Sonic Gems: Hot New Media, New Details

The jury's still out on how well the final package will impress, but for now, have a look at this hot new video, new screens and details.

Most Sega fans will surely be aware of the upcoming Sonic Gems Collection by now. It's the latest Sonic compilation disc for GameCube - except this time, the developers have assembled a much rarer roster of Sonic games for inclusion. Take a look at these new screens and a nice new trailer for the game.

Sonic CD is the much-loved Sega CD instalment to the series, with traditional 16-BIT style Sonic levels, improved visuals, a frankly superlative soundtrack, and an intriguing future/present/past level evolution system.

Sonic the Fighters is one of Sega's rarest arcade games ever, with familiar Sonic characters all battling in a Fighting Vipers-style ring in some great Model 2 quality 3D graphics.

Sonic R is a classic racing spin-off developed by Travellers Tales, with some wonderfully designed levels and a legendary soundtrack from idolised British game music composer Richard Jacques.

The addition of six average-to-decent Game Gear Sonic titles completes the mix - or does it?

Actually, there's more - the Japanese version of the compilation disc will feature the exciting bonus addition of all three classic and hugely popular Streets of Rage fighting titles - although in the US version, these have been replaced by the slightly less exciting Vectorman and Vectorman 2 games, in order for the release to keep a sales-friendly "E for Everyone" ESRB rating.

The US version will also reportedly contain the inferior US soundtrack version of Sonic CD. And now, all eyes are on the PAL markets to see whether Sega Europe is able to pull off whatever needs to be done to ensure that its version of the release has more in common with the Japanese contents than the US version.

But it's not looking likely - recent mock-up versions of the PAL box art feature the BBFC "U" for Universal logo, suggesting that the mild violence found in the SoR series could mean that the games are still absent. Of course, this is yet to be confirmed.

See our most recent hands-on of Sonic Gems here, and stay tuned for our imminent full verdict. The US version hits shelves on August 16, with the Japanese release following on August 30. The European version will turn up sometime later this year - most likely October. A PS2 release is also scheduled for release later in the year.

Adam Doree
Director, Kikizo.com