CaptainKuro
Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, you can't truly recreate the experience of a playing a game how it was originally intended to be played.
SegaSonic the Hedgehog was released in arcades in 1993 and asked players to control Sonic and co with a trackball. The unique control scheme of the arcade cabinet has prevented the game from being ported to any system since and the game has always been excluded from Sonic compilation collections. That's a real shame because SegaSonic the Hedgehog seems like a really fun game but as it was never released outside of Japan I imagine most players have never played the game as originally intended.
SegaSonic the Hedgehog boasts bold, cartoony graphics that are absolutely wonderful and bring Sonic and his buddies to life in a way that no other game in the series has been able to recapture. There's something so fluid and expressive about the spritework here; it's a gorgeous little game. The gameplay, as is to be expected from an arcade game, is tricky and demanding. From the off, you have to furiously navigate Sonic through a gauntlet of obstacles. The pace starts blisteringly fast and high-octane and never takes it's foot off the gas but it's actually a concept that suits Sonic down to a tee if you think about it. It's a pretty fun game in theory...
...unfortunately though, I've never been able to play this game on the original hardware. I've been to a number of arcades in the UK, the US and Japan and I've never seen SegaSonic in the wild. Emulating the game, even on a device with a touchscreen, doesn't totally capture the essence of SegaSonic the Hedgehog (or at least, I can't imagine it does). It's just a natural consequence of a game making use of innovative, niche hardware.
SegaSonic the Hedgehog was released in arcades in 1993 and asked players to control Sonic and co with a trackball. The unique control scheme of the arcade cabinet has prevented the game from being ported to any system since and the game has always been excluded from Sonic compilation collections. That's a real shame because SegaSonic the Hedgehog seems like a really fun game but as it was never released outside of Japan I imagine most players have never played the game as originally intended.
SegaSonic the Hedgehog boasts bold, cartoony graphics that are absolutely wonderful and bring Sonic and his buddies to life in a way that no other game in the series has been able to recapture. There's something so fluid and expressive about the spritework here; it's a gorgeous little game. The gameplay, as is to be expected from an arcade game, is tricky and demanding. From the off, you have to furiously navigate Sonic through a gauntlet of obstacles. The pace starts blisteringly fast and high-octane and never takes it's foot off the gas but it's actually a concept that suits Sonic down to a tee if you think about it. It's a pretty fun game in theory...
...unfortunately though, I've never been able to play this game on the original hardware. I've been to a number of arcades in the UK, the US and Japan and I've never seen SegaSonic in the wild. Emulating the game, even on a device with a touchscreen, doesn't totally capture the essence of SegaSonic the Hedgehog (or at least, I can't imagine it does). It's just a natural consequence of a game making use of innovative, niche hardware.
Back in early 1990s Disney were still known, primarily, as a purveyor of animated movies but they also released a lot of surprisingly good videogames too. The Mega Drive was graced with solid games based on The Lion King and Aladdin but also had a line-up of games starring Disney's flagship characters: Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck. This was great for childhood me because I've always had a soft spot for those classic Mickey and Donald shorts.
Castle of Illusion, Mickey's first Mega Drive adventure, is a quaint, innocuous little platformer. It controls well, has a comfy visual style and a lovely little soundtrack. It's a game that sees Mickey exploring a variety of imaginative realms and dispatching enemies with projectiles or a good ol' fashioned ground pound attack. It's basic but it's a lot of fun and certainly superior to many of early SEGA's own pre-Sonic the Hedgehog Mega Drive titles.
Castle of Illusion is a pleasant reminder of a time when Disney games weren't just good, they were actually among the best games available on a given system. This game is obviously designed for a younger audience because it's not particularly challenging but in Kirby-esque fashion it's such a well designed little game that it's easy to enjoy no matter your skill level because it's so darn charming.
Castle of Illusion, Mickey's first Mega Drive adventure, is a quaint, innocuous little platformer. It controls well, has a comfy visual style and a lovely little soundtrack. It's a game that sees Mickey exploring a variety of imaginative realms and dispatching enemies with projectiles or a good ol' fashioned ground pound attack. It's basic but it's a lot of fun and certainly superior to many of early SEGA's own pre-Sonic the Hedgehog Mega Drive titles.
Castle of Illusion is a pleasant reminder of a time when Disney games weren't just good, they were actually among the best games available on a given system. This game is obviously designed for a younger audience because it's not particularly challenging but in Kirby-esque fashion it's such a well designed little game that it's easy to enjoy no matter your skill level because it's so darn charming.
2004
Every video game series runs it's course, particularly when that series starts treading water. With this third instalment, it felt very much like the Sonic Advance series had pretty much run out of steam and, as a result, this game feels pretty uninspired.
Sonic Advance 2 attempted to nudge the series into more of a sleek, speedy direction but Sonic Advance 3 does away with any positive changes to the formula that 3 introduced and unfortunately doesn't really add anything worthwhile in return. The most innovative part of 3 is the addition of a partner system, where you play as two characters at once. It pretty fun and does help to diversify the gameplay a little but it's a system that can be easily ignored because the zones don't really feel like they're built to facilitate this new mechanic. It's just...there.
3 does add a couple of other little bits. There's an overworld now which is alright but there's also collectable chao scattered throughout each zone. This chao idea struck me as quite an interesting one, encouraging a healthy degree of exploration. It is unfortunate that an obnoxious message pops up after you collect each chao. It's a small QOL issue that very nearly succeeds in completely disincentivising collecting the chao at all.
So there's not really a whole lot new here but the thing is, the same problems that I've moaned about before remain. The level design still feels a little lazy and a little lacklustre but this time around I'd argue that the graphics and soundtrack don't really pull there weight. Both the spritework and the music feels weirdly saccharine lacking either the comfiness of the first games style and the snazziness of the second games'.
I've ragged on Sonic Advance 3 a little too harshly perhaps because it's not a terrible game. Fundamentally, the Sonic Advance formula still works quite well and the levels are good enough to supply a few hours of fun. I think for me ultimately Sonic Advance 3 just feels like a middle-of-the-road Sonic game; not good enough to rave about but not terrible enough to live on in a state of infamy.
Sonic Advance 2 attempted to nudge the series into more of a sleek, speedy direction but Sonic Advance 3 does away with any positive changes to the formula that 3 introduced and unfortunately doesn't really add anything worthwhile in return. The most innovative part of 3 is the addition of a partner system, where you play as two characters at once. It pretty fun and does help to diversify the gameplay a little but it's a system that can be easily ignored because the zones don't really feel like they're built to facilitate this new mechanic. It's just...there.
3 does add a couple of other little bits. There's an overworld now which is alright but there's also collectable chao scattered throughout each zone. This chao idea struck me as quite an interesting one, encouraging a healthy degree of exploration. It is unfortunate that an obnoxious message pops up after you collect each chao. It's a small QOL issue that very nearly succeeds in completely disincentivising collecting the chao at all.
