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| CORBIE'S BLOG <- REVIEWS <- CONTACT |
| Sonic CD Publisher: Sega Release Date: November 1993 Genre: Side-Scroller     |
 Sonic is once again chasing after the evil Dr. Robotnik, only this time he's chasing him through time. Not only does the game have levels that take place in the present time, it also contains alternate versions of each level that take place in the past and the future. It's going to take everything the old blue hedgehog's got to catch the evil doctor this time around. Graphically Sonic CD is probably the best looking of the 16-bit releases. Making great use of the Sega CD's additional graphical processing power, the scenery really comes alive. In fact, there's so much good stuff going on onscreen at once, that occasionally you'll see a small amount of slowdown, although it's very minor and doesn't occur very often. The polygon processing power of the Sega CD really lends itself to the blocky-type backgrounds in the Sonic games, and you won't see a better looking 16-bit Sonic game. Another thing I really liked about Sonic CD was the clever use of bright colors. The many levels of the game really jump off the screen. If ever there was a game that just seems to belong on the Sega CD system, it's got to be this one. As with any Sega CD release, you expect to see the trademark animated sequences, not to mention the CD-quality soundtrack and Sonic CD doesn't dissapoint on either account. There may not be a lot of animated sequences, but the ones you do get are top notch. The music in the game is quite a bit different from the tunes found in the other Sonic games, but it has a lot of personality and features some really outstanding tunes, including several versions of a song complete with a beautiful female singer. There will be Sonic purists that will argue that the soundtrack in Sonic CD strays too much from the norm, but I think it's the best of the bunch. Gameplay in Sonic CD is one area that sticks pretty close to the other titles, with the exception of the "Past" and "Future" signs. If Sonic touches one of these signs, he can then get up to supersonic speed and he'll be warped to where the corresponding sign points to, that being the past or the future. This allows you to finish levels in different ways thus affecting the outcome of the game. It may seem a little far-fetched, but it really adds a nice twist to an already outstanding game. In Sonic CD, you'll still find all the trademark loop-da-loops, and high speed action, complete with an end of area boss fight. All in all, Sonic CD will feel quite familiar to fans of the other Sonic titles, and as good as these titles are, that's a good thing. When all is said and done, Sonic CD is everything you could want in a Sonic game and more. The developers have made great use of the CD format, and managed to build a terrific Sonic game around it. It's nothing revolutionary, but it does stick to the "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" mentality. The bottom line is, if you're a Sonic fan, you absolutely must own this game. It's easily one of the best titles you can buy for the Sega CD system, and will keep any Sonic fan grinning ear to ear. |
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