Does anyone here like any of Sonic titles on the Game Gear?

[Deleted member 17627]

Trying to get 100% completion on the Sonic Gems Collection museum (looking through it while listening to the amazing music is a great experience) and trying to get two plus hours on each of the Game Gear games in order to unlock stuff is so difficult for me. Sonic 1 & 2, Triple Trouble, Drift 1 & 2, Tails Adventure & Skypatrol, and Spinball, are all just so boring and/or broken.

Triple Trouble at least has a great soundtrack and a bit more polish than the other games, but it still has the same boring platforming that 1 & 2 had.

I'm really interested to see if anyone honestly likes these games, and am actually interested to hear why you like them!

 

[Tracker_TD]

I like a fair number of them. I wouldn't call any of them broken, just not as powerful as the MD games due to the hardware.
Tails Adventure is a fairly fun metroidvania, Sonic 1 is a solid 8-bit platformer, and I made an entire video about why I love Sonic Drift. I think Triple Trouble is OK, but I actually prefer Chaos (even if it's very easy).

I hate Sonic 2 8Bit, but I still wouldn't call it broken; it's just too damn hard and is better suited to the Master System resolution.

 

[Mama Robotnik]

I will defend Sonic 1 8-bit forever. Its highly underrated, has hidden depths, has some great platforming and a really exciting endgame. My view - minority that it is - is that it is a better game than its 16-Bit equivalent. Amazing OST too. Just sublime.

Assertion: Sonic 1 (8-bit) is a better game than Sonic 1 (16-bit). Contains GIFs.

This is the second piece in Mama Robotnik's Sega Obscura ResetEra Series: Sega Obscura 1 - The Sega Saturn was the best console EVER for… Sega Obscura 2 - Sonic 1 (8-bit) is a better game than Sonic 1 (16-bit) Sega Obscura 3 - The first "Sonic the Hedgehog 2" released hates Sonic, and hates us...

www.resetera.com

Sonic 2 8-bit is fascinating. Its the hateful, spiteful, bastard title that takes the franchise and hands over the dev duties to the Chaos Gods. Its monstrous, eclectic, bonkers, unpredictable, cruel, and there has never, ever been a game like it. It is many things, but boring is not one of them. It's completely fascinating - a game of pure spite - and completing it with all the Chaos Emeralds without a guide is a sadistic badge of honour.

Assertion: The first “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” released hates Sonic, and hates us all (GIFs)

This is the third piece in Mama Robotnik's Sega Obscura ResetEra Series: Sega Obscura 1 - The Sega Saturn was the best console EVER for… Sega Obscura 2 - Sonic 1 (8-bit) is a better game than Sonic 1 (16-bit) Sega Obscura 3 - The first "Sonic the Hedgehog 2" released hates Sonic, and hates us...

www.resetera.com

 

[I Wanna Be The Guy]

Sonic 1 Master System was incredible. One of the absolute top games on 8-bit systems.

 

[ascii42]

I've played all of them, but Sonic Chaos is the only one I had as a kid so that's the one I'm fond of.

 

[KamenSenshi]

Triple Trouble was good when I played it new but haven't tried it since then. The graphics and controls were good and it didn't have anything crazy like the first boss from 2.

 

[Mama Robotnik]

Sonic 1 Master System was incredible. One of the absolute top games on 8-bit systems.

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Completely agree, it's an absolutely great game. The Sky Base theme and the energy and momentum of that final zones, I'll never forget it.

 

[JustJavi]

I quite enjoyed them when I was a kid. However, my favourite Game Gear game was Columns.

 

[Bman94]

Yes. Sonic 1 GG is pretty great and every Sonic fan should absolutely try it. Sonic 2 is pretty bad in my opinion and is one of the Sonic games I have not beaten. Also fuck that downhill ball boss, shit sucks. Sonic Chaos and Sonic Triple Trouble are pretty fun rumps, though they are not as good as Sonic 1 GG. I REALLY like thge Sonic Drift games. Once you get a understanding of the controls and get used to the weird drift/braking mechanics they are a pretty fun Pole Position clone. Drift 1 is pretty broken since the only viable character is Sonic, but Drift 2 is a bit more balanced and actually gives you a reason to try other characters.

