Sonic Origins' Confusing Multiple Tiers Explained

Sonic's already made video game movie history in Hollywood, and now the iconic blue hedgehog is due for a new title that'll allow fans to replay through some of the character's most iconic adventures — but first, players will have to figure out which version of the game to buy. "Sonic Origins" has not one or two, but five different listings for the title, and only some of them include the actual game. As the practice of offering content piecemeal becomes more and more common in the game industry, players are left trying to determine which options provide the content they want at a price they're willing to pay. And fans have already expressed confusion regarding which features come with which release.

As detailed by the official "Sonic Origins" website, there are two versions of the actual game itself coming soon, as well as three additional listings for various 'Packs' that add extra content. Only serving to make things more confusing, one of the "Packs" is offered as a free bonus for those who pre-order one of the main title offerings. 

Here's everything fans need to know about navigating the multiple "Sonic Origins" listings and what each tier includes.

Out of the five listings shown on the title's website, only two include the base game content — so that's probably the best place for fans to start. There is a Digital Standard edition and Digital Deluxe version of "Sonic Origins" up for pre-order, and while both include the main game, players who purchase the Digital Deluxe version will also receive Hard Missions, character animation displays in the main menu, camera controls over the main menu islands, and additional music from the various games that make up the Sonic the Hedgehog timeline.

The three offered "Packs" are broken up by theme. There's the Start Dash Pack, Premium Fun Pack and the Classic Music Pack. The Start Dash Pack is offered as a free DLC pre-order bonus for the standard and digital deluxe versions, which provides early access to the game's Mirror Mode and gifts players with 100 Bonus Coins and a Letterbox Background. The Premium Fun Pack includes the aforementioned Hard Missions, Letterbox Background, character animation in the main menu, camera controls over the main menu islands and character animation during music islands. The Classic Music Pack adds the extra music from MegaDrive and Genesis titles, which has been revealed to run $3.99 separately and include tracks from "Sonic Spinball," "Sonic 3D Blast" and "Knuckles' Chaotix" (according to a translation of the Japanese version's website via Push Square).

While navigating the multiple versions of the game and its various DLC offerings can initially appear intimidating, most fans will likely fall into one of two categories: those that want all the "Sonic Origins" content and those who just want the base game. 

For those who are looking to maximize their Sonic content, pre-ordering the Digital Deluxe edition of the game will provide everything up for grabs. If pre-orders are out of the question for you, it's worth noting the Mirror Mode granted by the bonus Start Dash Pack can also be unlocked through gameplay, so it's only the 100 Bonus Coins and the Letterbox Background that'll be missing.

Of course, if players aren't going all-in on the digital deluxe version of "Sonic Origins," they can always grab the Standard edition and then purchase the content later via the DLC 'Packs' on offer. That said, only the pricing for the Classic Music Pack has been revealed thus far. It'll be up to fans to decide how much of "Sonic Origins" they want, and whether it's worth purchasing all the extras ahead of release.