Sonic Origins

67%
Game Brain Score Based on 2,372 reviews
  • music
  • story
  • graphics
Sonic Origins Game Cover
Sonic Origins collects four great Sonic games and adds some quality of life improvements, but extra content does feel a little sparse.
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Sonic Origins Plus is a compilation of classic Sonic the Hedgehog games, including Sonic 1, 2, 3 & Knuckles, and Sonic CD, with remastered visuals, new characters , added modes, challenges, and bonus content. Additionally, this collection includes 12 Sonic Game Gear titles and previously released add-on content. This is the ultimate way to experience these beloved classics.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

67%
Audience ScoreBased on 2,372 reviews
music90 positive mentions
stability134 negative mentions
  • A great way to play the classic Sonic games with updated graphics and features.
  • Includes all four mainline Sonic games, providing a nostalgic experience for fans.
  • The addition of new animated cutscenes and mission modes adds value to the collection.
  • The game suffers from various bugs and performance issues, especially on lower-end PCs.
  • The replacement music in Sonic 3 has been criticized for being inferior to the original tracks.
  • The pricing is considered too high for a collection of older games, especially with the removal of original versions from digital storefronts.
  • music841 mentions

    The music in "Sonic Origins" has received significant criticism, particularly regarding the replacement of iconic tracks from "Sonic 3 & Knuckles" due to licensing issues related to Michael Jackson's contributions. Many players find the new music inferior and poorly arranged, leading to a diminished nostalgic experience. While some appreciate the prototype tracks used as replacements, the overall sentiment is that the soundtrack lacks the quality and charm of the originals, prompting many to recommend using mods to restore the classic music.

    • “The new music for Sonic 3 is fine, but the one for Ice Cap just isn't as good as the original though.”
    • “While the Sonic 3 soundtrack may be different, it’s still great to have Sonic 3 at all, since it wasn’t often remade before that.”
    • “The music in Sonic 3 is okay, but mods can bring back the old music and that makes it 1,000,000 times better.”
    • “The only bad thing is the removal of the original soundtracks for Sonic 3 and Knuckles, and the lack of real 'bonus content' (the surprise being a simple image and 100 tokens is just ridiculous).”
    • “Half of the Sonic 3 soundtrack has been replaced by some really terrible songs that completely ruin the experience by sounding nothing like the three songs that came before it.”
    • “The music in Sonic 3 is muffled and the soundtracks of the zones Carnival Night, Ice Cap, and Launch Base had their music replaced by remixed versions of the 1997 PC MIDI versions of those songs.”
  • story345 mentions

    The story aspect of the game is enhanced by beautifully animated cutscenes that connect the narratives of the four classic Sonic titles, creating a cohesive experience when played in the new story mode. Players appreciate the inclusion of a mission mode that offers additional challenges, although opinions vary on its execution and difficulty. Overall, the combination of new animations and the ability to play through the games in sequence has been well-received, adding depth to the classic gameplay while providing a nostalgic yet fresh experience.

    • “The new cutscenes are amazing and tie in the story of the classics very well.”
    • “The amount of effort and work that have been put into them is mind-blowing, and with the introduction of story mode, these cutscenes are connecting each and every classic in its place, creating a wonderful story.”
    • “The story mode is a fun romp, not needing to worry about lives makes the experience quite relaxing.”
    • “The mission mode is a pathetic addition to the game that hardly contributes anything nor takes advantage of what each game has to offer and instead serves as nothing more than just another game mode.”
    • “The missions are sloppily thrown together and are very cookie cutter in structure, all feeling extremely same-y and not interesting to begin with.”
    • “While playing story mode, upon completing lava reef act 1, my score reset to 1 point (not zero for some reason) and I lost all the emeralds I had collected; no longer to transform into hyper sonic.”
  • graphics156 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players noting issues such as blurry visuals, poor scaling, and a lack of significant upgrades compared to the original titles. While some appreciate the nostalgic aesthetic and the inclusion of widescreen support, others criticize the performance on integrated graphics, leading to crashes and lag. Overall, the remastered visuals are seen as underwhelming, with many hoping for further improvements to enhance the gaming experience.

