Ugh…

Where do I even begin?

The first thing you see in Sonic the Hedgehog on the Master System and Game Gear is the extremely downgraded art. I know this is an 8-bit game, but everything just looks lifeless. Then, there’s the music. The OST for this game is just chiptune and while it is decent, but it does feel a bit empty. Now, I think it’s about time I talk about the gameplay.

Sonic’s movements feel extremely slippery and he jumps way too high. The former point will become very important later. Also, when you get damaged, all of your rings come out as just one single ring. To make matters worse, you can’t even recollect that ring. I guess the game just really wants you to die. One more thing to note is that the game is extremely laggy. Jumping will make the game lag, moving will make the game lag, doing nearly anything will make the game lag and I hate it. Now, it’s time to talk about Green Hill Zone.

The Master System and Game Gear Green Hill Zone is largely the same as its Genesis counterpart up until Act 2. In Act 2, we are introduced to the most hated thing in the Sonic franchise, which is water. As if the Genesis games’ water didn’t slow down the gameplay enough, the Master System and Game Gear games’ water slows it down even more. It feels like trying to swim through mud or quicksand. I’m not joking. It really is that bad. Luckily, the water section doesn’t last that long. However, the worst is yet to come.

I need to make an entire section for Green Hill Zone Act 3 just because of how bad it is. To start the act off, you have some extremely boring platforming to do. Due to Sonic’s movements being very slippery, this is not as easy as it should be. Then, you have the boss. Holy fucking shit. It’s so easy that it makes the Genesis Green Hill Zone boss look like it’s from a Dark Souls game. I hate it so much. However, the worst is still yet to come.

Bridge Zone might actually be the most painful part of a video game I have ever played. Act 1 introduces us to the Hell of Sonic games and it’s not a good first impression. First of all, there are these stupid platforming segments that you can easily fail due to Sonic’s slippery movements. Second of all, there is this part where you have to jump onto small moving platforms off of a curved wooden bridge that is extremely hard because there’s a high chance that going on the curved wooden bridge will make Sonic roll off of them and into the void. Third of all, when on the aforementioned curved wooden bridge, it is extremely hard to jump onto the aforementioned small moving platforms due to it being extremely hard to go up the slope that is on the end of the bridge, which is the specific area you need to jump onto the platforms from. By the way, you have to do the exact same thing again but with something that will launch you quite high instead of the small moving platforms. Fourth and last of all, at the end of these stupidly hard segments, you can easily be pushed into the void by a spring, making you restart the entire act. Unfortunately, this is only Act 1.

Bridge Zone Act 2 is an autoscroller. That should immediately be a red flag, but if it isn’t, the rest of the act will be. Once again, there’s stupid platforming segments and parts where you have to jump onto something from the slope on the end of a curved wooden bridge. Also, there are points in this act where the lag really gets dialed up. Sadly, we still have one act left to go.

Bridge Zone Act 3 is just another garbage and easy boss battle. It’s very repetitive and trying to land on the edges of the platforms just makes you fall into the void. I don’t want to talk about it any longer because there’s really nothing to talk about other than those two points. Now, it’s time to talk about Jungle Zone.

Jungle Zone Act 1 isn’t that bad. However, there are some weak points. For example, there is a part where you must slide down what appears to be a plant and get onto a platform. However, unless you already know that it’s going to happen via watching playthroughs of the game, you will 100% hit a row of spikes that is placed quite close to where the plant ends. Other than that and some weird segments involving water, though, Jungle Zone Act 1 is fine.

Jungle Zone Act 2 is slightly worse than Act 1, but it’s still miles better than the acts of the previous two zones. There is a lot of platforming in this act and it’s not terrible. However, there is one major flaw. When you fall off of a platform, instead of just falling until you land on a lower platform, you die the second you touch the bottom of your screen. That’s no good. Other than that, however, Jungle Zone Act 2 is also fine. However, Act 3 definitely isn’t, so let’s talk about it now.

Jungle Zone Act 3 might be my least favourite boss battle so far. Just like the previous act, you still die the second you touch the bottom of your screen. Both that and the fact that hitstun is basically nonexistent make this absolutely terrible to play. It took me around 10 tries to beat this stupid fucking boss. Now, it’s Labyrinth Zone time.

The Genesis Labyrinth Zone is already one of the most hated zones in all of Sonic and it deserves that title due to its unavoidable/unforeseeable enemies, extremely slowed down gameplay due to the water and and more. Now, what if I told you that the Master System and Game Gear Labyrinth Zone is even worse? Well, that’s exactly what’s about to happen. Labyrinth Zone Act 1 reintroduces us to water, which slows down the gameplay even more than the Genesis games’ water. After doing some boring platforming, you arrive at one of, if not the most badly placed enemy in all of Sonic. Basically, you have to get over an Unidasu, but on the ceiling, there are spikes. You have to wait for the Unidasu to throw all of its spiked balls at you before killing it, which takes an unimaginably long time to do. A big problem with this zone is that you have no idea when you’re going to start drowning due to there being no sound effect to tell you so. This issue can easily kill you. Anyway, after a not so difficult platforming segment, the act finishes.

