As I was introduced to the Sonic games essentially through the Nintendo Gamecube release of Sonic Adventure 2, I never really got the chance to enjoy the old side-scrolling generation of the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. However, over the last few years SEGA have been more enthusiastic about sharing the older titles, with the release of the “Sonic’s Ultimate Genesis Collection” in 2009 with Sonic 1, 2 and 3 included, individual releases over the Playstation Network, XBox Live Arcade and iPhone as well as an even more recent release of Sonic Generations which merged classic and modern gameplay into one. However a game that has not been touched by any medium before is Sonic CD, released on the Mega-CD in Late-1993. It was most notable as the game that introduced antagonist Metal Sonic.
However, SEGA Europe and SEGA Australia have today announced they have made the remastered version of the game on the XBox Live Arcade and Playstation Network available right now with an Android and Windows Phone release due in early-2012. You can pick up the game for the following prices:
Playstation Network: $5.00 / £3.59/ €4.49 / AUD$6.25
XBox Live Arcade: 400 Microsoft Points
iPhone/touch/pad: $4.99/ AUD$5.49/Euro $3.99/UK £2.99
Improvements to the game include the inclusion of both US and Japanese sound tracks and the ability of playing the game as Tails, unlockable by clearing the game for the first time. This seems to be the last game release for the franchises very busy 20th Anniversary. Haruki Satomi, Senior Vice President of Digital Business at Sega of America had this to say:
Sonic’s 20th Anniversary has been a banner year for him – as well as for everyone at SEGA. Gamers around the world are rediscovering their love of Sonic through his adventures, new and old. Whether you’re a long-time hedgehog aficionado looking to enjoy a favorite moment from Sonic’s past, or a brand-new player who wants to join in on the fun, there’s no better place to start than with one of Sonic’s most celebrated games, Sonic CD.
For anyone who is wondering… the North American release of the game will be made available a little bit later on the 20th December 2011.
