Previously, I decided to review Sonic the Hedgehog on the Genesis, a game full of speed, color, and overall awesomeness, and it truly deserves to be labeled one of the best titles out there for the Genesis. But I had discovered a year ago that there was actually a different version of the game released around the same time as the Genesis title for the Sega Master System and the Game Gear version. And with only a few exceptions, the 8-bit version of Sonic the Hedgehog is completely different from the 16-bit version. Most people don't even know about or tend not to really care about the 8-bit version, and while I think the Genesis version is superior to the SMS and Game Gear version, I still enjoyed the game a lot. So today, I will be reviewing this under-appreciated game, Sonic the Hedgehog for the Sega Master System. Just a quick note, the Game Gear version is pretty much the same, except for a slightly different final boss, which I'll discuss when we get there.

Sonic controls exactly how he did on the Genesis version, although it might take bit getting used to. All the items from the Genesis title are back here, but with the introduction of another. Instead of the traditional checkpoint goal posts we have had since the beginning, they are represented by boxes with down arrows on them, which you break to mark your checkpoint if you die. You can also get continues in boxes, but those are only in the special stages. Speaking of special stages, let's get into that. In this game, there are 6 Chaos Emeralds to collect for a slightly different ending (find out what it is for yourself ). However, they are not in special stages. They are actually hidden in certain acts of every zone. We'll get to that soon, but let's actually take a look at the special stages. To access them, have 50 rings with you at the end of Act 1 or 2 of a zone. There is no giant ring to jump it, just passing the goal sign will make it show an exclamation point, sending you. Special stages are colorful, linear stages full of bumpers, rings, and a couple of items. There is usually an extra life and continue box hidden in each special stage for you to grab. IF you want to get the best score out of a special stage, try to get as close to 99 rings as you can get, because if you go over 99, you get an extra life, but unlike the Genesis version, your rings are reset to zero. Plus, the more special stages you get to in the game, the higher your multiplier at the end of each one is. So hold on to those 50 rings in each zone you need them for. In this game, possible due to limitations on the game, once you get hit, only one ring falls out of you, and you can't even grab it, leaving you at zero rings. Now, to get into the game.

We follow the Genesis version of the game and start in Green Hill Zone, greeted with an 8-bit version of the classic zone music. Act 1 is a pretty basic level with easy to defeat enemies and only a couple of instances of simple platforming over spikes. Heck, if you get the invincibility at the beginning of the level, hit the slope ramp at the right angle by rolling into a ball at the right moment, you'll fly into the air and bounce on some Speed Sneakers, then you'll land right at the edge of the screen. Keep running and you literally go ahead of the screen up to the end of the level. Either way, the level's not hard. Just to mention, each act, even boss acts, have a hidden life in them. Here, it is hidden in one of the palm trees. Act 2 drops us underground to navigate a couple of pools of water with spikes on a low ceiling AND enemies. A simple timed roll will take them out though. The Chaos Emerald is here. While underground, go as far left as you can till you see a waterfall. Drop down it and there it is. The 1-up in this level is easy to get as well. Once you first touch water, jump towards the wall on the left, and it ends up being an invisible wall, leading to the 1-up. Act 2 is a simple two jumps and a run up to Robotnik. Jump over the first pit, but drop down the second one for a 1-up. As for Robotnik himself, he still fails at being a boss. He just floats around, then comes down and does an easy to avoid charge at you. 8 hits and he explodes. Rescue the animals and bye bye Green Hill.

Welcome to Bridge Zone. IF you listen to the music, it actually sounds a bit like Tails' theme song in Sonic Adventure 1 and 2. Anyways, Act 1 is full or piranhas, bridges that either form a slight half pipe or just begin to collapse, and weight platforms that bounce an object straight up and back down to launch you high. Pretty basic. The 1-up here can be reached by using one of those weight platforms to launch yourself to an otherwise unreachable platform. The Chaos Emerald is at a small hill near the last bridge. Get on the bridge, and as the piece falls, jump onto the hill to nab it.  Act 2 is a slow side scrolling level that takes up about 2 minutes in time. Not hard at all, just more basic platforming. The 1-up is on some water at a certain platforming section. Hit it and you'll be able to bounce back onto the bridge. In Act 3, go directly left for the 1-up. Robotnik here appears randomly between two sections of the bridge you're on. Hit him by repeatedly jumping RIGHT on the middle tip of his machine, and he'll eventually go down. The fireballs he shoots are a pain to dodge unless you do as directed.

Welcome to Jungle Zone, a quick leap in terms of difficulty. Here we have typical jungle accessories, such as vine platforms and rolling on logs in water. There are also a few bug Badniks here, but they really aren't a threat, just bottomless pits and spikes. The First Act can be tricky, because their are very precise platforming sections with logs running down a waterfall. The 1-up here is easy to see, just some careful platforming will lead you to it. The Chaos Emerald can be found near the third waterfall. The first log there, if you stay on it, will help you see a platform on the water. Get there and get on the log, riding it to the left to the Chaos Emerald. Act 2 is a vertical level, and once something goes below the screen, you can't go back to it. Don't touch the bottom of the screen or you die. Not much to say about this level, it just requires lots of precise platforming. The 1-up here is pretty obvious to see and easy to get as well, just jump on it, not roll into it. Act 3's 1-up is hidden in the water to the right. After climbing some vines, here is Robotnik. He's annoying here. Fall off the vine you're on and you die. All he does is a drop some cannonball that rolls along the vine till it vanishes, but its hit detection is kinda off. Just avoid that ball and hit Robotnik whenever you can.

