The start of a legendary blue hedgehog (Sonic 1)

Member Name: iamasadlittleboy

Product:	Sonic 1
Date:	08/09/09 (39 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Speed, Fun, Magical feeling, Gameplay

Disadvantages: Graphically it wasn't the best Sonic on the Console

Sonic The Hedgehog (or Sonic 1) released in 1991 on the Sega Mega Drive (or Genesis if you're living in America) set the foundation for one of the most endearing gaming franchises of all time that now 18 years on is still around. As one of the early games on the Mega Drive to really earn the console some kudos in it's battle with the Nintendo system of the time and as Sega's answer to Mario the blue hedgehog was one of the most important gaming characters of the 1990's. Though Sega had been looking for a mascot for a while they settled on Sonic (though the title character from the late Mega Drive game "Ristar" had almost been picked as the character for this game). A blue hedgehog that was incredibly fast ("Super Sonic" of course meaning quicker than the speed of sound). With the protagonist sorted next came the antagonist who became a cross between an egg and Theodore Roosevelt (not sure why) who was called either Dr Robotnik or Dr Eggman (in Japan).

The games story revolves around Robotnik trying to collect the 6 Chaos Emeralds on South Island to rule the area and as part of his plan he turns all the animals there into little robots (Badniks) which act as Sonics general enemies through the game. As a result the game, as a platform game (in the Mario/Alex the Kidd type mould) sees the player controlling sonic as he races from left to right across the levels collecting rings and destroying badniks on the way. The rings pose multiple uses throughout the game but are generally to be see as the games collectables (like Coins in the Mario series and Notes in the Banjo and Kazooie games), when 100 have been held at any point the player is gifted an extra life and if 50 are held at the end of the level (acts 1 and 2 only) the player can jump into a bonus stage. They also act as a form of protection, as long as Sonic holds a ring he can take a hit from an enemy, though the rings he holds will be scattered and the player should rush to get as many of them as possible.

Starting with the title screen which at the time had the then trademark Sega ribbon ring and star design (as seen in Alex Kidd and Wonder Boy III) with Sonics face popping out. The green and blue background of the opening level visible behind Sonic setting the tone for the games starter. The game begins on what would be a Sonic staple, Green Hill Zone a tropical paradise with a picturesque skyline and a generally green theme to it all. All the further 2D Sonic games in the series (Sonic 2, Sonic 3 and Sonic & Knuckles) copied the idea to have a primarily green theme for their opening levels. The opening act (of 3) is simple and despite having a couple of routes through parts of it, they level is pretty linear and simple, though it is best known for loop-de-loops and speed tunnels throughout the entire zone. The following 2 acts are the same same sort of thing, simple with a rather easy learning curve allowing the player to know how to play before throwing them in at the deep end. The final boss of course is one of the most infamous and parodied battles in all of video games as Robotnik (making his first appearance) in a flying machine with a huge swinging ball hanging from the bottom. The player (as is the case through the game) much hit Robotniks machine 8 times to destroy it and pass onto the next level.

The following level is the Marble Zone a typical Lava level with lots of the red stuff acting as the main obstacle and moving platforms being a key to the players success. As well as the lava a lot of large medieval looking large spikes are spread through the level trying to damage the players chances of success. Although the Zone is only the second in the game it's a large step up in difficulty from the previous one and is actually one of only a few lava levels in the entire series with the other being Lava Reef from Sonic and Knuckles (through the Game Gear version of Sonic 2 and a level from Sonic Spinball do both have levels with Lava neither of them are as far as I'm concerned in the same line). The level is designed to allow the game to slow down as the first level seems to be all about speed this is a much more cautious and means the player can't go all speed no skill. The boss again is simple and easy to beat taking 8 hits to complete and help you to enter the next level.

The third Zone is Spring Yard Zone which is based on a casino type theme much like the Casino Night zone from Sonic 2, Carnival Night from Sonic 3 and the bonus stage from Sonic & Knuckles. With a Pinball feel underneath the Casino theme with bumpers, large springs and bouncing balls. The level is a vast step up in complexity when compared to the previous levels with secret areas and infact the second act in the zone has multiple ending locations (one of only 2 acts in all of the Sonic 2-D games to be like this). The final boss is again simple when you find him, though the level is quite easy to get lost in like Mystic Caves in the second game.

The fourth Zone is Labyrinth Zone which was the first water zone in a Sonic game and introduced the idea of air bubbles underwater, the water theme had been continued in the following two games in some form in Aquatic Ruins in Sonic 2 and Hydrocity Zone in Sonic 3. Though due to possible routes through them it's almost possible to avoid water all together (except the boss battle at Act 1 of Hydrocity and the start of Act 2). The level is a significant increase in difficulty with act 3 being an infamously complex maze with a boss battle that sees the player not needing to hit Robotniks machine at all just merely follow it out of the level. For those interested in the map the level can be found as a PNG on http://info.sonicretro.org/images/5/51/Lz3.PNG.