    • “The graphics are tweaked here and there, but it's not excessive and overall, the game looks as beautiful as ever, and the widescreen option is great.”
    • “I been a sonic fan for years now and seeing these classics being able to run on modern electronics and have a full remake of Sonic 1, CD, 2, 3 & Knuckles in full amazing graphics is amazing to me.”
    • “There's a lot of new content too, like boss rush, missions, and challenges, all fun to 100%, new cinematics, and BTS artwork, updated with 16:9 widescreen 60fps with some new playable characters.”
    • “The graphics on the other hand did disappoint me; for being a remaster, the graphics don't look too different from the original games.”
    • “The gameplay itself is fine, exactly how I remember the original games feeling, it's just that the visuals (and in some cases, the audio) are plain bad.”
    • “Widescreen and drop dash are great additions to these classic games, but the blurry graphics and muffled audio in Sonic 3 are inexcusable considering the asking price.”
  • stability143 mentions

    The stability of the game has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many users reporting numerous bugs, glitches, and performance issues, particularly in the Sonic 3 & Knuckles segment. While some players have experienced minimal problems, the majority highlight significant issues such as freezing, input lag, and crashes, leading to a consensus that the game feels rushed and unfinished. Despite its nostalgic value, many recommend waiting for patches or price drops before purchasing due to its current state.

    • “Runs great on Steam Deck.”
    • “It's very responsive and runs great on the Steam Deck.”
    • “There were virtually no glitches (minus the tails sound effect one that has been fixed) and all the games played just fine.”
    • “This is a buggy mess without mods, with altered music from the original releases (not to mention the horrid sound quality of Sonic 3 in particular).”
    • “Buggy mess of a collection, crashed at least 10 times, paid 30 dollars for 4 games with little to no extra content, (in fact 75% of the collection is just the mobile ports shit out onto PC).”
    • “This release is astonishingly buggy and rushed, and until/unless Sega addresses some of the many issues, this is just a worse way to play games you can already play just about anywhere else.”
  • gameplay119 mentions

    The gameplay of the Sonic collection has received mixed reviews, with many praising the smoothness and improvements over mobile versions, while others criticize changes to core mechanics and occasional bugs. Players appreciate the nostalgic feel and new features like the drop dash and mission modes, but some express disappointment over the lack of customization options and the presence of minor glitches. Overall, the collection is seen as a solid way to experience classic Sonic games, though opinions vary on its value and execution.

    • “The museum is fantastic, the gameplay is much better and smoother than the mobile version.”
    • “Classic mode gives you honest-to-goodness Sonic gameplay on a 4:3 screen, life system, and harder special stages.”
    • “Sonic Origins is a great trip down memory lane with its remastered gameplay.”
    • “Sonic & Knuckles (rest of the game starting from Mushroom Hill) is either a slog of fairly boring gameplay or literal suffering in unfair stage design.”
    • “The bottom line is that better versions of all 4 of these games already exist (including the old steam versions that are now delisted) and none of the extra features and changes justify all of the gameplay problems and technical issues.”
    • “The original Genesis Sonic titles were always about fast-paced gameplay with extremely tight controls and it feels like none of that transitioned over.”
  • optimization107 mentions

    The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant performance issues, particularly on low-end PCs, often attributed to the inclusion of Denuvo DRM. While some users experienced smooth gameplay without major problems, others faced crashes, stuttering, and lagging menus, indicating that the game may not be well-optimized for a wide range of hardware configurations. Overall, the consensus suggests that while there are patches and improvements, the game still suffers from notable optimization shortcomings.

    • “They fixed many glitches from previous re-releases, added 16:9, new animated story sequences for the story mode of each game, runs smoothly and made getting the various emeralds easier by replacing the life system with coins in anniversary mode.”
    • “During my 18+ hours of gameplay, I have experienced zero crash issues and performance has been rock solid, barring the occasional half-second micro-hitch that might occur once or twice per hour.”
    • “I mean, I see people with a lot of performance issues, but I don't even have the best PC and it runs super smoothly.”
    • “The worst offender for me was the performance: the game simply refused to launch properly most of the time and would freeze up to several minutes in other instances.”
    • “Unfortunately there's still some issues that have to do with the engine being used, the physics of Sonic 3 & Knuckles are not quite right, Denuvo is still being used, bloating the game and impacting performance and there seems to be some resolution issues, being that the game is a bit blurry.”
    • “This optimization is dogshit even on the stuff it says you need stuff, I pre-ordered this because I was really excited for it just to find I can't run it.”
  • replayability29 mentions

    Overall, "Sonic Origins" offers significant replayability through its inclusion of classic titles, additional modes like boss rush and mirror mode, and challenges that encourage exploration of mechanics and stage layouts. While some players express disappointment over missing content and bugs, many appreciate the nostalgic value and the fun of discovering new areas and secrets, making it a worthwhile experience for both new and returning fans. However, some critics feel that the reliance on nostalgia may limit the replay value compared to other modern titles.

