the PC version of S3K already) and I don't see an issue with the GC controller, maybe it's because I never owned a genesis and was used to KBM from playing the PC version of S3, but this comp disk (as well as gems) were a huge part of my childhood in middle school. I still have the disks today even, I used to just stare forever at the extras screen, and I loved the music from it.

This was how I fell in love with the Mega Drive Sonic games, S3&K especially.

2:32 "Even the intro and extro" I think you mean outro.

Tbe PS2 version was my introduction to Sonic.

The Archives music in this game is incredible and immediately takes me back to my teen years when there was very little to worry about.

Idk if this is an unpolular opinion but even growing up with the original mega collection on gamecube I find the later plus version's presentation so cool and so much better than the gamecube version. I love the constant flipping between artwork in the background as you make your selection on the menus and how animated everything is. It just makes the original's presentation look so static

I wouldn't get so hung up on the game unlocking mechanisms. As a kid it was fun just playing the games without thinking of how many times I booted them up individually, and eventually seeing some new game I've never even heard of pop up in the game selections. Good memories :)

Its also worth mentioning, at least to me, that the sonic advance 2 trailer in the extras menu has music that was supposed to be for the first level, Leaf Forest Zone, before it got changed. Whenever someone brings up Advance 2, that song is the first thing i think of.

Sonic not going into a ball when he jumps sometimes in Marble zone does happen in the original too I think. At least I remember it that way.

This was the last time I buy anything genesis collection whatever and started getting into emulators. Because every Genesis collection never has a complete Sonic collection...

Sonic’a Ultimate Genesis collection was great

I didn't know you could unlock games as a kid now i'm just shocked hearing you say i could have wow that explains al the Question marks and empty slots. anyways awesome review.

About the thing with Comix Zone? I remember unlocking it instantaneously after I first got a Sonic Heroes save on the memory card. No 40 hours or anything

This collection was so well done. The menus were great, as well as the extras... and far as i was concerned at the time the games were damn near perfectly emulated. I spent so much time on this as a kid... and that turning page noise is very satisfying i must admit im glad im not the only one who loved that bit lol And that video on the evolution of sonic? So good. Whenever id struggle to get through some parts in a game, id watch that video and get pumped to play some sonic. Oh man... i gotta get the gamecube out and play this even though i have no reason to cuz i have a genesis now and all these games...

I’m probably so late for this but... *they reused the page turn sound effect for the Wii Message Board.*

Funny stuff, Comix Zone and The Ozze are actually in the GCN collection... but only in the JPN version and (as far as I know) you had to use two cheat codes to unlock them, oh, and Comix Zone has the option to put it in English and not be forced to see every in-game line in Japanese, I always have played the collection with the GCN D-pad and I never had felt anything wrong, maybe that's because I got way too used to play 2-D games overall with the Mega Man Anniversary Collection and X Collection and Capcom Vs SNK2.

To answer your question at 3:22 without getting too complicated in terms of music theory, it has to do with the chord progression similarly to Resonance. if anyone wants a more in depth explanation for Resonance, here's a good place to start! :) ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-OwgLAZ3AtaI.html

The GameCube was the first major console I ever owned, and I got three different games to go with it off the bat: Super Mario Sunshine, Luigi's Mansion, and this. I sold Luigi's Mansion like an idiot because I was scared of it, but I still own the other two to this day.

I remember those Sonic compilation games. I played Sonic Mega Collection on Nintendo GameCube and Sony PS2 when I was a teenager and I also played Sonic Gems Collection on Sony PS2 when I was a teenager. They look fun especially the timeless classic 1991 game Sonic the Hedgehog. Greetings from Ireland 🇮🇪

I love the GameCube version of mega collection. Although, it is a bit silly on unlocking games, but I like the fact they had ristar, because it’s a rare fun gem. No offense to sonic gems...but those gems are pretty bad (but I don’t mind the gear games) in my opinion. And a missed call for chaotix. But I agree with you on this vid. Sonic 3 and knuckles is the best for me :)

I remember when sonic mc was one of the best ps2 games

Sonic mega collection was how I became a Sega fan

I love Sonic Mega Collections. 😭

Gamecube owners could have the entire library of essential Sonic Games all on one system, Sonic Mega Collection, Sonic Gems Collection, Sonic Adventure 1 & 2 and Sonic Heroes. All the games before the series truly went downhill.

This collection is quite awsome I wish I owned it I only own sega gensis collection Sonic's ultimate genesis collection and sega genesis classics so hopefully I can own mega collection plus mainly so I can have a way to properly play the sega game gear titles on the ps2 annyways though great review I enjoyed it a lot keep up the fantastic work on reviewing more sonic games like this

Actually those collision issues with Sonic 1 are consistent between the original Genesis release and the Mega Collection release.

Strangely enough this made me remember that I had the PS2 Version of the game when I was a kid. But all I remember playing was Sonic Pinball for some reason

I remember getting mega collection plus for the ps2, I think i would've had issues with using the controller from the GameCube to play those games. Lucky i actually ended up with the ps2 version, the controller just felt right.

