| Sonic the Hedgehog | |
|---|---|
American boxart |
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| Developer(s) | Sonic Team |
| Publisher(s) | Sega |
| Designer(s) | Hirokazu Yasuhara |
| Artist(s) | Naoto Ōshima (character design) |
| Composer(s) | Masato Nakamura |
| Engine | Yuji Naka (programming) |
| Platform(s) | Mega Drive/Genesis,
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| Release date(s) | |
| Genre(s) | Platform |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
| Rating(s) | ACB: G VRC: GA PEGI: 3 ESRB: E |
| Media/distribution | 4-megabit cartridge |
Sonic the Hedgehog (ソニック・ザ・ヘッジホッグ Sonikku za Hejjihoggu) is a seminal 16-bit 1991 platform video game developed in Japan by Sega and published for the Sega Genesis. It is the first installment in Sega's flagship Sonic the Hedgehog video game series and the first title developed by Sonic Team. The game was released in 1991 in North America, Europe, and Japan. It was an enormous critical and commercial success for Sega, creating a popular, multiple decade franchise, and propelling the Sega Genesis to widespread popularity.
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In the game, Sonic must prevent the evil scientist, Doctor Ivo Robotnik (named Doctor Eggman in the Japanese release), from collecting the seven Chaos Emeralds in an attempt to rule South Island, by instead collecting them himself.[4] The player controls Sonic as he traverses six zones, each of which is split into three "acts".[4] At the end of the third act of each zone, the player faces Dr. Robotnik in one of his vehicles.
The game plays as a 2D sidescrolling platformer. The gameplay centers around Sonic's ability to run at high speeds with levels that include springs, slopes, high falls and loop-de-loops.[4] The levels are populated with hazards in the form of animals Dr. Robotnik has trapped inside mechanical bodies (named "badniks" in the game manuals). The player must also avoid rows of sharp spikes, bottomless pits, and other obstacles. Sonic's main means of attack is the Spin Attack, where Sonic curls into a ball which can be performed by jumping in the air, or by pressing down on the D-Pad while moving on the ground. The move is used to destroy enemies and other obstacles in his way.
Scattered around each level map are gold rings, a signature item of the Sonic series. Collecting 100 rings rewards the player with an extra life. Rings act as a layer of protection against hazards as long as Sonic is holding at least one ring, dropping them if he is hit by an obstacle or enemy. However, if he is hit without holding any rings, the player loses a life.[4] Shields and temporary invincibility can also be collected in order to provide additional layers of protection;[4] however, they do not prevent the player from losing a life if Sonic is crushed by a trap, drowned, falls into a pit, or spends over ten minutes in an Act.
Progression through the game is aided by lamp posts that act as checkpoints. If a checkpoint is activated and a life is lost as a result of running out of time, the time at the checkpoint will reset to 0:00. In the case when Sonic loses all his lives, the game is over unless he obtained continues from Special Stages, in which case Sonic returns to the beginning of the Act with three lives.
When Sonic reaches the end of Act 1 or Act 2 of a Zone with at least 50 rings, a large ring appears which the player can jump through to enter a Special Stage. In the Special Stages, Sonic is permanently curled up in his spinning animation, and bounces off the bumpers and walls of a 360° rotating maze. In these levels, the player may earn continues by collecting 50 rings; however, the main aim is to obtain the Chaos Emerald at the end of the maze, without colliding with any of the "goal blocks" that will instantly end the level. Collecting all six of the game's Chaos Emeralds allows the player to view the good end sequence.
Development for Sonic the Hedgehog began in April 1990, after Sega ordered its AM-8 team to develop a game featuring a mascot for the company. After choosing a hedgehog as the main character, the 5-person group changed its name to Sonic Team and started working on Sonic the Hedgehog. Among the game's developers were character designer Naoto Ōshima, game programmer Yuji Naka and designer Hirokazu Yasuhara.[5]
Sonic the Hedgehog's music was composed by Masato Nakamura, a member of J-pop band Dreams Come True. The game uses the on-board Yamaha YM2612 synthesizer sound chip to produce a variety of stereo sound effects and music. The game was originally intended to feature a sound test menu, with animated graphics based around Sonic break-dancing to the music of a "Sonic Band"[6] consisting of Sharps Chicken on guitar, Max Monkey on bass, Mach Rabbit on drums, and Vector the Crocodile on keyboard; the Vector character was later re-designed and featured in the games Knuckles' Chaotix and Sonic Heroes. The development schedule meant that the feature had to be scrapped, and Yuji Naka decided to replace the test with the "Sega!" chant used in TV advertisements, which allegedly took up 1/8 of the 4-megabit cartridge.[6]
Akira Watanabe, the illustrator of the character art, said that his sole goal was to depict the characters as "colorful" and to use clear cutting lines and gradation to "finish them neatly."[7] Watanabe said that the developers asked him to create a package design "similar to pop art." Watanabe aimed to create the design "without being particular to conventional packages." Watanabe intended to create an "original, stylish pop game package."[7]
This version was released for the Sega Master System and the Game Gear. Though based on the original game of the same name, it is a distinct game, with different level designs, and three of the six zones (levels) based on original themes. The game's manual also gives it a different story, set after the Mega Drive version.[8] It also features a different soundtrack composed by chiptune musician Yuzo Koshiro, who adapted several pieces of music from the 16-bit version while the rest of the soundtrack consists of his own original compositions.[9]
The Sega Master System version was the final title for the console released in the United States and was later rereleased on the Wii Virtual Console, released in North America on August 4, 2008[10] and in Europe on September 19, 2008. The Game Gear version was included as one of many unlockable games in Sonic Adventure DX for Nintendo GameCube and PC, and Sonic Mega Collection Plus for PlayStation 2, Xbox, and PC.