I like Tails Adventure as a concept, a adventure based metrovania-esque game with emphasis on items and light action. Using Tails is a interesting concept and I kinda wish that the Tails Adventure series had another chance as a side title to the main franchise. Tails Skypatrol is just dogshit. It is relentlessly brutal for no reason and the game straight just doesn't seem fair. Never liked Sonic Spinball Genesis, and same goes for Sonic Spinball GG. It's an extremely awkward game and it feels like your fighting Sonic most of the time rather than being a pinball like game. Execution is awful, when Sonic + Pinball should have been great.

Sonic Labyrinth & Sonic Blast are worth playing JUST to see how bad they are. I've beaten both years ago in sheer determination, but they are hard to get through because of how bad they control, look, feel and actual content. Sonic Blast is way more egregious than Sonic Labyrinth though, even though that doesn't matter much. Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine is okay, it just depends on if you like Puyo Puyo, which I don't, so it's just meh to me.

 

[SeanMN]

I've played all of them, but Sonic Chaos is the only one I had as a kid so that's the one I'm fond of.

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Same here. I thought Chaos was a great Sonic game. In my memory I preferred it to Sonic 2, 3, and Knuckles - but I'm not sure if that would be accurate replaying them as an adult.

The screen crapped out on my Game Gear 3 years ago, so I won't be able to find out for myself.

 

[jman2050]

I won't defend or condemn the platforming as I generally never played these games for more than an hour or so each, but it's worth noting that the Game Gear versions of 1,2, and Chaos are universally worse than their Master System counterparts because the lower resolution makes the playing area significantly more cramped. Unfortunately, the Game Gear versions are the only ones we got in Gems. Triple Trouble, on the other hand, never existed on MS.

 

[Platy]

From the platformers, i like the master system ones more

But i am a huge fan with how experimental some of those went, like Drift and the Tails ones

 

[The Spoony Hou]

Sonic 1 Master System was incredible. One of the absolute top games on 8-bit systems.

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This. The rest is trash.

 

[Buff Beefbroth]

Triple Trouble was technically very accomplished for the system, and the soundtrack is aces.


Chaos is super easy and very brief, but legitimately great.

Never played Drift, but did play Drift 2 and loved it as a kid. Dunno how well it'd hold up now, but there was some decent depth to it with the different handling characteristics and stuff.

 

[Efejota]

I remember liking Tails' Adventures when I played it on the 3ds release. They could have done more with the concept, but I was happy with what I got, and graphically it was pretty good.

 

[Rotobit]

Triple Trouble always seemed pretty solid, and I have a lot of nostalgia for 1. I have nostalgia for 2 but yeah it's way too hard for its own good (and has no playable Tails, boo)

Kinda funny how they were shoved into every collection for a while there yet IIRC there's no decent way to play them on modern consoles. Would love a Game Gear/Master System Collection for Switch in general, throw in some of the intriguing JRPGs.

Also Bridge Zone is probably in my top five favorite Sonic songs, which is a category with a LOT of competition

 

[LordHuffnPuff]

Sonic 2 is great as long as you don't care about getting all the emeralds, if you do it's impossible. Chaos is fun but vastly too easy.

 

[AGoodODST]

Sonic 1 on MS/GG is better than Sonic 1 on Mega Drive imo. The music is so good. Awesome game.

 

[the magical kitsune]

1, Chaos and Triple Trouble are good. 2 has some bullshit.

 

[Symphony]

On Game Gear? No. The tiny screen resolution means you have barely any vision of upcoming obstacles (case in point, the first boss in Sonic 2) so I have no idea why Sega keeps dumping the GG roms into collections instead of the MS ones. But on Master System with the better screen resolution Sonic 1, 2 and Chaos are all solid games. In terms of GG exclusives Drift 1 and 2 are alright, I don't think Labyrinth is as awful as people say, Triple Trouble has the afformentioned screen issue, Blast is an abomination and I don't consider either Tails game to be worth playing.

