It’s official: Sega will re-release the first two Sonic games for the Genesis on cartridge, but they’re more expensive

In 2026, Sega’s legendary blue hedgehog will turn 35—which is hard to believe. As part of this anniversary, the company is set to release reissues of the cartridges for the first two titles in the Sonic series: Sonic the Hedgehog (1991) and Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (1992). However, what should be a cause for unquestionable joy comes with a couple of unexpected surprises. For one thing, these cartridges will only be compatible with the Genesis. For another, their price exceeds even $90.

Sonic and Sonic 2 will return in 2026 for the series’ 35th anniversary… but not in the way fans were expecting

Sega, in collaboration with iam8bit, has announced the release of two reissues of the first two games in the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise: both the original 1991 Genesis game and its sequel, which hit the market a year later. This product is designed for collectors and, in addition to including a box, manual, and poster, also comes with functional cartridges... but they’re only compatible with the Sega Genesis. Each one will cost a whopping $99.99.

Despite how interesting the offer is, many fans have been critical of the price, specifically comparing it to that of the reissued cartridges that will accompany the NEOGEO AES+ when it hits stores later this year. In the latter case, the price would be justified not so much by a premium or “gourmet” experience, but rather by a highly accurate replication of the hardware and software of a console that was already notoriously expensive in its day. In contrast, as some argue, neither the Sega Genesis nor its cartridges contain electronics complex enough to justify such a price.

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Everything points to the fact that the actual cost is due to the fact that it’s more of a commemorative item than a functional one—something that becomes even more evident when we consider that iam8bit has revealed that one out of every eight cartridges for both Sonic 1 and Sonic 2 will be translucent blue and orange, respectively. Some have already interpreted this strategy as a ploy to induce FOMO or compulsive bulk buying in the hope of getting “the cool one,” or even to encourage resale. Be that as it may, many of the comments on the announcement agree that Sonic deserved something better for this anniversary, especially considering that fans in other regions won’t be able to use the cartridges—they’ll simply have to display or admire them.

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