The 8-Bit Classic Sonic Games (Master System/Game Gear, 1991-1996)

NOTE: This review is part 5 in a retrospective on the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. Feel free to read the other Sonic reviews I've done here - https://expithecat.blogspot.com/search/label/sonic%20retrospective

Before I ultimately moved on to Sonic Adventure, I kind of wanted to take a look at some other Sonic games. Maybe not every single one made between 1991 and 1999, but some of the spinoffs, lesser known titles in the series and… Sonic’s entries to the Master System and Game Gear.

The Sega Master System, released in North America in 1986, was Sega’s first console released outside of Japan and was their answer to the Nintendo Entertainment System. While the Masters System saw success in some countries, particularly in European countries and in Brazil - the latter of which oddly enough is still producing and selling the system - the Sega Master System really didn’t take off in North America and Japan and in those countries is really nowhere as remembered compared to the NES or Famicom. Then in 1991 Sega released their answer to the Game Boy - aka the Sega Game Gear, boasting a colored, backlit screen as opposed to the Game Boy’s green-ish looking monochrome screen. The Game Gear did see… some level of success, but it was nowhere to the levels of the Game Boy, largely due to a higher price tag and just being a massive battery hog of a console requiring 6 AA batteries for about 3-5 hours of gameplay. For some reason I’ve always had some interest in the Sega Game Gear especially but never picked one up because… well, y’know. Plus the fact that buying a Game Gear nowadays is a bit risky - a lot of the screens on the systems tend to go out and I honestly don’t know anything about screen repair or modding.

But anyway, with the release of Sonic the Hedgehog in 1991, Sega also had plans to give those with their other systems a way to experience the blue blur even if they didn’t have a Genesis. And in 1991, Sega released Sonic the Hedgehog for the Sega Master System and Game Gear. But this wasn’t exactly the same game as the fast-paced platformer on the Genesis. And from there, the Game Gear would continue getting it’s own line of Sonic games separate from the Genesis titles with some Master System ports in regions like Europe and Brazil. And with me getting into reviewing the series, I figured it was a good time as any other to play through these games for myself mostly for the first time. I’m not gonna lie, I was originally planning to review these games individually but after playing all of them I kind of came to the conclusion that I don’t really have much to say about them to warrant their own review and honestly I didn’t really want to take the time and analyze each individual game so this review will be a lightning round of Sonic’s 8-bit titles.

Starting with…

Sonic the Hedgehog (Master System/Game Gear, 1991)

Now, as I said, 8-bit Sonic 1 isn’t the same game as it’s 16-bit counterpart. While three of the level themes are the same - Green Hill, Labyrinth and Scrap Brain - the rest of the game’s level themes are more unique to this game with the inclusion of Bridge Zone, Jungle Zone, and Sky Base, and even then the levels themselves are pretty much completely different with their own level design and whatnot. Jungle Zone I think is pretty nice, especially with it’s upbeat music and Sky Base Zone is a decent final level, although I find Bridge Zone aesthetically a bit too same-y as Green Hill and the second act of it is an auto-scroller which is a sin in Sonic games. Labyrinth Zone and Scrap Brain zone also have completely new soundtracks which are actually pretty damn good - Labyrinth Zone in particular I actually find better than the Genesis counterpart.

But going back to what I said about the game’s levels being different, I kind of get the impression that this game is a lot more “simplified” than it’s 16 bit counterpart. I get the impression that the Master System and Game Gear really couldn’t handle the complex level design and high speeds of Sonic the Hedgehog, and as far as level design goes, I feel like this game is a lot more platform-heavy and “flat” compared to the Genesis game. And to be honest, I find this game’s level design to be very… plain. It does have the occasional “fast” element here and there but there’s literally no loop de loops in the game and even slopes are a bit sparse here. They are also somewhat designed around the exploration of Chaos Emeralds. Unlike in the Genesis game where you have to get them via a Special Stage here there’s one hidden in each zone. But I kind of feel that the level design in this game is a lot more shallow than in the Genesis and in general nowhere near as interesting to me. Granted, I can cut it slack because this was a less powerful console and they probably didn’t know how to translate the Genesis-esque level design to it, but I find Sonic 1 8-bit’s levels to just be kind of forgettable in general and I think even later Game Gear titles would translate more Sonic-y level design to the 8-bit platform.

