Sonic Origins

Lore & Background

Sonic Origins was conceived alongside Sonic Colors: Ultimate (2021) following the release of the 2020 Sonic film. Because the film brought many new fans, Sonic Team head Takashi Iizuka wanted to make older Sonic games available on modern formats. Iizuka noted that though they are frequently rereleased via emulation, they felt 'retro' on modern displays due to their 4:3 aspect ratios; he wanted Origins to modernize them with widescreen support and new features to appeal to both new and longtime fans. Sonic Mania encouraged Sonic Team that there was still an audience for 2D Sonic games and the series' 30th anniversary provided the 'perfect' opportunity to develop a compilation.

The remasters of Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic 2, and Sonic CD are based on the Retro Engine-developed remakes released between 2011 and 2013, while Simon Thomley and his studio Headcannon, who worked on Sonic Mania (2017), developed the remaster of Sonic 3 & Knuckles. Jun Senoue replaced a portion of the Sonic 3 soundtrack, following speculation of licensing problems arising from Michael Jackson's involvement with Sonic 3. The compilation was developed internally at Sega, which handled the presentation and consolidation of the included games. Powerhouse Animation Studios produced the new cutscenes with longtime Sonic artist Tyson Hesse, with a script written by Sonic comic book writer Ian Flynn and featuring arranged music by Sonic Mania composer Tee Lopes.

Sonic Origins was released digitally for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on June 23, 2022, the series' 31st anniversary. An expanded version adding playable characters and the 12 Game Gear Sonic games, Sonic Origins Plus, was released physically and as DLC for the original on June 23, 2023.

Reader's Guide

Sonic Origins compiles and remasters the first four platform games in Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog series. The player controls Sonic the Hedgehog, Miles 'Tails' Prower, and Knuckles the Echidna as they attempt to stop Doctor Eggman from stealing the Chaos Emeralds. They traverse side-scrolling levels at high speeds while collecting rings, defeating enemies and bosses, and finding secrets. Unlike the originals, the player can control Tails and Knuckles in most games.

Origins features two gameplay styles for each game: 'classic mode' presents the games in their original 4:3 aspect ratio with no gameplay changes, while 'anniversary mode' features support for widescreen displays, replaces lives with coins, and allows Sonic to use the 'drop dash' from Sonic Mania. A 'story mode' allows players to play through the four games sequentially as Sonic, with Tails joining him in Sonic 2 and Sonic 3 & Knuckles, in anniversary mode, with new animated cutscenes that bridge their stories. New modes include a boss rush mode; a mirror mode that reverses the level layouts; and a mission mode featuring 60 additional standalone challenges. The 'Blue Spheres' minigame from Sonic 3 & Knuckles is also included, along with an all-new version called New Blue Spheres.

An in-game museum allows players to view a collection of music, artwork, and videos, including the Sonic Mania Adventures animated shorts originally released in 2018. Players can unlock additional museum content by completing in-game achievements or spending coins earned through gameplay. The compilation received favorable reviews; critics praised the enhancements and presentation, but criticized the downloadable content (DLC), replaced music in Sonic 3, lack of features, and bugs not present in the original games.

Did You Know?

• Sonic Origins was released on the series' 31st anniversary, June 23, 2022.
• The remaster of Sonic 3 & Knuckles was developed by Headcannon, the studio behind Sonic Mania.
• Sonic Origins Plus, released a year later, adds Amy Rose as a playable character and emulations of all 12 Game Gear Sonic games.