Welcome to Labyrinth Zone, the water level of the game. You're really slow, ESPECIALLY in this version of the game. Although using your roll here is really useful. I can't really say much about Act 1, it's pretty much a maze type of level. Just go carefully through it and grab air bubbles or leap out of the water whenever you can for air. At the end of the act is a ring box and a switch. Hit the switch first and the ring box becomes a 1-up. Act 2 is more of the same, just longer and more tedious. Once you enter the water, try to go left as much as possible and you'll eventually find the 1-up. Getting there takes some time, so be sure to grab an air bubble once you get the life. For the Chaos Emerald, you'll find an invincibility box along the way. Get it and run as fast as you can to the right, jumping left and right through this vertical corridor, then run quickly to the right and fall into some spikes where the Chaos Emerald is, then get out to avoid getting hit. Act 3's 1-up is extremely hard to get. Hitting the spring and going left will lead you down a corridor filled with spikes that require very precise jumps to get past without getting hit. The 1-up is at the end. Good luck getting out though. Don't worry about air here, you have an unlimited amount of it. Here, Robotnik always follows the set patter of appearing from the middle, shooting two fireballs, then coming from the top left and then the top right, firing a missile that goes in the direction you are at. He's not hard at all, just hit him whenever you can, though I recommend not hitting him when he's in the middle, since he hovers over a bottomless pit.

Welcome to Scrap Brain Zone, a futuristic city like level with awesome music. Act 1 is really not much at all, just run straight ahead and avoid the flamethrowers and electric currents. The 1-up is on a conveyor belt, which you need to get before it falls off. Act 2 is a pretty big level. There are two paths, and upper and lower one. Take the upper one first. Jump over two pits then fall down the third. Walk into the teleporter to the right, and you have your Chaos Emerald. Then navigate your way upwards with the platforms, hit the switch once, then go all the way back and take the lower path. Go all the way to to the bottom of the new room, then go left to be teleported to the extra life. Return to the lower path and slowly make your way down through the downward slopes with pigs on them. Eventually, there will be a hole across from where you stand. Jump into it and take the teleporter to the last part of the level. IF you hit the switch earlier, you can pass through. NAvigate your way through the final stretch of it, and the level finally ends. Act 3 is a maze. Honestly, I'm gonna leave the maze to you guys. =3 At the end of it lies Robotnik, who simply runs from you and escapes to his ship.

Welcome to the last zone, Sky Base Zone. Act 1 is the hardest act in the game, with cannons shooting at you and a constant electric current flashing on and off, which usually is around some platforms. Not much to say since the level design here is pretty complex, but once you reach the "caution" platforms that move, duck on the first one, then jump onto the second one. Navigate your way through more platforms to the end, and that's that. THe extra life, well, from the beginning of the level, stay as low as you can and to the left. You'll find it eventually. Act 2 has a ton of annoying turrets and spiked doors, but an easy way to bypass most of it (also take this route for the last chaos emerald) is to wait right from where you start for a few seconds until a platform appears. Ride that platform and others to their end, where a Chaos Emerald is. GO left, avoiding the cannons, and enter the base and finish the level. While riding those platforms, you'll come across the 1-up.

Act 3. If you got every 1-up in every level in the game, another 1-up will be right there where you spawn. Head left and face Robotnik. He'll constantly shoot lighting bolt things at you while two things on the floor and ceiling move around and zap lightning. With some careful timing, hit Robotnik when you can and avoid the lightning. Eventually, the glass will break and he'll run to his teleporter. Follow him and the game will cut to him flying through Green Hill, where Sonic will teleport and land right on Robotnik, destroying him. And that's the game. Now for scores.

SCORES

Graphics -8.5
I think they look very good in my opinion. Keep in mind that this is a colored 8-bit game.

Sound - 8
For an 8-bit game, this is pretty good stuff. I constantly find myself humming along with most of the songs.

Addictiveness - 7
If you candle Sonic in 8-bit and the challenge most of these levels give you, then you'll find yourself playing this a lot.

Story -5
Same Story as in the Genesis version really.

Depth - 4
Nothing outside of the main game, and a skilled player can clear this game really quick.

Difficulty - 6
Mainly because of some of the platforming and slightly slippery controls, I sometimes have a hard time with this game. The final boss is a big challenge as well.

Overall - 7.5
While not great compared to other Sonic games, especially its superior Genesis version, I still suggest trying this out. Who knows, you might like it.

Thanks for reading.

Good review. I enjoyed reading it. Truth is you will notice that a lot of games that were made for the Genesis were ported on the Mastersystem as well. Hell, there were GAMEGEAR games ported to the mastersystem. Even years after the mastersystem had already basically died off in the US. I think that many of these ports were made because they knew that even in the mid 90's the mastersystem still had a huge following in South America, and Australia.