Original Sonic Mega Collection Main Menu screen
This was the original look of the Main Menu screen in Sonic Mega Collection for GameCube. It has the laziest amount of effort put into it than any game, but it was, of course, just a temporary screen. Yup, just a plain green background, an arrow as the cursor, and the four options.
But if you thought Sonic Mega Collection had the laziest menu screen design ever, think again. Check out the final version, which is the menu screen we all see in the game today:
As you can see, it's like 98% more detailed now. Quite an improvement. Flashing TV screens showing the title screens in the games, a yellow and orange checkerboard type background, Sonic Mega Collection film reels, and nice looking "Mega Collection" and "Main Menu" film. It's all colorful looking, and, unlike the original version, it also gives you information about some of the features the different areas have.
The original version of the Game Selection menu. The differences? The text on the the bottom only says "GAMES......". Games that haven't been unlocked show "................". It's hard to tell because of the picture quality, but the background looks like it's plain blue. Also, "GAMES" isn't shown on the top left of the screen.
Here's the final version of the Game Selection screen. It looks pretty similar to the above version, but Sega added a few additions: "GAMES" was added to the top left of the screen, the text on the bottom shows more information, and the background has a classic blue checker board look, with Sonic Heads also featured in the background.
Call this final version laziness? You'd best get your eyes check, or stop being a Sonic Jam fanboy.
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Let's check out the menu screens in Sonic Jam, shall we?
After pressing start at the SJ title, you are taken to the game select (Or rather, after selecting if you want to go to Sonic World or the game selection screens). Now, let's compare SJ's selection screen with SMC (For SJ, look above):
We see that SJ only has four games, while SMC has a whopping nine games, but enough about that. Both games have the classic blue checker board background, shows the games you can play, and what kind of screen you are on. Sonic Mega Collection has the film reels with "Sonic Mega Collection" on it, 2 mini reels with a star on them, Sonic Mega Collection discs that move around in the background, and Sonic heads also featured in the background. Sonic Jam has the cartridges for the four games, as well as there logos, but:
SWISH!
In Sonic Mega Collection every game has an info screen, showing: the objective of the game, the controls, info on what the game introduces/descriptions, info reminding you what you have to do be able to play for some of the games (Example: For Blue Sphere, information reminds you that you need to press A, B and X (By default) to bring up the main menu for Blue Sphere), information letting you know the controls listed are the default controls, and some screenshots. Text is color coded in these screens: Pink is the reminder info, gold is the objective of the game, and white is the game description. You also get a shortcut to the manual for the game you've selected by pressing the X button. In Sonic Jam:
Once you've selected a game, you are brought to another screen, with four options. The screen is rather bland. It appears every menu screen is just the blue checker board background. The laziness shows. No animated features, and the colors are so bland, at least when compared to SMC's screen. Let's check out Sonic Mega Collections' Options Menu:
Even though this is a copy of the Game selection screen, anythings an improvement over SJ's bland screen. But all the background colors are different at least (Unlike Jam, where the screen seen after selecting a game is the same for every game).
The Manuals screen in Sonic Mega Collection. Again a copy, like the above menu, but different colors. For the hell of it, Sega decided to give two options for viewing the manuals in SMC: In the Manual menu above, or the shortcut in the game info screens.
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Enough said about the menu screens!!! Now for the big part: Which game is better overall???? Here's a big comparision:
Games:
Sonic Mega Collection includes:
Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic the Hedgehog 2
Sonic the Hedgehog 3
Sonic & Knuckles
Sonic & Knuckles Lock-On extras:
Blue Sphere
Knuckles in Sonic 2
Sonic 3 & Knuckles
Sonic 3D Blast
Sonic Spinball
Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine
Flicky
Ristar
Sonic Jam includes:
Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic the Hedgehog 2
Sonic the Hedhehog 3
Sonic & Knuckles
The three Sonic & Knuckles Lock-On extras
Extras:
These are collections, so a huge amount of extras is nescisary.
Sonic World (Sonic Jam):
Sonic Jam has an area called "Sonic World". This is a 3D area where Sonic is controlled, featuring tons of places you can enter where lots of extras are featured:
A Sound Museum/Music Shop. Includes the soundtracks for all four games on the collection. Kind of a dumb idea, when the games already have sound tests that also cover sound effects, but this has SJ's music as well.
Hall of Fame building, featuring the complete History of Sonic from 1991-1997.
Movie Theatre, featuring Sonic game commercials, Sonic CD movies and Sonic CG images.
8 Missions. Though a little fun, unlocks the games' credits. Nothing special really.
Not a great idea. 7 hint boxes feature codes for Sonic 1 & 2 ONLY. Found on various sites, and magazines.
Sonic Mega Collection:
Extras menu:
Comics:
Features over 150 covers of the Archie Comics Sonic comic series. Issues 1-110 of the regular monthly series, issues 1-32 of the Knuckles series, issues 1-15 of the Sonic Super Special series, and 10 Other series issues.
Sonic the Hedgehog Firsts, a collection of 4 complete Sonic comics, is featured in Sonic Mega Collection in it's original form, meaning you get four complete issues in this book that are readable, as well as a cover gallery near the back, featuring the covers of the comics inlcuded in this book, including the Issue #0.
A readable Sonic Cover Intro card is also featured here, giving you the history of the Sonic comic series.
Illustrations:
This features mostly newer artwork. Artwork of all Sonic characters are shown here. Most of the artwork is Sonic Adventure 2 artwork. Classic pictures for Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, etc. are also here, but not many. You can see Sonic Adventure CG images, Sonic Calling cards, Sonic Adventure cover arts, a calander illustration, etc. Most of this stuff is pretty good, and you also get some info for each art on the bottom.
Movies:
Not quite as good as Sonic Jam, but you get Sonic CD movies, Sonic Adventure 2: Battle and Sonic Advance 2 preview movies, and a History of Sonic movie.
History of Sonic. Even though this movie covers Sonic's history from 1991-2002, this focuses on the games, but has an extra 5 years not in SJ. This has in-depth History on the 5 main Sonic Genesis games, Sonic Jam, Sonic Adventure, Sonic Advance, and Sonic Adventure 2: Battle, but covers all games with the name of the games, systems they were released on and their year of release.
So no Spin Dash or Time Out option in SMC, but no Sound setting and no Controller Configuration in SJ. You might think SJ completly owns SMC, er, well, Sonic 1 in SJ anyways. Nothing breathtaking, but you do get a bit of a bonus in Sonic Mega Collection:
Three versions of Sonic the Hedgehog
This is what the Sonic 1 screen looks like in SMC. In case you didn't notice anything different when you play it, when the screen is like this, you are playing the Japanese version of Sonic 1, which came out shortly after the U.S. version. This version had a few added additions, that upgraded the game a little: Moving clouds in Green Hill Zone, rippled water effects (In zones with water, of course), and a glitch with the spikes fixed. But:
If you press Up, Z, Down, Z, Left, Z, Right and Z on the Sonic 1 info screen, "US" will appear, letting you know if you press the A button, you'll be playing the U.S. version of Sonic 1, which was the first version of Sonic 1, the way U.S. Sonic fans remembered the game back in 1991. The difference? No moving clouds in Green Hill Zone, no rippled water effects, and a spike glitch. One more:
If you press Z 9 times, Up, Down, Left and Right on the Sonic 1 info screen, "JP2" will appear, and you'll be able play a second Japanese version. This version, of course, was released in Japan only after the first Japanese version. I have no idea what is different between this version and the first Japanese version. Perhaps a few minor, not well known glitches were fixed?
Pictures used without permission from Sonic CulT.
