Sonic the Hedgehog Chaos^[a] is a 1993 side-scrolling platform video game published by Sega for the Master System and Game Gear. Players control Sonic the Hedgehog and his sidekick Miles 'Tails' Prower in their quest to retrieve the Chaos Emeralds from Dr. Robotnik, who has stolen them to construct nuclear weapons. Gameplay involves running through stages, collecting rings, and defeating enemies. It is largely based on the Master System version of Sonic the Hedgehog 2, and is thus considered a follow-up to that game. Chaos also marks the debut of Tails as a playable character on the Game Gear.

Developed by Japanese studio Aspect Co., Chaos is the first original Sonic game made for a handheld, instead of a port or remake of an already-existing game. Based on their prior experience on producing Sonic games, Aspect had a far better grasp on how to design Chaos, and were able to build on its predecessors mechanics and make the gameplay generally faster. Chaos received a generally positive reception initially, with its levels and gameplay being praised, however in recent years it has gained a more average response for its unimpressive presentation and levels being of lackluster quality, alongside its slow framerate. A direct sequel, Sonic the Hedgehog: Triple Trouble, was released in 1994.

You may also like these Sega Master System ROMs. Black Belt: Alex Kidd in Shinobi World: Fantasy Zone: Fantasy Zone - The Maze.or these Sega Master System Action/Platform ROMs! Alex Kidd in Miracle World: Sonic the Hedgehog 2: Sonic Chaos: Astro-Warrior & Pit Pot. The Sega Game Gear is a handheld video game console manufactured by Sega.It competed with Nintendo's Game Boy.Introduced in 1990 as a portable Sega Master System, it lasted from 1990 to 1997. There were twelve Sonic games released for the system that have been ported to later games released by Sega, such as Sonic Adventure DX: Director's Cut, Sonic Gems Collection and Sonic Mega Collection. The inaugural game in Sega's flagship series sees you take control of a blue hedgehog known as Sonic. Sonic the Hedgehog infused conventional platforming with thrilling speed.

Gameplay[edit]

In Sonic Chaos, players control one of two characters — Sonic the Hedgehog or his sidekick Miles 'Tails' Prower — and must complete each of the game's eight worlds in a quest to retrieve the Chaos Emeralds from the evil scientist Dr. Robotnik, who plots to use them to rule the world.^[1] Each world, referred to as 'zones' ingame, consists of two stages and a boss fight with Robotnik. Levels are designed to allow the player to move as quickly as possible, and are largely based on those in its precursor Sonic the Hedgehog 2. Gameplay itself involves running through each level while collecting rings and defeating Robotnik's robotic minions; rings protect Sonic and Tails from being hit by an enemy or obstacle. Levels also contain small television monitors that can be smashed to reveal a power-up icon, which grant Sonic and Tails with unique abilities, such as speed shoes, a one-hit shield, and extra lives.

Chaos adds several new editions to the core Sonic gameplay. Both characters have their own unique characteristics; Sonic can perform a move called the 'Super Peel-Out', originally in Sonic CD, that makes him move extra fast, while Tails is able to fly and can hover over traps and other obstacles. Sonic can collect a new power-up called the 'Rocket Shoes', which grant him the ability to fly for a short period of time; Tails is unable to use this, and will simply be granted extra rings if he were to smash a monitor containing Rocket Shoes. If Sonic collects 100 rings in a level, he will be teleported to a 'Special Stage', where completing it will award him with a Chaos Emerald, an item needed to unlock the best ending.

Development and release[edit]

Sonic Chaos was developed by Japanese studio Aspect Co., being the third Sonic the Hedgehog game they produced, and published by Sega for the Master System and Game Gear.^[2]Chaos is largely based on the Master System version of Sonic the Hedgehog 2, and is thus considered a follow-up or successor to that game.^[3] With Aspect's prior experience on producing Sonic games, they had a better idea on how to design Chaos, and thus were able to greatly expand upon its predecessors in both design and visuals.^[4][5] For the same reason, they were also able to make the game run faster.^[4][5]Chaos is both the first original Sonic game for a handheld system, and the first to feature Tails as a unique playable character.^[3]

Sonic Chaos was released for the Master System on October 25, 1993, and for the Game Gear on November 19 to coincide with the release of Sonic CD.^[4][6] In Japan, it was titled Sonic & Tails.^[6]Chaos is included as an extra in the GameCube version of Sonic Adventure DX: Director's Cut (2003) as one of the eleven unlockable Sonic Game Gear games, and in Sonic Mega Collection Plus (2005) for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, and PC.^[7] In 2009, it was digitally-released for the Wii Virtual Console in North America.^[8]Sonic Chaos is also included in the blue-colored model of the Game Gear Micro in 2020, alongside Gunstar Heroes, Sylvan Tale and Baku Baku Animal.^[9]

