''Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection'' (''Sega Mega Drive Ultimate Collection'' in

PAL region Phase Alternating Line (PAL) is a color encoding system for analog television. It was one of three major analogue colour television standards, the others being NTSC and SECAM. In most countries it was broadcast at 625 lines, 50 fields (25& ...

s) is a

compilation Compilation may refer to: *In computer programming, the translation of source code into object code by a compiler **Compilation error **Compilation unit *Product bundling, a marketing strategy used to sell multiple products, such as video game co ...

of video games developed by

Backbone Entertainment Backbone Entertainment was an American video game developer based in Emeryville, California. The company was formed in 2003 as the result of a merger between developers Digital Eclipse and ImaginEngine. In 2005, Backbone merged with The Colle ...

and published by

Sega is a Japanese video game company and subsidiary of Sega Sammy Holdings headquartered in Tokyo. It produces several List of best-selling video game franchises, multi-million-selling game franchises for arcade game, arcades and video game cons ...

for

PlayStation 3 The PlayStation 3 (PS3) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE). It is the successor to the PlayStation 2, and both are part of the PlayStation brand of consoles. The PS3 was first released on ...

and

Xbox 360 The Xbox 360 is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. As the successor to the Xbox (console), original Xbox, it is the second console in the Xbox#Consoles, Xbox series. It was officially unveiled on MTV on May 12, 2005, with detail ...

. The compilation features 48

games (49 counting two versions of ''

Altered Beast ''Altered Beast'' is a 1988 beat 'em up video game developed and published by Sega for arcades. The game is set in Ancient Greece and follows a player character chosen by Zeus to rescue his daughter Athena from the demonic ruler of the under ...

'') which were previously released for the

Sega Genesis The Sega Genesis, known as the outside North America, is a 16-bit Fourth generation of video game consoles, fourth generation home video game console developed and sold by Sega. It was Sega's third console and the successor to the Master Sys ...

(including most of the ''

Sonic the Hedgehog is a video game series and media franchise created by the Japanese developers Yuji Naka, Naoto Ohshima, and Hirokazu Yasuhara for Sega. The franchise follows Sonic the Hedgehog (character), Sonic, an anthropomorphic blue hedgehog who battle ...

'' titles released for the system), arcades and the

Master System The is an 8-bit Third generation of video game consoles, third-generation home video game console manufactured and developed by Sega. It was originally a remodeled export version of the Sega Mark III, the third iteration of the SG-1000 series ...

. It is the sequel to the ''

Sega Genesis Collection ''Sega Genesis Collection '' (''Sega Mega Drive Collection'' in PAL regions) is a compilation of video games developed by Digital Eclipse and published by Sega for PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable. The collection includes twenty-eight Sega ...

'' released previously for the

PlayStation 2 The PlayStation 2 (PS2) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on 4 March 2000, in North America on 26 October, in Europe on 24 Novembe ...

and

PlayStation Portable The PlayStation Portable (PSP) is a handheld game console developed and marketed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on December 12, 2004, in North America on March 24, 2005, and in PA ...

, but contains 16 more games (in NTSC regions, including unlockable extras).

List of games

Sega Genesis

*''

Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle is a side-scrolling platform game developed and published by Sega for the Genesis. It is the only 16-bit platform game starring Alex Kidd, and the fifth game in the ''Alex Kidd'' series of video games. ''Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle'' follo ...

'' (1989) † *''

Alien Storm is a beat 'em up shooter released as an arcade video game by Sega in 1990. It was ported to the Genesis/Mega Drive and Master System. The Mega Drive version was re-released on Wii's Virtual Console in 2007 and was also included on ''Sonic's Ul ...

'' (1991) *''

'' (1989) † *'' Beyond Oasis'' (1994) *''

Bonanza Bros. (sometimes written ''Bonanza Brothers'') is a 3D computer graphics, 3D-style, 2D computer graphics, 2D side-scrolling Stealth game, stealth action game developed and released by Sega in 1990. It is one of the earliest arcade games powered by t ...

'' (1991) † *''

Columns A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. In other words, a column is a compression member ...

'' (1990) † *''

Comix Zone ''Comix Zone'' is a 1995 beat 'em up game developed by Sega Technical Institute and published by Sega for the Sega Genesis. Set within the panels of a comic book, it follows the Comics writer/artist, comic writer/artist Sketch Turner as he attemp ...

'' (1995) † *'' Decap Attack'' (1991) † *''

Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine ''Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine'' is a falling block puzzle video game developed by Compile and published by Sega. It was released for the Sega Genesis / Mega Drive and Game Gear in 1993 and ported to the Master System in 1994. The game i ...