 

[Bman94]

Triple Trouble always seemed pretty solid, and I have a lot of nostalgia for 1. I have nostalgia for 2 but yeah it's way too hard for its own good (and has no playable Tails, boo)

Kinda funny how they were shoved into every collection for a while there yet IIRC there's no decent way to play them on modern consoles. Would love a Game Gear/Master System Collection for Switch in general, throw in some of the intriguing JRPGs.

Also Bridge Zone is probably in my top five favorite Sonic songs, which is a category with a LOT of competition

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Obligatory:

 

[logash]

I remember really enjoying Sonic 2 on the Game Gear but I was like 5 and didn't have a bad thing to say a out anything. I am sure my jaded adult self would tear it apart today.

 

[Beegeous]

I prefer the SMS/GG version of Sonic 1 because the 2nd level of a world forced you to explore its depths to find the Chaos Emeralds, a mechanic that harmed the 16 bit version by its lack of inclusion.

Also I only ever had Sonic 1 on the SMS and not the MD so I'm wearing a big pair of rose tinted glasses.

 

[Gelf]

I liked Chaos a lot back in the day even if it is too easy, Triple Trouble is fine also. I could never get into 8-bit 1 and 2 at all.

All the 8bit titles do have an issue with not being able to replicate the physics of the MD titles which was always the biggest draw for me.

 

[G_Shumi]

They were fine for what they were. I can't imagine going back and playing them today though.

Also, FWIW, you don't have to actually PLAY the games in Sonic Gems Collection to unlock stuff. You can just leave the game and your console on until the completion goal has been met and exit out.

 

[andymcc]

I think the SMS version of Sonic 1 is legit one of the best 8-bit platformers.

I think the SMS version of Sonic 2 is a flawed masterpiece that has strangest level sequencing in the series-- the difficulty spikes and dips like crazy.

i liked chaos and triple trouble when they came out but i don't really remember them well.

 

[Virtua King]

Not really. I guess Triple Trouble, Chaos, and Sonic 1 are ok, but they all pale in comparison to the Genesis/SEGA CD games. Tail's Adventure is an interesting title at least, albeit being a spinoff.

 

[Atolm]

On Game Gear? No. The tiny screen resolution means you have barely any vision of upcoming obstacles (case in point, the first boss in Sonic 2) so I have no idea why Sega keeps dumping the GG roms into collections instead of the MS ones. But on Master System with the better screen resolution Sonic 1, 2 and Chaos are all solid games. In terms of GG exclusives Drift 1 and 2 are alright, I don't think Labyrinth is as awful as people say, Triple Trouble has the afformentioned screen issue, Blast is an abomination and I don't consider either Tails game to be worth playing.

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This needs to be emphasized. Don't play the Game Gear versions.

 

[NeonZ]

I played Sonic 1 (Master System version) on the Wii virtual console and enjoyed it. It's just not "Sonic" at all aside from branding. The gameplay works, but it's nothing like the Genesis games as far as the handling of Sonic himself goes. So, I can see many Sonic fans disliking it.

 

[Synohan]

All I remember about Sonic 1 GG is that one level with the nonstop lightning strikes. Pretty sure it could hurt someone.

 

[Teenage Fansub]

I played them on Master System, but I think the first two 8-bit Sonics are pretty good.

 

[Giga Man]

No. Fuck this boss.

 

[fontguy]

Tails Adventure is pretty cool. That's about it. And they all sound like ass.

 

[Jimnymebob]

Game Gear 1 and 2 are bad (MS versions aren't and 8 bit Sonic 2 is a top 3 Sonic for me), and there's one or two of the others I didn't mind. ONe had a water level and that's the one that can go screw itself.

 

[DubleDuce]

Sonic 1 is excellent, and I have a very soft spot for Skypatrol.

It's not a good game, but it is very fun in an arcadey sort of way.

Labyrinth can go decompose in a dump though.

 

[Virtua Sanus]

Tails Adventures is considered a very good Wonder Boy/Monster World style game. I have never gotten all that far in it myself, but I will eventually.