Labyrinth Zone Act 2 is just Act 1 but slightly better. Most of the points I made about the previous act apply to this one as well. I don’t have anything else to say about it. Now, it’s time for a boss battle.

Labyrinth Zone Act 3 is probably my favourite boss battle. It’s not too hard, but not too easy as well. It’s not great, but it’s not bad like the last few boss battles. Time for Scrap Brain Zone.

Scrap Brain Zone Act 1 is honestly my favourite act in this entire game. Nothing about it is actually bad. Other than the gameplay getting a bit boring and repetitive, this act is pretty good. However, I cannot say the same for Act 2.

Scrap Brain Zone Act 2 contains a stupid maze that is only hard because every route looks the exact same and you don’t know where you’re going. However, that’s not even the worst part of this act.

Now, I’m going to be perfectly honest with you all. I nearly couldn’t finish Sonic the Hedgehog on the Master System and Game Gear. Do you wanna know why? Because of one stupid fucking segment in Scrap Brain Zone Act 2. Basically, you have two doors. The first door leads to a room with conveyor belts while the second door leads to the first door. You also have a button. This button will open one door and close the other. Your objective is to get into the conveyor belt room. However, this segment is virtually impossible. No matter how quick you are, you will always end up stuck behind one of the two doors. I was about to give up until I watched a playthrough of this game and saw that you have to do a lot of backtracking after pressing the button to make the first door open and the second door close, and when I say that you have to do a lot of backtracking, I mean it. You must go all the way back to the bad maze I talked about earlier and go down a different route than the one that led you to the two doors and the button. Eventually, you will be teleported in front of the conveyor belt room with the closed second door behind you. After some boring platforming, the act finally finishes.

Scrap Brain Zone Act 3 doesn’t have a boss battle, but another maze. That’s basically it. Sky Base Zone time.

Sky Base Zone is probably my favourite zone in this entire game. Its main flaw is that it’s kinda boring. I do like the boss battle, but it is a bit too easy.

Before I end this review, I would like to touch on a few minor details. First of all, instead of collecting the Chaos Emeralds by completing the Special Stages, you can find them throughout the zones. I hate that one of the Chaos Emeralds is hidden inside of a spike in Labyrinth Zone. You basically have to kill yourself to get it. Second of all, the ending might be the most underwhelming and anticlimactic ending I have ever seen in my entire life. Third and last of all, I would just like to talk about the music for a second. While it is just chiptune, the OST is enjoyable. I recommend that you listen to it if you like chiptune music.

Well, that’s my review of Sonic the Hedgehog on the Master System and Game Gear. It’s definitely not a good game in the slightest. It deserves nothing more than 1.5 stars. Thank you for reading this review and I’ll see you when I review Sonic the Hedgehog 2 on the Master System and Game Gear.

For a handheld game from the early '90s, this game holds up rather well. The platforming is pretty good, the screen is big enough to usually see where you're going. While not quite as charming or action-packed as its 16-bit counterparts, this game serves its purpose.
There are a few places where it is lacking, however. Namely in the boss battles and the chaos emeralds. The boss battles are generally really easy, and not as creative as I'd expect from this series. The chaos emeralds aren't as hard to collect as they'd become in later handheld Sonic games (looking at you, Sonic 2), but most of them I never would've found without a guide. They aren't even challenging to get; just in weird spots that don't feel satisfying to me (outside the first, that one was pretty good).
And, despite the game being good for what it is, it's still hurt by that same thing - it's only as good as a handheld platformer from its era can be. I still wouldn't recommend this to anyone who isn't a big Classic Sonic fan. Three stars for going above and beyond most of its brethren, but stopping there because the game still isn't anything fantastic.

Uhhh, I'll be honest, I have no idea why I played this, but I'm glad I did. Something about this game has unique charm in a way that parallels Super Mario Land. However, Sonic's jump into the handheld universe was a much better controlling one. The blue blur controls so well here, it feels just like the original. The difficulty curve is very strange, as the majority of the game is quite easy, except for the last zone, which spikes significantly in difficulty. And it's impossible not to talk about the music; it sounds pretty great, and the Labyrinth Zone theme slaps, no questions asked. All in all, this is a fun little game to pick up and play. It has its flaws, like the screen crunch, but it's charming and has a great soundtrack. Plus, it doesn't have Marble Zone, so, score.

