Sonic the Hedgehog is a platformer game developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega. It was released to the Sega Genesis console (Sega Mega Drive for you international folk) on June 23rd 1991 and quickly became the company's mascot competing against Nintendo's popular Mario franchise. This was the beginning of a new era and catapulted Sega to compete with then juggernaut Nintendo and its SNES console that was released the same year. The console wars were only just beginning and Sega was proving to be a true competitor to Nintendo.
Back before my games became complete garbage!
Like most games back in the 16 bit era Sonic starts off with no story explanation and takes you to the first level of the game. Each stage has three acts which ends with a boss battle against the notorious Dr. Ivo Robotnix who trapped Sonic's animal friends into robots and metal capsules trying to claim the six Chaos Emeralds and harness their power for evil. It's up to our main protagonist, Sonic, to stop him and get the Chaos Emeralds himself before Dr. Robotnix can get his grubby mitts on them.
Not my Green Hill Zone!
The object of the game is to collect rings which serve as protection against bumping into enemies and things like spikes. But there are still a number of things that can kill Sonic despite how many rings he has. Like running out of time, drowning, being crushed, or falling down bottomless pits. When he is hit with rings in his possession they scatter and disappear unless they are picked up again. You can defeat enemies with Sonic's spin attack or jumping on them.
All throughout the stages are different power ups with different functions. Like giving Sonic more rings, a barrier of protection, or temporary invulnerability. Kind of like Mario when he receives the golden star. Unlike Mario you're not cursed to only go in one direction and can move back and forth throughout a level finding different items and enemies along the way. If you collect fifty rings or more you unlock a hidden bonus stage that allows you to collect extra lives and a Chaos Emerald. Getting all six Chaos Emeralds give you the game's ending, and failing to do so causes that evil Dr. Robotnix to taunt you with the remaining Chaos Emeralds you didn't collect. I'm giving myself a promotion!
I came in like a wrecking ball!
At the end of the last act of each stage comes Dr. Robotnix in a different vehicle to cause destruction. Like the machine carrying a chain and a wrecking ball at the end of the Green Hill Zone. Like any good game the stages with him get harder the more you progress leading you to the final big battle to stop his reign of terror once and for all. If you want another Mario comparison, though I can't imagine why, Dr. Robotnix is basically Sonic's Bowser, but it takes more to take him out then simply flipping a switch to take away a bridge and make him fall in some lava. Not that I ever played a Nintendork game, mind you. Not at all!
Who left all this lava here?
Another main aspect of the game is the speed which Sonic can run. Thanks to Blast Processing making Genesis games run faster than the slow Super Nintendo, Sonic can run at speeds that amazed many of us when we were younger. The whole point is to gain momentum in the running and see how fast you can go within the time limit to completing a level while exploring each stage to the best of your ability. The speed alone is one of many aspects that made Sonic stand out among the sea of other platformers that came before and after.
What can I say about Sonic that hasn't already been said? There's a reason he remains the most popular Sega character to date. The original Sonic the Hedgehog is a fun platforming game that takes you to new heights for its time and is a real treat for any Sega fan looking to start their new Sega adventure with either the Mini or collecting an old Sega Genesis console from a place like Vintage Stock. There is simply nothing more to say but...
Get it!
Dedicated to
Virginia Norland
1922 - 2019
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