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&emdash;Basic Info. &emdash;

Release Date: June 23rd, 1991

Developer: Sonic Team

Publisher: Sony Entertainment

Number of Players: 1

System: Sega Genesis

Genre: 2D Platform

 

"Blue streak, speeds by: Sonic the Hedgehog!"

 

June 23rd, 1991 marks a great day in gaming history. The second Gaming Mascot was born with the name Sonic the Hedgehog. A blue hedgehog with red running shoes and an attitude to match his spiked hair, this rodent was not about to let his world fall apart. Dr. Ivo Robotnik, the bad guy ::wink::, has a plan to conqure the peaceful world of Mobius. With his new technology, Dr. Robotnik has transformed all the cute fuzzy creatures of Mobius into evil robots! So, a new hero steps up to the challenge, and a legend is born!

"Too fast for the naked eye: Sonic The Hedgehog!"

Sonic was createdas competition to Super Mario Brothers for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It was a magnificently colorful 2D platform game with fast-moving parallax backgrounds. After all, Sonic is the fastest thing alive. When it was released, Sonic had the best graphics in the gaming world.

"Sonic: He can really move!"

The speed at which Sonic The Hedgehog could be played is what made the game itself fly off the shelves like it did. You could determine how fast you completed a level, and how much stuff you collected along the way. If you wanted to, you could beat a level in less than a minute just be continuously pressing to the right. Sonic will run and run. There was nothing to controlling the little hedgehog: He jumped, and he ran. The simple controlling made the game even more simplistic than it already was&emdash;but that just added to the enjoyment.

"Sonic: He's got an attitude!"

The music and sound effects also add to the greatness of Sonic the Hedgehog. I can still hear the "Boing!" noise as Sonic jumps onto a power box. Or, whatever they were called. The sound effects made when killing robotic bees and plants, the collection of the rings&emdash;it all fit very well with the setting Sonic was in. The music was memorable&emdash;I will hum the Chemical Zone theme constantly. The FM synthesis created catchy, distinguished music that is even impressive by today's standards. And fans constantly use Sonic's unforgettable themes to create amazing remixes even today.

"Sonic: He's the fastest thing alive!!"

This is one game that deserves the word "Classic". By definition, a classic means serving a standard of excellence and historically memorable. There's not much to it, but Sonic The Hedgehog is a classic.

 

&emdash;Scores&emdash;

Graphics: 10

Music/Sound Effects: 10

Plot: 8........I never got tired of watching the cute little animals run free: "Be free little fuzzy creatures! Be free!!"

Controls: 10

Camera Angle: 10........It's a 2D game. It's a 2D platform. There is no camera angle.

Replay Value: 7

Originality:10

Overall: 9.3