Hot off the presses on behalf of the Sonic community's perpetually jacked in cyborg fox. Guess what got re-re-released today for the second (third?) time for Microsoft Windows? The very first Sonic the Hedgehog game, ported over from its SEGA Genesis version. Some may recall that it was earlier released as part of the Sonic Mega Collection compilation.

Aside from a different front-end interface, there's not much difference. Under the hood however, there's a major difference. The Mega Collection series itself has a game breaking bug that will not allow it to function on systems that are addressing over 2 GB of RAM. People who want to play the Sonic Mega Collection had no other recourse except to get into Windows' basic boot configuration file to add a special switch that artificially limited the system to addressing 2 GB maximum.

The new version which is up for grabs on Gamersgate and Direct2Drive (I would assume Steam soon since it like the two above, has been getting ported Genesis games from SEGA too) does not have this issue. 4 GB of RAM in my laptop (3.5 addressable by Windows XP 32-bit) and no sniffles. It also gives you more control over display options, allowing one to play at high resolutions. (Mine goes to 1280x800).

Right now it's only $4.00 on Gamersgate and $4.99 on Direct2Drive (but also take into consideration that D2D charges tax on top of that!). For those of you from the next-gen era, this is a perfect opportunity to get and play the game that started it all on your PC. It's lightweight enough for your netbook and really, the system requirements listed are laughable. I doubt that you'll really need a video card with 32 MB of texture memory to play Sonic 1.

This isn't the first Sonic game to be re-released out of the classic era in this new initiative either. Sonic 3D Blast and Sonic Spinball are out there too. Maybe this means we're getting Sonic 2, Sonic 3/3&K, and Sonic & Knuckles too? Is it hopeless to assume that Sonic 4 Episode 1 might get a PC port too? As long as this PC buzz carries on, you'll be sure to find me with my teeth in the wires.

In more interesting news, the first instalment of Sonic the Hedgehog 4 was just released yesterday. Maybe it's a marketing conspiracy!

Ehh, I have the original Genesis version. I don't really like playing Genesis games off the Genesis. I love that feeling of the classic controller plugged into the new system. All the nostalgic endorphins in my brain emit, leaving me babbling with glee.

If I want to play old genesis games, I tend to use my PSP anyway. No sale for me.

Besides, Sonic 2 was far better.

Sonic & Knuckles is the best in the series though. The ability to play as either the hedgehog or echidna in 2 separate campaigns is great. But Sonic 2 will always have a fond place in my heart - specifically because of the accursed pinball Robotnik boss!!!

And then came the later Sonic knock-offs......

I would, however, pay for the entire Sonic collection on my PC, if only because my Saturn and Genesis no longer work, and I'd really like to play through the series with my bros again. The co-op, while not perfect, is still ahead of today's competition (hooray for Tails!)

A buddy of mine used to play as Sonic and I'd play as Tails through Sonic 2.

Pretty much only useful during boss fights, so I spent the rest of the time being suicidal and killing Tails in as many inventive ways as possible (since he couldn't actually die).

The versus mode was ace though, I think Mysic Caverns (or whatever it was called) was probably my favourite versus level.

Hehe I remember Versus. That was ace.

It's pretty offensive that we're getting Sonic 1 on the PC while everything else gets Sonic 4.

What a strange comment. Are you often offended when console exclusives don't get immediate PC releases?

I wouldn't both playing Sonic 4 on a PC. I actually would prefer it with a controller that they designed it for.

"On PC" does not negate "joypad".

I know, but since I already have a Wii, I'd just as soon get it on that because they designed it for that controller.

Also, I'm too damn cheep to buy a joypad. Rather spend the money on more Good Old Games.

I can't blame you. Personally, I solved that problem a while back.http://keio.dk/retroadapter.html I haven't used it a lot, but it seems to do the trick, and with extra converters, I can play NES, SNES and a few others with the original intended controller.

forget Sonic on gog, go buy the game on your iphone or the compilation!

I usually use a 360 controller with the wireless adapter for games that are better with a controller. I'm assuming it would be even easier to just plug in a PS3 controller, which is probably what I'd do if Sega actually released Sonic 4 on the PC like they should... I would use the Classic Controller if I were forced to play it on the Wii, but alas, I'll probably end up buying it for PS3 and then again for PC when they do what they should have done in the first place.