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Sonic the Hedgehog

Sonic the Hedgehog is a platform game developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega for the Sega Genesis. It was released in North America in June 1991 and in PAL regions and Japan the following month. The game features Sonic the Hedgehog, who can run at supersonic speeds, as he sets out to defeat Dr. Robotnik.

Release Date
January 1, 1991
Players
1
Region
US

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Story

In his attempt to steal the six Chaos Emeralds and harness their power, the mad scientist Doctor Eggman has trapped the animal inhabitants of South Island inside aggressive robots and stationary metal capsules. A hedgehog named Sonic aims to thwart Eggman's plans by freeing his animal friends and collecting the emeralds himself. If Sonic collects all the Chaos Emeralds and completes the game, an ending sequence is shown. If all the emeralds are not collected, Eggman taunts the player while juggling any of the Chaos Emeralds not collected by the player in an alternate ending .

Gameplay Systems

Sonic the Hedgehog is a platform game where players control the titular character Sonic , who is tasked with defeating Doctor Robotnik and obtaining the six Chaos Emeralds. The game takes place from a side-scrolling perspective. He is capable of running at high speed through levels that include springs, slopes, bottomless pits and vertical loops . The levels are populated with robot enemies, inside which Dr.

Eggman has trapped animals; destroying a robot frees the animal, but is not necessary to complete the game. His primary form of offense is a spin attack, in which he curls into a ball and spins his body, damaging enemies and certain obstacles upon collision. This may be performed by jumping or rolling. Scattered around each level are gold rings that can grant Sonic protection from a single enemy or hazard as well as an extra life if 100 are collected.

Also scattered throughout the level are canisters containing power-ups such as additional rings and temporary invincibility . Signposts act as checkpoints where Sonic can respawn after losing a life. The game is split into six principal zones , followed by a short Final Zone. Each main zone has its own visual style, and while some enemies appear throughout, each zone has unique enemies and obstacles.

Each main zone is split into three acts, all of which must be completed. At the end of each main zone's third act, the player confronts Dr. Eggman for a boss fight . For most of the fights, Eggman's vehicle is fitted with different weapons.

After completing the sixth zone, the player continues to the single-level Final Zone for a last encounter with Eggman inside a large machine environment. A brief animation shows Sonic's return to the first zone, with animals liberated from Dr. Eggman. Reaching the end of any zone's Act 1 or Act 2 with 50 rings will cause a large ring to appear through which Sonic can jump to enter a bonus stage .

In them, Sonic is continually curled up in his Spin Attack animation, and bounces off the bumpers and walls of a fully rotating maze. In these levels, the player earns a number of continues for each multiple of 50 rings collected, but the main goal is to obtain the Chaos Emerald hidden within the maze. Colliding with any of the blocks marked "GOAL" ends the level. Plot In his attempt to steal the six Chaos Emeralds and harness their power, the mad scientist Doctor Eggman has trapped the animal inhabitants of South Island inside aggressive robots and stationary metal capsules.

A hedgehog named Sonic aims to thwart Eggman's plans by freeing his animal friends and collecting the emeralds himself. If Sonic collects all the Chaos Emeralds and completes the game, an ending sequence is shown. If all the emeralds are not collected, Eggman taunts the player while juggling any of the Chaos Emeralds not collected by the player in an alternate ending .

Awards & Honors

Golden Joystick Award

Sales & Commercial Performance

Total Copies Sold
2 million copies
Total Revenue
$1 billion

Media Reviews

Edge
1991
Electronic Gaming Monthly
36/40
EGM
1991

About Sonic the Hedgehog

Sonic the Hedgehog is a classic video game released for the Sega Game Gear on January 1, 1991. This title has become a beloved entry in the retro gaming library.

This wiki entry provides comprehensive information about Sonic the Hedgehog, including release details, gameplay information, and story synopsis. Whether you're looking to revisit a childhood favorite or discover classic games for the first time, Emulator Games Wiki has you covered.

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