So there's not really a whole lot new here but the thing is, the same problems that I've moaned about before remain. The level design still feels a little lazy and a little lacklustre but this time around I'd argue that the graphics and soundtrack don't really pull there weight. Both the spritework and the music feels weirdly saccharine lacking either the comfiness of the first games style and the snazziness of the second games'.
I've ragged on Sonic Advance 3 a little too harshly perhaps because it's not a terrible game. Fundamentally, the Sonic Advance formula still works quite well and the levels are good enough to supply a few hours of fun. I think for me ultimately Sonic Advance 3 just feels like a middle-of-the-road Sonic game; not good enough to rave about but not terrible enough to live on in a state of infamy.
2002
I've doted plenty over Sonic Advance but the other two games in the series don't have that same nostalgic grip on me and as a consequence I'm a little less fond of them.
In many ways Sonic Advance 2 is a fine follow-up. It's much of the same: the graphics are wonderful again, the soundtrack is full of bangers (Hot Crater and Techno Base are my jams) and the fundamentals are there. This time around Amy has been dropped for a new character, Cream the Rabbit. Cream is a rather superfluous addition because her flying ability basically makes her a clone of Tails, so I'd say the removal of Amy is a bit of a minor downgrade.
What Sonic Advance 2 does best, in my opinion, is really imbue the game with a sense of speed and style that differentiates it from it's predecessor. This is the first Sonic game, for example, with a trick system. It can be ignored but it does add a bit of pizzazz to the way Sonic and co move around. There's also lots of little small details that accentuate the velocity of the game, things like the after image the characters leave when sprinting at full pelt, the countdown at the start of each act and the point markers at the end of the acts that reward you for finishing at top speed. This game feels FAST. The level design also helps to facilitate this feeling too. There's a grander size and scope to a lot of the levels and plenty of opportunities to reach mach speed.
There is a problem, however. The main issue that haunted the original Sonic Advance, bottomless pits, are back in full force. Most levels are crammed full of unfair bottomless pits that punish players for daring to explore or take leaps of faith. I was maybe a little too forgiving of Sonic Advance for it's pits but it's a shame to see the amount has only ramped up in the sequel. It really does make the overall level design feel lazy. Not sure how to make a Sonic level genuinely challenging? Just shove a bunch of bottomless pits in there! It seems like that was one of the driving ideas behind the Advance series and I really don't like it.
Sonic Advance 2 is a fun game and gently builds on the original. I don't like the vibe of the game quite as much as the more chilled atmosphere of the first game but it's still a damn good 2D Sonic game. Let's hope the level design issues are addressed in the third instalment...
In many ways Sonic Advance 2 is a fine follow-up. It's much of the same: the graphics are wonderful again, the soundtrack is full of bangers (Hot Crater and Techno Base are my jams) and the fundamentals are there. This time around Amy has been dropped for a new character, Cream the Rabbit. Cream is a rather superfluous addition because her flying ability basically makes her a clone of Tails, so I'd say the removal of Amy is a bit of a minor downgrade.
What Sonic Advance 2 does best, in my opinion, is really imbue the game with a sense of speed and style that differentiates it from it's predecessor. This is the first Sonic game, for example, with a trick system. It can be ignored but it does add a bit of pizzazz to the way Sonic and co move around. There's also lots of little small details that accentuate the velocity of the game, things like the after image the characters leave when sprinting at full pelt, the countdown at the start of each act and the point markers at the end of the acts that reward you for finishing at top speed. This game feels FAST. The level design also helps to facilitate this feeling too. There's a grander size and scope to a lot of the levels and plenty of opportunities to reach mach speed.
There is a problem, however. The main issue that haunted the original Sonic Advance, bottomless pits, are back in full force. Most levels are crammed full of unfair bottomless pits that punish players for daring to explore or take leaps of faith. I was maybe a little too forgiving of Sonic Advance for it's pits but it's a shame to see the amount has only ramped up in the sequel. It really does make the overall level design feel lazy. Not sure how to make a Sonic level genuinely challenging? Just shove a bunch of bottomless pits in there! It seems like that was one of the driving ideas behind the Advance series and I really don't like it.
Sonic Advance 2 is a fun game and gently builds on the original. I don't like the vibe of the game quite as much as the more chilled atmosphere of the first game but it's still a damn good 2D Sonic game. Let's hope the level design issues are addressed in the third instalment...
2001
Sometimes we all have to admit that nostalgia clouds our judgement about certain games. Sonic Advance is one such example for me.
Sonic Advance was the first original Sonic game released on Nintendo hardware, a sentence that would've seemed unutterable only a few years prior. A 2D side-scroller in the spirit of the Mega Drive games, I considered Sonic Advance a perfect little return-to-form for the Sonic franchise. You see, I have very comfy memories of taking my Gameboy Advance with me on a Mediterranean family holiday. After a long day of sightseeing I'd be able to sneak in an hour or so of gaming before bed. Sonic Advance and Wario Land 4 were my games of choice at the time (we're talking 2002 here). Replaying them will forever be evocative of that particularly fun trip through sunny Iberia. So yeah, the nostalgia is strong with this one but I can stop waxing lyrically about the past because there's a lot to genuinely praise about Sonic Advance.
The updated graphical style is great, for example. The spritework and animations are crisp, the colours are bright and popping and the whole game has a modern, somewhat anime-infused look that I find very appealing. Anybody of a certain age will probably also fondly remember the Sonic Advance sprites being used in hundreds of webcomics and Flash animations during the internet's pre-social media golden age. These sprites are simply iconic folks. Beyond that the sound design is top notch. Sonic Advance has an energetic, vibrant soundtrack which is lovely despite the Gameboy Advance's unfortunate audio crunch. I also feel like the team over at Dimps succeeded in their quest to present players with a semi-faithful recreation of Sonic's speedy Mega Drive antics Ok, the game runs a little slower than the Mega Drive games but I wouldn't describe Sonic Advance as sluggish. It's fast enough to feel like a proper Sonic experience and the physics-engine is on point; controlling Sonic feels great. Oh and there's four playable characters with unique movesets too which adds a bit of replayability to the mix. Simply put, I feel like it's a worthy successor to the mighty Mega Drive quadrilogy.
There are a couple of near fatal flaws in the Sonic Advance formula, however. Most notably, the level design is nowhere near as intuitive nor as finetuned as the Mega Drive titles. All of the later zones are plagued with too many bottomless pits. I guess they are designed to add some difficulty to the late game but hazards like bottomless pits were used sparingly in older titles for good reason: they hamper exploration and feel frustrating when they're overused. They appear way too frequently here and it hurts the game a little. The Special Stages are also abominations. You're tasked with surfing through a tube and collecting a certain amount of rings. They're conceptually similar to Sonic 2's Special Stages but here the sense of depth doesn't feel right at all which renders the whole premise a mess. Still, I got so much fun from this game at the time and was able to look past it's glaring issues and frankly, I still love revisiting this game from time to time. It'd be disingenuous for me to give this anything lower than 4 stars.
