Sonic the Hedgehog: "Pocket Adventure" Game by Sega Reviewed by The Avardancer (Philip Wesley) Size: 16 megabits Save: Battery Released: 1999 Works with: Neo Geo Pocket Color **************************************************************************** Opening Snide Remarks: I like Sonic. Sonic is one of my favorite characters; but Sonic is also an "over-pimped" liscense. I think the liscense lost a lot of credability with the Game.Com fiasco, and the fact that all his games play the same for th emost part. Very little innovation. Sonic 2 was cool; but it was essentially the same title as the first one with a second player. The best in the series was Sonic 3 in my opinon; because it introduced Knuckles, added a SAVE battery, had "hooks" to link with the up-coming Sonic and Knuckles and had tons of levels, the shields actually did something, and it added that double jump for each character, and special abilities. It also added more of a "plot" to the games. That was good; because the original plots.... stunk. If you remember the original game and the "comics" that explained it. The main plot was that Robotnik was a GOOD scientist, working on finding a new type of energy. Then a small, brown hedgehog appeared in his laboratory. He asked for it's help on generating a new type of energy that used "Chaos Emeralds" as a type of fuel. The machine was connected to a treadmill device. The little hedgehog agreed to run on the treadmill to help power the machine. The machine overloaded and exploded. The Hedgehog and the scientist both survived. But the hedgehog was now.. blue. (???) And the scientist had merged with the machine to become: "Dr. Robotnik". Now, the machine ruined his lab and made him go.. crazy. Consumed with greed and a lust for power; Dr. Robotnik started to make robots out of the hedgehogs friends. The hedgehog vowed to stop him with his "Sonic-Speed". The more "Power Rings" -A waste product of the machines malfunction- that Sonic collected; the faster he could go. We see that aspect twisted around in the original cartoons. The Evil Dr. Robotnik used Sonics friends to work his evil machines. That's the idea of the first two games and the basis for the First two seasons of the cartoon; and the Pinball game. Sonic the Hedgehog: "Pocket Adventure" does not actually fit in that timeline; because that plot was "abandoned" in 3, Sonic CD, and then was radically altered in Sonic Adventure. Of course, the plot of the games was nothing important; because the main idea was to "go really fast". **************************************************************************** Gameplay Descripion: Does Sonic go really fast? Yes. That makes this game a bit fun. Of course. The levels are designed after Sonic 2; but there aren't many of them. There's seven levels that have been designed specifically for this game by the Sega team. I'm glad Sega designed it and not SNK. Sonic is best designed by his CREATORS. The Game.Com version was by Tiger... not the SEGA team. And it sucked. Face it, SEGA should always make Sonic. Just like Konami of Japan should always make Contra or Castlevania. No outside coders. Although.. I have a suspicion tht SNK translated some of the text; because the text in the endings is grammatically wrong. (Only a few lines of text and they STILL screw it up. Sigh.) The game has a "deja vu" feeling to it and there are no "repeating" sections in the levels like in the big Genesis versions. To keep you playing; there is a Time Attack mode, and "Puzzle Pieces" to find in the game. Because the game, while fun, is short. These keep it from being tossed back into the small pile of Neo Geo Pocket games too soon. There is a Two-Player Game Link Race mode. Collect a certain amount of rings or beat the level first. To be honest, the two player mode is limp. There is no way to "screw up" your opponent. Super Mario Bros. Deluxe has a race mode similar to this one; but you can screw up your opponent and that makes it more fun. This two-player mode is simplistic and rather dull. But, the Genesis games had a two-player mode like this.. and it too was dull. Oh, well. The puzzle pieces are a big help; because there are a LOT of them and you need to search for them. Not bad. Then, you need to use the pieces to create a picture. When you get the picture completed, you get to see it in full color and that's cool. You can also open up various secrets when you complete a puzzle. You can also collect the Chaos Emeralds -seven in the game- to earn the BEST ending. It has all the makings of an excellent game; but the game lacks a few "little details" that make it seem like less of a Sonic game