Reception and legacy[edit]

Sonic Chaos initially received a positive response from publications. The four reviewers of Electronic Gaming Monthly commented that the Game Gear version retains all the elements that made the 16-bit Sonic games fun to play. They also praised the graphics and the ability to play as Tails.^[10]Sonic Chaos was awarded Best Game Gear Game of 1993 by Electronic Gaming Monthly.^[13]Entertainment Weekly gave the game an A- and wrote that the game may be enjoyable for younger children.^[12] In their review for Sonic Mega Collection Plus, GameSpy felt that both it and the 8-bit Sonic the Hedgehog were the only Game Gear games in the series that are worth playing.^[14]

In later years, Chaos was met with a more average reception. Nintendo Life criticized the Master System version for being a generally uninspired game, criticizing its difficulty for being too easy and its level designs for being bland and mediocre.^[11] Retrospectively in 2019, Hardcore Gaming 101 gave a rather mixed response to the game; they felt disappointed with the gameplay and stage designs for lacking the uniqueness and puzzle-solving in Sonic the Hedgehog 2, and disliked its slow framerate.^[15] They were also critical of the soundtrack for being generally lacking in quality and for the overall presentation being unimpressive.^[15]Hardcore Gaming 101 said that Chaos was only worth checking out for dedicated Sonic fans writing: 'Sonic Chaos is by no means a bad game, but it’s not a particularly great game either. It’s a functional platformer that’s only worth checking out if you’re really into 8-bit Sonic games, or have an interest in a traditional Sonic platformer with a bigger focus on exploration.'^[15]

A fan-maderemake of Sonic Chaos was announced in 2018, and a demo was released in August 2018. It features 16-bit era-styled graphics, as well as new game mechanics and boss fights. VG247 described the project as 'incredibly well produced' and wrote it could 'pass for the next project from Sega after Sonic Mania.'^[16]

Notes[edit]

1. ^Released in Japan as Sonic & Tails (Japanese: ソニック& (アンド)テイルス, Hepburn: Sonikku ando Teirusu).

References[edit]

1. ^Sonic the Hedgehog Chaos PAL Instruction Manual. Sega. 1993. pp. 8–10.
2. ^Parish, Jeremy (June 5, 2014). 'Who Makes the Best Sonic the Hedgehog Games?'. USgamer. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on March 1, 2020. Retrieved March 6, 2018.
3. ^ ^abThorpe, Nick (22 March 2014). 'The History of Sonic on the Master System'. Retro Gamer (179).
4. ^ ^abcRonaghan, Neal (June 21, 2013). 'Grinding Game Gears: An Overview of Sonic's Portable Origins'. Nintendo World Report. Archived from the original on 9 May 2019. Retrieved March 7, 2018.
5. ^ ^ab'Sonic Chaos'. Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 52. November 1993. p. 148.
6. ^ ^ab'[セガハード大百科] ゲームギア対応ソフトウェア（ライセンシー発売）' (in Japanese). Sega. Archived from the original on November 6, 2019. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
7. ^Bramwell, Tom (11 May 2005). 'Sonic Mega Collection Plus'. Eurogamer. Gaming Network. Archived from the original on 16 October 2019. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
8. ^Chester, Nick (2 February 2009). 'Wii Shop Update: Snowboard Riot, LONPOS, and Sonic Chaos'. Destructoid. Archived from the original on 26 September 2009. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
9. ^Byford, Sam (October 16, 2020). 'Game Gear Micro Review: Peak Sega'. The Verge. Retrieved November 4, 2020.
10. ^ ^ab'Review Crew: Sonic Chaos'. Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 54. Sendai Publishing. January 1994. p. 52.
11. ^ ^abNintendo Life Staff (3 February 2009). 'Sonic Chaos Review (SMS)'. NintendoLife. Archived from the original on 3 May 2019. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
12. ^ ^abStrauss, Bob (February 11, 1994). 'Sonic CD; Sonic Chaos; Sonic Spinball; Sonic 3 reviews'. Entertainment Weekly. No. 209. Meredith Corporation. Archived from the original on 2018-09-05. Retrieved 2020-02-29.
13. ^'Electronic Gaming Monthly's Buyer's Guide'. 1994.Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
14. ^Baker, Chris (November 1, 2004). 'GameSpy: Sonic Mega Collection Plus'. GameSpy. p. 2. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
15. ^ ^abcChungus, Apollo (18 July 2019). 'Sonic Chaos'. Hardcore Gaming 101. Archived from the original on 25 November 2019. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
16. ^Donaldson, Alex (August 28, 2018). 'The Sonic community just released a slew of amazing fangame demos'. VG247. Archived from the original on August 28, 2018. Retrieved August 29, 2018.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2^[a] is a 1992 platform game developed by Aspect and published by Sega for the Master System and Game Gear. The game is a sequel to the Master System/Game Gear title Sonic the Hedgehog, and follows the titular character Sonic as he attempts to rescue his friend Tails and all of the island's animals from the villainous Doctor Robotnik. The gameplay is based on traversing a number of levels while collecting gold rings and attacking enemies. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 was met with critical acclaim, with reviewers praising the visuals and gameplay while criticizing the high difficulty. In 1993, a sequel, Sonic Chaos, was released.

