Sonic the Hedgehog CD was released in 1993 for the Sega CD. It was developed and distributed by Sega. It is a side-scrolling action game like most of the other Sonic games, it contains some of the fastest, and most engrossing gameplay ever. Your goal in the game is to defeat Dr. Robotnik, not only because he turned your animal friends into robots (for the 3 millionth time) he has also kidnapped Amy Rose, Sonic's girlfriend (I think she is anyway, dang the game's ambiguous storyline.) Graphics-10/10- The characters are all quite large. Each features fluid animation. The character designs continue the Sonic legacy, they are very creative. The backgrounds are very original and are quite detailed. The game-opening animated cinema is excellent, the quality is second to none and it really helps set the tone for the rest of the game. Overall, the graphics are excellent, the game features imaginative characters with superb animation. Pros- Excellent character design. Large characters. Very colorful levels. Well-done animated cinemas. Cons- None that I can think of. Sound-8/10- The music is another great feature in this game, it is very well done. It's not as good as the import version's, or the original Sonic the Hedgehog, but it's still good. The music fits the themes of the levels perfectly. The sound effects are great, they are clear as could be and fit each action perfectly. Pros- Excellent music that truly added to the experience of playing the game. Great sound effects. Cons- As good as it is, the music isn't as good as the import version's. Gameplay-10/10- Your universal goal in each of the game's levels is to free your friends, who have been trapped in metal containers at the end of an Act. There are 3 Acts in each level, the third Act is the Boss Act, the Boss for that level is at the end of the level. All of the levels have different settings, they are all very unique, and they are well laid out and are quite diverse in style. A new time-based element was added to Sonic CD, you can play a level in the Past, Present, or Future if you hit a marker with the time name on it, the levels design is identical in each, the time element does add different enemies and changes the look of the level to correspond with the time zone. This is a very welcome addition to the series, it helps to keep the game fresh. Pros- Classic gameplay that never gets old. Cons- None that I can think of. Control-10/10- You can do a plethora of things in this game to defeat your foes; the two main ones are, jumping on them or spinning through them. A new spinning attack was added to Sonic's repertoire, it is very well done. Pros- Very responsive. Simple controls. Cons- None that I can think of. Presentation-10/10- Everything fits the game's theme perfectly. The character design are among the best ever in video games. Pros- Fits the game's theme perfectly. Cons- None that I can think of. Challenge-9/10- The game's challenge progresses gradually as you get through the game, much like all of the other Sonic games. For the most part, it's not too difficult, with the exception of the last few levels. Replay Value-10/10- It's a timeless Sega CD classic that you'll want to play for years to come, if you can find it. Pros- Excellent gameplay makes it a game that you can play for years to come and never get bored. Cons- None that I can think of. Overall-10/10- This is undoubtedly the best Sonic the Hedgehog game ever. The graphics are unparalelled on the Sega CD, or any other platform for that matter. It stands the test of time better than most games. Even after seven years, the game still seems new and refreshing. It added quite a few new features to the series. This game stands tall as one of the few bright spots in the Sega CD library. Final Thought- This game is a true classic. If you're a fan of any of the Sonic the Hedgehog games, buy this game, you'll never regret it. The gameplay is top-notch, as is virtually every other aspect of the game. The time travel element adds a nice twist and increases the game's longevity in my opinion. This is the Sega CD's finest game in my opinion, it does so many things well, it's not even funny. It's one of the few Sega CD games that is worth the purchase of the system.
