Somari (NES) Playthrough - NintendoComplete

A playthrough of Hummer Team's 1994 unlicensed platformer for the NES, Somari.
Ah, the infamous Somari. For any of you that somehow might have not seen this one before, it's an unlicensed "port" of Sonic the Hedgehog for the NES starring Mario. It was the product of the Hummer Team (widely known for their unlicensed NES fighting games, including Street Fighter II and Kart Fighter, and for sharing a name with an awkward fellatio euphemism), and is rumored to be based on reverse-engineered code derived from the original Genesis/Mega Drive game.
It was extremely popular in Asia in the mid 90s (especially in Russia on the Dendy) in markets that were somewhat less-developed than the three primary territories (North America, Western Europe/Australia, and Japan) in which Nintendo and Sega officially did business - places where the 16-bit consoles had yet to put any dent in the market.
Somari has been hailed as both a miracle and as a miserable failure - opinions on this one's quality vary widely. It can't hold a candle to the Genesis title, but there's no denying that like many of Hummer Teams' efforts, far more effort and care was invested in Somari than was ever seen in great majority of unlicensed, Chinese-made NES titles of its era.
The levels are mostly based on those from the first Sonic, though the layouts tend to differ quite a bit. The Scrap Brain Zone is missing, but most of the areas still feature three acts and are all capped off with a Dr. Robotnik battle. You also can play the bonus stage from the Master System version of Sonic if you clear any Act 1 or Act 2 stage with more than 100 rings in reserve. There are no chaos emeralds in this game, though, so the only real purpose the bonus stages serve is to boost your score.
Graphically, Somari is surprisingly decent. Many of Sonic's graphics were reused, and even though the colors are garish, everything is recognizable and familiar. Mario's sprite looks uber-goofy (that walking animation!) and often falls victim to his wildly off-kilter physics, but the animation is more fluid than I had expected it to be. The game also moves at a good clip, and slowdown and flicker are rarely problematic. The music is also generally faithful to the original, though the music doesn't sound so hot after the conversion.
In some ways, it's an impressive bit of work. In other ways, though, not so much.
The viewable screen area is cropped thanks to the NES's lower resolution, but nobody seems to have told the enemies that. This means that you'll constantly be shot at by enemies that you can't see, and more often than not, they're positioned in exactly the right place to hit you when you least expect it. Mario gets caught up on the scenery constantly (those surfaces that appear to be curved are actually flat surfaces of varying height) and this royally screws with any sense of momentum - good luck on some of those jumps. The charged rolling attack (from Sonic 2) is somehow even worse: it causes Mario to pop-up into the air, usually directly into the path of a hazard.
The game also has some nasty bugs in it. You can see a couple in this video: I had to kill myself in Labyrinth Zone Act 3 after I got stuck when the boss fight didn't trigger, and in the final zone, notice how Mario gets stuck pushing on the computer console as he's trying to chase Robotnik? He can only get over the obstacle and give chase if you jump just before the game takes control - otherwise he just sits there straining against the computer until the final end screen pops up.
Nobody is doing to mistake this NES game for the Genesis title, but it is a really cool novelty and I imagine many of the people that grew up playing Somari have a lot of nostalgia for it. It's awkward, it's derpy, and it needs several more coats of polish, but Somari is a fun and quirky title that put Mario and Sonic together several years before they were officially introduced to one another.
And now that I think of it, maybe the team that handled the port of Sonic 1 to the GBA should've played this and taken notes ;D lmao. Just kidding!... okay, maybe not.
_
No cheats were used during the recording of this video.
NintendoComplete (www.nintendocomplete.com/) punches you in the face with in-depth reviews, screenshot archives, and music from classic 8-bit NES games!

[@CarozQH]

What amazes me most is that they actually didn't copy everything from the Megadrive game - the special stages are from the Master System and Game gear versions! I'm kind of amazed Hummer managed to get hold of that version just for this bootleg

[@horizonshot]

@[VUT] Windows XP TWO yeah but the more obvious reason is how much of a graphical mess it would be to put it on the nes

[@zeusthefox1585]

Not gonna lie though....the art looks good. Somari is quite an interesting little game

[@blazingtrs6348]

that would've been impossible on nes

[@SoulStreak64]

Somari, the hero we never asked for, but the meme we needed.