    • “This title has the most replay value by far, and you could probably play the same stages many times and still find new areas and secrets.”
    • “Overall, it's a good compilation port of the four classic Sonic titles, the extras like the missions have some fun parts to them for more replayability.”
    • “For all the flaws that are being mentioned in the negative review bombing, Sonic Origins is the best official collection of the classic Sonic games with a ton of replayability value via the boss rush, mirror mode, blue spheres mode(s), time attack, and leaderboards.”
    • “Saying that I will no longer play this game may be perceived as negative, but there is hardly any replay value in a Sonic game.”
    • “I appreciate the replayability that they've tried here and all, had high hopes due to Sonic Mania; however, multiple tracks from Sonic 3 have been replaced by completely different ones, no more Ice Cap Zone etc... and the ones they've replaced them with are nothing like what they replaced... very disappointing. For the classic experience, I suggest you look at better alternatives.”
    • “They do include extra features such as boss rush, mirror mode, and a few extra side challenges to add replay value, but these won't last you very long and completing all of them is completely optional.”
  • monetization23 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game has been widely criticized as a "shameless cash grab," with many reviewers expressing disappointment over the lack of genuine content and the presence of DLC that feels exploitative. Despite some players enjoying the game, the overall sentiment is that it fails to honor Sonic's legacy and instead prioritizes profit over quality, leading to a perception of laziness in its development and marketing. Many feel that the game's pricing and monetization strategies do not reflect the value or effort expected from a celebration of the franchise.

    • “The game has a museum where you can buy items (don't worry, there are no microtransactions) with coins you can earn by playing the game and its other game modes such as boss challenges and brand new special missions.”
    • “Absolute horrid cash grab of a collection that leaves more to be wanted from me.”
    • “This is just another shameless cash grab from Sega.”
    • “This was supposed to be a celebration of 30-31 years of Sonic, but it's been marred by bare-minimum remastering, and downright slimy alternate product-removal, monetization, and DLC.”
  • humor21 mentions

    The humor in the game is largely derived from its glitches and bugs, which players find more amusing than frustrating, leading to a lighthearted experience. Many reviews highlight the comedic value of the game's music replacements and the absurdity of certain design choices, with players enjoying the quirky antics of the characters, particularly the "funny blue hedgehog." Overall, the humor adds a layer of enjoyment, even amidst criticisms of the game's state.

    • “I find the glitches in this game to be more funny than annoying in my opinion, I approve and recommend this :D”
    • “The collection is just okay, but I am reviewing it positively because the carnival night replacement music is just so goddamn funny to me, I gotta recommend it.”
    • “Game has released in a pretty awful state; it's honestly hilarious how they managed to add new bugs into 30-year-old Genesis games. The bugs have made for good laughs.”
  • grinding9 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be both nostalgic and tedious, often requiring repetitive gameplay to unlock content like concept art and coins. While some modes, such as boss rush and challenge modes, provide opportunities for more engaging grinding, others, like mirror mode, are seen as boring and unproductive. Overall, the grind can detract from the enjoyment, especially in the earlier titles where mechanics feel limiting.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Very fun game with a lot of nostalgia but also very grindy to get 100%.”
    • “Not only is the blur extremely harsh, but you can't even play as Knuckles in Sonic CD (an incredibly weird choice). Another thing that got me upset is how hard it is to get coins; you just have to keep grinding the same game in order to put a small dent into the unlockable content.”
    • “Boss rush modes for each game is a welcome addition, as are the challenge modes, both of which help with grinding out currency needed to unlock all the concept art.”
  • emotional8 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by a nostalgic connection to childhood memories and the joy of reuniting with beloved characters, despite some frustrations with technical issues and monetization. Players express a heartfelt appreciation for the compilation's overall experience, viewing it as a warm tribute to fans, even if it feels somewhat unfinished. The emotional journey is enhanced by gameplay elements that evoke a sense of nostalgia and the desire for a better future within the game's narrative.

    • “Fast forward for the announcement of Sonic Origins and I was rather thrilled to give it a shot, returning back to my childhood memories that filled me with joy. Thanks to the new Sonic movies and my introduction to Sonic Mania, I was finally united with Sonic after almost 10 years of not touching a single Sonic game.”
    • “A heart-warming compilation with minor issues that does not ruin the overall experience.”
    • “Don't let these issues keep you from enjoying this heartfelt, warm experience; they are extremely minor in contrast to the fresh experience that Origins offers.”
  • atmosphere1 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is negatively impacted by poor audio quality, which detracts from the overall experience, particularly during challenging moments like the Eggman fight.

    • “Even the first seconds were borderline difficult; somehow, the Eggman fight was arguably worse, and the audio quality was ruining the atmosphere of the game.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

79% average critic score

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Play time

10hMedian play time
10hAverage play time
6-15hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 7 analyzed playthroughs

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