Sonic Advance was the first original Sonic game released on Nintendo hardware, a sentence that would've seemed unutterable only a few years prior. A 2D side-scroller in the spirit of the Mega Drive games, I considered Sonic Advance a perfect little return-to-form for the Sonic franchise. You see, I have very comfy memories of taking my Gameboy Advance with me on a Mediterranean family holiday. After a long day of sightseeing I'd be able to sneak in an hour or so of gaming before bed. Sonic Advance and Wario Land 4 were my games of choice at the time (we're talking 2002 here). Replaying them will forever be evocative of that particularly fun trip through sunny Iberia. So yeah, the nostalgia is strong with this one but I can stop waxing lyrically about the past because there's a lot to genuinely praise about Sonic Advance.
The updated graphical style is great, for example. The spritework and animations are crisp, the colours are bright and popping and the whole game has a modern, somewhat anime-infused look that I find very appealing. Anybody of a certain age will probably also fondly remember the Sonic Advance sprites being used in hundreds of webcomics and Flash animations during the internet's pre-social media golden age. These sprites are simply iconic folks. Beyond that the sound design is top notch. Sonic Advance has an energetic, vibrant soundtrack which is lovely despite the Gameboy Advance's unfortunate audio crunch. I also feel like the team over at Dimps succeeded in their quest to present players with a semi-faithful recreation of Sonic's speedy Mega Drive antics Ok, the game runs a little slower than the Mega Drive games but I wouldn't describe Sonic Advance as sluggish. It's fast enough to feel like a proper Sonic experience and the physics-engine is on point; controlling Sonic feels great. Oh and there's four playable characters with unique movesets too which adds a bit of replayability to the mix. Simply put, I feel like it's a worthy successor to the mighty Mega Drive quadrilogy.
There are a couple of near fatal flaws in the Sonic Advance formula, however. Most notably, the level design is nowhere near as intuitive nor as finetuned as the Mega Drive titles. All of the later zones are plagued with too many bottomless pits. I guess they are designed to add some difficulty to the late game but hazards like bottomless pits were used sparingly in older titles for good reason: they hamper exploration and feel frustrating when they're overused. They appear way too frequently here and it hurts the game a little. The Special Stages are also abominations. You're tasked with surfing through a tube and collecting a certain amount of rings. They're conceptually similar to Sonic 2's Special Stages but here the sense of depth doesn't feel right at all which renders the whole premise a mess. Still, I got so much fun from this game at the time and was able to look past it's glaring issues and frankly, I still love revisiting this game from time to time. It'd be disingenuous for me to give this anything lower than 4 stars.
2001
I've been trying to find a game that I remember fondly that hasn't received any Backloggd reviews yet and I'm happy to report my quest is over. I found one! Merlin for the Game Boy Colour you're about to be christened with your first three star review!
Merlin is action-platformer similar to (but A LOT easier than) Mega Man and Contra. You control the eponymous wizard and find yourself exploring mystical landscapes and throwing a variety of magical bolts at stereotypical fantasy creatures like goblins, giants, zombies and a big, bad dragon. It's a perfectly serviceable game; the controls are nice and responsive, the graphics are decent for the time and the soundtrack is quite catchy too. It is a bit samey though. There's nothing too distinct about most of the levels but the game only clocks in at about half an hour so it doesn't overstay it's welcome.
Merlin was made by French development studio RFX Interactive and it somehow FEELS very European. I don't know what it is about it but there is a certain whimsical, childlike quality to the game that only seems to come from European game studios. Maybe you need to play it to know exactly what I mean...? I'm not sure if this game even saw a release outside of Europe but it's worth a play if you can track it down somewhere.
Merlin is action-platformer similar to (but A LOT easier than) Mega Man and Contra. You control the eponymous wizard and find yourself exploring mystical landscapes and throwing a variety of magical bolts at stereotypical fantasy creatures like goblins, giants, zombies and a big, bad dragon. It's a perfectly serviceable game; the controls are nice and responsive, the graphics are decent for the time and the soundtrack is quite catchy too. It is a bit samey though. There's nothing too distinct about most of the levels but the game only clocks in at about half an hour so it doesn't overstay it's welcome.
Merlin was made by French development studio RFX Interactive and it somehow FEELS very European. I don't know what it is about it but there is a certain whimsical, childlike quality to the game that only seems to come from European game studios. Maybe you need to play it to know exactly what I mean...? I'm not sure if this game even saw a release outside of Europe but it's worth a play if you can track it down somewhere.
2001
While Sonic Adventure released as a launch title for the Dreamcast in 1998, it's sequel (aptly named Sonic Adventure 2) released after SEGA's announcement of the discontinuation of the Dreamcast a mere 3 years later. In fact, a retooled version of SA2 released on the Nintendo GameCube half a year after it's original Dreamcast release. Sonic on a Nintendo system was unthinkable only a few years earlier but thus was the fate of the now hardwareless blue hedgehog.
With the sequel, SEGA cut a lot of the chaff and developed a more stream-lined, focused sequel. SA2 doubled-down on some of the best elements of Sonic Adventure, though I do miss a couple of things that were dropped in the process. SA2 gives us another charmingly overly-dramatic story but it's told from only two perspectives this time that mix together three different playstyles: Sonic & Shadow's action stages, Eggman & Tails' run 'n' gun stages and Knuckles' and Rouge's treasure hunting stages.
The level design philosophy of Sonic's stages has changed subtly when contrasted with SA1. A lot of experimental and explorational aspects have been dropped in favour of high-octane stages that put the emphasis on speed and action. Admittedly, the stages feel tight and satisfying and the new rail-grinding mechanic really compliments the speedy gameplay. Whether you prefer SA1 or SA2 stages more is a matter of preference but unfortunately Sonic still isn't great to control. That 'floaty' feeling persists; Sonic feels too fast for his own good and feels quite unruly as a result, prone to launching himself off stages or bumping into walls ungracefully. It's a shame this key problem wasn't really addressed in the sequel but, again, it's not a game ruining issue for me.
Moving on, the run 'n' gun stages are largely forgettable affairs, so I don't have anything to say about them. The treasure hunting, on the other hand, are a lot more involved and interesting than in SA1. Knuckles and Rouge have their own bespoke stages that are quite sizable and obviously actively encourage exploration. I enjoy scouring every nook-and-cranny of the treasure hunting stages and find them to be a slow-paced, welcome reprieve from the blistering action of Sonic and Shadow's stages. Ultimately then, of SA2s six playable characters, I enjoy four of the characters stages a lot which inches SA2 slightly ahead of SA1.
Here's a few more compliments I want to pay SA2. First, the Chao garden is now a fully formed feature and is an addictive little side-game all by itself. It's puzzling that SEGA effectively dropped the concept after this game. Second, SA2's soundtrack might well be the best in the series. Every character has a different genre of music that plays during their stages. All Sonic stages have a butt-rock soundtrack, Knuckles stages have some great hip-hop tracks, Rouge's stages are complimented by smooth, jazzy compositions etc. It's a fun little detail. Finally, the GameCube port has a multiplayer versus mode which is honestly an immense amount of fun. I found myself replaying the game endlessly with buddies thanks to this mode.
