Sonic Gems Collection

 GameCube
  • Publisher: Sega
  • Release Date: Aug 16, 2005
User Score
8.2

Generally favorable reviews- based on 49 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 37 out of 49
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 49
  3. Negative: 1 out of 49
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  1. GamecubeLover
    Jun 9, 2016
    9
    Classic. That's all the controls are good and I like the great games they picked for the collection well except Sonic R that's why it's not a 10. Either way this game is great!
  2. JamisonC.
    Aug 18, 2005
    10
    Awesome.
  3. JoeC.
    Oct 7, 2005
    9
    All hardcore Sonic fans should add this game to their collection. It is definitely worth 40 bucks!
  4. MasonC.
    Aug 14, 2005
    10
    This game is hot sonic cd is especially sexy.
  5. RyanM.
    Aug 19, 2005
    9
    OK, how about a real review. Sonic Gems Collection is an excellent mix of mostly mediocre games. Sonic cd is very good, and I give praise to Sonic R surprisingly, but the rest of the games are oddly bland, and only one or two playthroughs will fill your needs. it is a bit depressing that Streets of Rage was not included for the U.S. version, but with importing, or not living in the U.S.,OK, how about a real review. Sonic Gems Collection is an excellent mix of mostly mediocre games. Sonic cd is very good, and I give praise to Sonic R surprisingly, but the rest of the games are oddly bland, and only one or two playthroughs will fill your needs. it is a bit depressing that Streets of Rage was not included for the U.S. version, but with importing, or not living in the U.S., you can enjoy the Streets of Rage games, which are better than a large portion of the games on "Gems." But whether the games are bad or good, I also tend to support compilation discs, which tend to be cheap and very nostalgic.… Expand
  6. bonnin40
    Feb 21, 2013
    8
    This is a good compilation pack. Not only does it include Sonic CD, which is one of the greatest sonic games of all time, it also includes the rare and unusual sonic the fighters, and Sonic R. It also includes some great sonic GameGear games. This compilation is worth it alone for Sonic CD, and Sonic R and Sonic the Fighters are more interesting to play because of how rare and unusual theyThis is a good compilation pack. Not only does it include Sonic CD, which is one of the greatest sonic games of all time, it also includes the rare and unusual sonic the fighters, and Sonic R. It also includes some great sonic GameGear games. This compilation is worth it alone for Sonic CD, and Sonic R and Sonic the Fighters are more interesting to play because of how rare and unusual they are. the game gear titles are a nice touch as well. this compilation also includes digital manuals for each of the games as well. This is an interesting and great compilation, which i would reccomend to any sonic fan looking for some, while not neccessarily good, but interesting and rare titles like Sonic r and the fighters, and any sonic fan who hasnt yet experienced the wonder that is sonic CD. You can also unlock some great genesis games as well, but thats up to you do find out about. no spoilers :P… Expand
  7. Luigithemetal64
    Jul 4, 2015
    8
    This game is worth it to play Sonic CD, Sonic R, and some Tails games.

    Sonic the Hedgehog CD: One of the best Sonic games. Traveling to the future, present, then the past is a good way to get hundreds of rings for lives. The Special Zones is quite the challenge but not as hard as the ones in Sonic 2. Some bosses have you risk losing rings when attempting to jump into them. Amy is of the    This game is worth it to play Sonic CD, Sonic R, and some Tails games.

    Sonic the Hedgehog CD: One of the best Sonic games. Traveling to the future, present, then the past is a good way to get hundreds of rings for lives. The Special Zones is quite the challenge but not as hard as the ones in Sonic 2. Some bosses have you risk losing rings when attempting to jump into them. Amy is of the characters I like. The cutscenes are, in fact, full motion video. It doesn't use borders like other Sega CD games, cutscenes in Sonic CD in this version is full screen and use hand drawn animation.

    Sonic R: The steering is just as slippery as in Super Mario Kart. The D-pad works best only in straight courses. But, shoulder buttons are used in the game--that can help make your turning more sharp like in F-Zero. When getting the Chaos Emeralds, you have to come in first place. The analog is the worst thing to use in the game because Up is the accelerate button, you might accidentally tilt up when trying steer. Finding the S icons doesn't require you finish in first place but you have a time limit to finish the race. Playing as Super Sonic in Radiant Emerald is the best part in the game. If you can handle this game tasks and control, you have no trouble at all.

    Sonic the Fighters: Repetitive as this game gets, as least you get infinite continues, a movelist in the pause screen.

    Tails Skypatrol: Gamers had trouble trying to play this Japanese exclusive Game Gear game. That's the gamers problem, not the game. I played this game and I made it through with some ease and no problem. These gamers are so afraid of touching walls and ceilings because touching them will cost you a life. Using either the analog or D-pad is up to you. The best way of getting lives is to really start hitting your enemies and even projectiles with your ring. Use that as your advantage throughout the game. Keep hitting your bosses with the ring while your target is far because that'll slow them down while you're flying close to them. Give this game a chance. If you are good at this game, you can probably beat it in less than 20 minutes. It's best to play to this before Tails Adventure to use up your spare time.

