Sonic the Hedgehog

"The Best Game Ever"

This is the big one- all hail the best game ever made.

Graphics: 9/10

Take yourself back in time for a moment, and pretend it's 1991. You walk past your local games store, and clasp eyes on the best looking game ever seen. You guessed it, it's Sonic the Hedgehog. For all those Megadrive owners who spent two years playing 'classics' like *shudder* Altered Beast, Sonic was something of a revelation. Crisp, clear colours, awesome sprites with unprecedented animation, stunning animated backgrounds, and simply the fastest game in existence. Over 10 years since its release, and Sonic still looks practically as good as it ever has. It's lovely.

Sound: 8/10

What would Sonic be without its unforgettable soundtrack? Although not quite as good as later Sonic games, the memorable tunes are all still here and there's not a duff one among them. If you don't know the Sonic theme tune off by heart, shame on you! Sound effects have changed little in the Sonic series, even to the present day. Because they are great.

Gameplay: 10/10

When Yuji Naka created Sonic, he was aiming to make a rival for Miyamoto's Mario- basically, everything Mario wasn't. The lack of speed in Mario's games was corrected, leaving us games players with THE fastest platform game series ever. But if players couldn't control this excessive speed, the game wouldn't be much good at all. In that case, you end up with Sonic Advance 2. Hahaha! Sorry, I digress.

Most people playing Sonic for the first time think that the way to play it is just to rattle through the stages as quickly as possible. Sure, that's one way of looking at things, but Sonic is far more fun and rewarding when players explore every nook and cranny of the ingenious stages. Compared to Mario's stages, which are incredibly bland by comparison, Sonic's worlds are so carefully littered with detail that it would be a crying shame to leave most of them to waste. Every stage features multiple paths to get through to reach your goal, with a variety of evil traps and menacing robots to bash your way through. Thankfully no two stages are ever the same, so the game never descends into tedium. Sonic is the ultimate test of skill (apart from Pong of course)- if you get hit, it's your fault. The only solution is to keep playing until you beat it. Then buy more games, and beat them too. Thank you very much Sega- you turned a whole generation of people into games addicts. You *******s.

Sonic would face some serious difficulties if he went into every level only armed with an attitude and a pair of red trainers. Being a hedgehog, he can use his spikes to curl up into a ball and smash meanies. It's another take on the classic 'bottom bounce' attack, but means that Sonic can attack enemies from all angles without waiting for the right opportunity. This is a testament to the game's speed, the controls are ludicrously fluid.

Ah, the controls. I could write a page on these alone. What's to say that hasn't already been said a thousand times? Controlling Sonic is like playing some eclectic dream that you don't want to wake up from. The acceleration and jumping abilities of Sonic are tweaked to perfection. At top speed, Sonic is blindingly fast. There is a noticeable change in pace between the levels- some, like Green Hill and Star Light, offer massive runways to charge along and get the adrenaline pumping. Others, like Marble and Labyrinth Zone, are enclosed and are more a test of your jumping skills. The key thing is that even at its fastest, you never feel like the game is playing itself- you always feel totally in control of Sonic. Unfortunately, this can't always be said for the later Sonic games, especially the latest incarnations on the Game Boy Advance.

Compared to some of the behemoths in other Sonic games, the bosses are a tame affair in Sonic the Hedgehog. Clearly Dr Robotnik (or Dr Eggman if you're one of those wannabe 'otaku' types... don't make me laugh) needs a bit more practice in developing his skills with a screwdriver. The badniks are a very cool bunch, they aren't hugely varied, but they put up a good fair fight... fair being the key word here. There's never a bad time for some Sonic Advance 2 bashing. ;)

One slight criticism with Sonic, and it is a very slight one, concerns the Chaos Emeralds. As any Sonic regular will know, collecting all these gemstones is the only true way to complete a Sonic game. In Sonic the Hedgehog, there is no real point in collecting them except to say that you've done it. Which is a wasted opportunity (later rectified in Sonic 2.) The special stages in Sonic are very fun, and at times can be quite challenging. They add a little replay value to the game.

But what makes Sonic my favourite game ever? Quite simply, it's the best fun I've ever had and will ever have playing a game. Sonic is, at times, bonkers mad. It can be challenging in certain sections. It can make me laugh or cry. But it is always, ALWAYS fun. And for that reason, it is the best game ever.

Lastability 9/10

Sonic isn't the longest game ever made- there are only 6 short stages, and it is quite an easy game to complete. But you'll never get tired of playing it, and you'll never want to stop. It's like eating a bag of cocaine-laced MnMs. Only without the life-ruining side effects that ensue, and running up huge debts to a drug baron.

Overall

If this game doesn't make you happy, then you are probably incapable of happiness and should consult a psychiatrist immediately. It is the fastest, most beautiful game ever created. Experience it.

98%

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 04/30/03, Updated 04/30/03