Sonic the Hedgehog (Master System and Game Gear) - the Book Club Verdict!

[@swooperd]

Another great chat gents, this being one of my all time favourite games. Can totally relate to trying to "break" the game, I was dead set on investigating every pixel for secrets. For me the master system version is peak 8-bit gaming

[@Gaming_For_Ages]

@@swooperd aye I thought you’d like this one dude! I can’t remember if we talked about the time attack thing where raced gg and ms? Y’know, cos ms on pal went that bit slower. Just any reason to play sonic really… Tbh, there’s hours and hours more to say on any sonic game - they’re just bloody brilliant in this era! - bedgell

[@TheRetroMartin]

Love the 8-bit sonic. Both Game Gear and MS. Prefer the MS port but both are ace. It being the final MS game in the US is the reason why we never get through MS ports as for America they had 4 mainline games on the Gamegear and one on MS, we had 3 on MS and 4 on GG. It sucks but there we go. The MS version was the first Sonic game I played and it made me a huge fan of Sonic that still endures. Love it from that perspective alone despite it being a damned good game. On the note of Sonic 2 and Sonic CD, it had Naofumi Hataya on both soundtracks but Sonic 2s came first before it was turned into Toot Toot for CD. Phenomenal games both. It's always great to hear others experiences and how they differ, but sometimes more importantly, how much they can be the same for all of us despite being so far apart or slightly different ages etc. Great chat lads as always, looking forward to the next one. Panzer Dragoon is awesome!

[@Gaming_For_Ages]

Thanks so much dude - I’ll forgive ya for the game gear 3rd place on Twitter! 😂😂 it is great getting under the bonnet of these games - I love the links between games and devs and other bits of our shared cultural history. Plus it’s an awesome game!!! - bedgell

[@swaggerblonde]

Awesome video, guys. It was definitely well worth the wait. Thanks so much for the shoutout! Yeah, I didn't realise there was an ending until I played the Game Gear one. I think cos I had the Master System version built in, for some reason they didn't include it. I remember Dibbs mentioning it to me. Luckily, I have a boxed copy and I finally saw that elusive ending! This was a video that was looking forward too! I absolutely adore 8bit Sonic. I didn't get the Mega Drive till much later, but this, Sonic 2, and Sonic Chaos on Master System kept me busy. I like how Ancient tried to include some of the zones from Mega Drive, but at the same time, threw in some original ones, too. Plus, Robotniks Airship always gives me Mario Bros 3 vibes. It's a true classic and a testament to its longevity that it's still just as playable now,as it ever was. Once again fantastic video!

[@Gaming_For_Ages]

@@swaggerblonde Thanks so much dude! I really appreciate your kind words, and it was great to figure out that li’l oddity with the ending of Sonic from watching your videos! I thought my memory must’ve been going haywire or something! 😂 It was so cool to find out that interesting tidbit, I’ve never heard anyone mention that before until we talked about it and looked it up. A cool nugget of info! Yeah 8-bit Sonic 1 is a special game for sure, made by a very special team of people and I’m glad Yuzo Koshiro has been acknowledged as the legend he is among gaming fans. The games he worked on were so amazing and it’s great to see he’s still working on making Megadrive games - check out Earthion on KZbin, it’s a great looking shoot em up he’s making right now! Very cool stuff! That Mario 3 comparison is a very good point, I’d not really thought of that before but you’re right. Those were some very cool levels - I still remember as a youngster saving my p-wings for some of those stages! Thanks so much for your kind comment, and all the work that you do on your own channel that helped inspire what we talked about at the end here, it’s all much appreciated! Cheers dude! - Dibbs

[@Gaming_For_Ages]

You know, I gotta give props to Mario 3 as well as were mentioning it - what the pulled out of that NES is truly one of the wonders of the gaming world. I did prefer sonic but I really rate Mario 3 and have so much respect for it too!! Thanks for your lovely comments dude - glad you enjoyed! - bedgell

[@bundjohn]

So this was my first proper exposure to computer games outside of Chess and Pac-Man for some cartridge system that I can’t remember the name of. We had the model 2 SMS with this as the built in game. This is what started my love for Sonic and gaming! I prefer the Master System port over the MD 😅 I love the world map that you progress through and finding the emeralds in the levels. I could never beat it as a kid but I completed it for the first time (outside of emulation) for the Master System Challenge which sadly is no longer going on.

[@Gaming_For_Ages]

@@bundjohn what a way to start progress the gaming!!! I do think there are some tricky bits for a kid in there - I was always terrible at completing games and gave up too easily. This one was quite a big help with that cos it’s so short it wasn’t too painful getting through the levels and trying the tough bits again - and plus it’s super fun! Glad there’s so much love for the 8-bit game - it really is such a good title 😍 - bedgell

[@bundjohn]

@@Gaming_For_Ages also I didn’t realise that this was my first experience with Ancient/Yuzo!!! Later I would get second hand copies of Streets of Rage 1 and 2 and pour countless hours into them! I remember scrap brain zone from when I was a kid but not sure if I got further. It’s a crime that this game and other SMS titles haven’t had their own compilation, they seem to be relegated to being Easter eggs in other titles 🤷‍♂️