[@YukiSnow75]

Even though this is late true

[@Fatal-Runes]

the same goes for grand dad 7 and barve boy

[@Thunderbirds501]

This was definitely an early video game definition of “crossover”.

[@Helicopter7]

This?

[@eliaveloso1869]

Somari had a cult following with Russian 90s kids due to having Famiclones

[@Elmersucks]

On the sega genesis there’s a bootleg game called sonic jam 6 and it’s literally just super Mario bro’s all stars but with sonic

[@s1nistr433]

It was likely done because making a rotating environment like in the Sonic 1 Special Stages is extremely difficult if not impossible on the NES

[@NintendoComplete]

Somari certainly won't fool anyone into thinking the NES is a 16-bit console, but it's way, way better than the great majority of games that came out of China and Taiwan in the mid 90s.

[@JulianR2JG]

Someone hacked Somari and replaced Mario as Sonic. Yep, that is right, a bootleg of a bootleg!

[@Whfox]

@@JulianR2JG That ROM was made by the same authors (Hummer Team). They even fixed some bugs from Somari. I have an unreleased hack of it but never released it.

[@JulianR2JG]

White Fox oh. I also forgot to mention someone made an updated sprite version of the sonic hack.

[@Whfox]

@@JulianR2JG Ah you mean the "imptovement" hack? I played that one it changes some controls and even got its own hack to patch the music. It was one of the reasons I left mine... although I was more focused on improving the physics and controls, fixing bugs and making the levels more fair by moving objects and enemies.

[@Whfox]

@Cody The Fox Yes I have it stored on my PC. I posted a screenshot comparison long ago in Sonic retro, if you want to see it: i.imgur.com/BpS8dKF.png You can see how the ring count turns red at zero and the new sprite for drowning.

[@fiddleriddlediddlediddle]

SOMARI HAS PASSED act 1

[@LazyP0tat05]

D:

[@San116]

I hope Sega and Nintendo approve this masterpiece.

[@Angie2343]

I hope so too

[@SackboyLBP]

@@Angie2343 I hope so three

[@Angie2343]

@@SackboyLBP =D

[@ninteenth]

@@SackboyLBP i hope so 06281991th

[@StarBafYam]

Ya lo hizo

Now You're Blast Processing with Power!

[@HsienKoMeiLingFormerYANG]

Output special, Sparkster spin off runs on Superb Processing.

[@williamsmith666]

"Gotta go-ah fast-ah!"

[@-deleted-4325]

Ah yes, my favorite character, Somari

[@flubbedlynx1643]

Video Game icon Somari

[@CorelEuropa]

Hay que joderse

[@youraveragemorononyoutube4435]

yes hes very recognizable

[@anttikristian4060]

As it is on he's hat "M" as Somari.

[@jayskicksnfits9372]

@@anttikristian4060 *his* ,not he's. 🤣

[@randomproduction9769]

i got an 1 hour ad just to watch somari after playing his song in mario's madness

[@taigashenpai2434]

I remember having a cartridge of this and playing it when I was a kid

[@tunafissh]

this is a bootleg

[@Seieiemon]

​@@tunafissh Some bootleg creators sometimes somehow put their bootleg game in a cartridge.

[@-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-]

shigeru miyamoto just woke up in a cold sweat.

[@lolzbutbetter6061]

Who ever made this game is clearly a legand

[@roshwyinstaicoon2593]

Its Hummer Team who made the game

[@oshabot1646]

52:26 physics at it's finest

[@unknown_guy5366]

Lol

[@ExtremeWreck]

Still better than Sonic 3D Blast 5 for Gameboy.

[@malmal2148]

And better than sonic the hedgehog on GBA

[@ExtremeWreck]

@@malmal2148 Oh, definitely :).

[@NintendoComplete]

Light years beyond the official Tiger Game.com version, too.

[@ElephantMariotheRHDNhater3293]

@@NintendoComplete better than that and 06, the GBA port, & Rise of lyric.

[@Black__Rose.]

@@ElephantMariotheRHDNhater3293 no,06 is better,but I would rather play this than the others tho

[@Tree_Drinker]

"Somari" in Italian is the plural of "somaro," which is "donkey"

[@andreapasqualotto7501]

Hai ragione. Somari... la descrizione dei creatori del gioco.

