SONIC CD

[Cortez]

And how the heck did they screw up the Spindash/peel out?

They didn't, the teams who were developing Sonic 2 and Sonic CD were given a description of what the spindash should do and both teams ended up pulling it off differently.

[Semi-colon e]

I wouldn't think Sonic CD is that overrated. It's only "overrated" because historically it's been a bit rarer than the main Mega Drive games until Gems collection, and that didn't get ported exactly perfectly (notable problems are the water colour, or lack of it).

Admittedly it's level design can be awkward, but it shows how Sonic is a platformer, and I wouldn't say the Peel Out is useless at all. It may not be as good as the Sonic 2/3 Spin Dash, but at least it only takes one press, and the animation is so epic it isn't even funny.

Sonic CD is an example of how Sonic could have gone - more psychadelic and random, unlike Sonic 2's somewhat more realistic approach.

And I like both soundtracks, if I had it my way, I'd pick each track for the level individually out of the two choices, say have Collision Chaos Good Future US but Present JP/EU.

[Jetstreamx]

They didn't, the teams who were developing Sonic 2 and Sonic CD were given a description of what the spindash should do and both teams ended up pulling it off differently.

Ah. Makes sense. I tend to get my history mixed up on when CD came out in relation to 2 and 3.

[Ferr]

Its not fair to rate a game with an horrible port, like the one in Gems (gliches, graphical problems. slowdown, not able to "taste" both soundtracks...). You should try the original version.

And I never understand whoever says Sonic CD had bad desings, i think otherwise, it had really original level desings that make you work to reach high speeds, but is really possible to blast through the levels easily if you know what to do (except Wacky Workbench xd) so I think everyone who says it have bad design levels is beucause of the frustation (maybe because people are much used to the designs from Sonic 2 and 3, where the levels are way more straightforward).

Sonic CD is the TRUE sequel of Sonic 1 gameplay-wise. (Sonic 2 went to another way, making speed more important).

Oh, and not overrated for me, IMO is the best 2D Sonic.

Such a shame that the music wasn't made into a loop for the stages and had to stop rewind and play itself each time it ended IN-GAME.

Well, the JP OST has been already looped (I myself

a looped version of the OST using the SNCBNK of the beta game, though some of them doesnt fit good enought, but the majority of them sounds good). Edited April 20, 2009 by Ferr

[Jetronic]

Ah Sonic CD... Years and years ago I've heard of it, waited untill about 3 years ago to finally play it. Was it worth the wait to play it? Hell yes it was, I've played just about every version of the game, gems collection and Sega CD. Including hearing both sound tracks, imo, some songs should be switch in both versions, but overalll it's all cool.

The only thing i can say I hate about the game is that after hearing something as evil as this I was expecting some kind of hard boss to make it all better (also to add to the fact that the song contrasts to the main theme "You can do anything")

Boy was I disappointed, just to make it all better, apparently there was supposed to be another battle against Metal Sonic, and a real last stage according to this. Then again, it's a huge maybe that it was a deleted stage. So yeah I had some wonderful moments in this game and a huge ass disappointing moment.

So all in all, great game, good on both soundtracks (Love the JP Bad Future metallic madness), however it's Extremely Anti-climatic!

I give it a 8/10

[Sean]

For the record, as I mentioned in my first post Sonic CD was my first 2D Sonic game, so I didn't go into it holding any expectations for the Genesis games, having not been exposed to them yet. Even back then I still was quite annoyed with the constant obstacles lying in my path.

Sonic CD doesn't have flow unless you're willing to "work" for it (and if by "work," you mean "memorize," then sure), and since I've played this game many times over the years and still run into problems, memorizing the game isn't something within my patience.

Also, there's nothing "expert" about the peel-out. You charge it up, you hold down immediately after being released - bam. Instant Spin Dash. I know people love this move, but it's purely aesthetic.

Edited April 20, 2009 by Sailor Jakey

[Ferr]

Also, there's nothing "expert" about the peel-out. You charge it up, you hold down immediately after being released - bam. Instant Spin Dash. I know people love this move, but it's purely aesthetic.

Well, my view of the peel out-spin dash is:

- If you want just pure speed without caring about the enemies you MAY face, you can do an insta Peel Out.

- If you want some speed boost with safety, you do a Spin Dash, that takes a time to charge but it also will destroy all the enemies.

I think its great because it makes you decide how you will play. In Sonic 2 they threw you the super spin dash that makes running though stages more easy and without any risk: boost speed, rolling, and insta-charge.

thats why I said people is so used to Sonic 2 and 3 style of gameplay to appreciate the goddness of Sonic CD's gameplay. Sonic CD is more complex, Sonic 2 and 3 is more simplified.

