Sonic Origins
Top Critic Average
Critics Recommend
Critic Reviews for Sonic Origins
But it still needs more. Very few changes were made from their now non-existent previous releases, so it’s high time Sega dusts off some more titles from its ‘90s library. The gorgeous cartoons in Origins give me hope, as Sega seems to be establishing some kind of Classic Sonic universe completely isolated from his modern counterpart. It’s just a shame that it’s a universe consisting of four games once again.
While the music changes and audio mishaps are disappointing, the Sonic Origins package is terrific overall. Having the best versions of the classic Sonic saga in one bundle is supremely satisfying, and Anniversary Mode’s enhancements make the experience of playing through them more enjoyable than ever before. Even in a gaming landscape where most of these games are already available to download on every platform, Sonic Origins is a worthwhile package.
The games remain timeless classics, but the Sonic Origins wrapper leaves something to be desired.
Anyone who has somehow never played any of the 2D Sonic games, or who needs a good shot of nostalgia, can't go wrong with Sonic Origins. Even considering my quibbles with the game, it’s hard for me not to give it a strong recommendation. This is what classic 2D platforming is all about.
Sonic Origins is simply more of the same, which is both its greatest strength and weakness. On one hand, it's a near-definitive way to experience four stone-cold classics that represent some of the highest peaks of Sonic's career. On the other, most of these games are already readily available and there aren't many new features or additions to justify buying them yet again. If you don't already have a reliable or convenient way of playing these games now, or this is genuinely your first time playing through them, then we'd say that Sonic Origins is the go-to way to experience Sonic's 2D heyday. Otherwise, we'd encourage you to either wait for this to go on sale or just pass on it.
These games look great and play better than they ever have in HD. But what else do you get? As far as extras, not a ton. You do get a small museum mode, a boss rush, and some bonus missions. But compared to, say, the 3D explorable world with its multiple media museums from Sonic Jam, it’s a bit bare. But, hey, I’m not really here for bonuses. I’m here for those four games. And a few oddities aside, these are fantastic remasters. Even if you’re a Sonic fan who already owns these games in other compilations, Origins is worth it.
Sonic Origins collects four great Sonic games and adds some quality of life improvements, but extra content does feel a little sparse.
