Sega’s New Sonic Switch Collections Fall Short for Longtime Fans

Sega recently celebrated Sonic the Hedgehog’s 35th anniversary with a livestream that served as both a charity event and a stage for new announcements. While the cause was worthy and the party atmosphere was welcome, the actual game announcements left a lot to be desired for those who have been following the Blue Blur’s journey on the Nintendo Switch.

The company unveiled two new bundles: the Sonic Classic collection and the Sonic Modern collection. Unfortunately, for anyone who already owns a Switch, these packs offer very little incentive to open your wallet. Every single title included across both collections is already available to purchase individually on the console.

A Missed Opportunity for Modern Sonic

While the Classic collection is a straightforward grouping of existing hits, the Modern collection is particularly frustrating. Fans have been vocal about wanting to see older titles like Sonic Unleashed or Sonic Heroes ported to modern hardware, yet Sega opted to bundle games that are already easily accessible on the Switch eShop.

There is also the question of what could have been. A collection featuring titles like Sonic and The Black Knight—or even a re-release of Sonic 06—would have at least offered something new for the platform. While Sonic 06 notoriously struggled with a 44 Metacritic score, a re-release could have provided Team Sonic the chance to address its technical shortcomings.

Looking Toward the Future

Beyond the collections, the livestream confirmed the worst-kept secret in the community: Sonic Frontiers Definitive Edition is officially on the way for the Nintendo Switch 2. Having played the original 2022 release on PS5, I am eager to see how it performs on new hardware, though it was disappointing that there was no mention of a completely fresh, brand-new Sonic adventure.

If you are a new fan who hasn't touched these titles yet, these collections might be a convenient entry point. For everyone else, it feels like a missed opportunity to bring legacy adventures to a modern audience. Sega clearly has the back catalog to make a truly exciting collection, particularly if they looked into the racing library—there is a definite demand for a bundle containing Sonic R, the Rivals series, or the Riders games, none of which are currently playable on the Switch.

What do you think? Are these collections enough to get you to pick them up, or were you hoping for a deeper dive into the archives? You can join the conversation on the Pocket Tactics Discord to share your thoughts.