'' (1993) *'' Dynamite Headdy'' (1994) *''

Ecco the Dolphin ''Ecco the Dolphin'' is a series of action-adventure video games developed by Appaloosa Interactive (previously known as Novotrade International) and published by Sega. Appaloosa Interactive was founded in Hungary in 1983; the first ''Ecco the D ...

'' (1992) † *'' Ecco: The Tides of Time'' (1994) † *'' ESWAT: City Under Siege'' (1990) *'' Fatal Labyrinth'' (1990) *''

Flicky is a platform game developed by Sega and released as an arcade video game in May 1984. It was licensed to Bally Midway for distribution in the United States. In ''Flicky'', the player controls the eponymous blue bird and must gather all the sma ...

'' (1991) † *''

Gain Ground is an action game with strategy elements released as an arcade video game by Sega in 1988. It was ported to the Master System, Mega Drive/Genesis, and TurboGrafx-CD. Gameplay In ''Gain Ground'', players control one of a set of characters a ...

'' (1991) † *''

Golden Axe is a series of side-scrolling beat 'em up arcade video games developed by Sega. The series takes place in a medieval fantasy world where several heroes have the task of recovering the legendary Golden Axe, the mainstay element of the series. M ...

'' (1989) † *'' Golden Axe II'' (1991) † *'' Golden Axe III'' (1993) † *''

Kid Chameleon ''Kid Chameleon'' is a 1992 platform game developed and published by Sega for the Sega Genesis. The player controls the "Kid Chameleon" as they attempt to save their peers from a virtual reality Video game, video game's rogue artificial intellige ...

'' (1992) † *''

Phantasy Star II is a science fantasy role-playing video game developed and published by Sega for the Sega Genesis. It was released in Japan in 1989 and North America and Europe in 1990. It was later ported to a variety of different platforms. An updated remake ...

'' (1989) † *'' Phantasy Star III: Generations of Doom'' (1990) † *'' Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium'' (1993) † *''

Ristar ''Ristar'' is a 1995 platform game by Sega for the Sega Genesis. The game stars an anthropomorphic cartoon star who uses his hands and long, stretchable arms to both move and fight enemies. Reception for the game was generally positive, but the ...

'' (1995) † *''

Shining Force ''Shining Force'' is a 1992 turn-based tactical role-playing game for the Sega Genesis console. It is the second entry of the '' Shining'' series of video games, following '' Shining in the Darkness''. While primarily a traditional fantasy-them ...

'' (1992) *'' Shining Force II'' (1993) *'' Shining in the Darkness'' (1991) *'' Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master'' (1993) † *''

Sonic & Knuckles is a 1994 platform game developed by Sega Technical Institute and published by Sega for the Sega Genesis. Players control Sonic the Hedgehog or Knuckles the Echidna in their quests to save Angel Island; Sonic tries to stop Doctor Robotnik fro ...

'' (1994) *''

Sonic 3D Blast , known in PAL regions as is a 1996 platform game in the ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' series for the Sega Genesis and Sega Saturn. As Sonic the Hedgehog, the player embarks on a journey to save the Flickies, birds enslaved by Doctor Robotnik. The ...

'' (1996) *''

'' (1991) † *''

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is a 1992 platform game developed by Sega Technical Institute (STI) for the Sega Genesis. Players control Sonic as he attempts to stop Doctor Robotnik from stealing the Chaos Emeralds to power his space station, the Death Egg. Like the fir ...

'' (1992) † *''

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is a 1994 platform game developed by Sega Technical Institute and published by Sega for the Sega Genesis. Like previous ''Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic'' games, players traverse side-scrolling levels while collecting Rings (Sonic the Hedgehog), ri ...

'' (1994) *''

Sonic Spinball ''Sonic the Hedgehog Spinball'', also known as ''Sonic Spinball'', is a 1993 pinball video game developed by Sega Technical Institute and published by Sega for the Sega Genesis. It is a spin-off of the ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' series. Players ...

'' (1993) *''

Streets of Rage ''Streets of Rage'' (titled ''Bare Knuckle'' in Japan) is a series of side-scrolling beat 'em up video games. It centers on the efforts of several ex-police vigilantes trying to rid the fictional American metropolis of Wood Oak City of a crime ...

'' (1991) *''

Streets of Rage 2 ''Streets of Rage 2'', known as ''Bare Knuckle II'' in Japan, is a 1992 beat 'em up game developed and published by Sega for the Genesis. The sequel to ''Streets of Rage'' (1991), the characters Axel Stone and Blaze Fielding return while the ga ...

