Sonic Origins is a masterclass in messing up a classic

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As game development tasks go, it doesn’t feel unreasonable to say that one of the simplest tasks a major publisher could undertake is to remaster and re-release classic 2D games from the 16-bit era. And yet, somehow, with Sonic Origins, Sega swung and… well, it’s not quite a miss. But it ain’t the home run it should be, either.

You’d be right to point out that no game development task is easy, of course. It’s all difficult. But in the case of Sonic Origins, Sega had been dealt a pretty strong hand to begin with; a perfect starting point for this collection. Great, high quality, modern engine versions of Sonic 1, 2, and CD already existed on mobile – and the versions in Origins have their roots there. They also had Headcannon, part of the crew behind the barnstorming Sonic Mania and familiar with the engine that powered those mobile ports, to ply for help. The die felt cast: this collection was set to be brilliant. It’s part-way there, I guess – but also quite far from it. Close, but no cigar.

In golf, I’d generally rather miss the ball entirely, lose a stroke, and move on from my current position than glance the ball and send it careering off into the woods and undergrowth. But Sonic Origins is the latter; Sega swings, connects with an anniversary celebration that’s brilliant on paper… but the shot has careered off in an ugly, unsavory direction. It’s not down to luck, either – it’s down to execution.

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