SONIC CD

[DaBatGuy]

Sonic CD feels like Sonic 1 DX with virtually the same level archetypes and order. It's great and quirky Sonic game that tries some really innovative ideas but executes them somewhat poorly. I'd really enjoy the added emphasis on exploration if Sonic had the abilities to take advantage of it. Trying to get a good future in most stages requires finding a past sign, searching for a long open runway(but you can't travel too fast or you risk losing it ), and finding the badnik generator. Unfortunately by the time you got to this point you've probably wasted 2 or more minutes and are too far long on the wrong path to back track to the generator. In most of my attempts to find the thing I'd be greeted by a locked door or an un-scalable wall.

I also found the collision detection in the special stages to be really wonky but that's more to blame on hardware limitations. But really those are my only complaints with the game, it's different and when it works it's brilliant, when it doesn't it's frustrating. A little over-hyped due to its rarity but still one of the best 2D Sonic experiences ever.

[FTA]

I'v been saying for years this was overrated. Personally I can't see what the fuss is about. At all. Seriously. For real.

I'm all for having some platforming in my Sonic games, but to me this didn't feel like a Sonic game...I know it was the second game made (production of this started before Sonic 2), but still it felt like a different game from 1. Also I found all the bosses really lame, the Metal Sonic "race"??? I'll be honest my first exposure to this game was watching the intro and ending movies on Sonic Jam, so when it ends with the race, I thought that was so cool....then I played it. Do you need to have a "Good Future" to get the race set along the city sky, with the Chemical Plant Zone-like adjacent platforms like in the ending movie??? Cos all I got was a really boring race set in some mud, where I'd run for 4 seconds then have to jump up a bit....hardly a race now is it?

For me purely an average game, 3 stars, at most.

[SuperStingray]

If you don't accelerate the treadmill, it does nothing to Robotnik.

Even so, it doesn't require any skill. Just holding right and avoiding extremely blatant attacks. Edited April 20, 2009 by A Ham Sandwich

[Rusty Spy]

Everything about this game is great, but the one thing that kills it for me is the lack of flow due to it's very blocky level design. The levels feel like I'm trudging through mud rather than speeding through a landscape. If there's one thing this game missed about what makes a Sonic game so great is the ability to move through the levels smoothly and quickly. This game lacked any form of smooth level progression and it made the rest of the game feel very sloppy.

While the music is great and the environments are quite creative, the level design feels like it's taking 3 Super Mario levels, stacking them on top of each other, and throwing Sonic into it.

[Mollfie]

I don't think that it's a bad game, and it does have some nice level design and some really good ideas. I just find the time travelling annoying.

[EXshad]

Well...Sonic CD is, and always will be, one of my favorite Sonic games. Awesome graphics, time travel, exploration mixed with the speed, new moves, 2 different kick-ass soundtracks, anime intro and outro...it's great, but yes, overrated. It's not the #1 game people make it out to be, for just a few reasons. Some of the levels are very confusing, and Wacky Workbench in particular are insanely annoying. The special stages are also a pain in the ass.

...but that's really it, off the top of my head. I mean, it's got great replayability with the time travel and time trial modes, and there's different endings to strive for...it's terrific, but a bit overrated.

[SuperStingray]

Frankly, I hear more people say it's overrated than good, so I don't see where the "overrated" comes in.

Edited April 21, 2009 by A Ham Sandwich

[ovarloard]

Because the critics seem to like it a lot.

I think it gained such a huge reputation because it was listed as the best game out for the Mega CD. Even though there weren't enough great titles on the CD for a good comparison, just the fact that it was #1 made it seem better than it actually was.

Edited April 21, 2009 by OvErLoRd Darkspine

[SuperStingray]

One thing I would have added in the game though is motivation to go to the future stage. The past stage offers the machine and the projector, yet the future has nothing that really encourages you to go there.

[Rusty Spy]

One thing I would have added in the game though is motivation to go to the future stage. The past stage offers the machine and the projector, yet the future has nothing that really encourages you to go there.

Though, in the game's defense, after you collect all the Time Stones, or destroy the projector in the stage, going to the future will let you play the Good Future of the stage you are on which is completely extinct of enemies(except for a few exceptions if I'm correct) and obstacles. The only problem with this is:

A ) Going to the past to destroy the projector and then going to the future is just not worth it, and your most likely going to be near the end of the stage by the time you go through all that hassle.

B ) The soonest you could possibly get all the Time Stones is around Quartz Quadrant, and that's if you don't miss a single Stone and are able to get to the Special Stage in every zone.

C ) Even after you complete the game, you aren't able to(?) replay the game with all the Time Stones.

Edited April 21, 2009 by VirgoTheCougar

[SuperStingray]

Though, in the game's defense, after you collect all the Time Stones, or destroy the projector in the stage, going to the future will let you play the Good Future of the stage you are on which is completely extinct of enemies(except for a few exceptions if I'm correct) and obstacles. The only problem with this is:

A ) Going to the past to destroy the projector and then going to the future is just not worth it, and your most likely going to be near the end of the stage by the time you go through all that hassle.

B ) The soonest you could possibly get all the Time Stones is around Quartz Quadrant, and that's if you don't miss a single Stone and are able to get to the Special Stage in every zone.

C ) Even after you complete the game, you aren't able to(?) replay the game with all the Time Stones.

True, but I'm not just talking about the GOOD Future.

[Indigo Rush]

Hm.

I rather enjoyed Sonic CD. It took more of an exploration state-of-mind, and pulled it off rather well. Sure, there could be more speed-oriented sections, but I think it was a marvel of 16-bit gaming. The sheer size of the levels, not counting their multiple counterparts in different eras of time, is extremely enjoyable, and the music (both American and Japanese) are catchy and have a great touch to it.

