Game Gear Sonic Games: The Best and the Worst

[Obviously]

Sonic the Hedgehog 2: Sonic & Tails

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and Sonic & Tails are two different games. Sonic & Tails is the Japanese name for Sonic Chaos.

I'm pretty much with you in wishing Ancient would've made at least one sequel. I would've loved to see more along the lines of the first 8-bit Sonic. I do think Sonic 2 is pretty decent as a Master System game but I agree with you if I'm judging it solely on the GG it's probably the worst of the bunch.

Aspect wasn't always horrible though. Land of Illusion is a fantastic game.

I'm maybe a little too forgiving of Triple Trouble. They learned from some of their mistakes with Sonic Chaos. Objectively it's not great but something about it hooked me.

I don't like Sonic Chaos a whole lot really and Sonic Blast is Sonic Chaos beaten bloody by the ugly stick.

[A Black Falcon]

I should say that I noticed that I posted in this thread back in '09, shortly after I bought a GG. There I said that Sonic Chaos and Triple Trouble looked good. Well, my opinions of both games went steeply downhill after I actually bought the games, that's for sure.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and Sonic & Tails are two different games. Sonic & Tails is the Japanese name for Sonic Chaos.

You are sort of right, but I also am -- I mean, look at the US cartridge for GG Sonic 2, or the Japanese box! There is very large and prominent "Sonic Tails" text on it. That's what I was referring to there -- it shows Tails' picture on the box, has this "Sonic Tails" logo with Tails picture on the cart that also takes up the entire Japanese box... but somehow Tails isn't playable but only is a character you have to rescue? What? It makes no sense!

I'm pretty much with you in wishing Ancient would've made at least one sequel. I would've loved to see more along the lines of the first 8-bit Sonic. I do think Sonic 2 is pretty decent as a Master System game but I agree with you if I'm judging it solely on the GG it's probably the worst of the bunch.

I don't have any import Master System games yet, so I'm judging it only by the GG. I mean, I have played a little bit of Sonic 2 for the SMS in an emulator, but not past the first world; I found that the first boss is a lot more playable (ie, it's not totally broken), but it's the same basic game...

Aspect wasn't always horrible though. Land of Illusion is a fantastic game.

No it's not, it's kind of bad, just like almost all of their games. That games' another massive disappointment compared to its predecessors, just like all of their Sonic games are, or their Donald Duck game as well -- the first Donald game for GG is a good fun game, but Aspect's sequel Deep Duck Trouble isn't any good, like pretty much everything they made.

I'm maybe a little too forgiving of Triple Trouble. They learned from some of their mistakes with Sonic Chaos. Objectively it's not great but something about it hooked me.

It just seems to me like more Chaos. Same graphics, same characters to play as, similar level designs... what's different about it?

I don't like Sonic Chaos a whole lot really and Sonic Blast is Sonic Chaos beaten bloody by the ugly stick.

That is probably true. I don't dislike that CG-rendered look (the DKC and Vectorman games are some of my favorites of the generation!), but it is true that the GG really wasn't meant for such things...

[Obviously]

I don't have any import Master System games yet, so I'm judging it only by the GG. I mean, I have played a little bit of Sonic 2 for the SMS in an emulator, but not past the first world; I found that the first boss is a lot more playable (ie, it's not totally broken), but it's the same basic game...

Yeah, but as I said the screen real-estate makes a big difference. I think you were on the money when you said they designed it for the SMS then lazily tossed it on the GG. I doubt it will change your opinion on it much but it's certainly more playable on the Master System.

No it's not, it's kind of bad, just like almost all of their games. That games' another massive disappointment compared to its predecessors, just like all of their Sonic games are, or their Donald Duck game as well -- the first Donald game for GG is a good fun game, but Aspect's sequel Deep Duck Trouble isn't any good, like pretty much everything they made.

To each his own with this one. I thought they built on Castle of Illusion quite well and put together a really solid platformer (their other Illusion game is crap though I can't even recall the name of it). Lucky Dime Caper is indeed loads better than Deep Duck Trouble but I don't really find that game terrible. It does have some questionable design decisions though.

It just seems to me like more Chaos. Same graphics, same characters to play as, similar level designs... what's different about it?

I don't really find the level designs all that similar. Sonic Chaos levels are extremely short and linear while Triple Trouble's are not. I felt like I was playing a Sonic game and not a demo of a Sonic game. I like it, it's not my favorite but a lot of people seem to like it a lot more than me for whatever reason.

That is probably true. I don't dislike that CG-rendered look (the DKC and Vectorman games are some of my favorites of the generation!), but it is true that the GG really wasn't meant for such things...

