SEGA has announced the Sonic the Hedgehog 35th Anniversary Project, a new lineup of game collections and legacy cartridge releases celebrating 35 years of the Blue Blur.
The project was revealed during Sonic’s 35th Anniversary Birthday Livestream and includes two physical Nintendo Switch collections, along with new SEGA Genesis-compatible cartridge releases for the original Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic the Hedgehog 2.
The Classic Sonic Collection will bring together Sonic Origins, Sonic Mania, and Sonic Superstars for Nintendo Switch. The physical edition will also include a special 35th anniversary reversible coversheet and logo patch. The collection is scheduled to launch in October 2026 for $49.99 USD.
SEGA is also releasing the Modern Sonic Collection for Nintendo Switch, featuring Sonic Frontiers, Sonic Colors: Ultimate, and Sonic Forces. Like the Classic Sonic Collection, this physical edition will include a 35th anniversary reversible coversheet and logo patch. The Modern Sonic Collection is also planned for October 2026 at $49.99 USD.
For retro collectors, iam8bit is publishing the Sonic the Hedgehog 1 & 2: Legacy Cartridge Collection. Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic the Hedgehog 2 will each be available separately as fully playable SEGA Genesis-compatible cartridges, priced at $99.99 USD each.
The Sonic the Hedgehog cartridge comes in a translucent Blue Blur shell, while Sonic the Hedgehog 2 comes in a translucent Two Tail Amber shell. Both releases are packaged in nostalgic clamshell-style packaging with premium foil embellishments and include a full-color premium instruction booklet with restored artwork and a new foreword.
Each cartridge release also includes retro pack-in surprises, custom package design and restoration by Jango Snow Art & Design, and manufacturing by Retrotainment Games. iam8bit notes that the cartridges are compatible with NTSC Genesis retro consoles.
A limited 1 in 8 cartridges will also feature what iam8bit describes as Chaos Emerald energy, giving select copies a unique translucent exterior with a Chaos Emerald-style inner glow.
Shipping will take place in waves due to limited 2026 manufacturing capacity. The first wave of orders is planned to ship in Q3 2026, the second wave in Q4 2026, and remaining orders in Q1 2027. Customers will receive confirmation emails with their estimated shipping timing after ordering.
With new Switch collections for both classic and modern Sonic titles, plus playable Genesis cartridge releases for the first two games, the 35th Anniversary Project gives fans several ways to revisit Sonic’s history across both modern hardware and original-style retro formats.
Stay tuned to Sonic City for more Sonic News and Updates!
Discover more from Sonic City ⋆★ Sonic the Hedgehog News, Media, & Community ★⋆
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