[@AustinSnellAustinSnell]

Hummer Team when coming up with somari: "Donkey"

[@shimo_retro_gameplays6288]

Ah avevo scritto un commento simile, poi alla fine ho visto il tuo AHAHAHAH

[@shimo_retro_gameplays6288]

@@andreapasqualotto7501 ma sai, alla fine questo gioco non è poi così brutto, facendo il confronto con altri giochi cinesi usciti per Famicom. Non che sia il migliore, ma almeno i controlli funzionano bene

[@dani0506]

Onestamente credo sia semplicemente la combinazione di sonic e mario

[@apcsox]

I’m disgusted and impressed all at the same time. It looks like garbage and plays like a sloth trying the slide up an ice hill covered in grease..... but the did a great rip of the assets from the Genesis with what the had to work with hardware-wise.

[@TheRealiBox4S]

What do you mean? This is a masterpiece! 😂

[@zeusthefox1585]

The Backgrounds and level art is beautiful. There's alot of love here...under the bank and weird...make somari a unique character and change up the enemies and yiu got somthing here

[@mrtrollnator123]

​@@zeusthefox1585youre right in fact now theres a hack of this game and it looks great it even has the blue sphere minigamr

[@kagechu2005BISVG]

Mom, can we have Sonic the Hedgehog? We have Sonic at home. *Sonic at home:*

[@JaxCoolKartunes]

DON'T GO NEAR THAT CHANNEL SOME OF THERE THUMBNAILS ON THERE VIDEOS ARE CROPPED INAPPORIATE IMAGES AND IF REMEMBER DO NOT CLICK ON THAT CHANNEL WITH YOUR TECHNOSQUEAK FROM SANIC AND KNUCKS AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH PINGAS PINGAS PINGAS PINGAS PINGAS PINGAS PINGAS JUST WIN THE JUST WIN THE RACE I DON'T CARE WHAT IT TAKES JUST FIND A WAY TO WIN THE RACE IT'S WORKING IT'S WORKING MY SNEAKY-SNEAKY PLAN IS WORKING OH BOY TIME TO HAVE SOME HEDGEHOG STEW IF IT'S THE LAST THING I DO I WILL GET THAT BLUE BAFOONC WHERE ARE YOU TAKING ME! I DON'T KNOW? WHERE ARE YOU GOING BOOP BOOP PING-O-AH-PING-AH TOO MUCH GARLIC TURD ON MY GOLD COINS! AND THERE'S CHUNKY! HE'S DEAD

[@maunty1984]

After this video I’ve seen everything in this life , I can rest in peace now

[@Gamernutthegamemaster]

If Mario laid off the pasta and mushrooms

[@Thewolfguys.cartoons2000]

Somari for smash

[@Thewolfguys.cartoons2000]

@@mattfahringer148 no

[@NintendoComplete]

@@mattfahringer148 Dude, seriously. I've asked you time and time again to stop randomly attacking people in your comments, especially when there's no good reason for it, but half of the stuff you say serves no purpose but to be rude or to poke fun. I appreciate your support of my videos, but really, knock that shit off. Please. I would rather not use the "hide user from channel" option, but I will if it becomes necessary.

[@TopHatGuy599]

​@@NintendoCompletewhat did he say

[@DawsonsMemes]

I just love how KZbin recognises it

[@rosemarydwitasari4693]

Somari vs Grand Dad Who would win?

[@baldingfox77558]

*T H E U L T I M A T E B A T T L E*

[@RaysGamingChannel2003]

Somari

[@daveshen0880]

Somari collects 100 rings. Why don't he get a an extra life?

[@Whfox]

Because it's not programmed. The game contains code for other unfinished stuff too.

[@shimo_retro_gameplays6288]

@@Whfox use YEVAZZAA to access an unused and unfinished world ;D

[@Whfox]

@@shimo_retro_gameplays6288 You mean the leftovers of Scrap Brain Zone? There is an end signpost at the end and it shares data with the final zone.

[@shimo_retro_gameplays6288]

@@Whfox yeah i meant the Scrap brain zone! In the final game, after the star light area, final Boss Battle directly comes. And yes, in that unused Scrap Brain Area It still says "final zone" with star light music

[@Whfox]

@@shimo_retro_gameplays6288 Yeah I know because I hacked the ROM. The zone plays the Star Light Zone music but it has its own pointer so it can be changed to any other. Its data structure is different from the others, as it was a placeholder or a draft. The Final Zone is written three times over its data and there is a level chunk leftover from it on the Final Zone, but it can't be seen.

