Really haven't felt like writing lately...taking a break from it, although still rating when I can. ...
Really haven't felt like writing lately...taking a break from it, although still rating when I can. ^_^ All ratings ratings recieved are returned by me asap. Same name on DooYou, although on here a lot more.
Member since:29.01.2008
Reviews:43
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Sonic the Hedgehog, the first game in the series that would spark a legacy for Sega and create their icon for the company. I can't imagine anyone who hasn't heard of Sonic now.
An excellent role model for kids during the 90s and I believe he still is. Doing everything for the right thing, high determination and never giving up against the bad guys.
This game is the second highest selling game for the Sega Mega Drive, right behind Sonic 2. Up until now, it has sold over four million copies worldwide.
Plotline
The hero, Sonic, has to stop a crazy power mad obese man named Dr Robotnik. Robotnik is after magical crystals named the Chaos Emeralds which will allow him to rule the South Island. The warped dr. has also captured Sonic's friends along the way and robotised them to fight against Sonic. If Sonic destroys them, it will free them from their robot shell. Doing this will raise your entire game score.
Collecting all the Chaos Emeralds in the game will trigger the extended ending once the game has been completed. I have never achieved this, due to the emeralds being scattered in some tricky places but have watched the ending on YouTube. Spoiled the fun though, so I don't recommend doing that! Much more satisfying to work for it.
Gameplay
Each stage will contain golden rings scattered everywhere, mostly hovering in the air. Collecting 100 of these will grant Sonic an extra life, which are more than vital in order to progress through the game properly. One ring or above will grant Sonic a form of shield, allowing a hit from an enemy before losing a life on the next. However, this will cause Sonic to lose all his rings and will spread everywhere on impact from an enemy attack. Although, some may be collected back if the player acts quick enough.
If Sonic has 50 rings or more when finishing a stage, a huge golden ring will be hovering above the finish sign. Jumping through this will trigger a bonus stage, tricky forms of mazes where many bonus points and extra lives can be found.
Despite Sonic being able to run fast, he can use many objects to get himself around quicker other than jumping and running. There are spring boards that can be used to reach for the skies, although many of them are essential for getting past high terrain. Rolling is another ability of Sonic and can be fun to use when approaching a hoop piece of terrain at a high speed; Sonic will fly for miles in a ball!
Each level will have a checkpoint. Passing through will trigger it red and will allow Sonic to respawn here when losing a life, instead of having to start all over again and will cut down your frustration.
There is no way to save game or password feature, so the player will need to start from the beginning again when the game has restarted. Cheat codes can be activated to do a form of level skipping.
Special items can be acquired fairly easily and give Sonic the useful temporary power-up. The classic super Sonic speed trainers, which will allow Sonic to sprint at a light speed pace. Also is the ultra shield that will grant Sonic an extra hit from an enemy's attack. Another is the invincibility mode, allowing a temporary immortality and will destroy enemies just by running into them. A minor item is ten rings in one pick-up, can always come in handy to grant that extra life.
Even with the special items activated, Sonic will not be able to survive certain traps and will instantly kill him. Falling into a pit, being crushed, drowning etc. There is also a time limit for each stage at ten minutes, but this is definitely more than enough time.
At the end of each act, on the third level, Robotnik will attack Sonic in a boss stage. Different forms of weapons that have a weak point and the battle generally won't last that long. When Robotnik retreats, Sonic can then free some of his captured friends in a prison type pod. Not much of a challenge though and it will feel that Robotnik wants you to win.
However, the game engine comes with its problems. There is no randomised mode, all rings, items; enemies are all in the same location every single time. So a regular player will cruise easily through each level and it will become no challenge due to knowing where everything is.
Multiplayer
The debut game was released with no multiplayer modes. I was not disappointed about this and figured it would just be single player throughout the entire game. The two mode player was activated in the sequel, and that will have to be talked about in my next review when I get around to it!
Graphics
The entire game engine used all of the Mega Drive's graphical abilities of 16-bit. Extremely smooth pixels and a very fast frame rate that will not slow down or lag no matter what is on the screen. Very colourful graphics and many forms of animation all moving at once, even in the background. Lovely colours and very bright, all varied depending on what type of stage it is.
Despite today's modern, this is a game where the graphics are still fairly decent and quite impressive. Retro gaming really does fade into the background and becomes less appreciated; however the older Sonic games continue to reign at the top.
Sound and Music
Sonic continues to impress with the sounds and music files too, being able to combine multiple sounds playing all at once. Forms of beats, chimes and dongs that will happen when triggering a certain event or picking up a certain item. Pushing past the original 8-bit sounds that many Sega games had and using something very unique that had never been done before.
The Green Hill Zone is by far the most popular and greatest tune in the game and has had many remixes over the past thanks to the Internet. Stored on my MP3 players ever since I first downloaded it all those years ago. Mellow and cheerful beats that fit the game's style perfectly. Created by a popular composer in Japan too, Masato Nakamura, known for his music for Sega games over the past fifteen years.
Recommendations
Truly one of my most favourite games of all time and something that kept me fairly busy during my childhood on my Sega Master System, pretty much the same version as the Mega Drive's. Despite completing it so many times, I've found myself going back to it each years. It's like a rush of memories from my past all being injected into me every time I control Sonic once again.
Easy to find these days, it's been released on so many consoles in compilations volumes. It's even going to be released again for an ultimate Sega classics collection for modern consoles. At the moment, I'm currently playing it on my Sony PSP and works very well with the style of control built-in. If you haven't played this game, I highly recommend giving it a go at least once. Easily one of the best games of all time and it's no wonder why Sonic has kept the Sega company alive since their almost bankrupt state after the failed Sega Dreamcast console.
Pictures of Sonic the Hedgehog (Mega Drive)
The Green Hill Zone 1
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Advantages: It is fast, fun, addictive, and challenging. Beautiful levels and innovative bosses, too! Disadvantages: No save facility, some levels a bit too hard for younger gamers. Last boss is too easy.
Feb 23rd, 2009
exceptional by (24%):
very helpful by (76%):