As the game was released before the Sega Genesis version, it represents the debut of character Tails, who would become a mainstay in the series. Whilst the Master System version of the game was not initially released outside Europe and Brazil, it later become available worldwide following its release on the Wii's Virtual Console in 2008.

Gameplay[edit]

Like the previous games, players control Sonic the Hedgehog as he makes his way through each of the game's seven zones, fighting against various badniks and overcoming deadly obstacles. By collecting rings, Sonic can protect himself from damage against enemies and obstacles (with the exception of pitfalls and drowning), with extra lives earned for collecting 100 rings. Unlike the previous 8-bit title, Sonic is now able to recollect some of his rings for a limited time after being hit. Other technical improvements allow Sonic to smash through certain walls and run through loops. Also added to this iteration are gameplay mechanics unique to certain zones, such as riding a mine cart, using a hang glider to glide across the air, skimming across the surface of water and floating inside giant bubbles to reach higher areas. Unlike the previous game, the game no longer features the Shield and Restart Marker items, so if Sonic loses a life, he must restart at the very beginning of the act.

Each of the game's seven zones consist of three acts, the third of which consists of a boss battle (most of which now consist of animal-based robots as opposed to direct confrontations with Dr. Robotnik) in which the player is not given any rings to collect. At the end of each of the first two acts, players can potentially earn bonuses such as additional rings, lives and continues by fulfilling certain criteria upon hitting the act's goal post, such as having a specific amount of rings. In the first five zones, a Chaos Emerald is hidden somewhere within the second act. These five emeralds, along with a sixth earned from defeating the sixth zone's boss, are required to access the game's seventh zone and ultimately achieve the game's good ending by defeating the game's final boss. Otherwise, the game will end after the sixth zone, with Sonic unable to rescue Tails.

Plot[edit]

South Island has been peaceful since Dr. Robotnik's defeat. Sonic, bored, decides to go on a journey in search of other adventures. Upon his return, he is shocked to find the island nearly abandoned. The only clue as to where all his friends might have disappeared to was Tails being chased by Dr. Robotnik. Sonic chases after him, but he is too late to save Tails. Sonic finds out that he's been kidnapped by Dr. Robotnik and is being held in a place called Crystal Egg. The price for Tails' safe return are the 6 Chaos Emeralds, to be delivered to 6 new boss robots. Thus, Sonic goes on a quest to find the Chaos Emeralds and rescue Tails.

Development and release[edit]

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 received preview coverage in the October 1992 issue of GamePro.^[1]

The Game Gear's lower screen resolution results in the Game Gear version having a smaller visible screen area than the Master System edition, causing some fans^[who?] to consider the Game Gear version the more challenging title. For example, when facing the boss of the Under Ground Zone, the reduced screen area either side of Sonic gives the player less time to react to hazards moving onto the screen. Other bosses were also affected: the Green Hills Zone battle takes place in a smaller, steeper arena; there is a 3rd chute which cannot be seen while fighting Robotnik in the final Crystal Egg stage.

The music for the intro sequence is also different. The Game Gear version uses the Scrambled Egg Zone music for the scene showing Robotnik escaping with the captive Tails and the Master System intro music for the title. The boss music is also different between the two versions. The Master System version used a single theme for the endings while a new good ending theme was added for the Game Gear version.

The Game Gear version also features dark blue (instead of green) water in the second Act of the Aqua Lake Zone, and omits the game's only 'Speed Shoes' item box, which may be found only in the Master System version of this stage; instead, in the Game Gear version there is a Ring item box in said power-up's original location, thus rendering the item unused in said port.

