Gamecube remnants
Several leftovers from the Gamecube version exist in the file, including system error messages and the introductory text for the Sonic CD, History of Sonic and Sonic Advance 2 movies. It’s unlikely that these movies were planned to return for Plus, as the text retains the Nintendo-specific references and describes Sonic’s second Gameboy outing as a forthcoming title.
Removed character and box art descriptions
Plus retained the Gamcube character profiles for Sonic, Tails and Knuckles, but it discarded the one-line character and box art descriptions that were displayed in the Artwork section. These descriptions are in the text file, which suggests that they were intended to return.
At first I thought they may have been leftovers from the Gamecube release, as there are no descriptions for the character art that is exclusive to Plus. However, a few minor modifications have been made, such as the Cream description being updated to acknowledge the release of Sonic Advance 2 and the box art text including additional descriptions for Sonic Heroes and Sonic Advance 3.
Deleted multi-region warnings
A deleted menu intended for the Game section warns that the game titles will change depending on the language settings. This furthers suggests that extra manual and (Mega Drive) ROM folders on the disc do include every regional version of each title, and that Sega had originally planned to provide access to these variations. Curiously, the menu states that the Japanese release of Sonic 3D was known as Sonic 3D Blast even though the Mega Drive version was not released in the country.
Missing game menus
The original Mega Collection contained menus for each game that presented a few lines of useless trivia and a one sentence story summary. These were removed from Plus, but exist within the text file and have three key modifications. Firstly, the button descriptions have been appropriately altered to reflect the PS2 and X-box controllers. Secondly, the menus list the title changes that were made for the European and American releases of each game and reiterate the above-mentioned multi-region warning. Finally, menus for the Game Gear games have been added, together with English-language menus for The Ooze and Comix Zone.
Extra unlocked messages
Unlocked messages are appropriately displayed each time one of the bonus games are unlocked. Bizarrely, the text file contains these messages for both the bonus and the main games, even though the latter don't need unlocking.
Scrapped pause menu
The text file contains a pause menu that is not in the final retail product:
These options are peculiar, as there are no special stage or story modes in Mega Collection Plus.OK?Quit Special Stage and continue
with Story mode.
Lost 60Hz and progressive scan modes
Although Sega Europe invented the concept of optimised PAL conversions and 60Hz modes, the PAL release of Plus is missing these essential features, even though it came out several months after NSTC versions. The text file, however, suggests that a 60Hz and progressive scan modes were planned at one point.
Incidentally, the progressive scan mode is actually briefly referenced in the manual, but no instructions are given on how to activate it (The usual method of holding down triangle and X does not work).
Hint menus
A little spoiler warning: The text file contains all the unlocakble hint menus. So far, I’ve only unlocked the menus for Sonic 1 and Sonic & Knuckles, but I’ve noticed that file includes hints that are not in the actual game. For example, the Sonic 1 ending and staff credits codes do not appear in its hint menu.
Other langauges
The disc contains text files in Japanese, Korean, French, Italian, German, and Spanish. I’ve converted these into HTML, which, of course, works with any web-based translator. It seems the various releases were all direct translations of the Japanese version, with the only game and system names being altered. Story fans will be pleased to know that no changes were made to the story menus with the Japanese Sonic & Knuckles menu still referring to the Super Emeralds and the Sonic 3 menu mentioning that Knuckles believed Sonic was after the Chaos Emeralds.
In conclusion, it's a great shame that Sega’s apparent plans to include every regional variation and revision of Sonic’s early adventures didn’t come to pass. However, the extra ROMs and manuals do appear to be the disc, so hopefully some talented hacker will find a way to crack them open (just as the extra revisions of Sonic 1 and Sonic CD manual were decoded from the Gamecube release).
