

Rings act as a layer of protection against hazards: if Sonic holds at least one ring when he collides with an enemy or dangerous obstacle, he will survive. Collecting 100 rings rewards the player with an extra life. Scattered around each level map are gold rings. This can be performed by jumping in the air or by pressing down on the D-Pad while moving on the ground. Sonic's main means of attack is the Spin Attack, in which he curls into a ball and rotates rapidly, damaging enemies and certain obstacles upon collision. The player must also avoid touching rows of sharp spikes, falling into bottomless pits, and being crushed by moving walls or platforms, as well as drowning, which can be circumvented by breathing air bubbles periodically released from vents. Robotnik has trapped animals inside destroying one frees the creature, but is not necessary to complete the game.

The levels are populated with hazards in the form of robots (named 'badniks' in the Western game manuals) that Dr. The gameplay centers around Sonic's ability to run at high speed through levels that include springs, slopes, high falls, and loop-the-loops. Sonic the Hedgehog plays as a 2D side-scrolling platformer. The player controls the titular Sonic the Hedgehog, who aims to stop Robotnik's plans by freeing his animal friends and collecting all Chaos Emeralds himself. Eggman' in the original Japanese release) has trapped the animal inhabitants of South Island in cybernetic shells and metal capsule prisons. In an attempt to steal the six Chaos Emeralds and harness their power, the game's antagonist Dr. Its success led to the development of subsequent games in the Sonic the Hedgehog series, as well as the creation of a media franchise of spin-off products featuring the character. It was commercially successful, increasing the popularity of the Mega Drive/Genesis and establishing Sonic the Hedgehog as the company's mascot. Sonic the Hedgehog received positive reviews from critics, who praised the game's visuals and its sense of speed. After a hedgehog was decided on as the main character, the development group was renamed Sonic Team. Robotnik has trapped, and collect six magical emeralds known as the Chaos Emeralds.ĭevelopment of Sonic the Hedgehog began in 1990, when Sega ordered its AM8 development team to develop a game featuring a mascot for the company. Robotnik's plans for world domination, release the animals Dr. The game's story focuses on Sonic's efforts to stop Dr. First released in North America, Europe, and Australia on June 23, 1991, the game is the first installment in the Sonic the Hedgehog series, chronicling the adventures of the titular character in his quest to defeat the series' antagonist Dr. Sonic the Hedgehog is a platform video game developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis. This game can be played also in a versions for NES, SMS and Game Gear. The following emulators are available for this game:
