User reviews

Let me explain that "one-liner" first. Some quick video game history:

As a video game company, Sega had always been something of an also-ran when compared to mighty Nintendo during the 1980s. Nintendo's venerable 8-bit NES absolutely ruled the gaming world at that time, with the company using its incredibly powerful marketing department to tackle and eliminate all potential challengers. When Sega introduced its competing Master System in 1986 (after a trial run of sorts with a variety of arcade games), it was hard to look past Nintendo's immense library of game cartridges and see that Sega had actually crafted a more capable system.

But Nintendo had relied on the NES architecture for too long. This meant that the time was right by 1989 for a competitor to rise, like a cobra, from the mists. Sega took the chance and introduced its groundbreaking 16-bit Genesis system. Critics were impressed - the semi-3D graphics were a huge improvement over the NES' largely one-dimensional images, and the Genesis platform seemed to have been designed with the serious game-player in mind.

Sega's problem, however, was in Genesis games. Mainly, there were not enough of them - and of those, only a few were really very good (Sega relying mainly on lots of blood and gore to pull in older customers). Genesis was popular among gamers who simply wanted a change of pace, but the system needed what is now called the "killer app" - a game that was good enough to sell the systems on its own.

Which brings us, in a roundabout way, to Sonic the Hedgehog.

Introduced for 1991, Sonic was in most ways a typical action platform game - cruise through a variety of interesting places, collect power-ups and score points, and attempt to beat the evil bad guy and save the world at the end of the game. Most people at the time said, "So it's like Mario Bros., then?" Those people hadn't played Sonic yet. Sonic the Hedgehog was a feast for the eyes with beautiful graphics, well-designed levels and a main character (the titular blue Hedgehog) who had more attitude than any chubby Italian plumber could ever achieve.

But of course, Sonic was so named because it (and he) was fast. Faster than any video game most people had ever played on a home system, so fast that one could easily become overwhelmed by the rapidly shifting scenery. And herein lay the challenge: control Sonic's speed while completing the mission (the levels were timed, of course) and you would be rewarded with one of the finest gaming experiences ever digitized.

And graphics and gameplay are only part of the story. Great music, by MIDI master Yuzo Koshiro, both highlights the speed of the game and defines the unique character of each Zone. Replay value is enhanced by the challenge of finding eight Chaos Emeralds, hidden within special stages that get progressively harder to navigate through. Find all eight and there's a very special surprise...which I won't reveal. You figure it out!

The only drawbacks are that once you figure out the secrets of harnessing Sonic's speed, the game is not that tough to complete (aside from the aforementioned Chaos Emerald challenge, which is a bear). And modern gamers who've been spoiled by the ability to constantly save their progress will probably be disappointed at the prospect of (gasp!) starting over anew every time, though there is a continue feature allowing two more tries from the same Zone.

Overall, an excellent game and - as mentioned earlier - the true "killer app" for the Genesis. (Sega eventually figured this out and began to sell the game as the "pack-in" title with the Genesis hardware package.) Eleven years on, I still find it immensely entertaining to pop that cartridge into my dusty old Genesis system and wheel Sonic to glory once again.

Highly recommended.

hondaboy :-D

The Good old days when Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo went head to head to be the king of home video game systems

Both systems had their own collection of video game titles that remain popular with those who love games.

One Game the Sega Genesis had that got people talking was Sonic The Hedgehog.

Perhaps the fastest video game character ever created as speed is Sonic's best skill as you pick up the game to play you'll going to see that Sonic can do a lot of things a normal character wouldn't do.

You can pick up the game on Sega Genesis as well as on the Sega Collection for Playstation 3 so this game is a must have for any video game fan

The game has you collecting rings to help with your lives, also you can collect power ups to help you in the level.

The game features some of the best graphics in any video and today it is still impressive the level designs are just superb and the attention to the 2D animation is impressive as well as good character art work.

The controls are easy to pick up and play so it is a good sign to the player that the game is simple to master but it takes time to get through the levels.