[@jakehart9641]

I remember playing something extremely similar on an emulator almost a decade a go. The only differences were that the levels and music were different, everything else seemed the same though

[@MusikitaPosting]

Guys, serious question Who is better? Somari or 7 Grand dad?

[@imhexv]

Somari

[@therealseanw.stewart2071]

Ah, yes, this brings me back to my early childhood days of firing up emulators and playing whatever bizarre files I could find on them. This is quite possibly the oldest pirate game I know! ...Aside from maybe that weird Super Mario War game on SNES. It's a mess, but I know some may consider it a guilty pleasure ironically only by way of the nostalgic novelty. You gotta hand it to them back in the day, at least _some_ effort went into emulating the physics and music of Sonic (albeit poorly)...On NES hardware. However misplaced, and of course, it is all just a trainwreck. You can get stuck on spikes between certain ledges and have to wait for yourself to die, for example! I know this is before the era of indie projects becoming much more of a mainstream focus in our modern culture nowadays, allowing for smaller developers to make a living much easier than ever before, but you gotta just ask yourself, why did they make stuff like this? It's like unearthing a relic, nay, finding a Mr. Sparkle cleaning product box from Japan in the dump who looks like a bootleg Homer Simpson! Mayhaps originality was just out of the question, but the most fascinating quality of this old pirate junk comes from just the sheer mystique surrounding their history. The sad reality is, we just probably will never know why this is made! It's way more interesting than it oughta be, or really is. This is part of why I'm such a gaming nerd and connoisseur of retro game emulation, it's finding weird junk like this, and inspiring the imagination at an early age. It's amazing how a child's mind can try to piece together clues as to why something exist, when and where it was made, and what inspired its creation. The people who programmed these oddities, and for what purpose, other than perhaps making a lazy buck off of brand recognition? Is it so hard to be original? Does originality truly exist? Is it so hard to find an audience? What is life? Is every option so insignificant and futile in reality? All this thinking does make one's head hurt. Almost causes as big a migraine as this game's rendition of the Sonic soundtrack.

[@gabnrami]

How old are you? I though the same, i played this game when i was a kid on a real cartidge in my family clone, lol i was amazed and wtf at the same time, specially confused for the spin dash

[@shakeyframe2330]

It was made to cash in on the popularity of sonic and mario at the time and make a quick buck

[@lolzbutbetter6061]

I play this on a daily basis

[@AGZhark]

Please sum this up for me.

[@tunafissh]

i love how every nes bootleg uses the same exact instruments

[@nindooongpark]

Bro why is it lowkey kinda good im actually impressed

[@knotsandcrosses1]

This is what you got your kids when they pissed you off. "What, you said you wanted Sonic, I got you Sonic? What do you mean the music sounds like farts and the graphics hurt your eyes? You'll play Somari, and you'll like it."

[@FurbyFanClassOf2024]

This looks like the perfect combination of Super Mario Bros 3 and the original sonic game made for the NES or SNES console

[@omegametroyd]

I loved renting this cartridge every now and then in my childhood, it was so hard to play, I never completed it, you could choose between Mario, Luigi or sonic and red sonic to play. When we got a Genesis some time later we thought it was the same game but without Mario and Luigi :(

[@NErDy-pr1jf]

Was this actually made within the technical limitations of the NES? If so that’s very impressive

[@mrtrollnator123]

Yes

[@PeiceofNick]

For a bootleg game its still technically impressive this was even made possible considering the hardwhere limits of the NEs being and 8-bit system and all. (And before anyone ask, yes Im aware of Bio-Force Ape but the game never officially realeased onto store shelves to begin wit

[@IcedOften]

My grandpa had an assortment of nes and genesis Roms on his computer growing up and I was so confused playing this one

[@indrachaudhari7874]

I think that this team also might have made an aladdin game for NES which was a remake of SNES version and was surprisingly good. Maybe you should also check it out. The sound effect when touching the ring and the last stage have similar boss fight.

[@spaceinvader7047]

demake*

[@uwuuwu3746]

Me acuerdo que lo juge donde venian esos juegos 99999 en 1 en la play 1 que tiempos cuando era niño 😕😟

[@SomariTheAdventurerJam6]

I Wanted This for a while.

[@NintendoComplete]

I like how attractively misshapen your head is in your profile pic

[@BloopersINCjr]

Another classic from setendo/ (ninga 😳)

[@Sparkette]

It would have been funny if they hid Sonic's face in Marble Zone.

