------------------------------------

The game feels totally different from the 16-bit version. The basic controls are the same, A or B to jump and the D-Pad to move, so at least the input is the same from the original (Well, sort of. The GBA does have a different D-Pad and buttons to the Mega Drive). There's a new mode called "Anniversary Mode" and simply put it's basically Sonic 1 with a Spin-Dash. AND IT SUCKS. The Spin-Dash adds nothing to the game and you can't even increase the speed of it by Spamming the button. The physics are wacked out because this game uses the Sonic Advance engine, which would be fine IF THE LEVEL DESIGN WAS COMPATIBLE WITH SAID ENGINE. The screen crunch is MASSIVE, the biggest problem being that Sonic retains his original pixel count from the first game, instead of re-sizeing him to the proper resolution for the GBA'S screen. The slooooowdooown is also another big issue. It's not as though a system that came out in 2001 can't handle a game that came out 10 years before hand! "It's missing Blast processing!" Oh, it can handle the Blast Processing, I just think Sonic Team got lazy

------------------------------------

The Mega Drive Sonic games are well known for their colour's and details. I love the environments in Sonic 1 and they hold up well in Sonic Genesis. With the exception of a static Waterfall in one of Labryinth Zone's acts, the graphics are fine. Loses points for being crunched into the GBA'S Screen, in which the pixels on Sonic's body look a bit more noticeable. The animatoins are okay, although more sluggish thanks to the massive slowdown.

-------------------------------------

The game's sound is butchered beyond belief. There's one good song, and one good jingle. That's it. Star Light Zone and the Act Clear theme are the only good songs in the entire game although they're working off the GBA Soundfont, which is kinda understandable but it's not a good excuse for a destruction of all the songs you loved as a child. Seriously, don't put your Headphones on. Your ears will bleed, cry and do everything else painful.

-------------------------------------

I'm not exactly addicted to this game and I'm damn well sure that alot of you aren't eiether. I mean, it's Sonic the Hedgehog. You've played it a bajillion times before this surely you're not going to play the worst version of it AGAIN are you? If you did you deserve a medal. Anyways, not very addicting, nor will it ever be addicting.

-------------------------------------

Sonic must go through six areas of South Island, destroy all the robotocisors and defeat the Evil Dr. Ivo Robonik (also known as Eggman in Japan) to rescue the Flickies and save South Island. You've played this story a million times before, not very original, but it works for Sonic well....I guess. Just to let you know, anniversary mode does not change the story

-------------------------------------

The game is only about 2 hours long and in order to 100% it you have to collect six, not seven but six Chaos Emeralds to unlock the sound effects in the new Jukebox, just so you can destroy your ears once more. It's not very deep but it has some replay value, not that you'd want to replay such a horrible travesty of a game but still.

-------------------------------------

Normally Sonic the Hedgehog is a fairly average game in the difficulty area because it gets progressively harder as you go along but because the game has a horrible screen crunch, wacked out physics and horrible Slowdown, the game drags on and you can't see what's above you or what's ahead of you and enemies decide to pop in at the most inopportune moment to break the flow of the game and it just gets too much. Don't get me started on Labryinth Zone's boss and Scrap Brain Zone Act 3. They are just too difficult (Well, Act 3 of Scrap Brain is technically the last level in the game so I guess it's kinda alright for it to be impossible) and I hate them.

------------------------------------

So, would I reccomend Sonic the Hedgehog: Genesis to anybody looking for some Sonic 1 on the Go?  No. If you want some Sonic 1 on the go there's the SEGA Mega Drive collection on PSP and the Sonic Classic Collection on Nintendo DS. In conclusion, Sonic Genesis is one of the worst Sonic games ever made, It's up there with Labryinth, Sonic '06, Sonic Spinball (Game Gear) and Sonic Blast (Not 3D Blast, just plain 'ol Sonic Blast for the Game Gear). It tales a poop on one of the greatest games of all time. Don't waste your money or time on it.

Dazzsheil's score: 4.5 out of a possible 10