The game's music was written by Naofumi Hataya and Masafumi Ogata, with Tomonori Sawada, in his first game project, contributing the theme for Crystal Egg Zone. Hataya and Ogata would later collaborate to compose the original soundtrack for Sonic the Hedgehog CD, with Ogata's theme for Green Hills Zone being used as the basis for Sonic CD's opening theme song 'Sonic - You Can Do Anything'.

The Game Gear version was included as an unlockable bonus in Sonic Adventure DX, released in 2003 for Nintendo GameCube and Windows, and as one of the games featured in the Sonic Gems Collection, released for GameCube and PlayStation 2 in 2005. The game was later re-released on Nintendo's Virtual Console service, with the Master System version released for the Wii Virtual Console in December 2008^[2] and the Game Gear version released for the Nintendo 3DSeShop in June 2013.^{[citation needed]}

Sonic 2 Sega Master System

Reception[edit]

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 for the Master System and Game Gear has been critically acclaimed since release. The Master System version received a positive review from Mean Machines, which described it as better than its predecessor and as 'one of the greatest Master System games of all time,' giving it an overall 95% score.^[5]Mega Zone gave this version an overall 93% score, with reviewer Steward Clark stating that it is 'radically different to the Mega Drive version' but still 'another winner!' He praised the 'superb gameplay' and described it as a 'classic in its own right.'^[6]Sega Force gave the Master System version a 92% score, noting that instead of 'trying to scale down the MD version,' Sega have 'opted for a totally different game — and well good it is, too!'^[7]

The Game Gear version received a positive review from GamePro staff writer The Unknown Gamer, focusing praise on both the gameplay and the impressive graphics for the small handheld console. It gave the game scores of 5 for graphics, 4 for sound, 4.5 for control, and 5 for overall fun factor.^[3]Sega Force gave the Game Gear version a 93% score, describing it as the 'most challenging' and 'toughest version of Sonic 2.'^[7] French magazine Mega Force also gave the game a positive review.^[12] In 1993, it was awarded as the Best Portable Game of 1992 by Electronic Gaming Monthly.^[11]

Reviewing the Master System version for its Virtual Console release, IGN gave the game a score of 8.0 out of 10. The reviewer Lucas M. Thomas stated that many Wii owners may 'erroneously assume that it's a technically inferior port of the Genesis classic with the same name. It's not.' He described the Master System game as 'entirely its own adventure' with its own 'unique elements like mine carts and hang gliders,' concluding that it is 'a hidden gem from Sonic's early years.'^[4]

Notes[edit]

1. ^Japanese: ソニック・ザ・ヘッジホッグ2 (ツー)Hepburn: Sonikku za Hejjihoggu Tsū

References[edit]

1. ^The Unknown Gamer (October 1992). 'Game Gear Preview: 2'. GamePro. No. 39. p. 114.
2. ^'Two WiiWare Games and One Virtual Console Game Added to Wii Shop Channel'. Nintendo of America. 2008-12-08. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved 2008-12-10.
3. ^ ^ab'Game Gear Pro Review: Sonic the Hedgehog 2'. GamePro. No. 44. March 1993. p. 164.
4. ^ ^abThomas, Lucas M. (December 9, 2008). 'Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Master System Version) Review: The name's the same, but it's a totally different game'. IGN. Archived from the original on 12 July 2012. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
5. ^ ^ab'Master System Review: Sonic the Hedgehog 2'. Mean Machines. No. 2. November 1992. p. 66. Archived from the original on 17 August 2013. Retrieved 3 February 2012.
6. ^ ^ab'Sonic the Hedgehog 2'. Mega Zone (25): 31–3. January 1993. Archived from the original on 17 August 2013. Retrieved 3 February 2012.
7. ^ ^abcd'Reviewed: Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Master System & Game Gear)'. Sega Force (12): 30–33. December 1992. Archived from the original on 17 July 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2012.
8. ^'Game Gear Guide'. Sega Force Mega. 2 (7): 78. January 1994.
9. ^'Master Market'. Sega Force Mega. 2 (7): 79–80 [80]. January 1994.
10. ^'Sega Master Force Issue 2'. Sega Master Force (2): 13. September 1993. Archived from the original on November 19, 2015. Retrieved November 19, 2015.
11. ^ ^ab'Electronic Gaming Monthly's Buyer's Guide'. 1993.Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
12. ^'Sonic 2'. Mega Force (13). January 1993. Archived from the original on 14 September 2014. Retrieved 9 February 2012.

Sonic 3 Sega Master System Download

External links[edit]

Sonic 3 Sega Master System Manual

• Sonic the Hedgehog 2 at MobyGames

Sonic 3 Sega Master System