Sonic the Hedgehog (16-bit) - A Retrospective

[@skakirask]

When you beat Robotnik, I always thought he turned a reddish brown color from getting burned by his destroyed ship, a la Wile E. Coyote

[@RobotnikHolmes]

That's probably true, especially since Sonic Advance games go with that look after the boss mechs blow up. 😅 Thank you for the insight!

[@christianlorre]

I agree since it's pretty cartoony he would be ash faced like in the comics.

[@KingdomHeart556]

Is that not what happens?

[@MrOuenben]

This was a well edited retrospective and you've clearly done your research and you speak well and enunciate clearly. My only critique would be that sometimes you are a little too detailed. GIven that the high majority of your viewers would be sonic fans, some of the detailed explanations are quite unnecessary and slow the pace of the video. I'd like to hear more of your own opinions and takes on parts of the game rather than just explaining how every little thing in the game works. Keep up the good videos! 🎉

[@RobotnikHolmes]

Thank you for the critical feedback! 😁 While these vids are mainly informative in nature, I suppose I ought to inject more of my experiences in future ones. Rest assured!

[@ShaneStapler]

probably one of the if not the best retrospectives i've ever watched. in a sea of a million of these coming out, this one really stands out and i can see the passion behind the project and the game. i appreciate the extra detail, like the michael jackson shoes, the older TV synergy effects, and the slight mentions of ur cousin. adds a lot. i will have a blast watching all 8 of ur retrospective vids for sure.

[@ShaneStapler]

i also appreciate the mention of fan games. sonic has a great community and i appreciate our corporate overlords being kinder than the more evil coroporate overlords and allowing it

[@RobotnikHolmes]

Thanks a lot, this made me smile! 😁 I learn a little more about making retrospectives each time. I hope you enjoy them!

[@THEDonnyB]

I was born in 1997 so I never got to experience the peak of the SEGA Genesis. But my parents couldn't afford to buy the latest consoles. So i grew up with a PlayStation 1, SEGA Genesis with 32x and underslung CD attachments, and an Atari 5200 until I finished 6th grade, 2010. Then I got a first gen XBox. While I played a lot of the PlayStation games, the Genesis was where it was at for me. I played the hell out of games like Cyberball, Mortal Kombat, Gain Ground and Earthworm Jim, I always gravitated back to one of the Sonic games my dad had by the end of the night. A kid, growing up in the 2000s, playing games from the 90s. It was amazing.

[@KingdomHeart556]

Did you ever get to play knuckles chaotix?

[@lianpi377]

to me the style of 2d sonic games is always unique, the amount of detail in this game about an angry blue rat that goes whoosh is so charming, I love looking at these maps, blocks, and sprites, music and animations, this game is so full of personality without a single word in it.

[@RobotnikHolmes]

Agreed muchly! Nice to know a fellow 2D Sonic appreciator. 😁

[@arielthegreat2874]

A classy documentary! Very informative :D

[@RobotnikHolmes]

Many thanks!

[@scruffymatt42]

Great video, Holmes! Just one little nitpick - you mentioned that Sonic was a launch title for the Mega Drive, which isn't the case.

[@RobotnikHolmes]

Thanks, man! :D Aha, I figured one of the things I said might be inaccurate. Thanks for pointing it out!

[@mikejenkins4924]

It is a common misconception because it was bundled with the MD/G early on.

[@Dunxco]

27:33 Cheese blocks?! My friend, those are sponges, because when they absorb water, they float! Been watching your videos to cut through the tedium of work, you have a very soothing voice that shows restrained enthusiasm for this sort of content, looking forward to seeing more! 🙂

[@RobotnikHolmes]

I think I was just really hungry. 😂 Thanks a lot for your comment, it made my day! ✨

[@bradtravis2440]

I always thought they were corks

[@kawabikerz]

Same ​@@bradtravis2440

[@peppermint_animation]

​@@bradtravis2440me too

[@mjc0961]

They're not cheese blocks or sponges. They're corks. If you're going to write an entire paragraph correcting someone else, make sure you're not also wrong. Sheesh!

[@christianlorre]

Egm named the first Sonic game of the year in 1991. And considering how much Sonic has kept Sega going, it turned out to be a good idea. Sonic appeared on more covers of Game Informer than any character and probably true of EGM as well.

[@draugr7693]

This is the 1st game i remember playing on the Mega Drive as a child and i still enjoy playing it just as much today as i did then. These days when playing 8 bit and 16 bit games i prefer to emulate them through RetroArch so i can use CRT filters to recreate the effects that are usually missing in modern ports.

[@sweetpeachnectar]

25:49 i was SO relieved when you got the air bubble! :D my father always tried to annoy me being underwater and waiting for the last second just to take the air bubble... i always died two deaths when he did that. :'D

[@RobotnikHolmes]

Bless, what a cherished memory regardless. 😆

[@MicahBuzanANIMATION]

Super enjoying listening to these while I draw. I appreciate the attention to detail. I've listened to hundreds of Sonic videos and these are definitely some of the better researched ones!

[@RobotnikHolmes]

As a fellow retrospective enjoyer while drawing, thank you for the kind comment! 😁

[@ChristopherJohnDurbin]

Great stuff. This deserves more views.

[@RobotnikHolmes]

Thanks a lot! I appreciate you for even watching these. 😁

[@ScreenBlaster13]

The Sonic game was released when I was 5 years old. It was the first game I ever played on the Mega Drive. I've managed to complete it 100% many times and the ending was very satisfying. Though I actually didn't mind playing through Labyrinth Zone, I felt the third act was bad seeing as after all your hard work, you don't have a full scale battle with Robotnik and had to just climb to the top avoiding traps and not drowning. Scrap Brain Zone was frustrating too, especially the third act.