The following level wasn't much easier as the game effectively found top gear was the Star Light zone an industrial level with a night based background the levels playable surface was a green colour and the level featured a vast array of obstacles. With things like saw blades and huge drops leading to the players death the level doesn't contain many Badniks but a lot more level traps than some of the others. Though with all the traps the acts do again have vast amounts of routes through them from end to end where the play can often take a low or high route through the level with the Loop-de-loops again making a return from the starting level. The level also contain steps that move when the player jumps on them allowing the multiple routes to be explored which on act 3 include a triple loop-de-loop. The boss at the end sees Robotniks machine dropping little bombs at the player with see saws being used to launch them back at the evil innovator of silly machines.

The final three act Zone and the penultimate zone is the Scrap Brain zone, dubbed by the some of the Sega team involved in the game as Basement level of Robotiniks lair. The level is similar to the Labyrinth zone in that it's effectively a giant maze like level that full of traps thankfully however the level doesn't have the water that made it Labyrinth so difficult. Instead however the zone has saw blades, conveyor belts and other factory themed traps. At the end of the second act Robotnik sends Sonic back to the bottom meaning there is no final boss battle (the level leads straight into the Final Zone however). The third act however does bring back the dreaded water from the Labyrinth zone and is by far the most difficult level in the game despite the fact there is no boss battle. Though using glitches it is possible to skip almost the entire level as opposed to going through the whole maze like structure which despite having multiple (none glitched routes) is still a night mare. For those wanting to see how the glitch worked here's a youtube video of it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOkB9C3sSk0&NR= 1 (the Video is not mine though I'm fairly sure the creator, Spinballwizard will not mind the publicity of the link).

The Final zone sees the player having a rather easy battle with Robotnik in a piston like machine that after the Scrap Brain zone seems rather anti climatic and easy.

The game also features "special stages", to get the chaos emeralds the player must finish a level with over 50 rings and jump through the giant ring at the end to enter these zones. A swirling maze which sees the player controlling the rotation of the screen more than Sonic as such and was similar to the casino themed special level in Sonic & Knuckles.

Along the way as well as rings the player will see lamp posts which are effectively "save" points for when the player dies (extremely useful later on in the game) restoring them to the same point as the post they ran past. There is also blue shields that protect the player from single hits, these have been a Sonic staple ever since through took on a dramatic change in Sonic 3 when elemental shields we're brought in to replace them. Boxes containing 10 rings, extra lives and stars (invincibility) also pop up throughout the zones much to the players advantage, though the stars and shields do seem rare later one.

Though the graphics we're simple, even for the Sega Mega Drives (especially when compared to the lush textures of Sonic 3 and Sonic & Knuckles) you have to remember this was really early in the machines life span. The programmers had been learning through out the development of the game and by the time the later levels we're being put in place the developers had started to use ideas that they didn't realise we're even possible when they started. This obviously lead to advancements shown in the follow up games where the graphics got more complex and the almost monotone levels of this game we're hugely improved up on. As in fact we're the sounds which went from really simple to simple but yet catchy with the "hey" and "go" stylings that had Sonic 3 link with the Michael Jackson producers of the time.
Yes these could be seen as flaws but they we're with out a doubt the foundations that one of the greatest 2D gaming series of all time was developed upon. Sadly the 3D Sonic games seem to have forgotten the magic and playability of these older games, instead using a poor control system and trying to do things they shouldn't have bothered with. 3D platform games can work, look at the Mario games such Mario 64 or the Banjo and Kazooie series, the Rachet and Clank games or the Jak and Daxter series. Just a shame team Sonic can't remember how to make great Sonic titles.

Overall a brilliant start to the Sonic series that was followed up by 3 brilliant titles in the same line (again I'm not including Spinball, Mean Bean Machine or the none Mega Drive games here) that really helped keep me, and many others entertained throughout the 90's. A symbol of our childhood that saw Sega suddenly become one of the gaming powerhouses to rival Nintendo, of course this lead the fierce video game wars that have helped us to where we are now, and forced the Mario series to step up to the plate. Despite being a Sonic fan myself due to the speed and the multiple routes, the Mario games after the demise of the Mega Drive have definitely been the stronger of the two series. If Sega could replicate this sort of form again however, we may well see another magical game that will hold a generation of gamers under it's spell.

Summary: The game that started one of the best 2D gaming series of all time