A Retro Review – Sonic The Hedgehog

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presents a 


by

	(Sega Genesis)
	(Platform)
	(Single-player)
	(Coolness guaranteed)
	(Good game)
	Awesome kamikaze gameplay Mesmerizing visuals Sonic’s cool persona
	Inconsistent level design Just okay boss encounters Bonus stage causes nausea
	Not just the catalyst to a larger franchise, Sonic The Hedgehog stands firmly on its own as a speed-racing side-scroller capable of delivering a fun and rewarding experience to players of all skill levels

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Story

Dr. Robotnik has put all of the local animals into metal robot suits for the purposes of collecting the 6 Chaos Emeralds and gaining their power. What did they do to him anyways… who knows? Now it’s up to Sonic to rescue the fuzzy little guys and halt Robotnik’s very farfetched and inhumane plan.

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Overview

Sonic the Hedgehog is a mad dash side-scrolling platform game where you guide Sonic from the beginning point of each stage to the end while avoiding enemy attacks, collecting rings and generally blitzing at breakneck speeds as often as feels right. Each level consists of 3 “acts” with 2 platforming sections leading up to a Dr. Robotnik boss battle who blocks your path for further admittance until defeated. Pretty much all of the stages involve dashing Sonic around at high speeds (which is good considering there is a time limit in the game) though there’s also some slower sections that require a more methodical approach.

Sonic’s only real attack involves him hitting a foe while spinning which can be accomplished by either jumping on an enemy or rolling into one. Along the way, you may optionally collect the 6 Chaos Emeralds if you can guide Sonic through the maze-like bonus stages that contain them which will unlock the “proper” ending. To gain access to these areas, Sonic must have 50 rings in his possession when crossing that level’s end goal which simultaneously act as his “health” allowing him to take a hit from an enemy as long as he has at least one on him ensuring the player’s desire to maintain a steady greed for them throughout gameplay. Make your way through all the different stages and defeat the final incarnation of Dr. Robotnik (with or without the Chaos Emeralds) to complete the game.

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Cast

Sonic The Hedgehog (main protagonist) Side-scrolling speed freak tasked with saving as many animals as he can find and representing the Sega franchise against all other video game companies

Animal Friends (in distress) Seriously… any monster that would exploit these adorable little creatures needs to be stopped like yesterday!

Dr. Ivo “Eggman” Robotnik (main antagonist) Animal hating A.C.M.E. contraption connoisseur

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Speed Kills… The Opposition (XL section)

Ahhh Good ole’ Sonic. Let’s be honest, if you’ve never heard of the blue hedgehog than you’ve probably clicked on the wrong website. Just hearing that “SEGA”  chime as soon as the game boots up still gets my Genesis senses tingling. Sonic the Hedgehog, the quintessential Sega mascot, is The ‘Tude Dude’s first ever experience with a Genesis game and remains a super RAD time even to this day! Why is Sonic so rad? Cause of the mega ‘tudage dude  (god I hope somebody said that somewhere)! In reality it probably has more to do with the game’s fun control scheme, memorable music and cool graphics.

Or perhaps it has something to do with the SPEED– Sonic’s biggest standout attribute by far. While other platforming characters move and run at a modest pace, this hedgehog zips at maximum velocity and shows off capably the incredible blast processing power of the Genesis. Holding down the d-pad either left or right will engage Sonic in his favorite activity and you’ll be having tons of fun right away running with brisk ferocity through these “roller coaster” like stages.

The concept is simple – make it to the end of each level without dying so that you can face and defeat Dr. Robotnik  (in various mechanical contraptions) and free the animals of whatever zone your in. Along the way you’ll collect rings  which serve as both a means to unlocking the bonus stages that house the Chaos Emeralds (if you can hold on to 50 or more of them when reaching the end goal of the level) and also a sort-of health for Sonic as he can take a hit from an enemy as long as he’s holding at least 1 ring but will die if he has none. Additionally, there are some power-ups that can be utilized for more help during your trek such as the shield  which surrounds Sonic in a force field and protects him from getting hit once, the speed shoes  which give Sonic a ridiculous tempo increase for a short time and invincibility which grants Sonic invulnerability for a brief stint. 

You’ll run and flip through a variety of stages avoiding/engaging several different types of enemies such as Buzz Bombers , Choppers and Caterkillers just to name a few. Sonic can attack these henchmen by jumping on top of or rolling into them but beware their unique means of defense as each enemy must be addressed differently such as avoiding the spiny backs of the Caterkillers and only attacking their heads for instance. The boss battles work much the same as every incarnation of Dr. Robotnik will need to be jumped into by Sonic while avoiding his attacks and/or the obstacles of the surrounding area.

The controls feel tight whenever moving Sonic which is nice especially when dashing at fast speeds. Navigating the different level types while going at a kamikaze rate feels insanely awesome and this game always has me throwing normal conventions to the wind as I continuously trade in slow-moving safety for balls-to-the-walls speed! Thankfully, the controls are with you every step of the way and they’re a real high-point to Sonic the Hedgehog (and the whole series in my opinion) as they’re simple, accessible and responsive throughout all facets of Sonic’s adventure.    

The music is really good at times (Green Hill Zone and Marble Zone are my favorites) and somewhat forgettable at others (Spring Yard Zone and Scrap Brain Zone just aren’t bringing it like the earlier levels did) however the sound effects are extremely satisfying and perfectly unique for the game (ring chime anyone). Hearing the “WONG” sound from getting the shield power-up or the “oh EH” from getting an air bubble just tickles my brain in a very happy and strange way. Quite literally, all it takes is one tick from any of these recognizable noises and I’m instantly transported to playing this with my next door neighbor as a kid.