The Game Play remains fun as you try to prove yourself as the best in score.

However the game is not easy to beat as you must be prepare for anything that the game throws at you but if you are willing to go all the way then you're set.

The game is just a classic and remains one of the most popular games ever.

I give Sonic The Hedgehog an 8 out of 10

I review this as part of the Sonic Plus Mega Collection, available for the PS2(not the Sega console this was made for... not sure if that's even around anymore, and now the company make titles for the machines of others). It contains much of the series leading up to its release, with added bonuses, such as hints, artwork, and the ability to save your progress at any point(possibly for all of the titles, certainly for most of them, making beating them considerably easier) with a maximum of ten open slots per Memory Card. This is where this franchise begins, and as such, part of the success is due to this. It's the initial impression most of the original fanbase got. And judging it based on that, I am somewhat underwhelmed. Let's compare this to a few of its peers(platformers where you fight evil and rescue good guys that have a light tone and are in general geared towards kids from about the same year), Super Mario Land(a side-scroller) and the second trilogy of Commander Keen(more dynamic, and unlike the other two, you fight using an energy gun). Like the former, enemies are dispatched by you jumping on top of them(in fact, it feels like they stole the idea from that... at least this does have the addition of it only being when you're in a ball, although that can prove annoying as it sometimes doesn't seem willing to do so...), you go to a handful of different worlds with several relatively similar levels to each(in this, they get to be rather repetitive, making it look pretty lazy) ending in a climactic boss battle(one of the few true strong suits of this, every one of them has something special to it), and there are secrets and hidden areas for people who want to spend the time looking for them. Both have fairly little replayability other than last-mentioned aspect(and a score that I'm not sure is listed anywhere, no Top 10 that lead to bragging rights), with one difficulty setting and little, if any, randomization(obviously, you may have to try several times to get good enough to beat it, as you have to do so in one go, or did, back when these came out). And the short, pudgy Italian plumber wins(unbeaten two full years later), and this feels like a plagiarized version of it(what this has on it is color, and that is nicely done in this, bright without being blinding or obnoxious). Moving on to the latter, it has the most AI of all three, its camera follows your movements like in this, there are more varied environments, the story and universe is grander and more memorable than the other two, and with its responsive controls and smooth game-play, it's seldom frustrating and feels more intense and fast(in short, I'd advise you to check out those before this). Isn't that the real kick in the teeth with this? Those last two terms really should apply to it. The image Sonic has always had, what it has on the other icons of this subgenre, is one of speed(part of why particularly his(and not his aforementioned brother, or slightly illegitimate father) rebirth in 3D has been so messy and unsatisfying so far(and will probably remain so), it doesn't allow for that as well as 2D when it comes to this kind of thing). This is pretty slow, and jumping, running and the like come off choppy, with you having to really make an effort to get our lead moving(similar to the Disney Hercules VG, or Mech simulators). Sure, it flies by at times, but those don't tend to be Bluey's fault as much as springs, vaccuums, etc. in his surroundings. To be fair, this does have different situations, something the others do not particularly. You'll go underwater(be sure to keep a lookout for air bubbles, lest you end up drowning in a surprisingly disturbing sequence), you run around in a circle briefly defying gravity(one of the things we love about these, and something that everyone recognizes from them), and there are occasional simple puzzles(push a block or step on a button to enable yourself to proceed). We have the usual moving platforms, and you have to find your way through the places(not something that will keep you up at night). There are a lot of dangers around, and spots where you can't stand still, and this can be challenging. This would be less annoying if you could move faster. There is a fine amount of enemies, and some of them do seem to react to your presence, popping out or doing some scripted attack when you approach(...yeah, that's about the extent of it), and the designs of them are OK(not much that you really remember long after). The audio is nice, with mild, "soft"(not quite cartoonish) sound FX of good quality(the age taken into consideration), and the music is slightly catchy, and certainly not irritating, in spite of being midi *and* intended for people with one digit to their age. This has quite well-done graphics, no colors clash, the locations look distinct from each other and certain things, including our titular hero, look great and you won't forget them anytime soon(you can tell why Mr. S has gone with no face-lifts for two decades). Several of the biggest draws of these don't show up in this, not until the sequels, starting with the next one... Tails, the helicopter-style flying fox, Knuckles the... badass(it's an animal, look it up), and the swiftness. Heck, even the bounce and the additional power to the power-up bubbles(invincibility, protection... oh, yeah, that's it for this one). This is just really basic, and doesn't lift itself beyond its competition in much of any way. Some say that the biggest crime is mediocrity. Perhaps they're right. There is essentially no objectionable, off-putting or offensive content in this, other than a thing or two that look unsettling. I recommend this to fans of classic arcade games, and the primary-colored hedgehog. 7/10

