"Pure gaming BLISS!"

I was slightly unimpressed with the Sega Genesis at first. Yes, it had 16-bit graphics, which was mind-blowing for its time at the end of the 8-bit era. I, however, clung tenaciously to my NES and dared not stray. I was nothing more than a fanboy. It was one game that changed my mind on the matter. My friend had received a Genesis for Christmas. Among the games was the new pack-in title that was leaving a large mark in the industry: Sonic the Hedgehog. It was plain and simple; Mario had to be ousted if Sega stood a chance at gaining the upper hand. This was the first in the attempt to dethrone the plumber-king. What this game brought to the table was simply amazing. Never before had I seen a game go so insanely fast, or have such beautiful environments and soundtrack. This has to be one of the greatest platformers ever assembled. This game helped put Sega that much closer to the driver's seat and also started the first crack into my fanboyism that would end after the PSX era.

In Sonic the Hedgehog, you play as Sonic, of course, who is king on his planet. However, a man named Dr. Robotnik takes the his loyal subjects, which are all animals, and turned them into destructive robots. Along with all this, Robotnik also has the Chaos Emeralds, almost assuring he would gain an ultimate power and dominance. So, Sonic embarks on his mission to defeat Robotnik, free his subjects, and obtain the emeralds. This has a bit of a hint of save-the-maiden, sans the maiden. Instead, you must save the subjects and restore the emeralds. This aspect of having two true purposes is a very important part of this game. Not only are you embarking to restore order to your world (which is the easy way to go), there is also another extra challenge that is only optional in getting the emeralds.

You could pretty much say that this game is Super Mario Bros. with more very well designed and elaborate levels, TV screens instead of the mystery boxes, and on a heavy dose of speed. You basically have the world system like in Mario, except they're called zones. Each zone has a name rather than a number, one that accentuates what kind of area it is. Oddly enough, most the levels in this game are actually not as stereotypical as the thematic levels seen in such games as Jak and Daxter or Super Mario World. Rather, Sonic featured such worlds as Spring Yard Zone, a level with tons of springs and speed devises to get you going incredibly fast, or Marble Zone, where huge marble ruins are built deep within the ground and molten lava is as abundant as mullets at Wal-Mart. Yeah, Sonic met many of the clichés, but he also went against a few of them before they were even established. How 'bout them apples?

Each level is not just a straight rundown. There are tons of obstacles in your way, not to mention some alternate routes and hidden nooks and crannies full of little goodies. Enemies are all about, and the only way to defeat them is to either spin into them or jump on them, thus liberating another of Sonic's subjects. Instead of the coins Mario so loved, you get rings, which also serve a much higher purpose. You see, the rings keep you alive as long as you have at least one. The instant you are damaged, you lose all your rings, but you can gain them back if you're quick enough. Rings are not enough. You also need to grab the different support items, like a force field and even a pair of shoes that makes Sonic run extra fast.

Quite possibly the one feature that really help make this game such a hit was the fast speeds at which this game could go. Never before has a game gone this fast while maintaining a decent graphical composure. The speed is not just extra drool material, either. It actually plays into the levels of the game. There are times in which you must get a high steady speed going in order to clear a certain area or get past a certain obstacle. Yes, you can even get Sonic going faster than Christian Slater when sirens start blaring.

The Genesis was unfortunately known for not having the best sound system of all the 16-bit contenders. Unfortunately, it was too much like 8-bit. However, the composer for this game made the best he could with such a lacking element. The music of the game is simply brilliant, bringing to life the themes with just the right kind of emotion. The music aims to pump up the player with platform-style energy and can even give you a sense of pride. Heck, I was proud to be Japanese, even though I'm a white American.

The graphics also showed their raw power and the talent of the developers at the time. This not only showed audiences then what the 16-bit era was capable of, it blew them all away. We've spoken about the outstanding speed and framerate of the game, which absolutely knocked some socks off back in the day. This game also had some nice, rich textures to it, which really helped complement the wonderfully thematic zones of the game, making the finished product extremely beautiful. Spring Yard Zone, for example, has a very dark texture to it, almost feeling like a huge semi-apocalyptic lot of machinery and wicked technology. Environments never seemed so alive! Just gazing into the background of the first level, you can see an assortment of ambient vegetation and wide open seas.

What's not to love about Sonic? He may not have been there to introduce the platform genre, but he was there to show the world where the genre could go, and especially where it should go. Away from tedious, straight-forward levels and right into exciting areas where there is no ''right way'' to go. Playing this game makes me so happy, it almost makes me forget that I'm a depressed drunken wreck at night. Play this game, you owe it to your soul. It may not help solve world hunger or cure cancer, but it may help with erectile dysfunction. For its time, it was the most beautiful and brilliant piece of work on the market. It has left its mark on history, and will continue throughout the ages to shine above the mediocrity that slips between the cracks.

FINAL JUDGMENT
Graphics: Some of the best displayed for Genesis. A beautiful use of colors and detail. 10/10
Sounds: Very well put together soundtrack and sound effects 9/10
Control: Very lenient controls 10/10
Plot/Storyline: Something different from most platform games. 8/10
Gameplay: It's an addiction, I tell ya'! 10/10
All Together: 10/10

Perks
*Great graphics
*Well put together sound
*Loads of fun!
*Shear addiction!
*A nice challenge factor if you want to get the good ending

Downers
*Imperfect Game Theory

Recommendations
Mainly recommended for those who like action/platform games, hardcore platformer fans ESPECIALLY.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 04/09/01, Updated 03/16/04