It appears that some of the rumors and theories surrounding the registration of "Sonic Classic Collection" with the BBFC were indeed true after all.

Today, SEGA Europe announced the title, which will be hitting their shelves in March 2010; as of this writing, SEGA America has yet to say anything about a release over here. It brings together the four main SEGA Genesis Sonic titles, "optimised to take full advantage of the Nintendo DS system" by letting players save anywhere at any time, plus videos and "collectible pictures" for fans.

But, there seems to be something they aren't telling us; check out the pic from Sonic & Knuckles; could this version introduce some new form of co-op or competition between Sonic and his friendly rival, Knuckles? We'll have to wait and see.

Our own newshound Daniel Sims notes:

Sonic Classic Collection for the DS is at least the seventh re-release of the main Genesis Sonic games, but might be able to find its own place.

Many Sonic fans still refer back to their copies of the 2004 Sonic Mega Collection that originally came out on the Gamecube. The 2006 Sega Genesis Collection for the PS2 and PSP contains the first two Sonic games. This year's Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection for the PS3 and Xbox 360 contained all of these games plus Sonic 3D Blast and Sonic Spinball. These games have also been re-released separately on Xbox Live Arcade and Virtual Console complete with lock-on technology.
However, the new DS Collection will be the most comprehensive one released on handhelds.
"Sonic Classic Collection for DS will allow a new audience to enjoy a timeless collection of games," said Sega marketer Gary Knight, likely referring to the DS's expansive audience compared to the consoles. "Older Sonic fans can revel in the nostalgia of playing their favorite Sonic titles. It's a perfect amalgamation of heritage and new generation entertainment"
A big factor in Sonic Classic Collection's value among the previous sets will be its price. The previous collections and re-releases were priced either about the same or cheaper than most DS games.
Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection costs $30 and has HD upscaling along with achievements, online multiplayer, and over 30 additional games. Buying all four games on XBLA costs $20 with the same features. Buying the four games on Virtual Console without these features costs $32. The average price of a DS game now is $35.

Until we find out more, you can check out our gallery, which has all four screens in a much higher resolution.