I will never forget the snowy Xmas of 1992 when I made the upgrade from the trusty old Commodore 64 to the Sega Genesis. I got about 1 game per week for the Genesis and tried just about everything. My first ever game tho was Sonic the Hedgehog. The gameplay was simple and that's the way I liked it.

The graphics were cute. From bright blue sunshine and tropical landscapes to the cruel mechanical world of Doctor Robotnik (now called the Eggman). The music was great (where are the soundtrack CDs???) and I was never happier.

Sure it was totally easy but I always went back for more. This game had such charm is it any wonder why Sonic is still so popular all these years on?

Sonic the Hedgehog is one of the most famous video game characters in video game history. Well, the famous Hedgehog got his start in this classic game and has been amazing us ever since. As Sonic, you journey through many stages and fight off all kinds of robots in order to defeat archenemy, Dr. Robotnik. The levels get more challenging as the game progresses. Also, look for the bonus levels where you can collect the Chaos Emeralds. This game has been out for years and has been vastly outdated by the recent games, but this is still an awesome game. Thumbs up.

This is obviously the best Sonic title yet. And that's saying something, considering his latest adventures have been nails in his coffin. Which means they sucked. But this game rocks! It introduced the revolution of the 16-bit era. Yet sometimes, it felt challenging. But this game makes up for it with incredible replay. You'll play this for hours to get everything. The only game with Sonic in it that was great was probably Super Smash Bros. Brawl. I can't imagine a better way to relive classic side scrolling action besides Super Mario Bros. So sit back, relax and enjoy the 16-bit era's domination. Sonic lives on forever!

You just knew from the first time you played it that SONIC THE HEDGEHOG would become a timeless classic. Sixteen years later, it's as much fun to run the blue blurball through castles and spaceships as it was back then!

Visually, this Sega Genesis effort is unmatched. It's one of those rare games that you didn't always mind watching your friend play. The gameplay is outstanding and exciting, which is amazing considering all you can do is run and jump. The music is second only to SUPER MARIO BROS. in terms of feel-good repeatability. It's virtually flawless in every respect.

What more can be said? SONIC THE HEDGEHOG is one of the greatest video games ever made. There have been plenty of incarnations of the spiky critter since, but none have matched the original.

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG, in my opinion, is one of the best Sega Genesis games I have ever played. Even though I haven't owned a Nintendo Wii for very long, I enjoy this game very much. In addition, beating the game makes me want to play it even more. When and if you can get a Nintendo Wii, this game should definitely be on your list of downloads Before I wrap this up, I'd like to say that the people at Sega Genesis know how to keep video game fanatics entertained. Now, in conclusion, if you're a video game fanatic, this is definitely one you'll want to play and own. I can guarantee you that you will become hooked once you start playing.

I have this game for my Sega Genesis. Plug the cassette in and the choir sings "SEGA!" That part was so cool. I love this game. Sonic looked so cute in his old style. Yuji Naka created the adorable and cute and speedy little hedgehog sporting sneakers. I love the Green Hill Zone theme. Sonic really put Sega on the map. His arch nemesis is a scientist who kidnapped animals and robotized them. The Scientist's name is Dr. Eggman. Every time you defeat Dr. Eggman, he gets away. You have got to find all six Chaos Emeralds and put an end to Eggman's conundrums. Sonic is much faster then Speedy Gonzalez and cuter than an Italian plumber.