[Sean]

Well I'm not really a fan of Sonic 2 so I'll leave that alone, but Sonic 3 & Knuckles, simplified? There are lots of alternate paths to take, secrets to look for, and characters to play (between Sonic and Knuckles, whose games are very different) that change the experience every time the game is revisited. Every time I go back to that game, I always discover something new in it that I've never seen before. Just load up the game and play through it, and you'll see what I mean.

The best thing Sonic CD has going for it was searching for the holograms and egg generators in the past. I really liked those side missions, even if time traveling was downright annoying. Still, I daresay Sonic 3 & Knuckles is much more positively complex than Sonic CD, and of a quality much more lasting.

Also, the peel-out uses just as much of a charge as the Spin Dash in Sonic CD, I just checked. I'd understand your statement of the peel-out putting the player at a risk if you didn't have the ability to immediately roll afterwards; that sort of challenge is player self-imposed, rather than a limitation the game puts for you. And they're the same speed, so

Edited April 20, 2009 by Sailor Jakey

[Ferr]

Well, its true that Sonic 3 and Knuckles offers more replay value and "content" because it have different characters, each with its gameplay and even with different layouts, but I dont think the stages for Sonic 3 and Knuckles have more alternate paths than the ones of Sonic CD.

Its just Sonic3K levels are longer, but there are pretty straighforward parts in some levels.

What I mean about complexivity in Sonic CD is that, if you look at its levels, the layouts are more elaborated: each stage have its own "gimmicks", Collision Chaos is a pinball stage, Tidal Tempest a water stage, Quartz Quadrant have the mechanic floor that changes directions, Stardust Speedway is a fast paced stage with dashpads, Wacky Workbench... well, no need to say anythin gabout that level xd. It just feel more fresh to me, because each stage feels unique and very different from another.

What you say about the Peel Out is strange, it always seemd almost instant charge for me, whereas Spin Dash took its time.

[Sean]

What you say about the Peel Out is strange, it always seemd almost instant charge for me, whereas Spin Dash took its time.

Hn? At first I was going to say that the peel-out only seems instantaneous because the camera doesn't shift like how it does with the Spin Dash, but then I just noticed right now that it does. They both require exactly the same amount of charge time.

[Ferr]

No way. To do the Peel Out, you just need to wait the animation to over (so it needs a little of wait, but is very short) but with the Spin Dash, you need to wait more than that. I just tested too and IMO the diference is noticeable. You can ever release the Peel Out before seing Sonic in its 8-wheel feet, making it shorter.

oy was I disappointed, just to make it all better, apparently there was supposed to be another battle against Metal Sonic, and a real last stage according to this. Then again, it's a huge maybe that it was a deleted stage

Well, we dont know sure, Final Fever stage is a bunch of speculation of some magazine. Final Fever is just the name of the Final Boss theme, so maybe they saw that name in the Sound Test and though it was another level.

Edited April 20, 2009 by Ferr

[lounge]

Sonic CD is Underrated. I played CD before any of the genesis games. I was excited when I bought gems to play this. I never played a 16 bit sonic, so naturally, I would be hyped. And wow, if I could describe it in one word, it would be "Rad".

The graphic design is so exquisite and detailed. The backgrounds have so many colorful layers. The design is really cool and fun to navigate. And the music... wow, just wow. I'm a fan of chillout/lounge stuff, so naturally the music was harmony for my ears. It had this nostalgia filled, laid back feeling to it. Like someone said before, very atmoshpheric. They even had these sexy, smooth female vocals in some of the levels.... now that's Rad!! I've seen people say "OMG, those female voices are inappropriate and creepy!" Seriously, grow the hell up. This is sonic, not mario. Sonic deserves to have a cooler style in music, than the generic, annoying soundtracks you hear in many other platformers. And those special stages are so cool. It's so much fun to attack those flying saucers, as you gaze at those huge, beautiful backgrounds.

They took so much time to create a different graphical direction for each zone. This enhances the replay value. And you have a nice save feature. Add to that, the animated movies. This game is the definition of cool, 2D sonic for me.

I actually find the 3 main genesis games to be Overrated. After I played CD, I played these hoping to get some fun out of them, but in the end all I could say for them was that they were okay. Not that great, but pretty good. I don't know. I just found the design to lean towards pretty damn annoying. Graphics weren't overally detailed, (that's understandable since the CD is more powerful than genesis). The music I didn't find to be cool or rad. And the special stages were either frustrating, or just plain boring. And two of them didn't have a save feature which killed replay value. Sonic 3 and knuckles I found to be of higher quality than the other two, but the levels were just way too big for their own good, and those special stages were godawful.

[Eternal EX]

Even though I bashed on the game, I never said it was a bad game. It's still a good game just not as good as the big 3 (original wasn't super awesome like 2,3&knux). Still the music for the time is good but what bothers me to no end is how random the music is. On certain stages the music fits with it perfectly, but with other I was like what the hell...?