A final question arises, though. Is SA2 BETTER than SA1? In many ways yes but at the risk of sounding hypocritical after complaining of SA1's bloat, a lot of the quirky, experimental parts of SA that I personally enjoyed have been removed here. There's no overworld, which is a massive shame and makes SA2 feel like a smaller-scale adventure. The level gimmicks also feel a lot tamer. There's nothing as 'different' as Casinopolis' pinball machines or Twinkle Park's racetrack, for example. It's for these reasons that I rate SA2 exactly the same as SA. I honestly can't decide which game I enjoy more. They'll probably always be on an on even keel.
With the sequel, SEGA cut a lot of the chaff and developed a more stream-lined, focused sequel. SA2 doubled-down on some of the best elements of Sonic Adventure, though I do miss a couple of things that were dropped in the process. SA2 gives us another charmingly overly-dramatic story but it's told from only two perspectives this time that mix together three different playstyles: Sonic & Shadow's action stages, Eggman & Tails' run 'n' gun stages and Knuckles' and Rouge's treasure hunting stages.
The level design philosophy of Sonic's stages has changed subtly when contrasted with SA1. A lot of experimental and explorational aspects have been dropped in favour of high-octane stages that put the emphasis on speed and action. Admittedly, the stages feel tight and satisfying and the new rail-grinding mechanic really compliments the speedy gameplay. Whether you prefer SA1 or SA2 stages more is a matter of preference but unfortunately Sonic still isn't great to control. That 'floaty' feeling persists; Sonic feels too fast for his own good and feels quite unruly as a result, prone to launching himself off stages or bumping into walls ungracefully. It's a shame this key problem wasn't really addressed in the sequel but, again, it's not a game ruining issue for me.
Moving on, the run 'n' gun stages are largely forgettable affairs, so I don't have anything to say about them. The treasure hunting, on the other hand, are a lot more involved and interesting than in SA1. Knuckles and Rouge have their own bespoke stages that are quite sizable and obviously actively encourage exploration. I enjoy scouring every nook-and-cranny of the treasure hunting stages and find them to be a slow-paced, welcome reprieve from the blistering action of Sonic and Shadow's stages. Ultimately then, of SA2s six playable characters, I enjoy four of the characters stages a lot which inches SA2 slightly ahead of SA1.
Here's a few more compliments I want to pay SA2. First, the Chao garden is now a fully formed feature and is an addictive little side-game all by itself. It's puzzling that SEGA effectively dropped the concept after this game. Second, SA2's soundtrack might well be the best in the series. Every character has a different genre of music that plays during their stages. All Sonic stages have a butt-rock soundtrack, Knuckles stages have some great hip-hop tracks, Rouge's stages are complimented by smooth, jazzy compositions etc. It's a fun little detail. Finally, the GameCube port has a multiplayer versus mode which is honestly an immense amount of fun. I found myself replaying the game endlessly with buddies thanks to this mode.
A final question arises, though. Is SA2 BETTER than SA1? In many ways yes but at the risk of sounding hypocritical after complaining of SA1's bloat, a lot of the quirky, experimental parts of SA that I personally enjoyed have been removed here. There's no overworld, which is a massive shame and makes SA2 feel like a smaller-scale adventure. The level gimmicks also feel a lot tamer. There's nothing as 'different' as Casinopolis' pinball machines or Twinkle Park's racetrack, for example. It's for these reasons that I rate SA2 exactly the same as SA. I honestly can't decide which game I enjoy more. They'll probably always be on an on even keel.
1998
In the long history of discourse around Sonic Adventure, what's often forgotten is that Sonic Adventure wasn't just a mere game: it was designed as a Dreamcast system seller and tech demo. Several key development decisions (such as having a water-based villain in Chaos) were informed by SEGA's desire to show consumers what the Dreamcast was capable of. If anything, it feels to me like this approach made SEGA TOO ambitious and, as a result, the game feels a little bloated. For every good thing about Sonic Adventure there's something bizarre, janky or disappointing to mention. There's just so much going on and that lack of focus makes this a very mixed game. Let's discuss more in excruciating detail.
First, the game definitely lives up to the 'adventure' moniker. This is where the Sonic series morphed into a kind-of shonen anime with an elaborate story, plentiful cutscenes and questionable voice-acting. To be honest, I enjoy the dramatic cheesiness of it all. This epic yarn of a narrative sees the player take control of six playable characters with Sonic being the most prominent and having the most stages to play. Sonic's action stages are generally pretty good; they're fast and full of flashy set pieces but there's also subtle calls to experiment with the game's mechanics and thoroughly explore the levels. The exploration aspect is easy to ignore but the levels are built with a scope that does feel like an honest-to-goodness decent attempt at porting classic 2D Sonic level design into 3D. In short, I think Sonic's levels are a lot of fun.
However, there is a core issue that bugs me about Sonic Adventure. It feels like Sonic's movement hasn't translated into 3D very gracefully. Sonic feels too fast and a little slippery, as if he's constantly walking on ice. Sonic thrashes all over the place and it's a bit of a struggle just to run in a straight line. When you couple this slightly gammy movement with the constantly-changing, fixed camera angles you've got a game that doesn't control very gracefully. It's far from a game ruining issue but, if you contrast Sonic Adventure with Super Mario 64 for example, Sonic feels a lot less responsive than Mario to control.
Outside of Sonic, the other characters are a bit hit-or-miss. Knuckles' treasure-hunting stages are decent but they feel underdeveloped and would get much better in the sequel. E-102 Gamma's run-and-gun levels are way too easy but as a character he's saved by a cool design and a compelling storyline. Amy's slow movement is tedious and her levels are a drag. Tails' levels are uninspired (just Sonic's levels all over again) and Tails also suffers from annoying voice-acting and a new, obnoxious personality.
Then there's Big the Cat. Big's levels revolve almost entirely around fishing. Why fishing was stuffed into the game's main quest instead of, say, added as a cute little mini-game is baffling. SEGA would eventually release a fishing-rod controller for the Dreamcast (which, ironically, wouldn't be compatible with Sonic Adventure) and I can't help but wonder if this was perhaps the reason for Big's playstyle? I'm not sure but yeah, the fishing isn't thrilling.
There's also an overworld that links the game's action stages together. It's something I enjoy exploring more each time I play the game and over time I've gained an appreciation for the NPCs and their cute little subplots. Station Square is a bit of a vibe.
I feel like this review has gotten a little messy but there's so much ground to cover with Sonic Adventure. I have a nostalgia-tinged appreciation for this game. I like the story, the overworld, Sonic's action stages, the music, the graphics and so much more but I can't deny this game is monstrously bloated and is weighed down by a lot of bad inclusions.