This is the game that started the legendary, iconic franchise, "Sonic the Hedgehog." I love it when SEGA currently gives Classic Sonic cameos. Classic Sonic and Modern Sonic are a good team, I wish SEGA would put them together more often. The character designs, backgrounds, animation and music in this game are decent! A lot of classic pixel games can't beat this. The Sonic the Hedgehog franchise still improved after this because now the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise currently has way more characters. SEGA would honestly be a boring franchise without Sonic the Hedgehog. If you love playing video games, this will entertain you!

"SONIC THE HEDGEHOG" (1991) is one of the greatest games of all time. It's beautiful to look at, the soundtrack is wonderful, and it's exceptional to play. A simple game that, when mastered, only gets better.

I could imagine being a 90s kid growing up with Sonic, being an 2000s kid, I did grow up with Sonic, but it must've been the biggest gift to be there when it all happened.

Everything about this classic is perfect, down to the last pixel, the soundtrack, the simplicity, the speed.

I've loved Sonic ever since I was born, this is truly one of the greatest video games of all time. Sonic, since '91 has grown to be one of the biggest video game icons in history, and his legacy is going to be remembered for hundreds of years to come.

Every zone is such a blast to play, Labyrinth Zone was a bit rough for me but other than that, just amazing.

It was kind of Sega's Mario wasn't it? At least if Mario was an Animorph on crack.

The real draw was the speed... and the graphics that, for a moment, put Sega in the lead of the home videogame wars. At least where I grew up people went from Atari to NES to Sega Genesis to N64.... and Sonic was one of the main reasons why...

... that and the multiplayer sports games.

But the draw was speed, the uncontrollable speed that made you feel like you were on the edge of your seat. It was the game where you could beat a level in seconds, and that was cool.

I'm in love with the classic sonic games. They're all very fun and enjoyable but Sonic 1 is noticeably weaker than the rest for a lot of reasons and I'm gonna explain why so.

The only enjoyable zones are Green hill& Star light. They're the only fast paced places in the game because the rest are very slow. I'm fine with Marble and Spring yard but Labyrinth and Scrap brain literally sucks so badly. In these 4 zones you're just scared that some robot will pop up and kill you when you're just casually playing, they have so many death pits. Overall Sonic 1 is the hardest out of the classic Sonic games by a wide margin even if Sonic CD can be a bit tough sometimes

Greenhill and Spring yard carry the whole game and what makes it hold up. The rest all suck rock-bottom

The special stage is annoying and agonizing plus you really don't need to them anyways.

But this game spawned an insanely popular franchise for a reason. Because it was ahead of its time, no other games at the time had the complexity of Sonic the Hedgehog at the time. Sonic waits for you when you haven't played, his character design is really expressive, the zones{even the ones that suck} are all very unique places, Sonic edges out when he is on the edge, this was one of the earliest 16 bit games. No other games had the same feel as Sonic the hedgehog, it was totally a new experience for the average kid in the early 90's.

8/10, even if the gameplay is average, this game was absolutely ahead of its time.

Sonic the Hedgehog is one of the most famous video games of all time! The characters, the jumping, the power-ups, and the sure thrill of adventure makes this entire series a fun non-stop playing time! Below is a brief look how I think the game is!

Game Play: The game play is very good. There is really basic controls here and is easy to perform. Novice gamers should have a good time here!

Graphics: The graphics are wonderful. The backgrounds are really beautiful!

Difficulty: The game is easy but as it goes on you''s find out that it will become more difficult!

Music: Just fantastic catchy tunes through out the game! In My opinion its some of the best music ever in a video game!

Sound: The sound is great. Nuff said!

Overall: I have always loved Sonic the Hedgehog! If you like excellent adventure games then I strongly recommend you play this game!

To purchase this video game check out Amazon.com!