I can handle the pre-rendered look occasionally but Sonic Blast is just blurry ass.

[j_factor]

I didn't mind the graphics of Sonic Blast really, but I still find it a chore to play. It's slower than the others, the level design is the worst of the bunch, and something about the physics feels off. Spindashing up ramps gives me problems somehow. Sonic Blast is the only 2D Sonic platformer I actively dislike, not counting the Game.com abomination.

[Kamahl]

You're too harsh on Aspect ABF (though I understand entirely where you're coming from). Tails Adventures, Land of Illusion and Triple Trouble are fine games. A lot of people prefer Land of Illusion to Castle of Illusion even, and Triple Trouble to the first GG Sonic game. I think your experience with Sonic Chaos is clouding your judgement of Triple Trouble a bit, the level design is miles better!

I also find Deep Duck Trouble somewhat decent, but Lucky Dime Capper is about 1000x better so yeah that one I can't defend as much.

[NeoZeedeater]

Aspect's Coca Cola Kid is pretty good, too.

[A Black Falcon]

You're too harsh on Aspect ABF (though I understand entirely where you're coming from). Tails Adventures, Land of Illusion and Triple Trouble are fine games. A lot of people prefer Land of Illusion to Castle of Illusion even, and Triple Trouble to the first GG Sonic game. I think your experience with Sonic Chaos is clouding your judgement of Triple Trouble a bit, the level design is miles better!

I also find Deep Duck Trouble somewhat decent, but Lucky Dime Capper is about 1000x better so yeah that one I can't defend as much.

Is Land of Illusion really from Aspect? I'm not so sure... Wikipedia credits Aspect with the game, yes, but Mobygames credits Sega, and the main programmer for the SMS version at least is not credited in any Aspect games as far as I can tell... though the lead artist did also work on Aspect games, so they may indeed have had a role in making the game. It is always a bit confusing with Aspect though, there often seem to be some Aspect and some Sega people involved... anyway, yeah, Land of Illusion is okay.

Anyway, I didn't have an opinion on Aspect before playing their games; it was actually playing the games that made me kind of hate them. I'm only being harsh because they deserve it!

As for Triple Trouble, sorry, I just don't see it as being much different from Chaos. Graphics, design, gameplay, all pretty much the same... the GG Sonic games don't really change much on a design level, Aspect kept trying and failing to make games that are like the first SMS Sonic game. There is probably more different between Sonic 1 and Sonic 2 on the Geneiss than between all of the GG Sonic games combined... sure, there are some changes -- some have the chaos emeralds hidden in the levels while others have them in side-scrolling bonus stages, some are only Sonic, others have Somic and Tails, and one has Sonic and Knuckles playable, the graphical styles change, and such, but the basic designs stay very similar.

I didn't mind the graphics of Sonic Blast really, but I still find it a chore to play. It's slower than the others, the level design is the worst of the bunch, and something about the physics feels off. Spindashing up ramps gives me problems somehow. Sonic Blast is the only 2D Sonic platformer I actively dislike, not counting the Game.com abomination.

I have no idea how somebody could actually prefer GG Sonic 2 to any other GG Sonic game, Blast included.

Yeah, but as I said the screen real-estate makes a big difference. I think you were on the money when you said they designed it for the SMS then lazily tossed it on the GG. I doubt it will change your opinion on it much but it's certainly more playable on the Master System.

I have no doubt that the SMS version is better, that horrendously broken boss is a big problem, I just doubt that just fixing that would actually make it a good game...

To each his own with this one. I thought they built on Castle of Illusion quite well and put together a really solid platformer (their other Illusion game is crap though I can't even recall the name of it). Lucky Dime Caper is indeed loads better than Deep Duck Trouble but I don't really find that game terrible. It does have some questionable design decisions though.

Huh? What do you have against Land of Illusion? Seems perfectly decent and fun to me. Nice graphics, solid gameplay. It's short and simple as always for Sega GG platformers, but it's okay. Or are you confusing Land of Illusion and Legend of Illusion? Land is the second one, by Sega (or Sega/Aspect). Legend is the third one, by Aspect. It's the one with Aspect's later engine as seen in the later Sonic games and Deep Duck Trouble, better graphics but with slowdown as usual from them, easier and less good level designs as always from Aspect, etc. Legend was the first of the three I got, and I was actually happy to find it because I'd heard that the 8-bit Illusion games were good. But then I played it and was quite disappointed, and after looking the game up was unsurprised to find that it was an Aspect game. And indeed, Castle and Land are better. I'm not a big fan of the Illusion series in general (I wouldn't put the Genesis games on my 'favorite platformers' list either; they're good, but not great), but at least the first two are a lot better than the third one for sure.