First, the game definitely lives up to the 'adventure' moniker. This is where the Sonic series morphed into a kind-of shonen anime with an elaborate story, plentiful cutscenes and questionable voice-acting. To be honest, I enjoy the dramatic cheesiness of it all. This epic yarn of a narrative sees the player take control of six playable characters with Sonic being the most prominent and having the most stages to play. Sonic's action stages are generally pretty good; they're fast and full of flashy set pieces but there's also subtle calls to experiment with the game's mechanics and thoroughly explore the levels. The exploration aspect is easy to ignore but the levels are built with a scope that does feel like an honest-to-goodness decent attempt at porting classic 2D Sonic level design into 3D. In short, I think Sonic's levels are a lot of fun.
However, there is a core issue that bugs me about Sonic Adventure. It feels like Sonic's movement hasn't translated into 3D very gracefully. Sonic feels too fast and a little slippery, as if he's constantly walking on ice. Sonic thrashes all over the place and it's a bit of a struggle just to run in a straight line. When you couple this slightly gammy movement with the constantly-changing, fixed camera angles you've got a game that doesn't control very gracefully. It's far from a game ruining issue but, if you contrast Sonic Adventure with Super Mario 64 for example, Sonic feels a lot less responsive than Mario to control.
Outside of Sonic, the other characters are a bit hit-or-miss. Knuckles' treasure-hunting stages are decent but they feel underdeveloped and would get much better in the sequel. E-102 Gamma's run-and-gun levels are way too easy but as a character he's saved by a cool design and a compelling storyline. Amy's slow movement is tedious and her levels are a drag. Tails' levels are uninspired (just Sonic's levels all over again) and Tails also suffers from annoying voice-acting and a new, obnoxious personality.
Then there's Big the Cat. Big's levels revolve almost entirely around fishing. Why fishing was stuffed into the game's main quest instead of, say, added as a cute little mini-game is baffling. SEGA would eventually release a fishing-rod controller for the Dreamcast (which, ironically, wouldn't be compatible with Sonic Adventure) and I can't help but wonder if this was perhaps the reason for Big's playstyle? I'm not sure but yeah, the fishing isn't thrilling.
There's also an overworld that links the game's action stages together. It's something I enjoy exploring more each time I play the game and over time I've gained an appreciation for the NPCs and their cute little subplots. Station Square is a bit of a vibe.
I feel like this review has gotten a little messy but there's so much ground to cover with Sonic Adventure. I have a nostalgia-tinged appreciation for this game. I like the story, the overworld, Sonic's action stages, the music, the graphics and so much more but I can't deny this game is monstrously bloated and is weighed down by a lot of bad inclusions.
1997
At the risk of overthinking things, playing Sonic Jam is like peaking into an alternate dimension.
One of the Saturn's great failing was not giving SEGA fans a 'proper' mainline Sonic game. We got a Mega Drive port in Sonic 3D , a racing game in Sonic R and a compilation game in Sonic Jam. Quite underwhelming really but Sonic Jam does, at least, have one key feature which has always fascinated me.
Sonic Jam compiles the four mainline Sonic titles, completely rebuilt for the Saturn and with some key changes. Some changes are for the better, some for the worse (in that sense it's a bit like Sonic Origins). There's also a fairly extensive museum with images, videos and all sorts of other goodies from the vault. Not too exciting nowadays but pre-internet, Sonic Jam was the first time I remember seeing a lot of cool Sonic paraphernalia.
As the first of it's kind, Sonic Jam was decent collection and certainly value for money but looking back the most interesting part of the game by far is the 3D overworld. This little part of the game lets you control Sonic in a small 3D space and has about 10 minutes worth of mini-missions to complete. It's a fascinating glimpse into what a proper Saturn Sonic release would've looked it. I would've LOVED to see a full game in this style because as a tech demo, it's a lot of fun and you can see some potential in a mission-based, collectathon-style Sonic game with Sonic Jam's movement and aesthetic. Alas, it's something SEGA fans never received because Sonic Team's big project at the time, Sonic X-Treme, found itself stuck in development hell until it was dropped altogether in favour of Sonic Adventure. Sonic Jam is well worth picking up for 10 minutes just to experience this brief, strange time in Sonic the Hedgehog history.
One of the Saturn's great failing was not giving SEGA fans a 'proper' mainline Sonic game. We got a Mega Drive port in Sonic 3D , a racing game in Sonic R and a compilation game in Sonic Jam. Quite underwhelming really but Sonic Jam does, at least, have one key feature which has always fascinated me.
Sonic Jam compiles the four mainline Sonic titles, completely rebuilt for the Saturn and with some key changes. Some changes are for the better, some for the worse (in that sense it's a bit like Sonic Origins). There's also a fairly extensive museum with images, videos and all sorts of other goodies from the vault. Not too exciting nowadays but pre-internet, Sonic Jam was the first time I remember seeing a lot of cool Sonic paraphernalia.
As the first of it's kind, Sonic Jam was decent collection and certainly value for money but looking back the most interesting part of the game by far is the 3D overworld. This little part of the game lets you control Sonic in a small 3D space and has about 10 minutes worth of mini-missions to complete. It's a fascinating glimpse into what a proper Saturn Sonic release would've looked it. I would've LOVED to see a full game in this style because as a tech demo, it's a lot of fun and you can see some potential in a mission-based, collectathon-style Sonic game with Sonic Jam's movement and aesthetic. Alas, it's something SEGA fans never received because Sonic Team's big project at the time, Sonic X-Treme, found itself stuck in development hell until it was dropped altogether in favour of Sonic Adventure. Sonic Jam is well worth picking up for 10 minutes just to experience this brief, strange time in Sonic the Hedgehog history.
1998
Sonic R is, if nothing else, a very ambitious game. Released at a time when every development studio with a semi-marketable mascot character was releasing straight up Mario Kart 64 clones, SEGA released something entirely different. Sonic R is an on-foot racing game, a concept which makes perfect sense for the Sonic franchise and a premise that immediately helped Sonic R standout in an environment of derivative kart racing games.
Compared to most contemporary racing games, Sonic R does a lot of other things that are worth complimenting. The courses are fully realised 3D environments with lots of different routes and nooks and crannies to explore; they feel like some of the most sophisticated tracks of the era and are a lot of fun to race through. The soundtrack also eschews the usual video game sound to present your ears with a full Europop soundtrack which, let's face it, is full of absolute bangers. There's also lots of neat mini details too that add to the charm of the game. The little pitter-patter sound the characters make when running is cute, some of the multiplayer modes (like balloon hunt and tag) are unique, enjoyable additions and help the player to appreciate the massive scale of the tracks, the fairly tricky way you unlock characters offers a satisfying challenge and (on the PC version of the game) the weather effects are neat, especially when a the large bodies of water freeze over in the snowy variant of each track. It's for all of these reasons that I find myself enjoying the occasional revisit of Sonic but...it's far from perfect.
