Japanese game publisher Sega is trying to recapture some of its yesteryear glory by reviving Sonic the Hedgehog, its most prestigious franchise. The 3D Sonic games released during the past couple of years have left a lot to be desired, but the bargain-priced and downloadable Sonic 4 returns to the format of the original Sega Genesis games.
As soon as you see the classic opening screens, you’ll know that Sonic 4 Episode I is a love letter to the classics some of us grew up playing. It’s just too bad you’ll find yourself wishing it was more than that. It’s a tribute; not the overdue sequel it claims to be.
The game that you can download on the Apple App Store, PlayStation Network, Xbox Live or WiiWare is just the first in a series of planned episodes that offer a brief spat of nostalgic fun for old-time Sonic fans. We don’t have a problem with the short length of the game given its price ($15, or $10 for the iOS version), but we are disappointed that the episode spends more time replicating old scenarios without adding any new experiences to the series.
Each of the five zones is directly inspired by something that appeared in earlier Sonic games, and the boss fights are exact copies with an occasional minor twist to keep veterans on their feet. There’s the quintessential Sonic green hill zone, the underwater zone, the casino zone — it’s all very familiar.
The only significant addition is a mid-air dash move that allows you to spin into enemies and objects right out of a jump or free-fall. It’s a welcome new move because the level designers creatively placed enemies and other “dash-able” objects in places that increase the flow and speed of your movement through the levels.
The game is short — it takes roughly two hours to get through — but there’s some re-playability potential for the hardcore fans since you can pick and choose which stages to play and invest some time to gather up all the chaos emeralds.
Beyond that, all the enhancements are in the presentation. It’s a nice mix of modern-day graphical bells and whistles and the old-school art style of the earlier games. The music and visuals are the downloadable game’s strongest offerings.
There is one caveat with the presentation: The iOS version of the game is very similar to its console counterparts and it controls like a dream, but it can be choppy and slow even on the iPhone 4 and the new iPod touch models. It also doesn’t run at Retina Display resolution. We’d have gladly sacrificed a few polygons for a smoother play experience and sharper visuals.
Buy It or Skip It?
You’ll enjoy Sonic 4 if you grew up on Sonic and remember those old levels and boss fights very fondly, but don’t be misled by the game’s title. It’s not a sequel. The enhanced visuals don’t make it anything more than it is, and non-Sonic fans will be left in the dust wondering what the point is.
Buy the game if you’re up for a couple of hours of nostalgia. If you’re looking for some Sonic you haven’t played before or if you’re new to the series, you’re better off skipping it. Stay tuned, though — we might be able to recommend the next episode if it takes more chances.
Mashable’s Score: 6.5 out of 10
Reviews: App Store
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