And I think that’s just how I feel about Sonic 1 8-bit in general. It’s really not a bad game for what it was, but it’s definitely a more watered down Sonic game for the Master System and Game Gear to me and after playing it through once with all the Chaos Emeralds… I really just don’t find any desire to really go back to it or anything, it just kind of “exists” to me. The game in general is pretty easy, and while the levels are a bit more designed for looking for the emeralds, I feel like the pay-off for getting them is kind of lacking - all you really get is a slightly different ending (just like in the 16-bit Sonic 1) and some extra points and that’s about it.

I think overall, I’d say Sonic 1 8-bit is a game that is an enjoyable romp and definitely a good alternative for those who only had a Master System or wanted to take a Sonic game on the go with the Game Gear, but it’s just not too interesting to me overall and is a game that kind of just don’t really feel like going back to any time soon.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Master System/Game Gear, 1992)

Now, this game on the other hand, I think is a bit more interesting, although it has a few things keeping me from calling it a “great” Sonic game in general. In terms of level design this game is easily more interesting compared to it’s predecessor and is closer to what I’m looking for in the level design of a Sonic game. It just feels like there’s more “action” here and just more going on in general. Each stage also has it’s own unique theme except for Green Hills which… I guess is technically different since there’s an S at the end but… come on.

Compared to it’s Genesis counterpart, it also features a different story with a… slightly darker tone actually. In this game, Tails gets kidnapped by Robotnik and in order to save him Sonic must collect all of the emeralds. Like in it’s predecessor, there’s one emerald hidden in each zone that you must collect to get the good ending. I will say I definitely feel a bit more inclined to 100% this game here with it’s story context and the fact that emeralds are needed for the last level, and if you don’t collect all the emeralds Tails…

...dies?

Honestly I don’t think that was the whole intention that Sega was going for with this game but it is… something when you beat this game without the emeralds and you see Tails in the sky in the very last scene of the game.

That said, I find hunting for emeralds in this game to be kind of a pain in the ass. I mean, there’s a couple stages where finding them is pretty simple, especially with the help of a walkthrough or something, but then there’s Sky High which is put into an area that requires a few extremely precise jumps and I really couldn’t help but feel it was annoying to get some emeralds in a few cases.

So, that’s one issue I have with the game, but I think another, and probably the biggest issue I have is that this game feels a bit more gimmicky in some areas and in my playthrough of the game there were definitely times where I couldn’t help but feel annoyed at the game due to some trial-and-error design or gimmicks that just don’t work that well. Going back to Sky High, this level easily has the worst of it with these hang gliders. I feel like no matter what I did with these, I could not control them for the life of me and it just felt like pure luck when I was able to get past a certain part with them. It wouldn’t be an issue if they were optional but they’re required to navigate through some parts of the level and even after looking up other player’s tips on the stage I still could not figure out what I was supposed to do with them. Then there’s stuff like the floating air bubbles in Aqua Lake or the pipes in Scrambled Egg that often just led me to a death trap. I really don’t feel the extra gimmicks added much to the game other than just some extra annoyances with the game’s design.

But other than some of those frustrating aspects, I can definitely say that I find Sonic 2 8-bit to be an improvement over the first 8-bit game and I can see it as a solid Sonic title.

That is, of course, when you’re talking about the Master System version.

The Game Gear version, on the other hand, has probably the worst case of screen crunch I have ever seen in a game, where in doing so it made the game overall artificially harder and with the occasional annoyances I had with this game, the screen crunch in the Game Gear version manages to make it even worse. Unfortunately the Master System version didn’t come out in the US - only in Europe and Brazil, and the Game Gear version is also the version that’s most commonly ported to other platforms. I’m pretty sure the only time I remember the Master System version being ported was the Wii Virtual Console, which is unfortunately now shut down, and it sucks because I definitely feel that the Game Gear version makes an otherwise decent game just a more frustrating experience.

