Sonic the Hedgehog (Mega Drive) - Full Playthrough
Channel: Louis B
Date: 11/03/2020

PLEASE NOTE: I HAVE RE-UPLOADED THIS DUE TO A FEW ANNOYING ISSUES WITH THE ORIGINAL VIDEO.

I wanted to coincide this video with the release of Sonic the Hedgehog's theatrical debut in the cinemas but I kind of got side-tracked with a  few different things...

So here is Sonic the Hedgehog, released for the Sega Mega Drive (or Sega Genesis) in 1991. It would be rather insulting to explain the significance of this game but in summary it's near thirty year legacy, including the aforementioned theatrical movie, are testament to how much of a cultural influence Sonic has had in the past few decades.

Full transparency for those watching this but I am a bit of a Sonic apologist and generally feel his games are given an unfair reception by many critics, either because they go in with the wrong expectations (wanting a 2D Sonic from a 3D game) or already have preconceived notions about Sega's mascot (see IGN's infamous "Sonic was never good" video for more).  With that said, I do think the original Mega Drive Sonic the Hedgehog has aged poorly in comparison to the rest of the 2D series. While the first Sonic the Hedgehog succeeds in evoking the sense of speed that the series is known for, and in all has compelling level design, some of which offer multiple branching paths, this is by far the slowest of the three mainline Mega Drive Sonic games. 

Tight platforming and waiting rule the day in this game, and there is alot of waiting, especially in Marble Zone. Normally this would not be a problem for a platformer but the slippy controls that build-up Sonic's momentum with his running animation make these jumps and precise movements difficult to achieve. Keep in mind as well, there is no spin-dash in Sonic 1. The first Sonic also did its absolute best to use cheap level threats, like spike traps, enclosed enemy placements and bottomless pits to whittle through player lives and create overall frustration. Furthermore, the three act structure was rightly scrapped after this game as the third act in particular could be a long and grueling slog, as with Labyrinth Zone. In-fact, a whole video could be made about how infuriating Labyrinth Zone can be, but alas, plenty of people have already done that topic for me (THANK THE MAKER).

Atleast on the flipside, this is still a bright and incredibly vivid looking game, its visuals and presentation, with map and enemy designs as such, have a surprisingly timeless look given the attitude vibes that Sega USA wanted out of Sonic as a character. I absolutely adore the first Sonic's soundtrack too, with Spring Yard Zone's New Jack Swing inspired grooves really getting me jamming to the music. The serene tones of the special zone likewise sell the extraterrestrial feel of those environments as much as you'd expect. And ofcourse, the sound effects are instantly recognisable as a piece of nineties pop-culture, there is no mistaking any of that.

In my mind, the best Sonic is Sonic the Hedgehog 2, and in time, I will make a video for that as well. However we have to respect how this series started life, besides the level of importance it had in solidifying Sega's reputation at the time, with the Mega Drive - and projects following it thereafter.

----------------------------------------­----------------
Some Necessary Pointers:
----------------------------------------­----------------

- While I do not die in this playthrough, I do get hit a couple of times and miss the Chaos Emeralds once or twice in the special zones. I am bad at this game lol

-There are some video capture glitches. I only noticed much of these issues in post production but sadly not much can be done about this.

-This is the base Sonic the Hedgehog, no alterations, played on a NTSC Sega Genesis Model 2 MK-1631 with a Triple Bypass RGB/Audio Mod. I did all my video capture using RGB SCART Linetripled through an OSSC and output via HDMI using a DVDO Edge at 720p60 and edited/re-encoded for 1920x1440 using Final Cut X and Handbrake respectively.

----------------------------------------­----------------
A LEGAL NOTICE:
----------------------------------------­----------------
Any copyrighted footage I use is covered under fair use laws, or more specifically those listed under Section 30(1) of the UK Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1989 and under section 107 of US Copyright Act 1976. This video exists purely for the purpose of research and criticism. I do not make a profit from any uploaded content, nor do I intend to. Thank you for watching.