A new version of the game, retitled Sonic the Hedgehog Genesis, was released for the Game Boy Advance in November 2006 as part of the celebrations of the original game's 15th anniversary. It included a few features, such as the ability to save progress in the game, a level select option, and a special "Anniversary Mode" featuring the Spin-Dash move that hadn't previously been implemented until Sonic the Hedgehog 2. In addition, the view is slightly zoomed in and adapted for the GBA's widescreen aspect ratio.[11] The reception was negative, with critcisms regarding the slow frame rate, music, and glitches.[12]
Compilations that include the game are Sonic Compilation (1995) and Genesis 6-Pak (1996) for the Sega Genesis; Sonic Jam (1997) for the Sega Saturn; Sega Smash Pack (2001) for the Dreamcast; Sonic Mega Collection (2002) for the Nintendo GameCube; Sonic Mega Collection Plus (2004) for the PlayStation 2, Xbox and PC; Sega Genesis Collection (2006) for the PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable; Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection (2009) for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3; and Sonic Classic Collection (2010) for the Nintendo DS.
Most compilations feature the game largely unchanged. However, Sonic Jam in addition to featuring the original release; also had a few new "remix" options. "Medium" mode altered the layout of rings and hazards and "Easy" mode removes certain acts entirely from the game. In addition, the game also contained a "time attack" mode and an option setting can alter the game to allow the use of the Spin Dash, a move that did not debut until Sonic the Hedgehog 2 the following year.
Sonic the Hedgehog has been available for all three main seventh generation video game consoles. It was released on the Wii's Virtual Console service from its launch in 2006.[13] It was ported by Backbone Entertainment to the Xbox Live Arcade in 2007.[14] It has options for graphic smoothing, saving and loading current progress in-game and to resize the gameplay window. It was later brought to the Playstation Network March 2011.
Additionally, it has be released digitally on a number of other mediums as well. In 2007 the game was made available on the iTunes Store as a game for the iPod Nano with video, the iPod Classic, and iPod with video.[15] Sega made the first two games available for Apple's iOS in the spring of 2009.[16] The game was also present on GameTap.[17] In October 2010, Sonic the Hedgehog was also digitally released for Microsoft Windows.[18]
The game was both a critical and commercial success. Gamespot has described the game as "one of the best platformers of all time" and credited as a game that "revolutionized the platform genre and gave people a legitimate alternative to Nintendo's fat plumber"[19] It received high praise from IGN as well, stating that it had stood the test of time, stating "And even after 16 years, the game still looks great. You'll be impressed by the clarity and color that come through...Few people realize how difficult it was to create Sonic's graphics engine, which allowed for the incredible rate of speed the game's known for. But the technical achievement impressed back in '91, and still does so today."[20] EGM gave the game a 9 out of 10.[21]
Despite the original's success, some versions of the game, such as the 2006 port to the Game Boy Advance was highly criticized for terrible replication of graphics, music, and the overall flow of gameplay in general, rendering the game virtually unplayable.[22][23]
The game has sold over 15 million copies,[24] making it the best selling Sega Genesis game of all time as well as the best selling game of the Sonic franchise.
Sonic the Hedgehog greatly increased the popularity of the Sega Genesis. It eventually replaced Altered Beast as the game bundled with the console.[25] Bundling Sonic the Hedgehog with the Genesis is credited with helping Sega gain 65% of the market share against Nintendo.[26] In large part due to the popularity of this game, the Genesis outsold the Super Nintendo in the United States nearly 2 to 1 during the 1991 holiday season. This success led to Sega overtaking Nintendo in January 1992 with control of 65% of the 16-bit console market, making it the first time Nintendo was not the console leader since December 1985.[27] It is credited as single-handedly changing the course of the 16-bit generation of video game consoles.[28]
Sonic the Hedgehog added the element of momentum-based physics to the standard platform formula and introduced other unique elements as well, such as the loops, springboards, high-speed devices, and the rings now permanently associated with the series. While the speed contributed to the mix, the execution of the platforming element influenced the development of various 2D video games, including a subsequent wave of similar "mascot-based platforming games", such as Bubsy, Aero the Acrobat, Ristar, and many others.[29]
The game spawned numerous sequels. While the first games in the series were platform games, the series has expanded into other genres such as action-adventure, fighting, racing, role-playing, and sports. The series has also expanded into other media, including anime, cartoons, comic books, manga, and toys.
For the game's 10th Anniversary, Sega included a 3D remake of the Green Hill level in the 2001 game Sonic Adventure 2.[30][31] In 2008, the Green Hill level was included in the fighting game Super Smash Brothers Brawl as an unlockable stage.[32] For the game's 20th Anniversary, Sega released Sonic Generations, which contained a remake of the Green Hill level. Additionally, the game features the entire original game as an unlockable reward in the console and PC versions.[33]
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