To celebrate Sonic's 35th anniversary, SEGA is pulling out all of the stops recently, and there are countless collaborations in Japan, the USA and across Europe for us Sonic nerds to enjoy, but one small collaboration has caught my attention recently.
All because Sonic 1 & 2 on the SEGA Mega Drive were a huge core memory for me as a child. It was one of the earliest games I played and likely ignited a passion deep within me that has led me to create the very retro gaming news website you are reading today. So, bg up Sonic for helping with the founding of Retro Dodo!
SEGA has partnered with iam8bit to launch a "Legacy Cartridge Collection". iam8bit specifically make cool collectable products and items about pop culture, and this time they're bringing back the very cartridges that started Sonic's boom, with SEGA's permission, of course.
So, what does the original Sonic The Hedgehog Legacy Collection cartridge consist of:
- Playable Sega Genesis-Compatible Cartridge
- Translucent Two-Tail Amber Cartridge Shell
- Nostalgic Orange Clamshell Packaging with Premium Foil Embellishments
- Full-Color, Premium Instruction Booklet with Restored Artwork and All-New Foreword
- Retro Pack-In Surprises
- Custom Package Design and Restoration by Jango Snow Art & Design
- 1 in 8 cartridges infused with Chaos Emerald energy
That's right, these will come with brand new manuals that explain the game, just like the good old days, but in a modern form, which I think will be fun to read. For the collectors out there, iam8bit has infused 1 in 8 cartridges with Chaos Emerald Energy.
Our celebration of Sonic’s past collides head-first with the future, and in the wake of all that lightning-fast energy we’ve found fragments of the Emeralds themselves. These special cartridges will feature a unique translucent exterior, housing a Chaos Emerald inner glow, states iam8bit.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 will also come with all of the above, and a 1 in 8 "Chaos Emerald Energy" cartridge for you to hunt. If you want them, you'll have to be fast. They are up for pre-order today for $99.99 and will ship in waves, the first being shipped in Q3 2026, the next in Q4 2026 and the final in Q1 2027.
Finally, SEGA and iam8bit state that this is "a meticulously crafted, fully playable release of the legend that started it all. It comes in a gorgeous translucent Blue Blur cartridge shell, packed in a foldout foil box adorned with embellishments. Plus, you’ll find a full-colour premium instruction booklet inside".