There are two huge, glaring issues though that one has to address when one plays Sonic R. First, despite the plethora of modes, Sonic R only includes five tracks. It's just not enough content and limits replayability. To put it into perspective, Mario Kart 64 has 20 tracks (if we include the unique battle arenas), quadruple the amount Sonic R has. Undoubtedly though the biggest issue with the game is the movement and controls. Paradoxically, Sonic and co feel a little bit floaty but they also control extremely stiffly. Turning is a huge issue. There's no way to effectively drift around corners which is a devastating flaw. When faced with a sharp turn you'll find yourself constantly bashing into walls and slowly maneuvering around corners like a hulking tank. The root of the issue here is that Sonic R was built using an engine designed a Formula 1 game but Formula 1 engines aren't really made to handle the kind of dramatic right-angle turns that Sonic R often demands of the player.
I think Sonic R is a fun enough experience to warrant a 3 star rating but the overall package doesn't even begin to approach how much fun can be had from playing Mario Kart 64 or CTR, for example, mainly because the controls and movement really, really get in the way of the game.
Compared to most contemporary racing games, Sonic R does a lot of other things that are worth complimenting. The courses are fully realised 3D environments with lots of different routes and nooks and crannies to explore; they feel like some of the most sophisticated tracks of the era and are a lot of fun to race through. The soundtrack also eschews the usual video game sound to present your ears with a full Europop soundtrack which, let's face it, is full of absolute bangers. There's also lots of neat mini details too that add to the charm of the game. The little pitter-patter sound the characters make when running is cute, some of the multiplayer modes (like balloon hunt and tag) are unique, enjoyable additions and help the player to appreciate the massive scale of the tracks, the fairly tricky way you unlock characters offers a satisfying challenge and (on the PC version of the game) the weather effects are neat, especially when a the large bodies of water freeze over in the snowy variant of each track. It's for all of these reasons that I find myself enjoying the occasional revisit of Sonic but...it's far from perfect.
There are two huge, glaring issues though that one has to address when one plays Sonic R. First, despite the plethora of modes, Sonic R only includes five tracks. It's just not enough content and limits replayability. To put it into perspective, Mario Kart 64 has 20 tracks (if we include the unique battle arenas), quadruple the amount Sonic R has. Undoubtedly though the biggest issue with the game is the movement and controls. Paradoxically, Sonic and co feel a little bit floaty but they also control extremely stiffly. Turning is a huge issue. There's no way to effectively drift around corners which is a devastating flaw. When faced with a sharp turn you'll find yourself constantly bashing into walls and slowly maneuvering around corners like a hulking tank. The root of the issue here is that Sonic R was built using an engine designed a Formula 1 game but Formula 1 engines aren't really made to handle the kind of dramatic right-angle turns that Sonic R often demands of the player.
I think Sonic R is a fun enough experience to warrant a 3 star rating but the overall package doesn't even begin to approach how much fun can be had from playing Mario Kart 64 or CTR, for example, mainly because the controls and movement really, really get in the way of the game.
2024
Help me, I'm addicted to Balatro! This game is so much fun.
While the central premise revolves around you playing poker hands to meet certain score thresholds for monetary rewards, like any good roguelite the most important aspect of the game is the shop. Here you can level-up your hand-types, purchase cards to add to your deck and, most significantly, purchase joker cards that offer buffs and power-ups of all shapes and sizes. Jokers add to your chip count, score multiplier or offer you extra goodies for playing a certain way.
The devilishly genius thing about Balatro is that every joker card is contextually useful. The only other roguelite games I've played have been action-oriented (i.e. Hades) where some power-ups are evidently superior to others but that's not really the case here. Some jokers are immensely helpful early game but quickly drop off and need replacing later while others really bolster your late game but take a while to kick into gear. Making the judgement call about when to swap and change your joker stack (you're limited to 5) is a massive and satisfying part of what makes the game so addictively fun. RNG plays a massive part in any given run but being tactical about how you upgrade your deck and which jokers you choose plays a big part in a successful run too. When you pull off a great build you're rewarded with huge scores, a little dopamine rush for all of your strategizing and risk-taking. When you sell a joker and your run goes sour, you're punished for making a brazen but ultimately wrong decision.
I am absolutely loving Balatro thus far and find the gameplay loop scratches a very specific itch that no other game has for a while.
It's worth mentioning as well that the presentation is entrancing too. The graphics and sound design are minimalist but the sprite work on all of the cards is lovely and the music loop is seemingly endlessly relistenable.
While the central premise revolves around you playing poker hands to meet certain score thresholds for monetary rewards, like any good roguelite the most important aspect of the game is the shop. Here you can level-up your hand-types, purchase cards to add to your deck and, most significantly, purchase joker cards that offer buffs and power-ups of all shapes and sizes. Jokers add to your chip count, score multiplier or offer you extra goodies for playing a certain way.
The devilishly genius thing about Balatro is that every joker card is contextually useful. The only other roguelite games I've played have been action-oriented (i.e. Hades) where some power-ups are evidently superior to others but that's not really the case here. Some jokers are immensely helpful early game but quickly drop off and need replacing later while others really bolster your late game but take a while to kick into gear. Making the judgement call about when to swap and change your joker stack (you're limited to 5) is a massive and satisfying part of what makes the game so addictively fun. RNG plays a massive part in any given run but being tactical about how you upgrade your deck and which jokers you choose plays a big part in a successful run too. When you pull off a great build you're rewarded with huge scores, a little dopamine rush for all of your strategizing and risk-taking. When you sell a joker and your run goes sour, you're punished for making a brazen but ultimately wrong decision.
I am absolutely loving Balatro thus far and find the gameplay loop scratches a very specific itch that no other game has for a while.
It's worth mentioning as well that the presentation is entrancing too. The graphics and sound design are minimalist but the sprite work on all of the cards is lovely and the music loop is seemingly endlessly relistenable.
1996
Sonic 3D: Flickie's Island isn't really Sonic and it isn't really 3D. Let me explain what I mean.
Sonic 3D marked a significant departure away from the usual Sonic side-scrolling formula. Instead, Sonic 3D is an isometric game that tasks Sonic with scouring levels to find and rescue flickies. In truth, Sonic 3D is a spiritual successor to SEGA arcade classic Flicky, where the premise is also that of rescuing flickies. Taking a franchise in a new direction isn't always a bad thing but in this case so much about the premise just doesn't compliment Sonic the Hedgehog.
The isometric view doesn't play well with Sonic's speed; he feels unruly and floaty to control, as if he's running on ice the entire game. The top-down view also puts too much focus on the floor, rendering the game visually bland. Search Google for Sonic 3D screenshots and you'll see nothing but endless checkered floors. It's pretty drab. All of the flickies are trapped inside badniks but again the new perspective works against you because jumping into badniks is tricky and imprecise. The game just fundamentally doesn't really work.
