This may be performed by jumping or by rolling on the ground. Sonic's main means of attack is the Spin Attack, in which he curls into a ball and rapidly spins his body, damaging enemies and certain obstacles upon collision. The player must also avoid touching spikes, falling into bottomless pits, and being crushed by moving walls or platforms, as well as drowning, which may be prevented by breathing air bubbles from vents. Destroying a robot frees the creature, but is not necessary to complete the game. The levels are populated with hazards in the form of robots inside which Dr. The gameplay centers on Sonic the Hedgehog's ability to run at high speed through levels that include springs, slopes, bottomless pits, and vertical loops. Sonic the Hedgehog is a 2D side-scrolling platform game.

The game has been ported a number of times, and inspired several clones, a successful franchise, and adaptations into other media.Ī typical in-game screenshot, taken from the first level, Green Hill Zone Furthermore, it established the Genesis as a key player in the 16-bit era and allowing it to compete with Nintendo's Super Nintendo Entertainment System console. It was also commercially successful, becoming one of the best-selling video games of all time with approximately 24 million copies sold worldwide across all platforms. Sonic the Hedgehog was well received by critics, who praised its visuals, audio, and gameplay. The music was composed by Masato Nakamura, songwriter of the J-pop band Dreams Come True. Sonic the Hedgehog uses a novel technique that allows Sonic's sprite to roll along curved scenery, which originated in a tech demo created by programmer Yuji Naka. Sonic the Hedgehog, designed for fast gameplay, was influenced by games by Super Mario series creator Shigeru Miyamoto. After considering a number of suggestions, the developers decided on a blue hedgehog and named themselves 'Sonic Team' to match their character. The gameplay involves collecting rings as a form of health, and a simple control scheme, with jumping and attacking controlled by a single button.ĭevelopment began in 1990 when Sega ordered its developers to create a game featuring a mascot for the company.

Robotnik, a scientist who has imprisoned animals in robots and seeks the powerful Chaos Emeralds. The game features Sonic the Hedgehog, who can run at supersonic speeds, setting out on a quest to defeat Dr.

The first game in the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, it was released in North America in June 1991 and in PAL regions and Japan the following month. Sonic the Hedgehog is a platform video game developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega for the Sega Genesis home video game console.

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