SO YOU WANT TO COLLECT…

Sega’s mascot has starred in plenty of games, from quality outings to questionable releases – and as always, the price doesn’t always match the pleasure. Here are some of the most interesting items in the speedy little chap’s repertoire

Words by Nick Thorpe

EXPECT TO PAY £3+ PS3, EUROPE

» [Xbox 360] Old enemies return, but not always as you remember them – Chopper was never this big before!

EXPECT TO PAY £8+ PC

DEVELOPER: SONIC TEAM

RELEASE: 2011

■ When Sonic had to team up with another hero for a time-travel anniversary adventure, there was only one choice – the shorter and considerably quieter Sonic of the Mega Drive era. Together they visit classic stages from across the series including Green Hill Zone, Speed Highway and Crisis City, each spectacularly remade with brand-new 2.5D and 3D designs. It’s an absolute treat for fans of the series, and arguably the best Sonic game since the Dreamcast era. Sonic Generations sold well and isn’t too expensive on any platform.

» [Xbox 360] Stages like Chemical Plant Zone look pretty amazing given a lick of modern 3D paint.

The Xbox 360 version was reissued in a dual-branded Xbox 360/Xbox One variant, and gains big improvements on modern hardware – Xbox One X gives it a resolution boost, and Xbox Series X adds 60fps gameplay to that, making it the console version of choice. Big fans may wish to seek out the collector’s edition box set, which includes a figure, documentary DVD, soundtrack CD, art book and gold ring, and goes for £120 and up on Xbox 360 and PS3.

EXPECT TO PAY £360, EUROPE

» [Xbox 360] The new stage designs incorporate fan favourite moments like City Escape’s boarding.

GENERATIONS APART

For when you need nostalgia on the go

■ Sonic Generations was also released for the 3DS, and it’s a completely different game to its home console counterpart. Both classic and modern Sonic explore 2.5D stages this time, and a largely different selection of stages and bosses are represented, including Casino Night Zone, Emerald Coast and even Water Palace from Sonic Rush. That last inclusion is down to the fact that this game was developed by Dimps, the team behind the Sonic Advance and Sonic Rush series on the GBA and DS, and it’s similar in quality to those games. While the handheld version of Sonic Generations isn’t quite as cheap as the others, it’s still priced low – you can pick up a complete copy from as little as £6. Since the 3DS is region locked, you may also wish to know that Japanese copies are similarly priced, while a US copy is a little more at about £11+ complete.