I said that Sonic 3D isn't really 3D because, well, games with this faux 3D presentation are as old as Q*bert. To frame this game in a historical context, it felt like this game contributed to Sonic losing a lot of his edge and coolness in the mid 1990s. It felt a little like SEGA were trying to pull the wool over the eyes of fans and convince them that Sonic had crossed over into a new realm. Keep in mind that this game was a contemporary of Super Mario 64 and Crash Bandicoot. Compared to those two, Sonic 3D felt totally antiquated and inadequate.
I do have a couple of positive things to say about the game. I like the music a lot, it's an underrated Sonic soundtrack. The Saturn version of the game does look slightly visually richer as well but sadly it's never been re-released or included in subsequent Sonic compilation collections. Ultimately though, if we ignore all of the Master System games, I think Sonic 3D was the Sonic franchise's first true, major misstep.
Sonic 3D marked a significant departure away from the usual Sonic side-scrolling formula. Instead, Sonic 3D is an isometric game that tasks Sonic with scouring levels to find and rescue flickies. In truth, Sonic 3D is a spiritual successor to SEGA arcade classic Flicky, where the premise is also that of rescuing flickies. Taking a franchise in a new direction isn't always a bad thing but in this case so much about the premise just doesn't compliment Sonic the Hedgehog.
The isometric view doesn't play well with Sonic's speed; he feels unruly and floaty to control, as if he's running on ice the entire game. The top-down view also puts too much focus on the floor, rendering the game visually bland. Search Google for Sonic 3D screenshots and you'll see nothing but endless checkered floors. It's pretty drab. All of the flickies are trapped inside badniks but again the new perspective works against you because jumping into badniks is tricky and imprecise. The game just fundamentally doesn't really work.
I said that Sonic 3D isn't really 3D because, well, games with this faux 3D presentation are as old as Q*bert. To frame this game in a historical context, it felt like this game contributed to Sonic losing a lot of his edge and coolness in the mid 1990s. It felt a little like SEGA were trying to pull the wool over the eyes of fans and convince them that Sonic had crossed over into a new realm. Keep in mind that this game was a contemporary of Super Mario 64 and Crash Bandicoot. Compared to those two, Sonic 3D felt totally antiquated and inadequate.
I do have a couple of positive things to say about the game. I like the music a lot, it's an underrated Sonic soundtrack. The Saturn version of the game does look slightly visually richer as well but sadly it's never been re-released or included in subsequent Sonic compilation collections. Ultimately though, if we ignore all of the Master System games, I think Sonic 3D was the Sonic franchise's first true, major misstep.
1995
SEGA had a lot of hardware misadventures in the 1990s. The 32X add-on was one of them; a little device that you plugged into the top of your Mega Drive that granted you access to a slim library of 32-bit games. In my opinion, the most notable 32X game was Sonic spinoff Knuckles' Chaotix.
It almost goes without saying that Knuckles' Chaotix has some really nice graphics and an exemplary soundtrack; that's almost a given for Sonic games of this period. What makes Chaotix interesting is it's central premise. You play as two characters at once, joined together by an elastic band-style tether. You can use the tether to, amongst other things, launch your characters up a ramp and into the air with a speed and velocity that makes Sonic's spindash look sluggish in comparison. This tether gimmick has a lot of potential and, when coupled with each Chaotix members unique moveset, makes movement in Knuckles' Chaotix a fast-paced, hectic thrill-ride. That's really how Sonic it feels like Sonic games SHOULD be designed.
There is an issue, however. Despite how fun the game's central shtick is the level design lets the game down. Thematically, all of the game's levels are quite samey and not particularly distinct. The careful level layouts of Sonic 1, 2 & 3 is replaced with more of a big 'playground' approach to level design. The levels are huge, to make space for the new form of movement, but they're forgettable and feel quite empty and aimless. In a sense then, Chaotix is similar to Sonic CD; the level design is a step down from Sonic's best efforts to try to accommodate a new gimmick.
There are moments when Chaotix's potential does shine through and, I have to say, I adore the Chaotix cast. They're some of my favourite Sonic characters in terms of design and character (though a lot of the credit for my enjoyment of them goes to the Fleetway comic series) and earn the game an extra half star. Chaotix is a game that I enjoy but it's one that has some glaring weaknesses. Well worth a play if you're a Sonic fan though.
It almost goes without saying that Knuckles' Chaotix has some really nice graphics and an exemplary soundtrack; that's almost a given for Sonic games of this period. What makes Chaotix interesting is it's central premise. You play as two characters at once, joined together by an elastic band-style tether. You can use the tether to, amongst other things, launch your characters up a ramp and into the air with a speed and velocity that makes Sonic's spindash look sluggish in comparison. This tether gimmick has a lot of potential and, when coupled with each Chaotix members unique moveset, makes movement in Knuckles' Chaotix a fast-paced, hectic thrill-ride. That's really how Sonic it feels like Sonic games SHOULD be designed.
There is an issue, however. Despite how fun the game's central shtick is the level design lets the game down. Thematically, all of the game's levels are quite samey and not particularly distinct. The careful level layouts of Sonic 1, 2 & 3 is replaced with more of a big 'playground' approach to level design. The levels are huge, to make space for the new form of movement, but they're forgettable and feel quite empty and aimless. In a sense then, Chaotix is similar to Sonic CD; the level design is a step down from Sonic's best efforts to try to accommodate a new gimmick.
There are moments when Chaotix's potential does shine through and, I have to say, I adore the Chaotix cast. They're some of my favourite Sonic characters in terms of design and character (though a lot of the credit for my enjoyment of them goes to the Fleetway comic series) and earn the game an extra half star. Chaotix is a game that I enjoy but it's one that has some glaring weaknesses. Well worth a play if you're a Sonic fan though.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and Knuckles is what Sonic the Hedgehog 3 was meant to be all along before prolonged development and a looming McDonald's tie-in forced the game to be split and released in two parts as Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and Sonic & Knuckles. Individually, both of those games feel a little short and unsatisfying but when combined they result in the best Sonic game bar none. I think this is a fairly common opinion, especially for Sonic fans of a certain age, but I wanted to try my best to write about exactly why I happen to share that view.
Let's break things down. For starters, I think that the graphics reached their apex in S3&K. Sonic and co have enjoyed a slight redesign that makes their sprites slicker, the beautifully evocative backgrounds compliment the diverse array of levels you explore and Robotnik's machinery looks even more mechanised and industrial. I mean, how much cooler does this game's Mecha Sonic look compared to the one in Sonic 2? The sound design and music is also the best in the series for me. I'm particularly fond of the tracks made by the Michael Jackson team (Carnival Night, Ice Cap and Launch Base) because they sound so...different. I love the lonely minimalism of Ice Cap's music, the off-kilter spookiness of Carnival Night's and the tropical urgency of Launch Base's which simultaneously cheers the player on while calling back to the Caribbean-sounding Angel Island Zone music. The graphics and music go hand-in-hand to make S3&K's levels impressively immersive.
