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Sonic Gems Collection website - PS2 version confirmed, artwork goodies and more

The official Sonic Gems Collection website has just gone live. The site confirms that the much awaited collection will be available for both Gamecube and Playstation 2. Full profile sections for all 9 games for the collection are included, although, at the moment, the Game Gear sections are unavailable.


^ The title screen


^ Copyright 2005?


^ The menu systems list Sonic R as the Saturn version….


^ …But the in-game screenshots show the PC version!


^ AM2 have been responsible for the conversion of their premier comical fighter


^ More copyright oddities – could this be the PC version?


^ The six Game Gear games


^ Early Japanese box art (with ESRB rating)

The screenshots and text reveal that an artwork museum will be included in the game, which will incorporate a selection of unlockable Sonic goodies.


^ A hefty selection of art work and movies can be unlocked in the all new museum


^ Sonic Heroes movies, Chaotix artwork and more are hidden within Sonic Gems Collection.

Hidden games are also promised.

The website is just one of several Sonic sites launched by SoJ. Details of the other sites will appear on the Newsboard in the next few hours.

Well, this is good. I guess. Would be fun to try Sonic the Fighters.

Now, if only the Cube Mega Collection had the other Game Gear games! Oh well. :/

I mean, I do have Sonic DX, but the completist in me wants everything, damn it.

There's also sites up for Sonic Rush;
http://www.sega.jp/ds/sonicrs/home.html
http://sonic.sega.jp/rush/

It better not be the PC version of SCD...that would mean it's the American music, wouldn't it? <_<

Could the Chaotix artwork mean Chaotix is one of the hidden games? I hope so. Segasonic Arcade should be too.

Fucking fresh. That box art with Sonic and Metal on just gave me a joygasm.

GASP! Surely, seeing as Saturns a difficult to emulate that is the reason Sonic R PC is being ported, and surely seeing as Mega CDs are difficult to emulate, they will be porting the PC version of Sonic CD? Makes sense?

Lol. They couldn't emulate the Mega CD so their porting over the inferior PC version instead. Only reason I'd want to buy this now is if those extras are worthwhile.

The ‘copyright 2005’ messages seems to indicate that Sonic R will be a port as opposed to an emulated game. Hopefully, Sonic Team will use this opportunity to add a few new racers and extra modes. If Gems Collection delivers everything it promises, it could easily be better than the legendary Sonic Jam.

GASP! Surely, seeing as Saturns a difficult to emulate that is the reason Sonic R PC is being ported, and surely seeing as Mega CDs are difficult to emulate, they will be porting the PC version of Sonic CD? Makes sense?

Mega Collection tended to have more American themed extras, but Gems Collection will supposedly feature a music gallery with remixed sound tracks, so even if they do include the PC version of Sonic CD, it would surprise me if they didn’t include an option for the Japanese music.

Lol. They couldn't emulate the Mega CD so their porting over the inferior PC version instead. Only reason I'd want to buy this now is if those extras are worthwhile.

Apart from the differences in music, both versions of Sonic CD are identical. (In fact, the PC version is slightly more superior as it contains an enhanced save mode and higher resolution opening/ending movies).

Could the Chaotix artwork mean Chaotix is one of the hidden games? I hope so. Segasonic Arcade should be too

All the titles Naka-san mentioned in an interview with the Next Level from last year are in Gems Collection. Naka also mentioned Chaotix, so it probably is going to be included. They might have chosen not to reveal yet as (ignoring the good ending) the game doesn’t feature Sonic (in the same way that Flicky and Ristar weren’t revealed until sometime after Mega Collection was first announced).

Unfortunately, Naka didn’t mention Sega Sonic in the interview, but hopefully Sonic Team will include some art work of Ray in the extras section.

The announcement of a PS2 version makes me want to leap for joy, but I'm hesistent without an announcement about which soundtracks Sonic CD will include.

The PC version of Sonic CD butchered that really cool level transition with Sonic spinning in this void when you time travel: no fade in or fade out effects, and the transition wasn't as smooth because it displayed a loading screen following that. And some levels have really bad slowdown issues- Tidal Tempest boss is almost unplayable because of it.

