Sonic Origins: 2022 collection release date on Switch, price, which games it includes - and pre-order bonuses

As one of gaming’s most famous mascots celebrates his 31st anniversary, a new collection of classic games has been announced.

Sonic Origins is a compilation of four classic games from the series, and launches later this year to cash in on a legion of news fans drawn to the blue hedgehog by the Sonic the Hedgehog movies.

Sonic Origins was first announced during a livestream commemorating the Sonic franchise's 30th anniversary in 2021, buts its developers have just shored up the final details.

Here is everything you need to know.

What is Sonic Origins?

Sonic Origins brings together the first four games in Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog series.

Those are Sonic the Hedgehog (1991), Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (1992), Sonic CD (1993), and Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles (1994), all originally released for the Sega Genesis and the Sega CD.

The games see players control Sonic the Hedgehog, Tails and Knuckles the Echidna across fast paced side-scrolling levels as they attempt to stop Doctor Robotnik from stealing the Chaos Emeralds

In theory there are eight games on offer here.

Not only does Origins include unaltered original releases of each game, but also remastered versions that bring them more into line with modern expectations, introducing things like widescreen support, and removing antiquated gaming mechanics like lives.

Unlike the original games, the player can control Tails and Knuckles in any of the games.

A number of brand new modes are also introduced, such as Mirror Mode, which reverses the level layouts, giving a fresh spin on some of gaming’s most familiar stages.

There will also be a Story Mode which allows players to play the four games in sequence, with animated cutscenes from Powerhouse Animation Studios - worked on the Netflix animated series, Castlevania - linking between them.

The narrative threads that link the games have been overseen by Sonic comic book writer Ian Flynn, and longtime Sonic artist, Tyson Hesse.

When can I play it?

Sonic Origins is scheduled to be released on Thursday 23 June 2021 - the series' 31st anniversary.

The compilation will be released for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

How can I pre-order it?

Players who pre-order the game will start with 100 medallions and mirror mode already unlocked.

Those medallions will play an important part in the game too, with players able to spend them on new content from the “vault”, the in-game museum.

The game is listed as starting at £32.99.

We’ll update this page as more details become available.