It's unfortunate that the recent Origins collection features the Game Gear version of the game, as it means most players will be exposed to the worst way to play it. It has no advantages, and merely harms the gameplay experience through its screen crunch. Whatever you do, try to find the USA Master System version. Emulate it if you must.

But, that's assuming whether you believe it's worth playing at all. My take is, it depends on your thoroughness. Are you a Sonic fan? Are you interested in experiencing as many of the interesting Sonic games as possible in chronological order? Are you hunting for obscure little games, and you're not overly picky on their quality just as long as it's fun enough? If the answer to any of these is yes, then 8-Bit Sonic 1 has enough merit to be played at least once.

In fact, I would dare say you'll have more fun with this one than the 16-bit counterpart. The physics aren't as refined, and the game leans a lot more into being a standard platformer, but it is because of this that it carries a better sense of pacing and focus. Instead of three similar-looking levels per zone that you wish would've ended already, you get two levels per zone and a boss, and each stage is doing something different to spice the gameplay up. Not all of it hits or aligns with Sonic's gameplay (the autoscroller level was a bad idea, and labyrinth zone still sucks), but the attempt at variety is appreciated. The game never lingers on one concept for too long, and that Arcadey mentality makes it feel fast-paced, even when Sonic himself isn't.

It's a respectable attempt at translating Sonic into an 8-bit console. Even if some aspects had to take a hit for it to work,
there's enough polish and care put into this entry to make it stand out on its own. Recommended for anyone looking for a decent 8-bit platformer.

Picture this scenario in your head, if you would. It is late 1991, and you are an average kid living an average life. You hear about this video game console known as the Sega Genesis, and you see this new game that had come out a while back for the system known as Sonic the Hedgehog. You are blown away by it, not just by the graphics and the gameplay, but also just how fast it was going compared to other games at the time, and you are sold on it. So, for Christmas, you ask for both a Sega Genesis and a copy of Sonic the Hedgehog, and you have a great feeling that you will be getting those things for the holiday. The day finally comes, you open up your presents with glee, and you feel… slightly thrown off. Instead of getting a Sega Genesis and a copy of Sonic the Hedgehog, you got a Sega Master System and a copy of… Sonic the Hedgehog. Eh, close enough, right?

So yeah, sometime after the original Sonic the Hedgehog, they made a separate companion game for both the Sega Master System and the Game Gear, and it was developed by a company called Ancient, with this being their first game they developed (always a good sign). Obviously, the Sega Genesis Sonic the Hedgehog would be both better, quality-wise, and more well remembered then this game, but as a companion game, Sonic the Hedgehog for the Master System is… pretty alright. It is obviously inferior to the original game, and there are questionable design choices present everywhere you look, but for an 8-bit Sonic game, it does its job well enough.

The story is the exact same as the original, so no need to comment on that, the graphics are pretty good for the Master System, and they fit well enough with the Sonic style, the music is actually pretty great, which I really wasn’t expecting for this game, the control is around the same level as the original game, although you obviously can’t go as fast as the original, and the gameplay is your typical Sonic affair, which is pretty fun at points, while serviceable for the rest of the time.

The game is still your average 2D platformer, where you run through many different side-scrolling stages, defeating enemies and collecting rings along the way, finding alternate paths with optional goodies (and by that, I mean six of them), and fight bosses at the end of each zone. It all functions pretty much exactly like the original game, but of course, it is held back by the system’s limitations, making it more platform-oriented overall, which works for the game that we have here. There are also several new stages to be seen, along with repeats from the original game (even though I didn’t wanna see them again), which provides enough variety throughout the game.

Just like with the original game as well, you can also collect the six Chaos Emeralds in order to get a different ending, adding a bit of replayability to the game, but unlike the original, you don’t get them by going into special stages. Instead, they are located in several of the levels, and you simply just have to find them and collect them. It may not be as exciting or involved as with the original, but it is way more convenient and less annoying then the special stages from the original game. And speaking of which, Special Stages also make a return in this game, but instead of them being used to collect Chaos Emeralds, they are meant to get extra lives and continues, which is very helpful, and a nice change of pace compared to the rest of the game.

Now, with all of that said, there are plenty of problems with the game, although most of them are pretty circumstantial. For the problems present throughout the whole game, first off, whenever you get hit in the game, you lose all of your rings rather than being able to collect some of them back, which does suck, and in terms of the boss fights, most of them are simple enough, but you are given no rings when fighting them, making them much more annoying than they need to be. And speaking of more annoying then it needs to be, guess which level is back in this game? LABYRINTH ZONE, and it is just as god-awful as it was in the original game. Seriously, I hope the guy who created this level feels happy with himself, making a lot of kids in the 90s suffer because of it.