and more like the "Sonic Memorial" it is. One qualm is the lack of real "puzzles". Sonic the Hedgehog -the first one- and the following game had sections where you needed to push items. After beating the game fairly quickly (Sigh... it's easier than the other games.) and finding tons of the items; I'm a little sad that the game didn't employ any of the little "pushing" puzzles the other ones have. I also miss the levels where something CHASED you. Lava, walls, fire.. NONE of that is here. The bosses are familiar and there is no plot. Knuckles and Mech Sonic make cameos. Knuckles is missing his theme though! There are brief references to the other games; and that is pretty cool. But, for the most part... the game is missing a lot of level design elements. Those design elements make it more of a "Sonic: Diet Edition" to me. It'll do; but it is in no way a substitute to playing the original games. It's also very easy. The Puzzle pieces add an exploration aspect to it and that is cool. But, it's like reading a good book with pages missing. Liked: It's Sonic and it plays -for the most part- like a Sonic game! Hated: Dull two-player mode; and it feels like it is MISSING something. **************************************************************************** Graphics Description: Does Sonic look good? Yes. Despite clipping, and the occasional sprite slowdown. Sonic has less than 30 frames of animation and he has a four frame run. But, who cares. The game is fast. Although the games foreground graphics look "16-Bit". Those backgrounds need work. They barely move, and they are simple in color. Oh, well. A lot of the sprites in the game are two color. Why is that? Those little animals and a lot of enemies are "mono-chromatic" -read: two colors-. But, the bosses look good. Sonic and friends are based on their Dreamcast counterparts. Sonic looks rather bland. A bit light in color. And not as "blue" as his Game Gear incarnation. A lot of people I know compare this game to the Game Gear versions; but they shouldn't. The backgrounds in the Game Gear versions actually moved. Knuckles looks cool. The endings looks cool too. Those "3-D" bonus levels are back from Sonic 2 and they look good. I think the game is in no way "pushing the NGPC". It seems like they don't know enough about the hardware to give us a better looking game. It looks great; but I think it could have, and SHOULD have looked better. Liked: It looks good! Hated: And it looks like it is being held back. Why is it that the NGPC and it's games seem to be "purposely under-powered"? Come on! They have the power to create fantastic looking games.. USE IT. **************************************************************************** Sound/Music Description: The music is good; but it doesn't FIT the levels. All the music is from other Sonic games; but it doesn't FIT! Darn! I hated the Angel Island Music.. and it's in the first levels; when there SHOULD be that cooler music from Sonic 2! What is up with that? The sound effects are nothing special; but they work. The music is very good; but it doesn't FIT. Oh, listen to this music in HEADPHONES. Don't even dare playing it through that crappy front speaker. Use headphones. Liked: Great music.. Hated: ..that doesn't FIT the levels. **************************************************************************** Play Control/Game Design: Play Control is a little tough at first; because you need to get used to that "irritating stick". But, the controls are well done. The game seems thrown together though. Not a lot of thought went into it; except for that Puzzle Piece gimmick. It seems like Sega said: "Well... you link to us.. so I guess we can make you a game". It is fun; but it feels half-hearted and slack in sections. Liked: Good play control. Hated: Half-hearted game design. **************************************************************************** Improve: All the small things. More levels. FITTING music. The ability to play as Tails or Knuckles. (Come on... why not? They show up in the game and I want to play as them!) RIYL: Sonic! **************************************************************************** Final Words: If you own a Neo Geo Pocket Color; get this. It's pretty cool. But.. for me.. well.. I was a little disappointed. Let us hope for a sequel. **************************************************************************** Score Gameplay: **** Graphics: ****(1/2) Sound/Music: **** Play Control/Game Design: **** Personal Opinion: **** Total: 20.5 out of 25 Final Score: 82% **************************************************************************** Currently Known Codes: Nope. ;)