Sonic the Hedgehog [Sega Genesis/Mega Drive Longplay]

Start: 00:00
GREEN HILL ZONE ACT 1: 00:45
SPECIAL STAGE #1: 03:31
GREEN HILL ZONE ACT 2: 04:42
SPECIAL STAGE #2: 07:38
GREEN HILL ZONE ACT 3: 09:47
MARBLE ZONE ACT 1: 16:06
SPECIAL STAGE #3: 19:05
MARBLE ZONE ACT 2: 21:10
SPECIAL STAGE #4: 26:15
MARBLE ZONE ACT 3: 28:46
SPRING YARD ZONE ACT 1: 34:21
SPECIAL STAGE #5: 37:34
SPRING YARD ZONE ACT 2: 39:53
SPECIAL STAGE #6: 42:41
SPRING YARD ZONE ACT 3: 44:00
LABRYINTH ZONE ACT 1: 48:49
LABRYINTH ZONE ACT 2: 53:52
LABRYINTH ZONE ACT 3: 58:01
STAR LIGHT ZONE ACT 1: 1:04:45
STAR LIGHT ZONE ACT 2: 1:07:45
STAR LIGHT ZONE ACT 3: 1:11:04
SCRAP BRAIN ZONE ACT 1: 1:15:00
SCRAP BRAIN ZONE ACT 2: 1:19:19
SCRAP BRAIN ZONE ACT 3: 1:23:55
FINAL ZONE: 1:29:35
Ending: 1:31:35
Debug Mode: 1:34:07
Sonic the Hedgehog[c] is a 1991 platform game developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega for the Genesis/Mega Drive. It was released in North America on June 23 and in PAL regions and Japan the following month. Players control Sonic the Hedgehog, who can run at near supersonic speeds; Sonic sets out on a quest to defeat Dr. Robotnik, a scientist who has imprisoned animals in robots and seeks the powerful Chaos Emeralds. The gameplay involves collecting rings as a form of health, and a simple control scheme, with jumping and attacking controlled by a single button.
Development began in 1990 when Sega ordered its developers to create a game featuring a mascot for the company. The developers chose a blue hedgehog designed by Naoto Oshima after he won an internal character design contest, and named themselves Sonic Team to match their character. It uses a novel technique that allows Sonic's sprite to roll along curved scenery which was based on a concept by Oshima from 1989.[2] Sonic the Hedgehog, designed for fast gameplay, was influenced by games by Super Mario series creator Shigeru Miyamoto. The music was composed by Masato Nakamura, bassist of the J-pop band Dreams Come True.
Sonic the Hedgehog was very well received by critics, who praised its visuals, audio, and gameplay. It is widely considered one of the greatest video games of all time and became one of the best-selling video games of all time with approximately 24 million copies sold worldwide. It established the Genesis as a key player in the 16-bit era and allowed it to compete with the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. It has been ported to multiple systems and inspired several clones, a successful franchise, and adaptations into other media. It was followed by Sonic the Hedgehog 2 in 1992.
In an attempt to steal the six Chaos Emeralds and harness their power, the evil Dr. Ivo Robotnik[d] has trapped the animal inhabitants of South Island inside aggressive robots and stationary metal capsules. The player controls Sonic, who aims to halt Robotnik's plans by freeing his animal friends and collecting the emeralds himself.[3] If the player collects all the Chaos Emeralds and completes the game, an ending sequence is shown. If all the emeralds are not collected, Robotnik taunts the player while juggling any of the Chaos Emeralds not collected by the player.[8]
Game-package illustrator Akira Watanabe said that his goal was to make the characters "colorful", using clear lines and gradation to "finish them neatly".[37] According to Watanabe, the developers asked him to create a package design "similar to pop art ... without being particular to conventional packages" - something "original" and "stylish".[37] The game was not revealed until the January 1991 International Consumer Electronics Show because Sega wanted to wait until the right time and because they saw an opportunity to "steal the show". At the show, Sonic the Hedgehog was believed to be the most impressive game shown, and won the CES award for innovation.[38]
Sega of America CEO Tom Kalinske wanted reassurance that the character would not fail. The global head of marketing, Al Nilsen, and senior product manager Madeleine Schroeder became involved in Americanizing Sonic. Artist Greg Martin was commissioned to redesign the character, and a new backstory was created where Sonic was from Nebraska.[39] The game playtested the game across the United States with Mario fans: they were shown Mario and then played Sonic the Hedgehog. 80 percent preferred Sonic the Hedgehog, and the game was shown at the 1991 Summer Consumer Electronics Show.[40] It was widely released in North America on June 23, 1991,[31][f] and in the PAL regions and Japan the following month.[43][44] In November 1991, Sega of America packaged it with American Genesis consoles,[45][46] replacing Altered Beast. This tactic enabled Sega of America to sell 15 million Genesis units.[38] Genesis owners who bought their consoles before the switch could request free copies of Sonic the Hedgehog by mail.[31] Sega of America created a marketing campaign, making Sonic its new mascot.[15]