I'm sure this game needs no introduction. Nintendo seemingly had the entire video game industry in the bag with nobody really challenging them. The Sega Master System was awesome, but thanks to Nintendo licensing most game developers to only make games for the NES, the doomed Master System had no chance. Things weren't looking great for Sega.

That all changed in 1988, as the 16 bit Sega Genesis really showcased how much more powerful it was compared to the 8 bit NES, and the potential for it was immense. Come 1991, and we are greeted to one of the biggest shifts in 2D platforming history, and one that is still a big part of the gaming culture today. Of course, it's this game, and while most people probably think of either Sonic 2 or Sonic 3 and Knuckles when discussing classic Sonic games, that's not to say this one isn't one, because it certainly is.

The visuals are colorful, detailed, and lively, the design of Sonic himself is iconic, the gameplay is some of the most satisfying to play, the level design is consistently chock full of depth and creativity, the music is bumpin' and awesome, the boss battles are fun and memorable and the overall structure is excellent.

While that's all definitely well and good, this still shows the blue blur in some obvious growing pains. When you think of a Sonic game, you expect it to be fast, right? Well, with the exception of Green Hill Zone and (kind of) Star Light Zone, this game is anything but. Because of this, going from any of the sequels back to this game makes this game feel surprisingly slow.

Though, I feel the attention to excellent level design, here, sort of makes up for it, because even though this game isn't that fast, the levels are all excellent-the least best being Labyrinth Zone, where most of the hatred over any and all water levels came from, but the level is still well designed, despite it being tedious. But, because of how much slower this game goes, it's understandable why some may not like it, because it fails to capture the balance between great levels and fast and fun gameplay Sonic 2 and Sonic 3 and Knuckles would perfect. Some of the levels here feel like they could work in any old 2D platformer, which isn't a bad thing, considering this is the first in the series. It's just something worth noting when comparing it to later games.

The special stages are meh. Not the worst in a Sonic game (I prefer these over the frustrating half-pipe special stages in Sonic 2), but it's a bit too hard to control, and a bit all or nothing. Though, I like the aesthetic and premise behind it, so to say they're bad wouldn't be fair. They, for as odd and somewhat annoying as they are, are at least pretty fun, even if nothing more than just that. Overall, I'd consider them perfectly average.

In summary, this game rocks, though not for the same reasons future games would. Instead of fast and fun gameplay mixed with great level design, you get mostly just the latter, which may be a bit disappointing for some fans, but I feel it was a bit more important. While it's not my favorite of the series, I still love it for what it is. A fun and well designed 2D platformer that would lay down the groundwork for better future games.

Sega had been on the market for 30 years before they released this global phenomenon, but they had everything to prove in an era dominated by Nintendo. But in 1991, the world was introduced to what would later become one of the most prolific video game series ever produced. With inspiration from classic cartoons and level design that was more advanced than anything seen before, the original Sonic the Hedgehog changed the game forever, and , despute not being as memorable as some of its sequels, it has held up very well to this day, and it is as much of a wonder now as it was over 30 years ago.

Its extremely hard. Thats the only reason I gave this game a 9.Other than that the game is awesome.It was the start to a great series with one of the most recognizable famous characters of all time.The game play is amazing along with the music,but what really makes the game take off is the speed power basis.This game is what defines classic sega.When I first heard of this game,I thought it was going to be horrible.I thought it was just going to be a cheap rip-off of Mario and that it was just going to be made to compete.I WAS WRONG!

I recommend this game to anybody and whoever does read this,do NOT get any sonic game after #3 they are horrible.

I'm a huge fan of Sonic. I think it is largely due to nostalgia. Unfortunately "back in the day" I owned a Master System and Gameboy as my consoles, so I was limited to playing Mega Drive, SNES and NES at my friend's houses. Without a doubt the number 1 platformer for me is Super Mario Bros 3 which pushed the NES to its limit. This is probably my second favourite. You can see the level of the skill put into the game as Sonic Clones from the 90s often play like absolute garbage: Bubsy the Bobcat (slippery and annoying to boot), Awesome Possum (plays too fast, messy backgrounds), Socket (just plain weird game mechanics and unlikeable character).

