Sonic CD

So...Let me show you what I got out of the Steam Summer Sale.

[size=+1]Sonic CD[/size]​

Ah! Sonic! My childhood is in sitting with a Mega Drive controller in my hands racing my friends to the finishing line. Nothing has more nostalgia for me than when I switch on my modest little Mega Drive Mark 1 and play a little Sonic 2. Ah! Sonic 2, when things were simple...

Sonic CD on the other hand...Yeah, you've likely heard of it but not played it. And it's not that surprising considering it's history in the grand scheme of gaming. Why? Well, I'd need to actually delve into that history a bit but that stuff has been done over and over by other reviewers. So, I won't just spout it. I'll do so in limerick form!

This game was on the Sega CD
Released here in 1993
It was largely pointless
And needed to cost less
And ended up as a rest for your coffee

You see the thing was a joke
The Saturn was your bloke
With more instore
This was a bore
So Sega's plan for life was broke

But Sega seem hellbent on getting in on the PC market too. Even their older stuff. Hence, this Steam version.

Anyway, of the 220 odd titles in the library, Sonic CD is probably one of the most basic from what I've seen of them. In that the Full Motion Video technology touted then as the future. What is Full Motion Video? It's just a video that get's played during game play. Well, it was impressive at the time considering cutscenes were done with sprites instead of video and pretty much all of the Sega CD games have some video in them somewhere and Sonic is no exception.

And you know what? It makes sense here. Your first thing you get to see is a little animated thing of Sonic running around and some music. Those expecting 'Sonic Boom' or something like it will be sorely disappointed because the game is automatically set to the original Japanese music for some reason. Well, that can be set to USA stuff and it looks really good. It's fast paced, pretty if showing it's age a little and actually serves the purpose of showing you Robotnik's latest mechanical monstrosity. It's a neat little extra before you go back to the world of sprites. There are a lot of Sega CD games that use the whole FMV thing too much but these guys seem rather reserved with it.

So! How about game play? Well, take the classic engine and formula of Sonic 3 and add a couple of bits. Seriously, if you've played a 16-bit Sonic game in your life, you'll know what this game feels like. However, there's two bits they've added.

Number One is that Sonic can now perform a Super Peel-Out. While that is one of the weirdest names for a move I've ever heard, it's basically a faster alternative to your Spin Dash. While your Spin Dash will let you roll away at speed, the Super Peel-Out is much, much faster. The only problem is that you're not in your ball and are therefore vulnerable. It's an interesting trade off between speed and security. Usually, I'll curl up into a ball when at speed to avoid being damaged by anything. However, rushing forwards while upright just for the speed is handy but needs a little care.

Number Two is Time Travel. Seriously, Sonic CD is about time travel. There's some gobbledygook about these Time Stone thingies which are basically the Chaos Emeralds but they cause time anomalies. Also, it makes it really easy to jump around in time. Robotnik has taken advantage of this little world using these time travel abilities. How it all works is that all Sonic has to do is pick a time destination from the Past or Future signposts all over the level and then maintain a constant high speed. He'll start sparkling and then suddenly flash back or forwards in time if you can keep that speed up.

So, yeah. Sonic travels through time in the same way the Delorean Time Machine from Back to the Future manages it. Slow down and you kill your chance to travel at all.

And, you know what? It's as confusing as all hell! The time travel stuff makes things way more complicated. Not only do you know have to get through the level in one piece but you now have to time travel back to the past to destroy the machines making badniks in the present but also robotizing the future. Without a manual, visual clue or even a little tutorial.

Umm...Sega! I'm not Uri Geller! Bending spoons and reading your mind are pretty different things anyway. Tell me what you want me to do with your new mechanic before you let me loose with it because otherwise, I'm likely going to ignore it. You can't assume time travel will fit neatly into the Sonic formula. As it turns out, it's as intuitive as trying to eat peas with a slinky! Add the manual to the Steam version! They do let you do it!

Anyhoo, you have to destroy two machines that are hidden in every stage and then get to the end. And I mean every single one without a boss in it somewhere or you don't get the Good Ending where Robotnik has been truly boxed back. What's even worse is that finding a Past signpost, travelling back and then managing to find the end is such a pain! Especially if you accidentally hit a Future post too.

And while I'm talking about the Future in this game, you'll never want to go there. If you're looking to complete this game, there is no point to going there. There's more enemies and little worth finding, as far as I can tell. Remember; this game doesn't come with any manuals or anything like that, for some reason. At least, not on the Steam version.

Travelling back only works if you maintain your speed. Maintaining your speed needs a large stretch of land without anything in it. While plenty of levels have parts designed to bounce you around in order to gain enough speed to zip back but I've still found it a great pain in later levels. Especially the compulsory water level. Trying to get some speed down there is impossible. Then you have to find the machines and smash them both. Then you get to the goal.

It's exhausting. If you're going to play this now in 2013, use a level map. Your sanity demands it.

Oh! And remember the Time Stones? You have to collect all of those. All seven of them!

To collect the stones, you have to find 50 rings then get to the end. Just like in the original game, you then jump in the magic ring. Then, you have to jump around a 3D environment to destroy UFO's.

Well, it makes as much sense as running through a half-pipe or around a giant ball. Anyway, destroy all of them and you get the stone.

The issue I have with it is it's difficulty. I really can't seem to get the hang of it. It's not that easy to judge the UFO's distance and that time limit is tight. I appreciate the challenge as it rarely feels particularly unfair. However, it's a tough thing to do.

But, the game expects you to find a Past signpost, find a stretch large enough to get the speed, smash the machines then get to the end while protecting 50 rings. Once you're there, you then kill the UFO's until there's no more Stones. It's demanding and ridiculously difficult to do.

However, I really like it? It's charming, the gameplay is solid and the challenge is welcome. The designs and colours of this place is amazing, if very, very busy. Otherwise, it's really fun. I really like it. Sure, the game is demanding a lot but once you figure it out, it's doable. Especially in 2013 where the internet lets you find all the information you need, should you want it.

You know what else? It's rather creative. The levels do keep you guessing, especially ones with a floor that will launch you into the air over and over. Or the one with the wheels you have to jump into. Things go look pretty spectacular and it is satisfying to complete all the extra bits with time travel and the stones stuff. Even just one part of it has a satisfying little burst of accomplishment.

Even the bosses get creative in this game. Robotnik will fight you entirely underwater in one stage, surrounding himself in a bubble ring you have to burst to get to him. Another is a sort of boxing bot that will repel your attacks with it's attached bumper fists. They're pretty unique ideas. They largely seem as though Robotnik is just finding stuff in the world he's already taken over to try and kill you with sometimes too. Like this one boss where you have to run along a treadmill below you to grind away at Robotnik's armoured purch that you've knocked to the floor.

While it's rather clever, I'd still suggest looking up where everything is. It doesn't make it easier, just...possible. If you have a little bit of money around, go for it. It's a decent little title from a console add-on that died fast.