Sonic 3 & Knuckles (Sega Mega Drive / Genesis review)

Developer: Sonic Team
Publisher: Sega
Released: 1994

Sonic 3 & Knuckles is a platformer that combines Sonic 3 (1994) and Sonic & Knuckles (1994) into one game.

+ Levels are enormous with multiple routes, and the ability to play as Knuckles increases replayability due to his unique skills.

+ Worlds often have completely different scenic / gameplay concepts between acts, as well as almost seamless transitions.

+ Harks back to the original Sonic (1991, Sega Genesis) in terms of mixing pure speed with methodical platforming.

+ Power-ups add a new wrinkle to the gameplay and give you fresh ways to tackle both the environments and opponents. 

+ Graphics are stunningly beautiful, with some jaw-dropping animation, background effects and parallax scrolling.

+ Iconic 3D bonus stages are a joy to speed around, and the game provides eight save slots to continue your progress.

- Bosses pose little challenge and as long as you have a ring you can avoid skill and just brute force your way to victory.

Christmas NiGHTS into Dreams (Sega Saturn review)

Developer: Sonic Team
Publisher: Sega
Released: 1996

Christmas NiGHTS into Dreams is a themed promotional sampler of Sega's 1996 title Nights into Dreams (Sega Saturn). 

+ A terrific way to demo Nights' joyous gameplay and there's a surprising amount of content for a would-be teaser. 

+ Allows you to experience Spring Valley as Elliot, and you can also unlock Sonic's first 3D outing as he battles Dr. Eggman.

+ Some fun diversions are on offer, including the exclusive Link Attack and Time Attack modes that challenge you in new ways.

+ Unlocking presents via the tile-matching game is addictive, and changing the console's date opens up hidden secrets.

+ Graphics are sublime and it's clear the developers made a serious effort to incorporate the holiday spirit into the demo.

- Graphical makeover does unfortunately result in noticeable frame-rate dips and slowdown not found in the original game.

- Karaoke mode is a nice idea, but the highlighted words lag so far behind the song that it's pretty much pointless!

Nights into Dreams (Sega Saturn review)

Developer: Sonic Team
Publisher: Sega
Released: 1996

Nights into Dreams is an action game that was later ported to the Sony PlayStation 2 (2008) in Japan only.

+ Course design is exceptional, and the four unique laps / on-rails sections are full of surprise twists and turns.

+ Real freedom and joy to the flying, and despite the decreasing timer a sense of tranquillity soars over the gameplay.

+ Expertly caters to casual players, as well as those who appreciate the score attack element and rankings.

+ Bosses are a nice change of pace and the 3D engine is remarkable with beautiful texture and lighting work.

+ Presentation is top-notch and the stunning music engrosses you into the gorgeous, otherworldly locations.

- Dying at the boss means restarting the entire stage, which is aggravating and artificially inflates game length.

- Camera is too zoomed-in and the limited field of view can be confusing, particularly in the top-down areas.

Burning Rangers (Sega Saturn review)

Developer: Sonic Team
Publisher: Sega
Released: 1998

Burning Rangers is an action game that was produced by Sonic co-creator Yuji Naka.

+ The graphics are terrific with great lighting effects and texture detail that shows the console can do impressive 3D.

+ The lack of in-game music immerses you into the world and focuses on audio cues to determine navigation / danger.

+ Completed mission summary keeps you motivated to try again, as it shows how many people you failed to locate and rescue.

+ The unlockable random generator mode that mixes up the order of the corridors is great for repeated play-throughs.

- The gameplay is extremely repetitive and nothing substantially new is added once you've completed the first mission.

- The camera is awful (frequently swinging itself around in wild fashion) and the navigation system is often useless.

- Bosses are clumsy and disorientating due to there being no camera lock-on for these rare times you are engaging in combat.

Sonic R (Sega Saturn review)

Developer: Traveller's Tales, Sonic Team
Publisher: Sega
Released: 1997

Sonic R is a racing game that was later ported to Windows PC in 1998.

It consists of five courses, nine playable characters, as well as Grand Prix, 1P VS 2P and Time Attack modes. Each course features three laps and along the way you can collect temporary power-ups such as increased speed. Initial impressions are positive, with pumping euro-dance music that gets you in the mood for racing, and luscious graphics that do a terrific job of capturing the Sonic universe. However, once the racing starts there's a number of issues, namely the controls which (depending on your chosen character) are either overly sensitive when veering left or right, or incredibly stiff while turning; imagine trying to run in a straight line while drunk, or powersliding round a corner in a tank and you have a good idea how Sonic R controls. Sadly, even the level design is a mixed bag; some like Resort Island feature clearly signposted routes and obvious race lines that generally play okay. However, others like Regal Ruin are a mess due to its sharp 90° turns and corners that appear from nowhere; this usually results in you veering wildly off track, or getting stuck behind an object while opponents speed past. When you do successfully complete a Grand Prix course the feeling of relief overpowers any elation, and on top of this, the game always kicks you back to the main menu afterwards, breaking immersion in the competition! The multiple paths are a nice idea though and the ability to locate hidden gems and unlock playable characters is what gives the game some replayability. Yet, even that's limited, as with only five courses there's very little content to keep you coming back.

