sonic sonic japanese hepburn platform video game developed published sega main game sonic series released worldwide february japan months later following events sonic spaceship crash lands mysterious floating island sonic tails retrieve stop death egg making rounds island guardian began shortly release sonic november developed simultaneously games originally developed single title time constraints cartridge costs later forced team split projects cartridge features lock technology allows physically attached sonic cartridge creating combined game predecessors sonic critical commercial success critics seeing improvement previous installments sold million copies united_states makes best selling genesis games predecessors bundled genesis regions sold combined million game released compilations download releases platforms including sonic gamecube sonic playstation xbox plot sonic miles tails defeat end sonic space station death egg crash lands mystical floating called begins repair damaged station meets surviving member ancient civilization inhabited island guardian master grants island powers knowing sonic tails try track realizing use power ship believing sonic trying steal master approach tornado sonic possessing events sonic jumps plane turns island arrive sonic underground knocks returning normal steals disappears inland sonic tails travel levels frequently encounter progress traps sonic uses spare egg travel ends encountering usual tries stop sonic defeated death egg launches collapses sending water sonic continues deck fights defeats big arm machine death egg damaged falls orbit explodes gameplay sonic scrolling game start players choose select choice players control sonic tails runs second player join time control tails separately sonic adds ability tails fly short time spinning twin tails like propeller gets tired falls unlike swim underwater game takes place zones divided acts levels populated robots called defeat jumping spin dash attack gives character speed boost levels include obstacles features vertical loops walls spikes water player pits fight large powerful robots end act level boss fight end second reaching new level saves player game save slots loaded later previous sonic games sonic uses rings scattered game levels health system player attacked rings crushed falls screen exceeds act minute limit lose life return recently passed dying zero lives gives player game levels include power ups television monitors hit grant character extra life temporary hazards number rings shield allows breathe underwater shield allows withstand fire enemy projectiles shield attracts nearby rings game contains types special stages player collects rings passes warp type involves bouncing machine like corridor earn power ups hitting switch sides corridor lined disappear character switch drops supporting removed corridor floor contains bounce pad disappears use falling causes player leave stage recent power collected second type triggered entering giant rings found secret passages involves running map passing number blue spheres arranged patterns passing blue sphere turns red touching red sphere causes player leave stage player completed cycle arrangement blue spheres case spheres turn harmless rings removing blue spheres gives player sonic tails collects seven makes invincible obstacles sonic includes competitive mode players controlling way use cartridge race stages appear main game stages single player compete clock time attacks sonic intended single game released separately time financial constraints cartridge features lock allows physically attached genesis connecting sonic cartridge creates combined game lock function available digital releases games virtual console service wii sonic allows player play sonic levels levels tails sonic tails new features ability collect new hyper forms sonic super form tails improved save options record player lives continues additional ending shows sonic returning master angel island development predecessors sonic developed published sega primary creators sonic design document project schedule sonic began game similar concept abandoned early team want change sonic formula radically sequel sonic originally planned single game time limited manufacturing costs cartridge expensive split game half giving developers time finish second splitting cost cartridge small non volatile ram built allows player save game progress game cartridge sonic released february north_america february europe help promote game european release right said fred adapted song include references aspects sonic song game advertisements released single charted number music video skull sega advertising campaign appeared sonic michael_jackson involvement director stated sega brought michael_jackson compose music sonic following allegations sexual abuse jackson involvement terminated music reworked website musician contributed music sonic credited game credits jackson jackson tour keyboardist songwriting collaborator musical cues levels sonic senior sega staff later stated involvement jackson arranged knowledge contracts formal agreements interview french magazine stated jackson involved sonic compositions chose remain uncredited unhappy sound capabilities genesis said sonic credits music later basis jackson single stranger moscow november discovered community musical theme zone closely resembles previously unreleased track keyboardist songwriter called hard times october dedicated episode pop fiction series examining jackson involvement game previously stated jackson involvement game dropped sexual abuse allegations stated similarities jackson music sonic intentional sega anonymous source involved game development reaffirmed statements said jackson involvement happened scandals came light august contributions remained game jackson choosing remain uncredited source specified music pieces jackson contributed alternate versions ports compilation releases compilations include game sonic jam sonic gamecube sonic playstation xbox sonic xbox playstation nintendo compilations feature game largely unchanged addition featuring original release new remix options normal mode altered layout rings hazards easy mode removes certain acts game entirely features rendition game soundtrack certain levels featuring completely different music digital releases game released september june xbox version enhanced graphics high definition displays online support multiplayer split screen xbox live original method saving game replaced revamped version allows progress saved play completing game version released steam software game successor released originally intended player playing tails simply continuing beginning finishing sonic reception genesis version game sold million copies united_states sonic worldwide sales estimated million million sonic unlike bundled genesis console sonic best selling genesis games time like predecessors sonic received positive reviews holds score review aggregator gamerankings based reviews critics generally felt sonic best game series far hyper declared sonic fan said undoubtedly best series including acclaimed obscure sonic admitted having preferred sonic special stages small margin stated sonic better special stages superior sonic contender award wrote despite skepticism found excellent easily playable series electronic gaming monthly compared sonic favorably sonic awarded game month award later ranked number hot indicating received highest average score game reviewed past year thomas ign stated sonic completed trilogy best considered superior critics felt sonic little previous sonic games hyper saw new features thought different writer said lot new elements brutally frank stated game significant addition save system electronic gaming monthly enjoyed new power ups aspects game level design praised electronic gaming monthly enjoyed game expansive stages secret areas linear level design difficulty mean machines agreed describing game ride start finish listing carnival night favorite level described probably programmed portion game history felt game short felt player mode collecting significantly extend title replay value hand said stages large sizes players sufficiently enjoyed having ability play player mode visuals received described sonic beautiful games new visual tricks highlighting sonic ascension pipes pathways particularly inventive graphics brilliant sonic title praised elaborate backgrounds mean machines thought similarly giving special praise camera quick scrolling diversity level themes detailed overall aesthetic thomas especially enjoyed use cutscenes create coherent story thematically connect zones felt visuals downgraded particularly sonic infamous textures sound effects music received somewhat visuals described brilliant far superior sonic mean machines stated level great tunes sound effects particularly praised game ending music described sound emphasis found similar sonic games soundtracks thomas thought music impressive par reviews later ports slightly positive xbox release scores gamerankings metacritic respectively critics felt game upgraded releases eurogamer wished online implemented gamespot ign wished sega released game successor instead mega ranked fifth best genesis game november gamesradar ranked seventh best genesis game gamer ranked combined title eighth similar list legacy issues sonic comic issue version sonic comic consisted comic adaptations game sonic twentieth anniversary sega released game remade aspects past games franchise nintendo 3ds version game features remake game final boss big arms additionally arranged version game theme appeared game
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