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About this time last year, Sega released Sonic Origins—a compilation release that aimed to collate the first four (five if we count Sonic & Knuckles as a totally separate game) Mega Drive/Genesis Sonic games in one ultimate package with a bunch of extras thrown in. Though it wasn’t without its issues, Sega more or less managed to do what it set out to do, but there was a lingering sentiment amongst fans that it could’ve done much more. Now, a year later, Sega has decided to release a ‘Plus’ update — available as a DLC expansion or in physical form — that throws in a dozen new games and some other additional features to make the collection all the sweeter. Unfortunately, Sonic Origins still feels somewhat incomplete even after this update, but this new expansion is just about worth the money.

First, a brief overview of what’s been added. The headlining new addition here is the inclusion of 12 8-bit Sonic games made for the Sega Game Gear, the colour handheld which once upon a time directly competed with Nintendo’s first Game Boy. Elsewhere, Amy has been added as a playable character in the headlining four games for this collection, and Knuckles has been added as a playable character to Sonic CD after his rather odd exclusion in last year’s release. On top of that, Plus throws in all the previously released DLC with the additional missions to tackle, and content for the museum. Check out our review of the base game if you want to hear about the base offering:

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There’s not exactly a ton of must-have new stuff here, but it feels like there’s just enough here to justify the asking price. Those who bought the collection last year will have to shell out $10 to access the new content, while new buyers have to pay the original $40 entry fee for both the base game and the Plus content. It feels odd that Sega is effectively punishing loyal fans who bought the game on or shortly after release by locking the content behind another paywall. It's also worth noting that those of you who spring for the physical release will be getting only the base game on the cartridge, while the Plus content will be exclusively accessible as a download via a one-time-use digital voucher.

Regarding the Game Gear titles, it feels like more work could’ve gone into presenting these in a better light. Tastes will vary, naturally, but these games already run the spectrum from ‘awful’ to ‘alright’, with a few highlights here and there, particularly in the audio department (Yuzo Koshiro's Ancient worked on the 8-bit version of the first game, for example).

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Here's the full list of Game Gear games included:

It might be too much to ask that each of these games get the widescreen support and other enhancements that the 16-bit titles did, but how about including the Master System versions with their increased screen real estate where available? Sega didn’t even bother to ensure these games run flawlessly.

All the tinny sound problems, visual glitches, screen crunch, and enormous frame drops that plagued many of these Game Gear releases are still just as present as they were in the early '90s, which can make these already-weaker entries feel like they aren’t worth your time. Sega does deserve props for including two-player local versions of the games that featured multiplayer, but these are otherwise just straight ROM dumps of some of the simplest Sonic platformers ever made.

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The presence of the Game Gear games also begs the question: Why not include other more popular or less easily accessible Sonic games? Where’s the Genesis version of Sonic Spinball, for instance? What about Sonic 3D Blast, or Knuckles’ Chaotix, a genuine curio from the 32X that many 2D Sonic fans would love to try? The absence of these games is even more baffling when you head to the museum and see content from them sitting there. You can listen to the soundtrack of 3D Blast, but no, you can’t play it. Maybe there’ll be a ‘Plus Plus’ update in another year where Sega tries to sell you these games for another $10, but for now it just feels like a minimal amount of effort went into building out the value of this update.

As for the new playable characters, we most appreciated Amy’s inclusion given what she brings to each game with her somewhat unique moveset. She controls a lot like Sonic does, but her Piko Piko hammer makes her a little easier to play given the enhanced offensive capabilities. Lining up a Drop Dash and watching her tear through foes is quite satisfying; she feels like a natural addition to the playable lineup.

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Playable Knuckles in Sonic CD is great to see, too, even if the levels clearly weren’t designed with his gliding and climbing in mind. In some ways, he almost feels like the ideal pick here given the heightened focus on exploration in that entry, and there are some new routes that were added just for Knuckles to find.

Everything included in this update is fine, but once again it's difficult to escape a sense of what could have been if you're a Sonic fan playing through Sonic Origins Plus. Especially when comparing this effort to the rich work done in past compilations like Sonic Mega Collection Plus (which even featured other Genesis hits like Comix Zone and The Ooze), it’s clear that Sega could’ve done a whole lot more for this release, and we can’t help but wonder why the company held back.

We wouldn’t necessarily say that you should forget this update, but at the same time, it teeters precariously on that line towards being not worth your time if you own previous compilations. Newcomers picking up the physical version will get the new content regardless of when they buy—assuming you don't get used cart—and the overall package including the original Origins content is a strong one, but we’d encourage those who own the base game to take a mindful pause and consider whether the ability to play as Amy is worth it. For us, it is, just.

Conclusion

In keeping with tradition, Sonic Origins Plus is a bit of a mixed bag. The new playable characters, Game Gear games, and other content feel just barely worth the upgrade fee, but there’s no escaping the sense that Sega could’ve done a lot more for this update and chose not to. While the overall package is a strong one, we’d give the new content of this expansion a very light recommendation as it does ultimately feel worth the price tag (for existing owners). But how much value this will hold to you depends heavily on how much nostalgia you have for the Game Gear and how badly you want to play as Amy in the classic games. Here’s hoping that Sonic Superstars provides an old-school Sonic experience that feels less underwhelming.