[@davidthecommenter]

Honestly, for a bootleg homebrew game, this is some high quality garbage. Such an unusual concept that actually works pretty damn decently.

[@medusakat460]

Is the regular Sonic Nest better than this or is it the same

[@Worldoffansandairconditioners]

Makes my crying in Special Stage and Star Light zone in Somari 😭😭😭

[@metalcoola]

Much better than Sonic the Hedgehog Genesis :) Really impressive, especially for a bootleg.

[@SykNomad241]

No U

[@NintendoComplete]

Hahaha good one ;) but yeah, it is really impressive in some ways

[@JamesMiller-re8he]

Downliad sonic 1 genesis genesis it have fast paste if you enter this code fff761:6411

[@omarsoub_._]

@@JamesMiller-re8he wtf

[@Juan_Con_Messi10]

No

[@Brozbluegamerz]

Nintendo’s and segas nightmares combined into one back when they hated eachother

[@joannedavid5865]

This is my favourite video game

[@wizzgamer]

Crazy that they released this at the end of the Sega Drive/Snes life but while the NES was still relevant.

[@RangoAnimations]

this was released in 1994 when those consoles were at the height of their popularity

[@imhexv]

​@@RangoAnimationsi didn't expect to find you here

[@coraugoust]

The slow-paced gameplay fits Marble Zone a bit too well.

[@shakeyframe2330]

42:38 I see what you did there

[@tufflesproductions]

I think this is what got me into sonic

[@gdmrhotshot3731]

Who’s here from Mario madness

[@EuSouRCS]

Best Game Title ever 💎

[@LuckyBird551]

We need a crossover between Somari and Grand Dad.

[@unforeseeable2.058]

I think Mario's Madness has that covered

[@alexkydd]

Game of the century

[@Jamesamong007]

There is a hack of this somewhere that makes the music sound a little better.

[@Iregular07]

Sonic may have passed but we have a new hero

[@ad7799]

Los jovenes en los 2000s "Noooo por dios! Que juego de m*erda, pero mirá que absurdo" Hoy en día adultos "Pero mirá que pedazo de oro este juegazo!"

[@genesis-138]

The most upsetting part of this bootleg is how they massacred Starlight Zone’s theme, which happens to be my favorite theme from Sonic 1. It’s making my ears bleed! 😭😭😭

[@mauriciopartnoy2789]

I played this when I was a kid. Great game! One of the most suspicious games on the stores along with other legends like "Cumbia Hero"

[@Worldoffansandairconditioners]

I until memorize the Spring Yard Zone Stages from Sonic 1 SEGA GENESIS that makes me happy

[@TheIcarusKid]

Such a perfect recreation and they only copied that 2 bar loop for the music? :\

[@ElliotMaxxo]

I never thought this game was complete

[@Angie2343]

King Sonic will be FURIOUS!!

[@shimo_retro_gameplays6288]

Somari means donkeys in italian :D But at least in my region, we use more "asino" than "somaro" for donkey.

[@tassmachiche2788]

ليه صوت الرينق يحجب صوت الآكت

[@dirk9787]

It doesn't look as bad as it sounds.

[@TomatoTrap]

Sonic may have passed......But we have SOMARI!

[@ExtremeGamerOfficial.]

HEY GUYS IT'S ME SOMARI!

[@TomatoTrap]

@@ExtremeGamerOfficial. YOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

[@ExtremeGamerOfficial.]

@@TomatoTrap YK It's Crazy After Sonic Has Passed Getting Put In An Fnf Sonic Exe Mod SOMARI Got A Song In A Mario Mod Too XD It's Crazy How Funny And Popular This Character Is Now (Ik That's Unrelated But It's Funny Lol)

[@TomatoTrap]

@@ExtremeGamerOfficial.Yeah, it's super crazy and funny lol

[@MatiasEsf]

y played this in 2005, epic :')

[@PeruvianPotato]

Despite this being another hack, it still plays better than Sonic Genesis GBA

[@LaroTayoGaming]

This feels like the gif of mario and sonic kissing with each other

[@Monhamd1000]

You should play the Sonic improved version, it's way Superior and fun!!