4:52 You can play all 12 Game Gear games on Sonic Adventure DX on the GameCube, but you need to unlock them all first, unless you have an Action Replay or something. Comix Zone and The Ooze were also on the original Mega Collection, but only the Japanese version, so this isn't very relevant when talking about the international versions, and I don't blame you if you weren't aware of their inclusion in the GameCube version, but I thought I would point it out. And as for how you unlock them in Plus, I got the game on Xbox a few days ago, and the first time I went to the games, it sayed that I unlocked both games, which I just realized is because I never deleted my Sonic Herors save on my OG Xbox despite no longer owning that version (I got the GameCube version instead since that's my 6th gen console of choice and the version on that console is apparently the best). I don't remember for sure, but I don't believe I played it for 40 hours, so I would assume that the save file just needs to exist and the games automatically unlock, especially since that's how unlocking Vectorman in Sonic Gems Collection works.

Sonic extra menu music is the best

I had Mega Collection+ on the original Xbox. Think that was the first time I played Mean Bean Machine and 3D Blast. It had a lot of other cool extras too, including the comics and all that.

Fun fact: a classic Sonic game collection game on the DS allows you to play as knuckles in Sonic 1 and 2

This and Gems Collection are way better than Origins.

The oozo was pretty freaky I played it a couple times but that game man.

ASCII's digital pad for Gamecube is a great companion with this collection and anything else 2D on the Gamecube (i.e., Gameboy Player).

In ps2 version to unlock bonus arts and music you need to play 50,100,150,200,250,300 hours in sonic 1,2,3

BTW, For Knuckles in Sonic 1, you can also play the Iphone remake.

This was my first sonic game I ever played well games I played thanks to this collection

*The PlayStation 2 has the best picture of the three formats!* ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

I enjoyed playing this game in the early 2000s on Nintendo GameCube when I was a kid

Late comment but part of the reason there’s no spin dash in Sonic 1 is because Sonic Jam’s games are actually ports and not emulation. That’s how they were able to add spin dash and fix the spike bug as well as adding difficulty options.

I love the GameCube controller for these game!

7:02 I can confirm that the glitch where Sonic jumps without spinning is in the Genesis version of Sonic 1.

Nostalgic the soundtrack.

I remember playing Ristar and Spinball more than most of the other games (besides S3&K).

This game was my first experience with the classics and I always found the game interesting. I remember I would spend hours looking at the comic book covers and manuals and trying different things to unlock games. Also when I got my copy comic zone was unlocked and I did have a sonic hero's save file so yeah

6:28 him:oh no i was RIGHT THERE

I love this game I played all the games in it when I was young I miss the passed.

Nice vid, it’s nice to know that the GC version has best presentation.

6:57 That’s not an emulation bug, it’s the game’s speed cap keeping Sonic from going too fast (although it’s not doing you any good in that situation). If I remember correctly, you have to jump without sending input from the dpad to progress.

Teenage Memories 🌟 I give this game to my little sister when she went to college couple of years ago

Gamecube version has much more charm than Plus. Great video!

Raphnet also sells adapters that let you use Sega Genesis or Super Nintendo controllers on your Gamecube!

2:55 it's him again

Nice review

When people say Origins is what we need I show them Sonic Mega Collection. The PC version is arguably the best version and the save feature comes in handy for games like The Ooze.

The museum song can hold this tittle alone

The best way to play Sonic Mega Collection: 1. Buy the game with manual and advertisement for another game 2. Buy Wii component cables for 480p support for best image quality at low price 3. Get a GameCube controller 4. Get sound bar for TV for best sound quality 5. Play the game The best way to play Sonic Mega Collection Plus (Xbox version): 1. Buy the game with manual 2. Buy Xbox component cable adapter with component cables 3. Get an Xbox controller (the s controller redesign recommend for more comfort) 4. Get sound bar for best audio quality (either analog or digital) 5. Play the game Don't ask me to do Mega collection plus for PS2 since it's the worst version of the game with blurry version of Xbox presentation (even with component Cables), weak and weird emulation issues, music eitherdrowning out or slightly slowing down for no reason, longer load times, weak graphics, laggy controls, and so much more. Get it on GameCube or Xbox original. I'm still waiting for Xbox version to be backwards compatible for Xbox one with enchanchements like remastered presentation, 4k upscale for Genesis games, faster load times, 60fps throughout the whole thing, and uncompressed videos.

I have the xbox "plus" edition. Great game

I love the ps2 version

this is what sonic origins SHOULD'VE been, but instead we got a sonic jam.

I honestly thought I had to be all the Sonic games but it's nice to know I don't have to do all of that I definitely got a copy my save data for a Sonic heroes tried that out

As far as I'm aware the Plus version for the PS2 is broken and many of the Sonic games don't work well at all. Also the Game Gear games can be played on Sonic Adventure DX.

amazing music

My only complaint is that this collection didn’t come with Sonic R and Sonic the Fighters like the gems collection does. I would have loved to try these games with my friends as a kid, but alas

I still have a GameCube! I just ordered sonic mega collection on Leaptrade, should be here writhin 2 weeks

The "bad" emulation of mega collection plus on PS2 is actually a fault with a popular PS2 emulator. i spent a hour messing with settings but now it runs great!

This also got me introduced to the classics. Although, I grew up with the PS2 version. And it seems like a pain to unlock Sonic 3 and Knuckles, combined. Probably why I never unlocked it in the past..

I can't believe what a step down in presentation the PS2 port is.