Sonic Chaos (Master System/Game Gear, 1993)

Like Sonic 2 8-bit, this game did have a Master System version but it was only released in PAL regions whereas the Game Gear version is the one that made it worldwide. But I think unlike Sonic 1 8-bit and Sonic 2 8-bit, this game to me feels better designed for the Game Gear’s lower resolution screen, and I can say is closer to what I’m looking for in a Sonic game.

Like Sonic 2 8-bit, this game has a complete set of it’s own original levels, and considering the name of the game it’s the first Game Gear that doesn’t have a Genesis counterpart. Level design definitely feels “faster” in this game to me than in Sonic 1 8-bit, but doesn’t have the annoying gimmicks and whatnot that Sonic 2 8-bit has. I guess there is the pogo spring but frankly that really didn’t annoy me in the slightest especially compared to some of Sonic 2 8-bit’s BS. I will say, however, that this game is easy - probably one of the easiest Sonic games I’ve played. If difficulty is something that really matters to you then you’ll probably won’t dig this game too much unless you’re going for the Chaos Emeralds, but for me, I still got a kick out of this game regardless of the easy difficulty or not.

Granted, I don’t necessarily find this game perfect either. When it comes to collecting the Chaos Emeralds, it kind of has the same issue of Sonic 1 8-bit (and 16-bit for that matter) of just not giving you any sort of reward aside for a slightly different ending - no extra stage, final boss or anything. And even from a story perspective I don’t really feel the game gives me any drive to try and get the Chaos Emeralds which is ironic considering the game’s title. You can’t even collect the Chaos Emeralds if you choose to play as Tails so there’s that too.

Another issue I had with the game was it’s final boss which I found to be frustrating and quite a difficulty spike from this otherwise painfully easy game. Maybe it’s just because the rest of the  game is a cakewalk but man did the final boss really trip me up with it’s projectiles that you have to avoid while dodging Robotnik.

That said, I feel like those issues are relatively minor compared to what I didn’t like about the first two 8-bit games, and I could see myself going back to this one in the future. There’s actually a fanmade reimagining of the game in the style of Sonic Mania, although from what I can tell there hasn’t been any updates about it since 2018. There is a demo of it though so I would suggest checking that out.

Sonic Triple Trouble (Game Gear, 1994)

But this is definitely the one I would consider to be the best out of the Game Gear games. It’s also the only one that doesn’t have a Master System port so I don’t know if that means anything.

But as someone who did enjoy Chaos, this game definitely feels like that game but better in every way. There’s definitely more in terms of story here - kind of taking after Sonic 3 & Knuckles - with Robotnik tricking Knuckles into working with him on top of using Fang the Sniper (or Nack the Weasel) to obtain all the chaos emeralds. Still not a particularly deep story, but there’s more than what the previous Game Gear titles had for sure, especially with the occasional in-game cutscenes that appear within the game.

I think in terms of level design, this comes probably the closest to what I’m looking for. Levels in this game are definitely bigger than those in Sonic Chaos and have a consistent pace to them that allows for more fast-paced gameplay, and levels generally utilize non-linear design with more extra pathways and whatnot that allow for some replayability and exploration. Definitely something I enjoyed a lot in the Genesis games, and it feels like this game tries to replicate that. This game does have a bit of a fetish for springs and some levels do have annoying aspects like the floating air bubbles in Tidal Plant a la Sonic 2 8-bit, but in general I didn’t really feel annoyed with this game’s level design or anything, and out of the Game Gear games it’s definitely the most balanced difficulty-wise even if it is still on the easy side.

Again though, the game is pretty short - longer than Chaos but still definitely on the short side. It is about what I would expect from an older handheld title though, especially considering the Game Gear’s garbage battery life so make of that what you will. You can collect the Chaos Emeralds for a good ending, and at the very least this games adds more on that front compared to Chaos with a few extra bosses in the form of Fang/Nack encounters, but they’re still pretty optional and once again I feel little drive to go ahead and collect them but from a gameplay and story perspective.

So yeah, I still do have a few minor gripes, but overall I would definitely consider this to be the best of the Game Gear games and probably the closest to what I like about the Genesis games even if it doesn’t quite meet that threshold.