[@АнастасияВасева-в6ч]

so glad youtube recommended me your channel! as a Sonic fan since the very first Genesis game currently going through a Sonic brainrot, these videos are great. your narration is VERY pleasing, keep it up!

[@RobotnikHolmes]

Bless, glad you like the narration 😊 Glad to satisfy your Sonic brainworm xD

[@danielhosker612]

I'm watching this one again while wanting for your soic 3 video. I forgot about that line about you and your cousin. It's probably my favorite line in the video 😂

[@RobotnikHolmes]

😂 Thank you for checking by this vid again. The old cousin will return!

[@Tromite]

Hiya, thanks for this review/documentary! Are you planning to make a full Sonic retrospective? I would certainly watch it!

[@RobotnikHolmes]

Thank you for your interest! 😊 I'm currently going through each of the Sonic games one by one, if that is what you mean?

[@Tromite]

@RobotnikHolmes Every single one? Yes, I meant that, thanks! I guess that includes mainline and spinoffs!

[@FinalPhoenix151]

well done buddy, very well done and informative

[@RobotnikHolmes]

Thanks, my dude!

[@buckycarbon]

I don't know if anyone else mentions it here after a brief glance, but did anyone pick up on the parallels between Scrap Brain Zone's music and the Bladerunner ending credits theme? I noticed it years ago and I feel like it has to be an homage! The background of Scrap Brain Zone even has a skyline similar to the structures seen in the movie when Deckard is flying over the city in the taxi! If you want to go listen, listen for the bombastic boom boom of the Toms (timpani?) in both songs :D

[@Thenandout]

Great video 👍

[@RobotnikHolmes]

Thank you!

[@winniebae4alwayyz963]

*Much enjoyed this and your Sonic 2 retrospective! Look forward to more in the future, especially Sonic 3 and S&K! Keep up the good work! Subbed!* 😉👍💯

[@RobotnikHolmes]

Thanks a lot, man! 😁😁

[@dudujencarelli]

Aside from the horrendous Java mobile versions of the game released in the early 2000s, you forgot the DS and 3DS ones. The DS version is a major improvement over the GBA, despite still having some screen crunch. And the 3DS one was a heavenly 3D conversion that really made the foreground graphical assets pop out.

[@RobotnikHolmes]

Ah yes, I must have overlooked those. 😂 Thank you pointing it out! Must have been a trip to see the foreground pop out like that.

[@gabrieldevoogel6225]

7:57 I am the eggman! That’s what I am! I am the eggman! I got the master plan!

[@RobotnikHolmes]

You gotta love him! 😁

[@DataDrain02]

There IS one notable exception to the Japanese side ignoring the name "Robotnik".... Gerald Robotnik. I'm like, 99% sure even in the Japanese version of SA2. Eggman when refering to Gerald Engrished "Geraldo Robotniku" (sorry for butchering that). So, even in Japan, Robotnik is the canonical last name for Eggman.... But yeah, he never refers to himself with that name. (Not even in Generations.) Still, I love when localizations become canon. Something similar happened in Mario Kart Wii. Where the... Flamerunner? The Bowser themed bike. In Japan, it was called the "Super Bowser". Also, Bowser showing up in a Nintendo Direct with Doug Bowser. And in the Japanese version of the stream, explaining that, Bowser is Koopa's English name.

[@RobotnikHolmes]

There is certainly more awareness of Robotnik being used in the original Japanese localisations. 🤭 I suppose I was referring to like the early years, before SA2 came out and changed the status quo. Thanks for the neat Bowser trivia! 😊

[@syntheticcelery]

Free Madonna! Release her!

[@RobotnikHolmes]

She is super underappreciated, we need her! 😊

[@destinysaiyan014]

Just discovered your videos, enjoying them so far🙂 However, just a little correction: while it is alleged that Sonic's personality was based off Bill Clinton, he wasn't the president during the development of the game and wasn't president until almost 18months after the release

[@RobotnikHolmes]

Thanks, matey!! Hmm yeah, perhaps it was an inspiration in a later game or somethin xP

[@nicholastosoni707]

No, but he WAS making waves on the campaign trail.

[@kingbeef5076]

Dr. Robotnik is soooo much better than Eggman. It sounds so much more villainous.

[@RobotnikHolmes]

I have a soft spot for the name too due to hearing it in games and cartoons growing up. Its my go-to name when I see Classic Eggman, anyway. 😁

[@antiboi260]

i have subscribed now

[@RobotnikHolmes]

And you have my thanks! 😊

[@thegameslibrarian5264]

There is a 3d port on the 3ds of the first 2 games

[@RobotnikHolmes]

Ah, my thanks for pointing that out! 😊

[@BCJ1985]

Bill Clinton certainly was not president at the time the first (or in fact the second) Sonic was developed. It was George Bush senior.

[@RobotnikHolmes]

Thank you for pointing that out. I realised too late after recording and tried to fix that with text oof 😅

[@EvoSchecter]

Bro I’ve watched gamer KZbinrs that will legitimately talk about being “enthralled”, “understood the dark parts” when they played a game at launch. Then you simply do the math and realize that would make the KZbinr 3yrs old at launch 😂 😂 😂 these guys HAVE to brush up on their history. The human brain does in fact puts “filler” to compensate for loss of memory….