Aside from that, there are a lot of little problems present in the game, such as auto-scrolling levels (you know, in a game about GOING FAST(sometimes)), one of the Chaos Emeralds being placed in a bed of spikes, and there being leaps of faith that happen sometimes throughout the game, which can lead to several unwanted deaths. A lot of these problems all boil down to poor level design, and making the game needlessly difficult, but not by much at all, in reality. The game overall, I would say, is easier then the original Sonic (with an exception here or there), and it doesn’t last too long at all, so for being a short and somewhat easy game, I would say it is pretty alright, and I am glad that I finally chose to play it after all this time.

Overall, while it doesn’t even hold a candle to the Sega Genesis game, Sonic 1 on the Master System is still an alright companion piece for those who probably weren’t fortunate enough to get a Genesis back in the day, and I would recommend it for big fans of the classic Sonic games. For those who aren’t that much into Sonic… you can just skip this one. I mean, after all, this is gonna be a one time thing, and there aren’t gonna be anymore weird companion games made like this… right?

Game #227

My aunt once told me she regretted giving me a Mater System when I was three. She is just nine years my senior, so it’s not like she had outgrown video games by then. She had no cartridges and could play Sonic the Hedgehog in the console’s memory, which might maybe have been boring to her — but to me, since I’d visit her only on weekends and didn’t know what a video game was, that was the most mesmerizing gadget imaginable. More than that: my concept of imagination was founded by those bright colors and jazzy, if crunched, music. And mesmerized by Sonic I was, which she noticed, and so she ended up giving her hard-earned video game console to me. “Had I known how obsessed you and your brother would become over it, even now,” she said many years later, “I wouldn’t have done it”. She did change my life with that gesture, because I learned the language of games with a Sonic game for the Master System.

This is deeply influential in a number of ways. To this day, the way I’ll approach any new game resembles the childish curiosity with which I approached that game, and a certain set of expectations was created alongside said curiosity. This applies to all of you: the way you first approached games, and what you came to expect from them, as well as your history with them, colors your analyses. So I’m giving you full disclosure: in a very fundamental, irrational level, if you ever disagree with me about games, that might be (among other things) because I learned how to play games with Sonic on the Mater System.

And that game is very peculiar, in that it’s quite a bit more methodical than most other Sonic games: each act in each zone is completely different from all the other acts in all the other zones, and makes it very clear. Each act in each stage has exactly one 1-Up monitor, and hides it differently; getting 100 rings gives you a life, but resets your ring counter; however, carrying 99 rings to the end of the stage brings you 9900 points, and every 50000 points will also give you an extra life. So getting to the end of the game involves a lot of figuring out, which, for a kid that’s pretty bad at the game and dies a lot, is a big deal. It’s very cerebral, in a number of ways, because planning and strategizing your performance just in order to survive becomes very important.

However, there was no way to figure that stuff out other than just trying things out and moving around a stage, because if the only thing I can control and use to interact with the environment is Sonic itself, he’s also some sort of cursor in a computer screen — except he doesn’t always act the way I want, or I end up finding something I didn’t want. This means I had to play the very best I could at every step of the way, because I could never rely on rings to back me up — unlike you Sonic 2 for the Mega Drive snobs could. At the same time, each step was presented as somewhat self-contained, as a challenge that I wouldn’t find anywhere else in the game, not in the same way. This stage is an auto-scroller; this other one is a vertical level, and you’ll die if you fall; this one has this section leading up to a 1-Up monitor, from which it’s arbitrarily and randomly near-impossible to get out alive.

That’s especially true for the Chaos Emeralds. You can see them just by playing normally, but learning how to get there often feels wrong (like getting hurt on purpose to get the emerald in Labyrinth Zone, because you couldn’t yet dream of being good enough to get it with the Invincibility from the monitor earlier still active). So there’s a choreography to it that’s less apparent in other Sonic games, but also an unruliness that’s less apparent in other games in general. As I grew up a little, I had access to other games (still not knowing what a Mega Drive was) and, most importantly, to other platformers. Which were fun and communicated their challenges much more clearly, but then gave me a sense that I was learning to do things as I was told, and the character was no longer a cursor for exploring the game’s system, whereas Sonic never intended to teach me anything.

Having learned how to appreciate this delicate balance, when I got around to discovering every game Sonic had to offer, that’s how I approached them too, and this led me to like the slower-paced or the strange bouncy assholes of later or weirder Sonic stages. So I love Marble Zone, Labyrinth Zone, Sandopolis and the entirety of Sonic CD. Because they feel more like Sonic 1 for the Master System, so they feel more like home.