Sonic Retrospective X - Sonic Blast

Sonic Blast is the last 2D main series Sonic game we're going to see for a while, and it, sadly, is one of the worst 2D Sonic games. Despite having a very similar name to Sonic 3D Blast and nigh identical box art, the games have nothing in common with each other. Instead they made the graphics look vaguely 3D and called it good.

Sonic Blast uses prerendered graphics. On the Game Gear. This means the game has hideous graphics, not enough animations, and characters too big for the small screen.

You can play as Sonic or Knuckles, and neither character has sprites that look remotely decent when running through a loop. The loops also have strange issues in that Sonic is often moving too slowly to run through them. Even at top speed, the characters in this game move slowly and stiffly and control like they're running through mud.

Knuckles plays the same as he always does with gliding and climbing, but Sonic has a new ability in that he can double-jump for some reason. Other odd changes include losing exactly 10 rings every time damage is taken and the Chaos Emeralds only being avaliable in act two, while act one's identical special stage only gives you a one up for some reason.

The game also moves very slowly and the hitboxes are awful when it comes to rings, as both Sonic and Knuckles will clip through rings unless you are actively jumping right in the middle of them. But that's okay because you don't need many rings when there are only about 5 enemies per stage.

The only bright side is the game is short and easy, so you only have to suffer for five boring levels if you, like me, are crazy enough to play this game. Do not play Sonic Blast. It's a terrible game and a disgrace on the otherwise good Sonic games for the Game Gear.

Next time - A lot of spinoffs