'' (1992) *''

Streets of Rage 3 ''Streets of Rage 3'' is a 1994 beat 'em up, beat 'em up game developed and published by Sega for the Sega Genesis, Genesis. It is the third installment of the ''Streets of Rage'' series and the last game in the original trilogy. The game inclu ...

'' (1994) *''

Super Thunder Blade ''Super Thunder Blade'' is a 1988 Rail shooter, rail shooter game developed and published by Sega for the Sega Genesis. It sees players controlling a helicopter as they gun down military vehicles in various different environments. The gameplay f ...

'' (1988) † *'' Vectorman'' (1995) † *''

Vectorman 2 ''Vectorman 2'' is a 2D computer graphics, 2D Action game, action platform game, platformer developed by BlueSky Software and published by Sega. Released one year after the original ''Vectorman'', the game retains the game's core gameplay while e ...

'' (1996) † † Previously available in ''

''.

Unlockable extra games

*''

Alien Syndrome is a run and gun video game developed by Sega and released in arcades in 1987, and later ported to the Master System the same year. The game utilizes a side-scrolling feature that allows the player to take control of either a male (Ricky) o ...

'' (

arcade Arcade most often refers to: * Arcade game, a coin-operated video, pinball, electro-mechanical, redemption, etc., game ** Arcade video game, a coin-operated video game ** Arcade cabinet, housing which holds an arcade video game's hardware ** Arcad ...

) 987*''

'' (arcade)

988 Year 988 ( CMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * Fall – Emperor Basil II, supported by a contingent of 6,000 Varangians (the future Varangian Guard), organiz ...

† *''

Congo Bongo also known as is a platform game released as an arcade video game by Sega in 1983. A message in the ROM indicates it was coded at least in part by the company Ikegami Tsushinki. The game is viewed in an isometric perspective, like Sega's earl ...

'' (arcade) (under original title ''Tip Top'' in some regions)

983 Year 983 ( CMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Summer – Diet of Verona: Emperor Otto II (the Red) declares war against the Byzantine Empire and the Emirate of Sicily ...

† *''

Fantasy Zone is a 1986 horizontally scrolling shooter video game developed and published by Sega for Arcade video game, arcades. It is the first game in the ''Fantasy Zone'' series. It was later ported to a wide variety of consoles, including the Master S ...

'' (arcade)

986 Year 986 ( CMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * August 17 – Battle of the Gates of Trajan: Emperor Basil II leads a Byzantine expeditionary force (30,000 me ...

*'' Golden Axe Warrior'' (Master System)

991 Year 991 (Roman numerals, CMXCI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. Events * March 1: In Rouen, Pope John XV ratifies the first Peace and Truce of God, Truce of God, between Æthelred the Unready and Richard I o ...

*''

Phantasy Star is a series of console role-playing video games and other supplementary media created by Sega. The series debuted in 1987 on the Master System with '' Phantasy Star'', and continues into the present with ''Phantasy Star Online 2'' and other ex ...

'' (Master System) 987*'' Shinobi'' (arcade) 987*''

Space Harrier is a third-person arcade rail shooter game developed by Sega and released in 1985. It was originally conceived as a realistic military-themed game played in the third-person perspective and featuring a player-controlled fighter jet, but techni ...

'' (arcade)

985 Year 985 ( CMLXXXV) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Summer – Henry II (the Wrangler) is restored as duke of Bavaria by Empress Theophanu and her mother-in-law Adelaide at an ...

*''

Zaxxon is a scrolling shooter game developed and released by Sega as an arcade video game. It had a limited release in December 1981, followed by a wide release in January 1982. In the game, the player pilots a ship through heavily defended space fortr ...

'' (arcade)

982 Year 982 ( CMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Summer – Emperor Otto II (the Red) assembles an imperial expeditionary force at Taranto, and proceeds along the gulf coas ...

† † Previously available in ''

''. 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 A review aggregator is a system that collects reviews and ratings of products and services, such as films, books, video games, music, software, hardware, or cars. This system then stores the reviews to be used for supporting a website where user ...

website

Metacritic Metacritic is an American website that aggregates reviews of films, television shows, music albums, video games, and formerly books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created ...

References

{{Sega Retro Compilations 2009 video games Multiplayer and single-player video games PlayStation 3 games Sega Genesis Sonic the Hedgehog video games Sega video game compilations Video games developed in the United States Xbox 360 games Backbone Entertainment games