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.
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.