Sonic Triple Trouble is legit fantastic, but held back due to the hardware. All of the pieces are in place to make one of the best Sonic games ever though if it was remade by the Mania team. It's prequel Sonic Chaos is pretty good too but still very basic.

Sonic Drift 2 is not really all that interesting to revisit now, but ages ago I thought it was super interesting and fun. Having a playable Metal Sonic and Nack was really special to me too.

Sonic 2 8bit kind of sucks, but is greatly improved by the Master System version.

Most of the other games are not worth investing time into (Labyrinth and Spinball 8bit are especially poor), but a commonly associated game with these is Coca Cola Kid. It feels like a sequel to Triple Trouble where the character has various beat em up style abilities. A real hidden gem. Check that one out if you end up liking Triple Trouble!

 

[ghostcrew]

Sonic 1 MS/GG is legitimately a great Sonic game and one of the highlights of the 8bit era.

I could take or leave Sonic 2 (probably leave).

Sonic Blast is phenomenally bad. It's like a bad fan made ROM hack.

 

[Combichristoffersen]

All the games are great on both MS and GG, but Sonic 2 is pretty bad on GG. Labyrinth and Sonic Blast are just ass tho.

 

[kiriku]

I have really fond memories of the first Sonic for GG, played it a lot. Some awesome tunes in there as well.

 

[lazygecko]

I'd stick with the Master System versions where applicable for the higher screen resolution.

 

[Symphony]

Tails Adventure is pretty cool. That's about it. And they all sound like ass.

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Hey now, leave Sonic 1 out of this, you're welcome to that opinion about all the rest but S1's OST was fantastic for the hardware.

 

[ascii42]

Tails Adventure is pretty cool. That's about it. And they all sound like ass.

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I still like Mecha Green Hill Zone's from Sonic Chaos.

 

[fontguy]

Hey now, leave Sonic 1 out of this, you're welcome to that opinion about all the rest but S1's OST was fantastic for the hardware.

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It's the sound chip. The GG/MS chip is bad and it makes everything sound bad.

 

[rustymonk]

This is the sonic I grew up with. Always had nintendo consoles but had a game gear until the gb colour came out. The sonic 1 music is so nostalgiac to me. I went back and played them again recently and was surprised how well they stood up.

 

[ascii42]

It's the sound chip. The GG/MS chip is bad and it makes everything sound bad.

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Definitely. The one I posted is a good composition held back by what's playing it.

 

[nogoodnamesleft]

Dat bridge zone music

 

[Subnats]

Sonic 1, Chaos and Triple Trouble are legitimately great games though not quite as good as the 16 bit games. The Tails games are pretty decent too but not exactly must plays. I haven't played much of the Drift games so I can't really commemt on them. Sonic 2, Labyrinth and Blast are pretty awful though, definitely not worth touching.

 

[Silvergun-Blue]

Sonic The Hedgehog on the Master System is so good because it was made by Ancient (Yuzo Koshiro's studio) and his connections within Sega got him the gig. It was a really smartly made game that translated the charm of the character onto a less capable machine. They did so well they were trusted with Streets of Rage 2 and that only ended up being one of the greatest games ever.

 

[Dylan]

I played the living shit out of them when they were new. They were a cool novelty when the game gear was new, but they are essentially watered-down versions of the Genesis Sonic games, and I see no reason why anyone would play them in 2020.

 

[Aaron]

The Master System versions of 1, 2 and Chaos are much better than the Game Gear versions. It's a shame Sega barely ever re-releases those in favor of the Game Gear versions, especially Sonic 2 which is borderline unplayable.

Triple Trouble is better designed around those limitations but I'd still rather have the expanded screen size. There's a fan port of it to Master System that's pretty solid, at least.

Blast, Spinball and Labyrinth are total ass, lol. Tails Adventure is an underrated classic. Drift 2 is okay but definitely doesn't replace Mario Kart by any means (why was this not a Genesis game, anyway?). Mean Bean Machine is Puyo, and the puzzle mode makes it a worthwhile edition.

Drift 1 and Tails Sky Patrol never came stateside, and we didn't really miss anything for it.