

This is a completely different game than its 16-bit counterpart on the Genesis/Mega Drive, and was originally released on the Sega Game Gear and Master System. To stop the evil Dr. Robotnik, Sonic must traverse six zones consisting of three levels each. Most of the zones are based on those in the original game, but some are entirely new, including a jungle environment and a huge airship. Other unique differences are one level that scrolls automatically and one that is aligned vertically instead of horizontally. Most of the enemies (mechanized animals, defeated by Sonic's spikes when jumping or rolling) and power-ups (speed-ups, shields, extra lives) are the same as in the Genesis version as well. Sonic can pick up golden rings for protection (when hit, he simply loses all of his rings instead of a life) and bonuses: 100 rings gain Sonic an extra life, and 50 remaining rings at the end of a level allow access to pinball-themed special stages full of bumpers and springs. The final level of a zone is always a boss fight against Robotnik. Some of the boss fights differ in the Master System and Game Gear versions of the game, with special designs for the handheld version due to the smaller visible screen area. Sonic should also collect the six Chaos Emeralds to keep them from falling into Robotnik's hands. In a departure from the original game, these are not hidden in the special stages but somewhere in the regular levels.
Log it
Sign in to log this.
Character
Plot-driven, earnest, resolved and cool.
- character-ledplot-driven
- earnestironic
- resolvedopen-ended
- cooloverwhelming
- unpretentiousprestige
Who loves it, who doesn't
No profiled raters yet.
Where do you stand?
Answer first; then see how everyone, and your circle, split.
“Is the nostalgia doing the heavy lifting?”
Sign in to answer.
Be the first to answer.
“Is Sonic the Hedgehog better than Streets of Rage 2?”
Sign in to answer.
Be the first to answer.
“Is Sonic the Hedgehog a masterpiece, not merely a very good game?”
Sign in to answer.
Be the first to answer.
Ask the title
A yes-or-no question, answered from what people wrote here, on TMDB and on Wikipedia. Never made up.
Reviews
No reviews yet.
About the game
- Platforms
- Wii, Sega Game Gear, Sega Master System/Mark III
- Developer
- Ancient
- Publisher
- Sega
- Released
- October 8, 1991
- Modes
- Single player
- Perspective
- Side view
- Engine
- Custom Engine
- Time to beat
- 1 h completionist
IGDB rating 8.2/10 from 54 ratings.
Screenshots
Similar in taste
Closest on the same fourteen dimensions, from everything scored on Curator Co. Other media included when they land close.
Sonic Advance 200188% alikeBoth earnest, plot-driven, resolved.
Dig Dug: Digging Strike 200586% alikeBoth plot-driven, earnest, resolved.
Mighty Bomb Jack 198685% alikeBoth plot-driven, earnest, resolved.
Super Mario Land 198984% alikeBoth plot-driven, earnest, resolved.
Star Wars Pinball 201983% alikeBoth plot-driven, earnest, cool.
Frogger: Ancient Shadow 200583% alikeBoth plot-driven, earnest, resolved.
Both plot-driven, earnest, resolved.
Both earnest, plot-driven, resolved.
The New Avengers 197670% alikeSeries · Both resolved, earnest, cool.
Jack the Giant Killer 196269% alikeFilm · Both earnest, resolved, plot-driven.
Often played with
Similar games per IGDB. Opening one adds it to Curator Co.










