Sonic the Hedgehog Genesis

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Sonic the Hedgehog Genesis

Developer(s)	Sonic Team
Publisher(s)	Sega
Release date(s)	November 17, 2006
Genre(s)	Platformer
Mode(s)	Single player
Rating(s)	ESRB: E (Everyone)
Platform(s)	Game Boy Advance
Media	Cartridge

Sonic the Hedgehog Genesis is a Game Boy Advance remake of the original Sonic the Hedgehog for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, made in celebration of the 15th anniversary of the Sonic the Hedgehog series that has only been released in North America. Similar to the version on Sonic Jam, it features a save system, and includes the spin-dash ability from later Sonic titles available in a separate "Anniversary Mode", plus a "Classic Mode" lacking the Spin Dash.

1 Anniversary Mode
2 Saving Mechanics
3 Differences with the remake
4 Glitches
5 Criticism
6 See also
7 Sources
8 External links

[edit] Anniversary Mode

Although Anniversary Mode is there to celebrate Sonic's 15th, nothing has changed apart from the added Spin Dash move. But there are some oddities with this:

The Spin Dash is programmed in a different way from classic Sonic games. Charging the Spin Dash is no longer an option. You can actually get the same amount of speed running and jumping forward.
If you charge a Spin Dash, let go and immediately jump without holding forward, Sonic will suffer from an excessive speed boost. This can be used to such great effect that jumping through solid walls and obstacles is possible.
The art for the Spin Dash is out of place. The "smoke" from the Spin Dash is several pixels away and seems to go into the floor on several occasions.

[edit] Saving Mechanics

Although the game has a new save feature, which is supposed to save at the end of every act, there are programming glitches with it. If you go through any level to a checkpoint, quit out of the level and then reload from the same level, you will restart from the checkpoint and your timer is reset to Zero. Basically put, you now have 10 minutes to finish the level from that checkpoint and you don't have to play that level from the start.

[edit] Differences with the remake

While considered to be a remake of the original Sonic the Hedgehog for Genesis, there are some major differences between the two games:

[edit] General differences

Due to the GBA's smaller screen, the player can see less of Sonic's surrounding.

Screen shot comparison between the original version (left) and the remake.

The game has a considerable amount of lag, even while the player is not moving. This causes Sonic to move with seemingly short bursts of 'speed', which can make progressing through certain sections of the game more difficult.
Destroying an enemy no longer shows how many points the player is awarded for it. However, points are still shown when the player breaks through blocks in Marble Zone.
The backgrounds no longer have parallax scrolling,^{[citation needed]} with the only exception being Green Hill Zone.

The music has been remade to suit the GBA's technology.[1]
The sound effects are different from the original (save for some exceptions like the Ring chimes, which seem to be directly recorded from the original version). Additionally, some sound effects are re-used for different events, such as the enemy destruction sound being re-used for when walls are broken.
Invincibility lasts longer than in the original.
If Sonic loses a life in a level, the level music keeps on playing while the game restores Sonic to his last saved position. In the original, the music stopped and restarted during this sequence.
When Sonic dies, his sprite switches from his standard "shocked look" to his "drowned" sprite. This is most likely to make his death animation similar to those in the "Sonic Advance" game series.

[edit] Speed oddities

The 'speed shoes' item box no longer gives a speed increase. In fact, they make Sonic run a bit slower due to the lag and how fast the game must load what's up ahead.
Jumping no longer reduces Sonic's speed at all.
When being hit in mid-air, Sonic no longer stops moving after landing.
Generally speaking, the only way to reduce Sonic's high speed is by pressing in the opposite direction of which he's running.
If Sonic lands on a vertical spring while not holding any directional buttons, he will lose all forward momentum.

[edit] Jumping physics

Sonic's jump height is higher, making boss battles easier and certain platforms more accessible.
Jumping out of a roll leaves Sonic in full control during the jump, and gives him a great speed boost.
Sonic no longer bounces higher after jumping into enemies or item monitors.
It is now extremely difficult to gain height by jumping onto upward slopes.
The teeter totters in Star Light Zone will frequently project Sonic up in small heights, making the level difficult in parts where these are needed to progress through.

[edit] Taking damage

When Sonic takes damage, he is always knocked in the direction that he is not facing.
If Sonic is hit underwater, he will be projected back in a long distance.

[edit] Boss fights

Dr. Eggman can no longer suffer multiple hits while he's flashing. This is because the boss pushes Sonic away even when in his 'attacked' state.
It is possible to get stuck between Dr. Eggman and the invisible barrier to the left of the screen and Dr. Eggman suffers from several attack hits until either Sonic is pushed up and over or Dr. Eggman is destroyed.
Sonic's speed is no longer reversed when hitting Eggman; instead it matters where he's hit.
Due to Sonic's increase in jump height it is actually possible to destroy Eggman without the use of the platforms on Green Hill Zone.

[edit] Glitches

There are many glitches present in the game, for example:

Various sprites are missing frames of animation.^{[citation needed]}
Enemy sprites don't always appear where they are supposed to, often not appearing at all.
Sonic's 'looking up' frame moves him a few pixels out of place in his sprite.
Horizontal Springs are upside down.
During Special Stages, each slot's effect will be triggered constantly if Sonic keeps touching it, instead of jumping into it several times (for example, if Sonic keeps in touch with a Reverse slot, the whole level will constantly change its rotation, instead of changing it once). It is also possible to go through the tiles and out of bounds.
The level walkthrough present in the credits is much different, occasionally even showing some of the game's glitches.
When one charges the spin dash, lets go and immediately jumps without holding forward, Sonic will experience a large speed boost. This can be used to such great effect that jumping through solid walls and obstacles is possible.^[1]
Collision bugs occur.

[edit] Criticism

StHG did not fare well in the market. The game was criticised due to framerate issues, numerous bugs, enemies occasionally showing off silly behavior, poor sound, and it was also criticized in many other fields, such as the poor physics due to the core engine for the game being remade poorly, and the reduced field of view. Due to the numerous bugs, it is considered nearly unplayable.