Sonic Blast (Master System/Game Gear, 1996)

So now we get to the last Sonic game gear game and… unfortunately it ends on quite a low note.

I think one of the biggest aspects of this game to note is the graphics and… I guess technically they’re impressive - using pre-rendered sprites in the same fashion of Donkey Kong Country and Donkey Kong Land, but I think this is one of those cases where just because something is technically impressive doesn’t mean it’s good, and Sonic Blast’s graphics just do not look good. I don’t really know what it is, but the environments look so… drab and with the already established issues of the Game Gear’s low resolution, Sonic and Knuckles’ sprites take up a good amount of screen real estate, and overall I feel like the graphics just look bland and clunky to me.

But that’s the least of this game’s issues, obviously gameplay matter more than graphics and in terms of gameplay… I’m just going to be up front, it’s not good. The controls and physics of the game are just… off. The first level I found myself spin dashing to get through a loop only to get stopped by the wall of it. And this happened numerous times, it kind of felt like every time I spin dashed to get through a loop there was a 50/50 chance of me successfully making it or getting stuck on the wall.  Sonic moves way too sluggish and feels floaty throughout the entire game and I couldn’t help but feel the hit detection is a complete mixed bag as well. There were a lot of times in my play through where I felt like I either hit or got hit by an enemy even if I was jumping at the same enemy from the same angle or so. Truth be told, it’s kind of hard for me to explain controls and physics very well, but I’m sure others who have played it know what I mean.

The level design is also pretty bland in this game overall, but not too offensive or frustrating. That is, at least, what I thought before I played Blue Marine. And boy, this level has to be one of the worst levels I’ve ever played in a Sonic game. It suffers from extremely frustrating level design with gimmicks like water currents that push Sonic everywhere, an abundance of tubes and is a water level, which coupled with the game’s already bad controls and physics, becomes a complete nightmare when trying to control Sonic underwater. Truth be told, playing this level made me take a game I already considered D tier and moved it down to F tier - I disliked it that much. It may seem petty to downgrade a game like that based on only one level, but for one thing, Blue Marine is one out of only five levels the game has and two, it’s not like any of the other levels are good anyway. The final zone, Silver Castle, feels full of annoying enemy and hazard places and ends with an extremely lame boss fight.

There are Special Stages again, but they play in a pseudo-3D environment with little depth perception and on top of that Sonic controls sluggish here too. There is an extra boss if you collect all the emeralds, but I already decided that I didn’t want to play more of this game regardless. Overall, I didn’t really have high expectations for this game, but somehow this game went below that.

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Anyway, I actually did get some enjoyment out of playing through the Game Gear titles. I know there are others that I didn’t review here - Sonic Drift, Sonic Drift 2, Labyrinth, and even a couple Tails focused games, but I wanted to focus on the main platformers for now. Maybe I’ll check out the spinoffs at a later date.

Out of these, I would probably most suggest playing Chaos or Triple Trouble, but Sonic 1 8-bit is a decent title as well. Sonic 2 8-bit is also decent, but I would recommend playing the Master System version of the game through emulation if you’re planning to play the game. I’d probably just suggest playing all the games to form your own opinion on them, but I think those are the ones people will generally have the best time with if they haven’t already played them. I still don’t consider any of the games quite as great as the classic Genesis games, but for especially early 8-bit handheld titles, they were pretty fun. You can play Sonic 1 8-bit, Chaos and Blast through Mega Collection Plus, as well as the Game Gear version of Sonic 2 8-bit and Triple Trouble through Gems Collection, and you can buy all these on the 3DS eShop except for Chaos for whatever reason.

I should also say that unfortunately the Sega Master System of Sonic 2 8-bit hasn’t been made available elsewhere outside of the Wii Virtual Console, which has been shut down, so it’d probably be best to play that through emulation.

And ranking these games, I’d probably go like:

1. Sonic Triple Trouble

2. Sonic Chaos

3. Sonic 2 (SMS)

4. Sonic 1

5. Sonic 2 (GG)

6. Sonic Blast