Sonic Gems Collection: a review of SONIC CD ONLY
COLDGRIMTRUE
75% score
apparently gamepro doesn't have the sega cd available in the "retro section" yet, much less sonic cd itself. so, not caring about the other games on this compilation, I will instead focus on reviewing sonic cd, the highlight of the collection, and beloved to sega cd owners everywhere, instead.
first, what differentiates this entry from the genesis games? what gives it its "cd" edge? that comes in the form of a few fmv footage (intro and ending, to be specific), and cd-quality music. the fmv is pretty neat (well, better than what you'd find in the purely fmv games that were available for the sega cd, certainly), though nothing to write home about. the music just sucks though. BOTH the u.s. version's AND the japanese/euro version's alike. don't believe the hype that tells you how awesome the japanese soundtrack is, unless you like really annoying j-pop. the u.s. soundtrack is just as bad, but instead of bad j-pop, it's bad lounge music instead. screw this, give me the genesis sonics' more primitive, yet far more satisfying tunes.
so, besides the unremarkable cd-exlusive features, how's the game? I must say, thankfully, that it fares much better here. the gameplay features your typical sonic gameplay, rings, loops, time limits, annoying obstacles and enemies, and of course, the classic sonic sense of speed. the twist here is the "time travel" mechanic, where you travel through time by running through sign posts that read either "past" or "future," maintain a good sense of speed long enough, and you will end up in an alternate version of the level. the color scheme, music, and small level design details will all change, for better or worse. to get the good ending, you must finish each level in a "good future" scenario, along with finding and completing all the bonus stages, along with locating these mechanical devices well-hidden in the level and destroying them (whew!). I never found this to be particularly worth the effort, as it takes a lot away from what sonic's always been fun for: just dashing through the levels at high speed, and dodging danger in the process. pure, and simple, just how I like it.
level designs are slightly more restrictive because of this time travel mechanic, meaning you're not afforded as many opportunities to just spin dash to your heart's content. MANY obstacles will meet your way to make damned sure you don't travel through time easily, which either helps or hinders the gameplay, depending on whether or not you care to get the good ending or not.
to close the review, this is a very good sonic game. I slightly prefer the genesis titles (sonic the hedgehog 1 notwithstanding), but you can't go wrong by picking this game up, whether it be a sega cd original or this gamecube compilation (also available for the ps2 in PAL and japan).