And if they didn't emulate the Mega CD, I doubt they could even attempt to emulate the 32x.

Sonic the Fighters is copyright 2005 as well.

If they really go all out then CD will have both soundtracks and the hi-res versions of the animations, including the close up of the Eggman mountain that is only on the Mega CD original.

I believe that there's a good chance of Fighters Megamix and Dynamite Dux being amongst the hidden games seeing as AM2 are handling Fighters. Megamix ran on the same technology as Fighters did it not?

Spinball?! Oh well I'm sure there were people who loved that game...I think that Japanese box art looks the best...let's hope they keep it.

Nobody loved the Game Gear version of Spinball. But you can't argue with completeness.

Crazy Penguin wrote: I believe that there's a good chance of Fighters Megamix and Dynamite Dux being amongst the hidden games seeing as AM2 are handling Fighters. Megamix ran on the same technology as Fighters did it not?

I think MegaMix was especially written for the Sega Saturn and not the model 2 arcade system.

^_^

Quote from Gems collection site:

transplantation in the game machine for home, reproduced ' the sonic the Fighters ' and the original '

This quote seems to suggest the Saturn and Arcade version of Sonic the Fighters will be on the collection?



That image was taken from the 'Walk of game/Shadow' trailer. Why would there be an arcade mode screen unless there are two modes of play. The original arcade game only feature 'Press Start' text.

firemario1001 wrote:The PC version of Sonic CD butchered that really cool level transition with Sonic spinning in this void when you time travel: no fade in or fade out effects, and the transition wasn't as smooth because it displayed a loading screen following that. And some levels have really bad slowdown issues- Tidal Tempest boss is almost unplayable because of it.

What kind of PC were you playing on? None of what you said occurs on mine.

The PC version of Sonic CD, as far as I'm aware, has the original Sega CD music of whatever region it was released in. So the Japanese version would still have the original soundtrack.

The European edition of the the PC release had the US soundtrack. I'd always assumed that the Japanese PC release had the US soundtrack as well, seeing as according to Sonic Dimension the PC version's prologue text was just translated from the US help file/manual.

Huh, that would be odd. Can anyone confirm this?

Have you seen this press release?

Sonic partners up with a new heroine named Blaze in Sonic Rush, a Nintendo DS™ exclusive. Nintendo GameCube™ (US, Europe) and PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system owners (Europe only) will be treated to the release of Sonic Gems Collection, a new compilation title featuring Sonic CD®, Sonic The Fighters® (Sonic Championship), Sonic R®, and six Sonic Game Gear titles. And cell phone gamers will be able to enjoy the original SEGA Genesis® Sonic The Hedgehog on the go.

Why would the PS2 version get a release in Europe but not the US?

Odd. Standard game relase policy is to screw over the PAL region whenever possible. There must be a mix-up somewhere.

Gaz wrote:Have you seen this press release?

Sonic partners up with a new heroine named Blaze in Sonic Rush, a Nintendo DS™ exclusive. Nintendo GameCube™ (US, Europe) and PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system owners (Europe only) will be treated to the release of Sonic Gems Collection, a new compilation title featuring Sonic CD®, Sonic The Fighters® (Sonic Championship), Sonic R®, and six Sonic Game Gear titles. And cell phone gamers will be able to enjoy the original SEGA Genesis® Sonic The Hedgehog on the go.

Why would the PS2 version get a release in Europe but not the US?

Probably because most people in Europe own a PS2 and that Sonic Heroes sold the best on the PS2 there as opposed in the U.S. where Sonic(and Sega in general) had the most success on the Gamecube.

The PS2 version of Sonic Mega Collection Plus sold phenomenally well in the UK. It took the number one spot in the all format sales chart in its first week and still regularly appears in the top ten.

Unlike the US release, the UK game was also sold at full price, was not optimised for the region and went on sale after the holiday season, which makes it success even more significant.

Huh, that would be odd. Can anyone confirm this?

I’ve asked Hari Hari, so we should know soon. ^_^

Jesus, those fuckers really like Sonic.

All I'm asking is for Sonic Team to stop being ridiculous and put all 12 game gear games on the Cube version. Come ON.

Sega's E3 Site confirms that the PS2 is Europe only