As for Deep Duck Trouble, "questionable design decisions" is a hallmark of Aspect games.

I don't really find the level designs all that similar. Sonic Chaos levels are extremely short and linear while Triple Trouble's are not. I felt like I was playing a Sonic game and not a demo of a Sonic game. I like it, it's not my favorite but a lot of people seem to like it a lot more than me for whatever reason.

Maybe I'll try it again, but it hasn't given me this kind of impression.

I can handle the pre-rendered look occasionally but Sonic Blast is just blurry ass.

I guess I don't mind the look so much; it does mean even more slowdown, but it's not like Aspect's GG games don't almost always slow down somewhat anyway...

[Kamahl]

Yes, Land of Illusion was developed by Aspect (and is by far their best game IMO). They did drop the ball on Legend, it's semi-decent, about as good as Deep Duck Trouble. Pretty sure he was referring to Legend since it's the second Mickey Mouse game by Aspect.

[A Black Falcon]

Yes, Land of Illusion was developed by Aspect (and is by far their best game IMO). They did drop the ball on Legend, it's semi-decent, about as good as Deep Duck Trouble. Pretty sure he was referring to Legend since it's the second Mickey Mouse game by Aspect.

If Aspect was really entirely responsible for Land of Illusion, then why is the lead programmer cited on Mobygames not cited in any other Aspect titles? Did he just do that one and nothing else for them (his other citations are all for Sega)? http://www.mobygames.com/developer/s...operId,540299/

[Guntz]

I greatly enjoyed Legend of Illusion, lots of good design in there. My only complaint is it's too short and any gameplay elements it uses are too underutilized.

[Kamahl]

If Aspect was really entirely responsible for Land of Illusion, then why does the lead programmer cited on Mobygames not cited in any other Aspect titles? Did he just do that one and nothing else for them (his other citations are all for Sega)? http://www.mobygames.com/developer/s...operId,540299/

It's possible he was transferred to Aspect for the game, would explain the difference in quality.

[Gogogadget]

Land of Illusion is one of the best games on the SMS and GG.

[j_factor]

I have no idea how somebody could actually prefer GG Sonic 2 to any other GG Sonic game, Blast included.

Well, to be fair, I'm mainly thinking of the SMS version, since that's the one I've played more. But Blast has some serious collision detection issues, bad physics, the weakest music, and the blandest level design. I just played it a bit to refresh my memory, and yeah, it's still pretty bad. Blast is the only one that I'd actually call bad; Chaos is very mediocre, the rest are decent/good but not great. Sonic 2 has some fun levels and good music, and the physics are good. I prefer Triple Trouble, but Sonic 2 SMS is fine, and better than Chaos. The GG version would be fine if not for the first boss, IMO.

On another note, I also went and played Sonic Labyrinth for a bit, and I actually liked it. What's supposed to be so bad about this game? At worst it shouldn't be a Sonic game, but the actual gameplay is good.

[Obviously]

Huh? What do you have against Land of Illusion?

You got your signals crossed somewhere. I said:

Aspect wasn't always horrible though. Land of Illusion is a fantastic game.

And then you replied this.

No it's not, it's kind of bad, just like almost all of their games. That games' another massive disappointment compared to its predecessors, just like all of their Sonic games are, or their Donald Duck game as well -- the first Donald game for GG is a good fun game, but Aspect's sequel Deep Duck Trouble isn't any good, like pretty much everything they made.

Hence,

To each his own with this one. I thought they built on Castle of Illusion quite well and put together a really solid platformer (their other Illusion game is crap though I can't even recall the name of it). Lucky Dime Caper is indeed loads better than Deep Duck Trouble but I don't really find that game terrible. It does have some questionable design decisions though.

You misread my first statement up there. Legend is the one I couldn't remember the name to. That game is mediocre.

I've got nothing against Land of Illusion. Actually it's probably my favorite Illusion game. Hell, it's one of my favorite 8-bit Sega games period.

Maybe Aspect didn't make it though as you've said or maybe Sega had other staffers working with Aspect as Kamahl theorized, I don't know. I can't say without asking the people who worked on it. It's a sweet game regardless.

I'm glad that's cleared up because I couldn't imagine how anyone could call Land of Illusion "bad."

[Gogogadget]

I can't believe any praise at all for Sonic Blast, the second worst platforming Sonic game of all time, just a hair above Sonic Jam on the Game.com

Nothing about that game is good, nothing.