Sonic the Hedgehog Review

Courtesy of SEGA 

During the 1980's, Mario (Super Mario Bros.) was the most well know video game character and popular game out there.  If you didn't have a copy of Super Mario Bros., you didn't have a complete NES collection.  Many competitors tried to take down the Italian plumber, but no one could stop him.  On one side, the 1990's were arriving, and Mario was making his transition to the 16-bit world with the SNES.  On the other side, SEGA was making a character that could take him down.  Many concept designs were made for the character; these ranged from a rabbit with stretchy ears, to an armadillo, who is now known as Mighty the Armadillo.  Soon, the decision to make the character a hedgehog was made; thus, Mr. Needlemouse was created.  Did I say Mr. Needlemouse?  I meant to say Sonic the Hedgehog!!!  With the boots inspired by Michael Jackson and Santa Claus, and Bill Clinton's "Get it done" attitude, the hedgehog was ready to run at supersonic speed and take on Mario in 1991 with his debut game Sonic the Hedgehog for the SEGA Genesis/ Mega Drive in 1991.


Game Synopsis
The evil Dr. Eggman (known as Dr. Ivo Robotnik in US translation) has taken control of South Island and the inhabitants of the island by turning them into robots.  To complete his plan of world domination, he must find the six Chaos Emeralds; however, Sonic is here to stop him!  In order for Sonic to save the world, he must save his friends, get the emeralds, and defeat Dr. Eggman (Dr. Robotnik if you prefer).  Can you handle this cool blue hedgehog at supersonic speed?  Be Sonic!  Be atomic!

Gamplay/ Game Mechanics
The genre of this game is a platformer; your main objective is to get from point A to point B; however, there are different way to get to point B.  There are platforms in the game to help you get higher and higher in the level, but getting up there is difficult.  Also, once you are up on these higher platforms, it's hard to stay up there; if you can stay up there, the level will become easier.  The lower parts of the level are easier, but there are more enemies there.  This is a perfect balance of difficulty.

A key point about Sonic is that you are able to control his jumping direction.  Unlike Simon Belmont from Castlevania or Mario from Super Mario Bros., Sonic can change direction once in the air.  Another key point is Sonic's speed.  In particular, keeping the speed throughout the game.  In some parts of the game, speed is necessary to get you through certain puzzles.  Other times, you got to slow down and work out the puzzle.  The main problem that Sonic has is slowing down and going up hills.  When he slows down, he is somewhat slippery which can get you killed at bottomless pits.  Also, going up hill (if you're building up speed) can take a little bit of time.  The ability to keep momentum is vital for getting a higher score.

The Yadrin is a badnik that can only be rolled into.
The Roller is invincible in its ball form.

To defeat enemies, jump on them by pressing the action button, or rolling into a ball by running towards them and hold the down arrow; the momentum you gained will keep you moving and let you defeat enemies.  Some enemies need to be jumped on, while other need to rolled on or "spin dashed".

Difficulty
The difficulty of this game varies throughout the game.  When you first start off at Green Hill Zone, for example, you are introduced to the blue hero himself, a variety of badniks such as the Motobug and Buzz Bomber, and the amount of speed you can gain.  As you progress throughout the game, new challenges will come and it will force you to change the way you played the previous levels.  For example, Labyrinth Zone is filled with water, and since Sonic cannot swim in water and he runs slower in water, there is a time limit for how long Sonic can be in the water until he drowns.  The gimmicks of these levels (lava, water, etc.) make the levels harder, but gives the gamer more of a challenge.

Graphics/ Sound
The graphics in this game are superb for a 16-bit game.  Sonic Team used bright, vibrant colors for the stages, and the sounds are remarkable for that time.  Green Hill Zone is probably the best known song on the game, and Spring Yard Zone even has a great remix to it.  This balance in graphics and sound makes the game wonderful to play.  The game's soundtrack is clear, and it is worth listening to on YouTube or mp3.

Conclusion
Sonic the Hedgehog was the most popular game in 1991.  The game made SEGA's popularity soar during that year and their console (as a bundle) outsold the SNES during the 1991 holiday season; over 15 million copies of the game were sold.  For many gamer of that time, Sonic the Hedgehog was their first game; thus, making Sonic their favorite video game hero.  Ever since I played that game, I became a fan of the many Sonic games that were to come.  The greatness of this game even gave the hedgehog a float in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1993.  The hedgehog became SEGA's Golden Boy!!!  Sonic the Hedgehog receives a 9.5 out of 10.

Courtesy of SEGA

Sonic the Hedgehog © SEGA, Sonic Team, Yuji Naka, and Naoto Oshima (1991)
Castlevania © Konami
Mario & Super Mario Bros. © Nintendo

DirectGamers Reviews 2011