    Sonic Gems is a good investment for worth noting games and some goods. 8/10    … Expand
  8. ThatCooperGuy
    Jun 27, 2015
    8
    (This is mostly a Sonic R review)
    "Speed demons and blistering circuits make this one of the craziest races ever!"
    I ordered a copy of Sonic Gems Collection and it came in the mail today. I already owned Sonic CD on PC & PS3 and Sonic the Fighters on PS3, so there was really one game(and a few Game Gear and Genesis games) I bought this for. It’s Sonic R. I’ve heard a lot of    (This is mostly a Sonic R review)
    "Speed demons and blistering circuits make this one of the craziest races ever!"

    I ordered a copy of Sonic Gems Collection and it came in the mail today. I already owned Sonic CD on PC & PS3 and Sonic the Fighters on PS3, so there was really one game(and a few Game Gear and Genesis games) I bought this for.

    It’s Sonic R.

    I’ve heard a lot of stories about Sonic R. The poor controls, the Tails Doll, and that annoying, yet enjoyable, soundtrack by Richard Jacques & TJ Davis. I’ve always wanted to play it, and now thanks to #Youtubemoney, dawg, I finally got to experience the great that is, Sonic R.

    Oh **** where to begin…
    The graphics have not aged well, but they must’ve looked great for the Sega Saturn(especially since my Wii supports component cables for my GameCube games).

    The character selection is also pretty good, all 3 sonic characters, Eggman, Metal Sonic , and a batnik from Sonic 3K.

    Tails Doll and Metal Knuckles are new, yet I’m kinda confused as to why they Tails’s counterpart was a floating doll instead of a robot. Oh well, it’s kinda creepy, but really fricking slow to race with…

    The controls are very awkward. I’m talking about the GameCube version. You accelerate with B or X and you can jump with the A button. The L & R triggers can help you turn more sharp, but don’t be surprised if you keep bumping into walls. I usually just hold the B button and turn with the L & R triggers, but I always tilt the analog stick in case to make the turn better.

    There are only 5 race tracks, and it’s easy to loose track on where you’re going. Not even the maps can help you find where you are. It’s obvious they put a lot of hard work in these tracks, but it’s pretty frustrating at points.

    The music, well, doesn't fit at all. It’s not really something you’d listen to when you’re in the mood to race. But, on its own, I kinda like the soundtrack. It’s a guilty pleasure for me and I could see why people would find it annoying.
    (BTW: If you’re irritated by the lyrics, you can turn them off in the options menu.)

    This version of the game in Gems Collection is actually the PC version, but the game doesn’t really tell you that. In the options menu, there’s a “Weather” option and you can make it Snowy, Clear, or Random. It was only exclusive to the PC version, so it’s pretty cool that the Gems Collection has this option. It shows off how pretty this game can look at points. It certainly makes Regal Ruin look less bland…

    Also, the Campaign mode can be beaten pretty easily. Seriously, you should be able to unlock everything in about a half an hour or less…
    I didn’t even bother with the campaign mode, I just downloaded a 100% save file off GameFAQs.(Thank you user: console_general)

    Anyways, Sonic R is a mixed bag. In some ways, it’s decent. In some ways it’s, at most, a guilty pleasure for Sonic fans like me. It sucks, but that’s kinda why we play it. The game can support up to 4 players,so you and 3 other friends can sit down and just enjoy laughing that this game.

    I’m glad I bought Sonic Gems Collection for this game. It is the only Sega Saturn game Sonic had(Sonic Jam doesn’t really count). In fact, this game was made so that fans could occupy themselves until “Sonic Xtreme” came out. (take a guess what happened…)

    I recommend Sonic R, but only to Sonic fans who haven’t played it yet. It was not as bad as I heard it was, but it’s a still pretty mediocre, but fun.
    Plus, with Sonic Gems Collection, you’ll have more games to play.

    Everyone will be “Super Sonic Racing”.
    You’ll definitely “Feel The Sunshine”.
    It’ll send you “Back In Time” to 1997.
    You’ll “Work It Out” with your friends.
    Maybe you’ll think it’s a “Diamond In The Sky”.
    But it really depends if you’re “Living In The City” or not…