[@Fortuna1]

exist a rom that fix the music and the control, made the game better (a bit)

[@imhexv]

Sonic The Hedgehog Vol.2 (somari hack)

[@bluetoyguy2022]

because of 7:08, it is impossible to beat this game without collecting a single ring

[@baldingfox77558]

After seeing somari. only one thing came up to my mind. what if we make a hack of smb called sega sario bros?

[@Galidorquest]

lol XD

[@imhexv]

sonic jam 6 for sega genesis exists

[@user-ef8ol7nx9u]

Somari the HedgePlumber.

[@Worldoffansandairconditioners]

I ever play this but I fail cuz the gamepad was absolutely harder to guide somari rather than if Sonic 1 in SEGA GENESIS

[@Dorelaxen]

I actually have this one on one of those bootleg multi game carts I picked up years ago. Not sure if the cart is one of the myriad of such carts from that time floating around or something more recent, but that was my first encounter with this particular game. It's pretty ass overall, and JESUS the looping chunks of music will drive you up the damn wall, but it was worth a quick play nonetheless.

[@KatTheOneAndOnly]

I actually have like 3 bootleg handheld game consoles, one has Somari and playing it for the first time was kindof a surreal experience to be honest, even if it genuinely makes you want to rip your eyes out and stab knives in your ears, something that's been in my childhood yknow?

[@spoonshiro]

A legend among emulation enthusiasts, but not so much fun once you actually play it!

[@TheRealiBox4S]

Well it’s fun if you love playing weird bootlegs!!! 😂

[@xpdev0]

The controls in Somari are very wonky but it's not Sonic the Hedgehog: Genesis (GBA) levels of bad Sonic the Hedgehog NES Improvement + Music would fix the controls so it can feel like the original Genesis/Mega Drive game.

[@CYBERSTARTV]

this was the first instance of a fangame

[@FurbyFanClassOf2024]

I'm waiting for Somari and Knuckluigi to come out

[@Vi3Voide]

*knuckluig

[@FurbyFanClassOf2024]

Why didn't they make Robotnik King Koopa instead

[@ignacio6226]

Much better than the sonic boom for atari

[@karl0607]

Play sonic the hedgehog on nintendo entertainment system???

[@lucianothewindowsfan]

Someone: _Avengers: Infinity War_ is the most definitive crossover ever. Me:

[@CosmicD]

Somari has passed :P

[@DjDeadpig]

So this is what was caused by the time travelers have done by moving one stone

[@RedeNathanEmmanuel]

How could a Mario and Sonic could be mixed like this?

[@decyattysyachpchyol]

Genetic experimentation gone awry.

[@horasdelluvia2022]

Este fue mí primer contacto con Sonic jaja Épico.

[@alma14398]

El mío tmb jaj

[@Aflei]

Sonic Oddball Crackups brought me here!

[@FrankllinU]

This should be the next nes game on nso

[@moseslalmuanpuia8988]

anyone else remember how unreliable spin dash was here

[@woddyydnero6273]

Soon: Somari vs Grand dad

[@dylanv3440]

Nentendo: hi can we steal your game? SAGA: um sure but I thought we hated each other Nentendo: ya we do we just want to make your game look stupid 🤪 SAGA: …

[@orererererererereo8yearsag855]

I actually played this on Android Best game ever

[@JohnnyOTGS]

Yes, I have heard of the game. It's where Mario takes on the stages from Sonic The Hedgehog.

[@Sprigatitto740]

Why does KZbin think this is an actual game

[@jeremiahpagel4351]

Anyone else notice that there is no good ending due to no Chaos Emeralds?

[@shimo_retro_gameplays6288]

According to what The Cutting Room Floor says: there's an unused sound for a collected Chaos Emerald. It's unused, because as you said, there are no Chaos Emeralds. This unused sound is used in Kart Fighter and Mei Shao Nü Zhan Shi Girl Fighting games once selected a character.

[@inesaminseviciene3638]

unlicensed versions, Huh? i think you crossed the line.

[@orangeamongus21]

Gott-a go fast!

[@tsyumamatsuthehavenofguard32]

...you know considering that this is a nes bootleg cartridge, it's a technical marvel this game even functions without endless sprite clipping or the spike glitch not even existing ESPECIALLY considering it's like a hybrid of the master system version and the genesis version of sonic 1. 3 acts, rings don't immediately get repicked up but for some reason somari has this semi esc spindash through loops, whoever created this oddball bootleg magic cleary did their homework on the games and the hardware.