Anyways I really hated the spin dash, NO FUCKING REVVING!!! Smart move sega . Peel out looks great but doesnt get the job done. But figure 8 running was perfect. Thats the one thing I wish the big 3 had.

[Eileanach]

Wow there is a lot of hating on the Sonic CD. I liked it. I very rarely used the peel out as VERY pretty as it is I preferred spin dashing about if I could. I thought the graphics were great and the music was most enjoyable. The levels were a pain in the arse, like others have mentioned the Wacky Workbench can go to hell.

A lot of levels had me completely stumped for ages but I loved all the little touches, like someone else mentioned the decay detail and the futures etc. It was a fun game just different from all the other Sonic games at that time.

[Ferr]

Still the music for the time is good but what bothers me to no end is how random the music is. On certain stages the music fits with it perfectly, but with other I was like what the hell...?

Then try the JP music, maybe you will enjoy it more (like me )

[Eternal EX]

like others have mentioned the Wacky Workbench can go to hell.

Damn that fuckin stage to fuckin hell!! Yes it may have been one of the easiest stagest EVER, but it was freakin annoying! I don't wanna bounce I wanna run, Run DAMNIT RUN!

[Gabz Girl]

Yes I will have to agree, Sonic CD is not what I expected it to be. =/ Spindashing is annoying as hell, trying to travel through time is annoying as hell, and there aren't many points in the game where you can hit high speed and do the super peel out. Oh God, and Wacky Workbench! Less said about THAT one the better!

However I must say that the Sonic vs Metal Sonic race was kickass. Except that Metal was a cheat of course at most times.

[Phos]

Damn that fuckin stage to fuckin hell!! Yes it may have been one of the easiest stagest EVER, but it was freakin annoying! I don't wanna bounce I wanna run, Run DAMNIT RUN!

Seriously? Don't touch the floor. It's pretty simple, that's what all those platforms are for.

[SuperStingray]

I may have played the Gems Collection version, but I didn't really have any complaints about glitchiness or sound quality.

[quote name='SHADIC360

Edited April 20, 2009 by A Ham Sandwich

[Reading]

I can't really decide whether I like CD or 3&K better, as those are my two favorite "classic" Sonic games. I love Sonic CD because of the unique time travel element, and I think the stage design is some of the best in the series. I don't mean offense to SHADIC360© or his post (since this is technically a "response", although I don't intend it as such), but I don't want to run, I want to explore, jump, and make Sonic interact with all the things around him. I like all of the zones in the game, except Quartz Quadrant seemed rather bland to me for some reason...but I love Tidal Tempest and Wacky Workbench. Metallic Madness is probably my favorite, though.

I like both soundtracks, although I think the American one suits the game slightly better.

EDIT: Oh yeah, I also liked the bosses.

Edited April 20, 2009 by Reading

[Phos]

The bosses in Sonic CD were okay, at least in concept, but they were mostly weak. The spring boss I beat in literally two seconds, the pinball boss is almost impossible to control, the bubble boss was essentially Labyrinth Zone's boss without obstacles and then an underwater clone of the Metropolis Zone boss with slow, predictable shots, the conveyor belt boss is one of those lame ones that kills itself, and the final boss is... decent but very easy and anticlimactic. The only ones I really thought were great bosses were the Wacky Workbench and Stardust Speedway ones.

If you don't accelerate the treadmill, it does nothing to Robotnik. I love this boss because you use Sonic's speed to win.

[Sean]

Yeah, if you look carefully at what's going on while you're running on the belt, you see Eggman's machine overloading due to the friction.

No way. To do the Peel Out, you just need to wait the animation to over (so it needs a little of wait, but is very short) but with the Spin Dash, you need to wait more than that. I just tested too and IMO the diference is noticeable. You can ever release the Peel Out before seing Sonic in its 8-wheel feet, making it shorter.

I've used both moves many times for comparison, and I see no difference; I can't even use the peel-out by letting go of the button prematurely before it charges up. The animation may look like it's faster, but it's really not. Are you sure we're playing the same game?

Wait, we're still talking about this. I don't even-

Edited April 20, 2009 by Sailor Jakey

[Crystal Kingfisher]

I like Sonic CD, but I don't see why everyone says it's the best Sonic game ever, the same thing goes for Sonic 2. My favorite 2D Sonic game is S3&K, my favorite 3D Sonic game is SA2/SA2B, but my favorite Sonic game of all time is SA2/SA2B.

[ovarloard]

One thing that would have made Sonic CD a lot more tolerable IMO would have been the removal of the annoying jump sound. It still wouldn't be as good as S3&K but it would be more fun for me.

[KoolKojoS]

Sonic CD was, probably the best Sonic game at the time it came out.

It's still pretty good to this day, but yeah not the BEST Sonic game, probably third or second.

S3&K is still the best in my book.