Sonic R has some fantastic music and gorgeous graphics but Traveller's Tales messed up the controls so badly that it ruins pretty much the whole experience. The level design and anemic content could have used some extra development time too, and at the end of the day this racer doesn't hold a candle to Mario Kart (1997, N64).

Random trivia: The PC version includes weather effects that were omitted in the Sega Saturn original.

Sonic Jam (Sega Saturn review)

Developer: Sonic Team

Publisher: Sega

Released: 1997

 

Sonic Jam is a compilation of the blue hedgehog's 16-bit adventures, along with a new 3D hub world.

 

It includes Sonic the Hedgehog (1991), Sonic 2 (1992), Sonic 3 (1994) and Sonic & Knuckles (1994), and each features a number of options to cater towards different audiences, such as Easy which omits various levels. Normal alters the level design slightly to increase playability, such as adding a slew of air bubbles in Labyrinth Zone to cut-back on underwater deaths! It's a neat idea that enhances replayability, and it's nice that the Original mode is also available for those who want an untouched experience. The ability to Spin Dash in the first Sonic game is a smart idea too and it stops you from having to reverse to build up speed! The emulation is pretty faithful, although there are some strange SFX choices, such as the more emphatic explosions when Dr. Robotnik is defeated, and Sonic's muffled jump. There's also minor screen tearing and severe slowdown (mainly in Sonic 2 and 3) when the action gets too fast. The lock-on ability of Sonic & Knuckles is still present though to open features in the other games. In the cool Sonic World 3D hub, you wander around and take part in simple, yet entertaining missions, such as popping balloons and locating Miles against the clock. The frame-rate is rock-solid throughout and the draw distance is respectable, but interestingly the slow-paced action and open-world platforming is more akin to Super Mario 64 (1996, N64). I like this exploratory aspect, but it's intriguing to ponder whether the Saturn could have handled the speed of a fully fledged 3D Sonic game. This mode also includes some great fan service through old commercials, concept art and music.

 

Sonic Jam is an excellent compilation of the blue hedgehog's 16-bit outings, but it's hard to recommend it over the Mega Drive originals due to the rampant slowdown. The real draw is the 3D hub, and while it's admittedly lacking in content, it does provides a tantalising glimpse into what could have been for Sonic's cancelled 32-bit outing.

 

 

 

Random trivia: Sonic World eventually proved to be the testing ground for Sonic Adventure (1999, Dreamcast).

Sonic & Knuckles (Mega Drive / Genesis review)

Developer: Sonic Team

Publisher: Sega

Released: 1994

 

Sonic & Knuckles is a platform game and the sequel to Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (1994, Mega Drive).

Your job is to protect Floating Island and stop Dr. Robotnik from stealing the Master Emerald. Sonic can Spin Attack in the air, while Knuckles can glide and climb walls, and power-ups are available in the form of a Water Shield (lets you breathe underwater), Lightning Shield (automatically attracts rings) and a Flame Shield (protects you against fire). What's most pleasing is how this game harkens back to the original in terms of mixing pure speed with methodical platforming; sure, there are Zones such as Mushroom Hill that feature plenty of fast-paced action, but Sky Sanctuary, Death Egg and Sandopolis force you to take a more deliberate approach, especially the latter where you push blocks to create moving platforms. The exquisite level design features sprawling locales with multiple routes, and some of the additions really help to spice up the gameplay, such as Death Egg Zone Act 2 where gravity is reversed! To keep things fresh, the Zones don't always feature similar themes throughout both acts, as Sandopolis Act 1 takes place in the desert, while Act 2 takes place inside a pyramid. As fun as the levels are, it does feel that the most unique and varied ones were used for Sonic 3, and the rest were leftovers for this game. However, if you play as Knuckles, the level design changes slightly which warrants another play-through. Plus, you can lock the cartridge onto Sonic 2, allowing you to play as Knuckles... a genius idea! The bosses pose little challenge, but they're really imaginative and it's a trip to see the original Green Hill Zone boss appear with Metal Sonic in command!

 

Sonic & Knuckles is a terrific platformer and while the level design isn't quite as interesting as Sonic the Hedgehog 3 it's still an absolute blast to play. Its perfect balance of speed and slow-paced action makes for some varied gameplay that never gets old, and the ability to lock-on to previous titles is an inspired addition.

 

 

 

Random trivia: The cartridge can also be locked-on to Sonic the Hedgehog 3 so you can experience the entire game in its original, intended form.