The graphics are also quite nice especially the sprites. Many of the animations from the in-game characters look cartoony and cool while Sonic himself looks the best of all whether moving his legs in a whirlwind when running at high speeds  or wobbling near the edge of a cliff just to name a few. Most of the colors look good as well and each level has a distinct tone and feel contrasted by a unique visual design although some of the backgrounds can be pretty funny looking to say the least. Sonic’s racing at full-speed down the highway to success however there’s a few potholes in the road that slow our ‘tude filled buddy down.

One area of the game that I find to be a mixed bag is the level design. The most fun zones have you speeding Sonic through a multitude of maze-like loops and tunnels while your brain goes on auto-pilot to an almost drool inducing catatonic state while other, stranger areas, have you plodding through water slowly or waiting for weird elevator-type things to finish their slow rise so that you can proceed . That bonus stage too… WOW! Why does Sonic have to spin inside a room that’s spinning surrounded by more spinning things? What’s with the trippy birds and fish in the background? My brain hurts just thinking about it… moving on. Also, the boss battles feel underwhelming to say the least though seeing Dr. Robotnik with his angry face after you defeat him each time is rather satisfying  .   

Without question this game is oozing ‘tude all over with distinctive Genesis twang and Sonic’s overall demeanor. I swear he looks pissed all the time and quite frankly I love it. It’s like he’s ready to get in a bar-fight with anything at anytime (even you “the player” if you make Sonic stand still for too long ) making you feel as though you can super run your way through the whole game blindfolded and not too many things sound more bodacious than that!

Looking back on the game as a whole, Sonic the Hedgehog is certainly not without some flaws but in terms of platforming (especially for its time) you will be hard pressed to find anything more satisfying and accessible while also being “cool”. I swear, the Genesis simply wouldn’t be the same without this Mario rival and Sega has become as synonymous with their pack in mascot as any other video game company. It brought a unique challenge with its super-fast speed and also offers some replay value with its alternate ending reward for obtaining all of the chaos emeralds before defeating the final incarnation of Dr. Robotnik. Even if your a hardcore Nintendo fanboy (sheesh I hope the battle is long over now), give Sonic the Hedgehog a spin and try out some blast processing in your diet!

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Critical Analysis

3/5 The game works best when running and flowing at high speeds but feels slowed down at times from some clumsy level design. I still don’t quite understand why they made a slow water level for instance when he likes to run but whatever. I do give points for attempting the variety that they did but it just felt like the execution was lacking.

4/5 Controls feel good in this game though there are some setbacks. Trying to walk uphill can be a chore for example which is kind of funny considering how fast Sonic is (hills… my only weakness) otherwise Sonic does what you want him to do meaning that deaths are usually the players fault. The feeling of absolute momentum that follows Sonic once you get him running at full speed is visceral and a big part of this game’s charm overall.

4/5 While the music is not the greatest overall, it does have high points at times supplying the game with a decent soundtrack for Sonic as he rushes through levels at high speed. The sound effects are ridiculously memorable and I hear many of them in regular life even today reminding me constantly of the grand significance of this game. I swear, I could listen to the sound of Sonic breathing that huge bubble underwater on loop.

5/5 Wow Sonic, Robotnik and Co. look great here especially considering the release date (1991) and they all move fluidly with excellent animations. The colors are appropriate for the different zones and make each one feel unique. I can still remember how envious I was playing this at my next door neighbors house during its launch period as it looked SO good compared to anything else I had seen from a home console at the time.

While you certainly can find some cool stuff in here apart from the “blue blur”, the biggest majority of Sonic the Hedgehog’s ‘tude comes from our furry protagonist himself as he maintains a constant don’t give a @#$% demeanor throughout the game’s entirety. Let’s face it, Sonic is practically the mascot for ‘tude ushering in a new era of edgy awesomeness behind folded arms and unnecessary speed. I wonder if there’s a blood code?

Good game At the end of the day, Sonic the Hedgehog presents a pleasantly gratifying experience on the Sega Genesis providing quality metrics across the board! Blast processing and mega-powered ‘tude seem to fuel “the blue blur” making him the perfect representative for the up-start and rebellious Genesis and this the perfect “killer app tech-demo” platform game to showcase the performance and bravado of the console. Though Nintendo had effectively set the initial bar in the mainstream’s conscience with the Mario Bros. series, Sonic the Hedgehog loaded up Sega’s barrels for the impending gunfight against the mushroom eating plumber admirably with a unique experience predicated on “roller-coaster/pinball” gameplay which was too tantalizing to ignore. Add to that a finger-snapping soundtrack and eye-popping graphics and you’ve got a true contender to the crown in its running and jumping genre! Of course, it’s not all golden rings and chili dogs for our hero otherwise the score would reflect that but I digress. The pacing screeches to a besmirching halt at times foregoing its namesake as you wait for any number of obstacles to move out of your way showcasing some of the clumsier moments. I mean, it DOES feel a little anti-climatic to be zipping around loops in some sections only to have to stand idly on a slow-moving conveyor across lava (“quit looking at me like that Sonic I can’t make this thing move any faster than you can!”) but it is what it is I suppose. Also, many of the boss battles with Dr. Robotnik (miss me with that Eggman stuff) feel a little too scaled down for my taste in terms of difficulty tempering the excitement a bit for what should be some of the juicier moments in the game. Overall though despite some speed bumps, Sonic the Hedgehog delivers a totally bodacious, ‘tude filled, spinning, flipping, dashing good time sparking a revolution within the gaming universe as a Hall of Fame-worthy mascot character while at the same time supplying a fun and memorable title that kick-started a long (…and FAST) running franchise. Now that’s playing with MEGA power!

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“You know what… you can keep your Chaos Emeralds – I’m on the vertigo fringe!”

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