SONIC MEGA COLLECTION PLUS
SEGA 2005
XBOX AND PS2
Sega’s idea to release the back catalogue of Sonic’s Mega Drive titles proved to be a hit on the Game Cube. The recent multi-platform release of Sonic Heroes and it’s subsequent success (though disappointing to most Sonic fans) did ensure Sonic’s path to other consoles.
So Sonic Mega Collection Plus is later released on X Box and Playstation 2. Termed ‘Plus’ news of the release immediately caused fan stir about the ‘plus’ being the inclusion of Sonic CD. Unfortunately this was not the case.
Instead we get all the games of the previous Sonic Mega Collection with the addition of the Game Gear outings and some extra content all at a budget price.
click images for larger versions
For the most part Mega Collection Plus is very similar to the previous release. It is basically an elaborate menu system holding emulators and collection of ROMS. The graphical style is completely different to the previous mega collection.
The ‘Plus’ in the title designates is the inclusion of several Game Gear Sonic titles. These had been included previously on Sonic Adventure DX on the GameCube as unlockable games.
2 additional Mega Drive titles; The Ooze and Comix Zone which were only included in the Japanese version of Mega Collection have now been included in this version although not playable by default unless you have a Sonic Heroes file saved.
The full run down of the compilation is as follows:
Mega Drive |
Game Gear |
|
Sonic 3D (Blast/Flickies Island) Dr Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine Unlockables Blue Spheres (Sonic 1 and Knuckles) Flicky Ristar The Ooze Comix Zone |
Sonic Drift Dr Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine Sonic Blast Sonic Labyrinth 
|
Each game has the US version of it’s manual in digital format for onscreen viewing.
Differences in this version include a much improved menu system, a hint system, the ability to save progress at any point during a game and changes (for the worse) to the extra Sonic material for the fans.
The hint system is basically a collection of cheats for each game that become unlocked. You can call upon these during a game by pressing the white button on the controller for the X Box version.
The extra material in this version is slightly weaker than in the first Mega Collection. The comics the illustrations are included but dropped are the Sonic CD movies in favor of movies and storyboards from Sonic Heroes - storyboards for the introduction with both early and finished versions for both teams in the game.
For some reason in this version the gameplay window has an irritating border aorund it. Luckily a click with the right analogue stick removes it.
Options open to the player are:
Hints - View the hints you have so far unlocked.
Controller Configuration - Adjust the button layout from 3 default settings. Some games (like Sonic Drift) still can not have their buttons reassigned though.
Credits - View the credits for the compilation.
The codes for all the Sonic games are the same as their original Mega Drive and Game Gear versions. For cheats on each game checkout their respective pages via the links above.
You will have to perform some button translation for the X Box pad however.
Mega Drive |
Xbox |
A |
X |
B |
A |
C |
B |
Start |
Start |
Game Gear |
Xbox |
1 |
A |
2 |
B |
Start |
Start |
Games on unlocked depending on how many times they are played. This simply means loading the game. You need only run the game long enough to access the title screen and then exit.
To access the unlocked games you will have to press B to exit to the main menu and then A to go back into the games section. You will be notified of which game/s have become unlocked.
Unlock Blue Spheres (Sonic 1 and Knuckles)
Play Sonic The Hedgehog and Sonic 3D Blast Flickes Island 20 times each.
For a list of some passwords checkout the Sonic and Knuckles page.
Unlock Sonic 2 and Knuckles
Play Sonic The Hedgehog 2 and Sonic Spinball 20 times.
Unlock Sonic 3 and Knuckles
Play Sonic The Hedgehog 3 and Sonic and Knuckles 20 times.
Unlock Flicky
Play Dr Robotniks Mean Bean Machine 30 times.
Unlock Ristar
Play Blue Spheres, Flicky, Sonic 2 and Knuckles and Sonic 3 and Knuckles 20 times each.
Cheats
DOFEEL - Time Attack
ILOVEU - Level Select
MUSEUM - Fight only Bosses
MIEMIE - See hidden items
MAGURO - Tone deaf sounds
SUPER - Super hard mode
SUPERB - Very hard difficulty
XXXXXX - cancels all codes
Unlock The Ooze
Unlock everything but Ristar.
Unlock Comix Zone
Play and exit all the Mega Drive titles 50 times.
Unlock Comix Zone and The Ooze
If you have a save file from Sonic Heroes on your hard drive these games will be unlocked automatically.
Unlock Hints
Hints for each game are unlocked after they are played for 3 hours. This does not strictly mean playing the game – it just need to be running. After 3 hours, exit out and the hints will be available in the Options area or when you load the game and press the white button.
In the X Box version the video when playing a game can seem quite jerky to us PAL users. To remedy this set your X Box to 50Hz mode before starting.
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PC Version |
PS2 Version |