    Rating(s):
    Sonic R: 6.5/10
    Sonic Gems Collection: 8/10    … Expand
  9. Redfireball
    Nov 6, 2013
    8
    I mostly play this game for Sonic the Fighters, Sonic CD, Tails' Adventure, and to see the gallery. This game is good, although not as good as Mega Collection that came before it, and only Sonic fans should really buy it.
  10. sdc
    Apr 5, 2015
    10
    Long as it keeps going with Sonic the Fighters, SOnic CD, and Sonic R, I am ok. Overall, if you're a Sonic fan, this one is a good investment, lacks a lot of his greats, but for the hidden gems, I like it.
  11. how_are_u
    Aug 20, 2014
    10
    Sonic Gems Collection for the gamecube and ps2 is a surprisingly fun collection of retro sonic games. It includes games such as Sonic the Fighters (arcade) and Sonic Triple Trouble (gamegear). A must have for Sonic fans.
  12. SanctuaryCat
    Dec 27, 2014
    6
    If it wasn't for the fantastic Sonic CD this would be a major disappointment. Sonic the Fighters has aged horrifically, lacks depth and is very limited in game-play. Sonic R is a racing game that is very short and has horrible controls. Luckily Sonic CD is really, really good and captures that vintage sonic vibe perfectly.
  13. SonicDude
    Jun 10, 2015
    9
    Sonic gems collection is a game worth buying , it has tons of good sonic titles and a nice gallery. But this collection has things which are not worth unlocking and some if it!0's games can be pretty boring. Overall it's a game worth buying if you like sonic
  14. Shadow1
    Apr 6, 2016
    7
    I play this game on Ps2 . Im cant put a higher estimate this game , Because its a collection of Sonic retro games , but this collection has got Sonic R and Sonic the fighters unlike Sonic mega collection Plus on PC . This is good collection , but only 6/10 .
  15. Pat2003reveiwer
    Sep 2, 2016
    8
    sonicCD IS AWSOME but to bad its the CREEPY AMERICAN SOUND TRACK so I never really play the game for that reason but 9.5/10 for that and sonic R 8/10 tails sky patrol 4/10 tails adventure 5/10 vector man 6/10 and 2 is 6.5/10 sonic the hedgehog 2 (gg) 6/10 sonic triple trouble 7/10 sonic the fighters is 7.8/10
    now the worst one is sonic drift 2 0/10 BECAUSE ITS SOOOOOO BORING AND UNLIKE    sonicCD IS AWSOME but to bad its the CREEPY AMERICAN SOUND TRACK so I never really play the game for that reason but 9.5/10 for that and sonic R 8/10 tails sky patrol 4/10 tails adventure 5/10 vector man 6/10 and 2 is 6.5/10 sonic the hedgehog 2 (gg) 6/10 sonic triple trouble 7/10 sonic the fighters is 7.8/10
    now the worst one is sonic drift 2 0/10 BECAUSE ITS SOOOOOO BORING AND UNLIKE MARIO KART IT HAS NO ENJOYMENT THE PLAYABLE CHARACTERS DONT DIFFER and SONIC R is a great game and people don't now about the spin dash! XD oh and sonic spinball is not as good as the sega genesis one which is the best pinball game ever! but the game gear one isn't THAT bad so it deserves probrably a 5.5/10! so so far this game is mostly good so ill give its total score a 8/10 medal:GOLDEN sonic has better anniversaries than Mario too    … Expand
  16. AlucardTheEdgy
    Nov 4, 2017
    8
    There are tons of hidden gems: The SEGA CD was a failure, so Sonic CD wasn't played by a lot of fans; Sonic The Fighters was only an Arcade Game, no console port, only Arcade; So you can play that too! The Game Gear and the Saturn weren't too successful, so Sonic R and tons of Game Gear games are here! PLAY THIS!
  17. BM30
    Jul 6, 2020
    10
    A fantastic game compilation! I love playing the games here especially being: Sonic The Fighters, Sonic CD, Sonic R and Sonic Triple Trouble. If you want to play rare sonic games but don't want to buy the original consoles, get this game, it's amazing
  18. ROTSA2
    Sep 15, 2022
    9
    A collection of deep cuts Sonic games that is essential for all fans to get.
  19. MatheusGames
    Nov 8, 2022
    8
    Essa coletânea é muito boa igual o Sonic Mega Collection Plus! Tem MUITA variedade de jogos do sonic e não tem só jogos 2d,tem até sonic R na coletânea! Tem sonic cd,etc,vale a pena jogar!

Awards & Rankings

59
#59 Best GameCube Game of 2005
12
#12 Most Discussed GameCube Game of 2005
21
#21 Most Shared GameCube Game of 2005

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
64

Mixed or average reviews - based on 32 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 32
  2. Mixed: 23 out of 32
  3. Negative: 2 out of 32
  1. Eurogamer
    70
    In other words, if this sort of thing matters to you, if you still can't bear to unplug your Dreamcast, and you do own "Virtua Fighter 4" and all the others and think they're brilliant, this is for you.
    Read full review
  2. DarkStation
    70
    While seeing Sonic on a Nintendo console is weird enough, this compilation will please the hedgehog's hardcore fans, while being a fun diversion for the masses.
    Read full review
  3. AceGamez
    60
    It isn't worth buying Sonic Gems Collection unless you simply can't live without "Sonic CD".
See all critic reviews »