[Sean]

What I would have really liked was a better level select that functioned similar to that of the Genesis games (i.e. continue onto the next level after completing the act zone you selected), but with some differences - for example, if you select a Good Future level, then all subsequent levels you enter would also be Good Future. If you select Past, then every level will be Past, except for boss stages.

The main reason I ever used level select in the game was to explore all the different levels in different time periods without the hassle of using time travel. I guess this dreamed-up version of level select I have in mind is too much to ask for, but it could've been pretty amazing.

Edited April 21, 2009 by Sailor Jakey

[Legendary Emerald]

Sonic CD is a quality game, but just it's just not quite as good as any of the orginal trilogy. I believe this mostly because of the level design IE. lack theroff. Many of the levels are a great deal of fun, but then there are also plenty of stinkers that drag the whole experience down majorly. It's still a game that any Sonic fan should be proud to have in his collection, but it's just not as impressive as it is sometimes extolled.

Sonic 1 for the Genesis is still the best 2D Sonic game of all time in my humble opinion. Too bad none of the sequels, with the possible exception of Sonic 3 and Knuckles at it's best momments, made it to the same level of greatness. If you wanna see a REALLY overated Sonic game, look no further than Sonic 2. Yes, it's a great game, but other than an extra burst of speed it doesn't do anything that the original didn't.

[Reading]

I do agree that Sonic 2 is overrated. Can someone explain exactly why it's so popular? No offense to anyone who loves the game, I'm just curious. I do like it myself, although it's my least favorite out of the classic four.

[Sean]

Sonic 2 was the last of the core four I've played (only first tried it out a couple years ago), and as such it's the least I've bothered with as well. It's still a good game, so to call it my least favorite of the four isn't really diminishing it for what it's worth. But the Special Stages are among the worst in the series (except for Knuckles's, which are easier), the levels feel rather drawn out, Tails can't fly (of course I'd be disappointed in this aspect after playing Sonic 3 first), and Super Sonic is mandatory to use unless you choose to not collect the Chaos Emeralds or you're playing as Tails - or, at least this would be a valid complaint on my part if I had actually bothered to get the Chaos Emeralds in the first place, which I never did, so it doesn't really bother me.

Although Sonic 2 wasn't quite as long as Sonic 3 & Knuckles, it was longer than Sonic 1, long enough to warrant a save feature. Since it didn't have one, I was pretty turned off from completing the game in one go without savestates.

[DaBatGuy]

Sonic 2 is so highly regarded mainly because it the game the best defines the series in that era. It introduced most classic fans to the series and made Sonic a international phenomenon. Much like Megaman 2 and SF 2 it had a lot of hype from it's sleeper hit predecessor and introduced more series staples than any other game like Tails, the tornado, the spindash, all seven emeralds/Super Sonic, and (technically) Metal Sonic. It was also the basis of most of the adaptations and merchandise at the time not to mention the Sonic game with the most units sold, thanks in part to coming packaged with the Genesis. It's a brilliant game but it owes much of its popularity to nostalgic hype.

[SuperStingray]

I guess, but 2 didn't feel as dynamic and enjoyable as Sonic 3 & Knuckles to me. Perhaps the problem with the latter is that it was sold as two games.

Edited April 21, 2009 by A Ham Sandwich

[Blash]

I never thought Sonic CD was known well enough to be deemed overrated - that's just me though.

I love this game to absolute death, it's the perfect platformer (or video game) in my eyes just under S3&K. Plus there's a lot of nostalgia for me in this game, so I love playing it just for that reason sometimes - not only was it my first video game I ever played, it introduced me to my favorite thing in the world: Sonic.

One complaint I have though is how quickly the bosses can be beaten. 3 hits (and 4 for the last one) is pretty fast for a boss. The bosses are all enjoyable and memorable, so it's not that big of a deal.

[Cortez]

The whole point of the Super Peel-Out is that when you use it you'll then be running at top speed so won't slow down unless you choose to or collide with something, whereas using the Spin Dash gives you a protected burst of speed but it slows down quite quickly.

[BlueFlare]

I never thought Sonic CD could be somehow overrated. I never even felt bothered how the spin dash was carried out, that's too much of nitpicking. I can say I liked everything about Sonic CD.

I do agree that Sonic 2 is overrated. Can someone explain exactly why it's so popular? No offense to anyone who loves the game, I'm just curious. I do like it myself, although it's my least favorite out of the classic four.

I also like Sonic 2 but never realised why everyone think it's so superb.

[SykoTech]

I do agree that Sonic 2 is overrated. Can someone explain exactly why it's so popular? No offense to anyone who loves the game, I'm just curious. I do like it myself, although it's my least favorite out of the classic four.

I think it's because it was the first Sonic game a large amount of people played. I swear, damn near everytime there's a discussion about their first Sonic game, Sonic 2 wins the popular vote. It was my first Sonic game as well, bundled with my Genesis. I used to think it was my favorite as well because of the nostaglia, then I started playing games solely for enjoyment and realized it was pretty lacking.

[Kiljoy]

I do agree that Sonic 2 is overrated. Can someone explain exactly why it's so popular? No offense to anyone who loves the game, I'm just curious. I do like it myself, although it's my least favorite out of the classic four.

It's my favorite because it felt more fleshed out then the first sonic game. It introduced tails and two player (which I played a lot of with my brother.) I love the level design and music, it gave us the spindash. that's when they put in the seven chaos emeralds, super sonic, and my favorite bonus zones. I also loved the ending.

[MilesDX]

Here's a little something made on www.yooouuutuuube.com that proves Sonic CD can still have a place in today's world of CGI and animated cut scenes (make sure you're zoomed in).

Sonic CD Intro