With the movie Sonic the Hedgehog 2 introducing whole new audiences to the iconic blue hedgehog, many will be getting their Sonic Origins pre-orders so that they can play these classic games for the first time. Meanwhile, long-time fans may relish the opportunity to rediscover these games from their childhoods.
So what do you need to know before you get your Sonic Origins pre-orders in? Well, it’s going to be a compilation of the four main Sonic games from the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive and the Sega CD: Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Sonic CD, and Sonic 3 & Knuckles. You can play them in “Classic Mode” which recreates the original experience as faithfully as possible, or you can play them in “Anniversary Mode” which removes lives and displays everything in widescreen.
In addition to Sonic, Tails and Knuckles are playable in every one of the games. This will be the first time that this has been possible in the games Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic CD, and official methods of playing as Knuckles in Sonic the Hedgehog 2 are not always easy to come by. Add in a bunch of exclusive animations depicting key scenes from the games, and you have a particularly enticing package.
If you want to pre-order Sonic Origins, there are a couple of different versions, as well as content that will be released as DLC packs. Here’s an overview of the different versions and content packs.
Sonic Origins Standard Edition pre-orders
The Standard Edition of the game gives you access to the Start Dash Pack, a piece of free DLC that includes all of the following:
- 100 Bonus Coins: these are spent at the in-game museum for extra bits of content.
- Mirror Mode: a chance to experience these classic games in a new way.
- Letterbox background: giving you a slightly different coat of paint when you play.
Keep in mind, you only get the Start Dash Pack for free if you pre-order the game.
Pre-OrderSonic Origins Digital Deluxe Edition pre-orders
If you decide to go for the Digital Deluxe Edition, in addition to the base game and the Start Dash Pack, this version also includes all of the following in-game goodies:
- Hard Missions: giving an extra challenge to seasoned Sonic players.
- Character animation in the Main Menu: enhancing your menu experience.
- Camera controls over the Main Menu Islands: allowing you to look around the area.
- Character animation during Music Islands: giving you more unique Sonic animations to enjoy.
Additional music tracks from Genesis/Mega Drive titles: giving you more iconic music tracks to admire.
Sonic Origins DLC
Pre-ordering the Digital Deluxe Edition of the game will give you access to all of the game’s content (that we currently know about), however, if you pre-order the Standard Edition, or miss out on your chance to pre-order, you’ll find that you can buy the other bits of content in the following DLC packs (with the exception of Mirror Mode):
- Premium Fun Pack: encompasses all of the following:
- Hard Missions
- Letterbox background
- Character animation in the main menu
- Camera controls over the Main Menu Islands
- Character animations during Music Islands
- Classic Music Pack: this will give you access to the additional music tracks included in the Digital Deluxe Edition.
With the Sonic Origins release date still a little while away, you might want to try out Sonic Speed Simulator in Roblox – check out our guide on Sonic Speed Simulator codes for more information about this unusual crossover. Also take a look at our article on the best Sonic games for recommendations on other Sonic games to try.