Inspired by the Sky High zone from the Sonic the Hedgehog 2 game on the Master System. It’s such a cute game, I bet it’d look even better remastered haha so funny in a proper Genesis format. I mostly love Sonic’s adorable hang glider, I hope it’d make a comeback if we ever get a Mania 2!
There’s an era of Sonic the Hedgehog history that’s often overlooked, despite occurring at the height of Sonic’s popularity. Through out the 90′s Sega released a series of original Sonic the Hedgehog titles made specifically for Sega’s handheld Game Gear, some of which were ported to the Master System.
These games were released alongside their Sega Genesis counterparts, but weren’t watered down ports. Instead these were completely original games that played to the strengths of Sega’s 8-bit systems. For a lot of people, especially in markets where the Master System dominated, these were the definitive Sonic games.
Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic the Hedgehog was released for the Master System and Game Gear in October of 1991, several months after the release of the Genesis version. While the two titles share the same name and several stages, they’re two separate games entirely. The 8-bit version lacks a lot of the graphical flourishes of the 16-bit version, but accurately recreates the gameplay and physics to a degree.
The game is slower-paced than the Genesis version, with a higher focus on platforming rather than speed. While there are special stages in this version, the Chaos Emeralds are found in the stages themselves. Special stages offer the player the chance to rack up lives and continues, which are desperately needed as this game can be unforgiving.
As a side note, the music from the stage Bridge Zone may have been the inspiration for the 2001 Janet Jackson song Together Again. This wouldn’t be the first time a member of the Jackson family was tangled with Sonic the Hedgehog, as Michael Jackson famously agreed to compose the soundtrack for Sonic 3 only to be let go in the face of allegations of sexual misconduct.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 was released in 1992 on Master System and Game Gear, alongside its Genesis counterpart. While the first 8-bit Sonic game had a slight resemblance to the 16-bit version, this one is practically its own game entirely. While the Genesis version was marketed entirely around the inclusion of Tails as a playable character, he’s nearly completely absent from the Game Gear and Master System versions.
The game opens with a cutscene featuring Tails being kidnapped by Robotnik, setting up the story of the game. Each level begins with a title card that features Tails alongside Sonic, but the game is a solo venture for the blue hedgehog. If you don’t beat the game with all of the Chaos Emeralds you get a bad ending where Sonic looks up in the sky to see Tails in a constellation of stars, implying Sonic’s failure lead to his demise.
Another silly piece of music trivia, the music from the stage Green Hills Zone was re-purposed as “Sonic - You Can Do Anything” in the Japanese and European versions of Sonic CD. Both games share the same composer - Naofumi Hataya.
Sonic Chaos
Sonic Chaos, or Sonic & Tails in Japan, was released in 1993 for the Master System and Game Gear. By 1993 Sega had thrown the branding convention out the window and decided the next 8-bit Sonic game would stand on its own. Chaos launched alongside Sonic CD, establishing the handheld titles as separate from the titles they’re commonly released with.
Correcting the errors of the previous game and living up to its Japanese title, Sonic Chaos finally allows you to play as Tails in an 8-bit game. It also includes the Spin Dash, which both previous titles lacked, and the Super Peel-Out which was introduced in Sonic CD.
Chaos also changes things by introducing a completely different art style than previous games. Instead of everything looking flat, now everything has an almost 3D pop to it. This was likely to imitate what could be done on the Genesis hardware, as by 1993 the Master System was already long past its expiration date in North America and Japan.
While the focus of this was supposed to be on “handheld” Sonic games, I actually played the Master System versions of the games for a few reasons. Namely the Master System offers a slightly higher resolution than the Game Gear, resulting in more screen area. The games are largely the same between the two, but I felt it was important to point this out.
It may seem like the console titles are the most important Sonic games, but we’ll see that the handheld lineage can be just as strong.
Where to Buy
Sonic the Hedgehog (8-bit) (Game Gear, Master System)
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (8-bit) (Game Gear, Master System)
