Sonic Spinball

"You spin me right round, baby..."

Success can do strange things to a video game franchise. It usually starts off with a good and humble idea designed to appeal to the gaming masses yearning for something new and innovative. But as something so brilliant and original gains popularity, questions begin to arise. Where can a series go? How can we reinvent a character that is loved by so many? Is it wise to leave the old traditions behind, taking chances with an established character? Will the fans embrace the new idea or despise it? Such questions must have gone through creative minds of the Sonic Team in the early 1990's. Sonic the Hedgehog was a fresh face on the gaming scene, the mascot for Sega itself. But as the popularity of the blue ball of speed began to peak, the powers that be decided to cash in on the success. The old gameplay style was thrown out the window as game designers explored new ways of depicting Sega's longstanding hero. Sonic Spinball was one of their creations.

Yet the more things change, the more they stay the same. After getting is rear kicked on multiple occasions, Dr. Robotnik is back yet again. Sticking with his usual obsession of converting animals into robots, the evil doctor has created the Veg-O-Fortress, a massive facility built on Mt. Mobius. This monstrosity has the power to take helpless woodland creatures and convert them into Robotnik's mindless slaves. Okay, so it's not exactly the most original evil plot ever. Knowing full well of the madman's capabilities, Sonic and Tails rush off on another adventure to stop Robotnik's plan at the source. However, their foe isn't a complete moron. Before our heroes could make it to the mighty fortress in Tails' airplane, they were shot down by some well-aimed laser blasts. With Tails missing in action, Sonic is left to float in the murky sewers under the fortress. It's up to him to infiltrate the forest and stop the evil doctor for the umpteenth time.

However, this won't be your typical Sonic the Hedgehog game. In the olden days, a Sonic game consisted of the spiky blue fellow running around at insane speeds through various terrains, dodging enemies and grabbing a bunch of rings to get some bonuses. That style of tried and true gameplay was thrown out the window in this installment of the series. Dr. Robotnik has learned from his countless past mistakes, and has devised a defense system for his fortress. It doesn't involve huge laser cannons, mechanized Sonic clones or any of that typical stuff. Instead, Sonic will be facing something far more daunting: a massive pinball machine built into the fortress. This thermodynamically powered behemoth is designed to reduce Sonic to a living pinball and get him lost in the myriad of tubes, loops, and passages that make up the defense system. Using your mad pinball gaming skills, it's up to you to get Sonic through this new hardship unscathed.

The epic pinball quest will begin with Sonic washing up on the slimy shores of the fortress sewers. He'll amble along, then get sucked into the labyrinth of toxic waste. He'll be launched high into the air, only to fall down into a central pit. If he falls to the bottom of the screen, he'll land in the murky depths and drown, or be eaten by a comically drawn sea monster. Luckily for the furry hero's there are two well-placed flippers positioned just outside the opening of the abyss. When Sonic lands on one of these, he'll be flung back into the high reaches of the area, wiping out groups of baddies in the process. He can also be tossed into different tubes, collect rings, or hit certain wall panels to receive bonus points for his efforts. All of these seemingly meaningless actions will eventually gain you access to a Chaos Emerald, which will allow you to advance to the very top of the fortress and take Robotnik out.

As you make twist after turn through this maze of flickering lights, you can't help but to appreciate the level of detail put into the game. Though the game only consists of four levels, they are depicted with decent. Everything in this game comes in a pallet of different blends, treating us to a vivid and colorful presentation. Sonic will travel through tunnels covered in glowing toxic sludge, chasms wreathed in flame, and a few other exotic locales. These dark and dank areas are a far cry from the bright and cheery atmosphere of the traditional Sonic games. The less than stellar audio quality doesn't help much, either. Even Sonic looks different. Though he's kept the same shade of blue fur, his overall drawing and animations look a little smudged and disproportionate. The enemies don't look like anything from the Sonic universe, be it the rusty mechanical sea monster to the funny-looking chicken to whatever else Robotnik can throw at you. It's as if Sonic's world was taken over by a comic book artist, giving us a strange spin on a hero we thought we knew.

Looking back, this was one of the first chances that the Sonic Team took with their beloved franchise. They attempted something new, and it partially blew up in their faces. As a pinball game, Sonic Spinball can stand on its own, albeit a little weakly when compared with some of its contemporaries. As a Sonic the Hedgehog game, it's beyond hopeless. Using the same plot is one thing, but abandoning any semblance of the usual gameplay aspects is a whole different story. Its massive and occasionally complicated levels will keep you on your toes, practically forcing you to watch a presentation that will either impress or disgust. Considering that it's the first spinoff of the Sonic the Hedgehog series, the Sonic team didn't do that bad of a job of incorporating their trusty mascot. However, that hardly makes up for the mild gameplay. While some fans of the Sonic series will love this game to death, some seasoned gamers may look at this game with a wary eye. But as the Sonic series made its departure, it lost a little of the glimmer it used to have.

Reviewer's Score: 6/10, Originally Posted: 09/06/05