I also enjoy the many small tweaks to the core Sonic formula that S3&K introduces. Nothing quite as dramatic as the spin-dash has been added but Sonic's insta-shield is a satisfying move to pull off to blitz through otherwise impenetrable enemies and the three new elemental shield power-ups are fun to play around with. Also, the Special Stage 'Blue Sphere' mini-game is a lot more fun than what Sonic 1 or Sonic 2 offered up. The Special Stages are now entered via giant rings hidden in every zone which offers an incentive for players to explore every inch of every zone.
Of course, S3&K also adds Knuckles to the mix. An antagonist-turned-ally, Knuckles can glide, climb up walls and break through barriers that Sonic isn't able to. Knuckles is not as fun to play as as Sonic but, admirably, Knuckles can traverse totally different paths through most zones than Sonic, adding a layer of replayability to the game. There are some really wonderful little details in Knuckles' campaign that might not even register the first time you play it. The ghosts in Sandopolis Zone Act 2, for example, are already loose. That's because Knuckles' campaign takes place after Sonic's already been there! The Knuckles playthrough is full of neat little moments like this and speaks to the delightfully subtle way S3&K's narrative unfolds.
The level design philosophy of S3&K is quite different from Sonic 2's. Sonic 2 put an emphasis on different branching paths through each level, with upper paths rewarding skilled players with easier and shorter routes. S3&K levels are a little more about trying to strike a balance between wowing the player with cinematic set-pieces, encouraging some light exploration to scour the zone for Special Stage rings and asking the player to interact with level-specific gimmicks. I think S3&K succeeds in striking a good balance that makes the levels endlessly replayable. A few of the gimmicks really don't work, like the Carnival Night barrels, but plenty do and take the Sonic formula in new directions. Shockingly, I love Sandopolis Zone Act 2's gimmick of forcing the player to keep the lights on or face the wrath of vengeful ghosts. It makes the zone one of the hardest in Sonic history but it creates an amazingly tense atmosphere. For a series which is generally pretty easy, the little difficulty spike feels quite welcome.
As you can tell, I really like this game but the one element that pushes it into GOAT territory for me is the way the game's narrative unfolds. Through short cutscenes, little level transitions and environmental details a wonderfully intrepid, Indiana Jones-style adventure unfolds and it's such a delight to experience. It's truly a game that is greater than the sum of it's parts. The improved graphics and sound combine with the solid Sonic gameplay and the little narrative moments to create an unforgettable experience. S3&K is, probably, the game that really made me fall in love with the medium of video games and helped me to see the storytelling potential videogames had.
Let's break things down. For starters, I think that the graphics reached their apex in S3&K. Sonic and co have enjoyed a slight redesign that makes their sprites slicker, the beautifully evocative backgrounds compliment the diverse array of levels you explore and Robotnik's machinery looks even more mechanised and industrial. I mean, how much cooler does this game's Mecha Sonic look compared to the one in Sonic 2? The sound design and music is also the best in the series for me. I'm particularly fond of the tracks made by the Michael Jackson team (Carnival Night, Ice Cap and Launch Base) because they sound so...different. I love the lonely minimalism of Ice Cap's music, the off-kilter spookiness of Carnival Night's and the tropical urgency of Launch Base's which simultaneously cheers the player on while calling back to the Caribbean-sounding Angel Island Zone music. The graphics and music go hand-in-hand to make S3&K's levels impressively immersive.
I also enjoy the many small tweaks to the core Sonic formula that S3&K introduces. Nothing quite as dramatic as the spin-dash has been added but Sonic's insta-shield is a satisfying move to pull off to blitz through otherwise impenetrable enemies and the three new elemental shield power-ups are fun to play around with. Also, the Special Stage 'Blue Sphere' mini-game is a lot more fun than what Sonic 1 or Sonic 2 offered up. The Special Stages are now entered via giant rings hidden in every zone which offers an incentive for players to explore every inch of every zone.
Of course, S3&K also adds Knuckles to the mix. An antagonist-turned-ally, Knuckles can glide, climb up walls and break through barriers that Sonic isn't able to. Knuckles is not as fun to play as as Sonic but, admirably, Knuckles can traverse totally different paths through most zones than Sonic, adding a layer of replayability to the game. There are some really wonderful little details in Knuckles' campaign that might not even register the first time you play it. The ghosts in Sandopolis Zone Act 2, for example, are already loose. That's because Knuckles' campaign takes place after Sonic's already been there! The Knuckles playthrough is full of neat little moments like this and speaks to the delightfully subtle way S3&K's narrative unfolds.
The level design philosophy of S3&K is quite different from Sonic 2's. Sonic 2 put an emphasis on different branching paths through each level, with upper paths rewarding skilled players with easier and shorter routes. S3&K levels are a little more about trying to strike a balance between wowing the player with cinematic set-pieces, encouraging some light exploration to scour the zone for Special Stage rings and asking the player to interact with level-specific gimmicks. I think S3&K succeeds in striking a good balance that makes the levels endlessly replayable. A few of the gimmicks really don't work, like the Carnival Night barrels, but plenty do and take the Sonic formula in new directions. Shockingly, I love Sandopolis Zone Act 2's gimmick of forcing the player to keep the lights on or face the wrath of vengeful ghosts. It makes the zone one of the hardest in Sonic history but it creates an amazingly tense atmosphere. For a series which is generally pretty easy, the little difficulty spike feels quite welcome.
As you can tell, I really like this game but the one element that pushes it into GOAT territory for me is the way the game's narrative unfolds. Through short cutscenes, little level transitions and environmental details a wonderfully intrepid, Indiana Jones-style adventure unfolds and it's such a delight to experience. It's truly a game that is greater than the sum of it's parts. The improved graphics and sound combine with the solid Sonic gameplay and the little narrative moments to create an unforgettable experience. S3&K is, probably, the game that really made me fall in love with the medium of video games and helped me to see the storytelling potential videogames had.
Super Mario Land 2 is such a delightful game. Something about this, and it's predecessor, feels so different from the NES & SNES Mario games. There's a kind of unhinged creativity in the game's design. There's a few familiar faces here like your classic Goombas and Koopas but in terms of most of the enemies, environments and gimmicks this game marks a pretty significant departure from the look-and-feel of Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World.
I mean, you've got a Halloween themed area full of vampires, cyclopes, witches and even little guys wearing Jason Voorhees hockey masks. How awesome is that?!
Some of the level gimmicks are pretty cool as well and add some nice variety to the platforming. I enjoyed the honey that you slowly slide down in the Tree Zone and the floatier jumping in the Space Zone in particular.
Just a very charming game overall!
I mean, you've got a Halloween themed area full of vampires, cyclopes, witches and even little guys wearing Jason Voorhees hockey masks. How awesome is that?!
Some of the level gimmicks are pretty cool as well and add some nice variety to the platforming. I enjoyed the honey that you slowly slide down in the Tree Zone and the floatier jumping in the Space Zone in particular.
Just a very charming game overall!