The music is iconic and sticks in your head for days. The sounds for collecting rings or hitting the spikes are as good as anything in Mario. The level design is really good, it plays fast, but you can figure out where everything is after a few playthroughs: where the spikes are, where the hidden boxes are - you can't say the same about Bubsy or Zool which are jumbled messes by comparison.

Classic for me. I think Sonic 2 improved the formula with a two player mode, the character Miles "Tails" Power and better graphics. The boss theme tune was also used in the much loved trance track Wizards of Sonic by Red Jerry and Westbam. For anyone looking for more of the same: Sonic Generations (2011) is great as are the Sonic Advance games and the underrated Sonic Pocket Adventures on the Neo Geo Pocket. I've recently beaten Sonic Mania (2017) and can confirm it is a great tribute to 16-bit Sonic with a tough difficulty and many surprises.

Like most of us remember this game from the 90's. Time Flies, when u think at Sonic... The time stops. When u try to play the game again, you will probably be time travelling.. Memories flashing, thats it almost hurt to play, since no1 ever succede to make a better game but most of all because that Golden ages are now in the past. My armhair get stiff, just thinking about it.

This video game is totally worth the play. The action is great! The music keeps you occupied, the characters are funny and daring. This video game shows you a fun and great time with Sonic and his friends. Good Job!

Undeniably, Sonic the Hedgehog was one of the strongest Sega Mega Drive core titles. Nowadays it is very well known and gets ported to new systems almost every generation.

For someone outside of the Sonic craze this game's insane popularity might feel weird. Did this 16-bit platformer from the 90s really managed to become a timeless classic - something that people can enjoy even nowadays, without hours of preparing and consulting manuals?

Well, yes. Mostly.

Sonic 1, as it's also called, offers a fast paced platformer that is very easy to pick up and play. Running, jumping and rolling - that's all you do, really. But at the same time, despite the common belief, here you're not always expected to "go fast". Carelessly blazing through the unfamiliar levels will only lead to frustration, as you will lose a lot of rings and lives on sneakily places enemies and spikes and bottomless pits.

Thinking "How was I supposed to see that coming?" is not that uncommon with the new players.

Due to that it is recommended to conquer this game's levels slowly and carefully. As contradictory as it might seem.

And you don't have to worry about time. Even the most relaxed playthrough will take you about 1-2 hours to get through every level.

In that time you will learn how to handle Sonic properly and how to use the physics of his movement to your advantage. You gain speed when rolling down slopes and lose speed when climbing hills.

It's an idea that is very natural to grasp and, in my opinion, turns this title into almost a physics based puzzle game.

And the game will periodically display new ways to explore this mechanic.

With the mix of simplicity and unique movement mechanics the gameplay here aged surprisingly well - you won't see any annoying gimmicks or blood boiling sections which are so common in video games of that era.

Just take it at your own pace and ignore the folks who speak nonsense about "always holding right".

Aside from the gameplay, Sonic the Hedgehog manages to be an enjoyable experience with the help of its visuals and music. They're memorable and exciting.

Through its presentation the game created a mold for all future Sonic titles: a bit of gameplay and a bit of spectacle. Though, if you don't like when the game takes control away from you to show something cool, then this could be a negative aspect for you. Take that into consideration.

Finally, the level of replayability is not that high by itself. You get another "physics puzzle" between levels in the form of a rotating maze to gather Chaos Emeralds. But they do nothing except altering the ending visuals slightly.

Despite that, if the game manages to capture you with its simplicity, level design and the aforementioned spectacle, then re-experiencing that magical and captivating feeling could be a replay reward by itself.

All in all, this game does deserve its place in the gaming Hall of Fame. It's simple and enjoyable to play, it has amazing presentation and it is short enough to fit into a busy evening or two.

If you enjoy good 2D platformers, then this game is a must have.