Sonic Drift

Last updated

Sonic Drift
Sonic Drift cover art.jpg
Developer(s) Sega
Publisher(s) Sega
Director(s) Katsuhiro Hasegawa
Producer(s) Hiroshi Aso
Composer(s) Masayuki Nagao
Series Sonic the Hedgehog
Platform(s) Game Gear
Release
  • JP: March 18, 1994
Genre(s) Racing
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer

Sonic Drift [lower-alpha 1] is a 1994 racing game based on Sonic the Hedgehog developed and published by Sega for the Game Gear. Players control one of four characters as they race to the finish line, with 18 tracks themed after levels in 1991's Sonic the Hedgehog .

Contents

Although it was designed with inspiration from Nintendo's 1992 game Super Mario Kart , Sonic Drift shares gameplay similarities to "Super Scaler" games previously released by Sega. Sonic Drift was released exclusively in Japan; a western release was planned but later canceled due to concerns about its quality. Sonic Drift was later released worldwide as part of Sonic Adventure DX in 2003 and the compilation game Sonic Mega Collection Plus in 2004. It was released again in 2023 as part of Sonic Origins Plus.

Reception to Sonic Drift was negative, with criticism for its gameplay and lack of difficulty. A sequel, Sonic Drift 2 , was released in 1995.

Gameplay and release

In-game screenshot, showing Sonic racing on a course themed after Green Hill Zone. Sonic Drift game screenshot.png
In-game screenshot, showing Sonic racing on a course themed after Green Hill Zone.

Sonic Drift is the first racing game in the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. [1] Players control one of four characters―Sonic the Hedgehog, Miles "Tails" Prower, Amy Rose, and Dr. Robotnik―and race around a series of tracks, with the objective being to cross the finish line in first place. [2] 18 tracks are featured, [3] [4] based on the various zones of 1991's Sonic the Hedgehog , including the Green Hill Zone. Drift is the first Sonic game to feature Amy as a playable character. [1]

There are three game modes: Chaos GP, a grand prix mode; Free Run, a practice mode; and Versus Mode, where players can compete with one another. [2] Chaos GP contains three separate cups of six tracks each and a points system where the goal is to earn more points than the competition. [1] Each cup is identified with a color: green, yellow, or red. [5]

The gameplay of Sonic Drift shares similarities with Sega's "Super Scaler"-type arcade games such as Out Run and Super Monaco GP , although with inspiration from Nintendo's Super Mario Kart. Each character has strengths and weaknesses; for instance, Sonic has fast acceleration but poor control, while Robotnik has poor acceleration but moves at high speed. The top half of the player's screen shows the course map, while the bottom displays the player's car racing around the track. The game's driving mechanics focus on drifting to steer around corners at speed. Driving into television monitors scattered around the track awards the player a power-up, such as invincibility. Tracks also contain gold rings that can be collected to use a special move, which is unique for each character; [1] for example, Sonic gets a speed boost, while Tails gets a jump. [6]

Developed in-house at Sega, [1] Sonic Drift was released in Japan for the Game Gear on March 18, 1994. [7] [8] The western release was canceled due to concerns regarding the game's quality. [9] [10] Sega instead released a Game Gear port of Sonic Spinball . [9] Sonic Drift 2 , a sequel, was released worldwide for the Game Gear in 1995. [11] In 2003, Sonic Drift was released as an unlockable extra in Sonic Adventure DX: Director's Cut , [1] and was later compiled into Sonic Mega Collection Plus in 2004, [12] as well as Sonic Origins Plus on June 23, 2023. [13]

Reception

Sonic Drift received mixed reviews. Electronic Gaming Monthly was positive towards it in a preview, saying that the game was fast-paced and enjoyable but the flashing, choppy scrolling hampered the gameplay somewhat. [2] Three reviewers for Sega Pro gave a negative review of the game, criticizing the track designs as too similar, poor cornering controls, and low difficulty. Reviewer Mark Hill concluded his part of the review with "only a complete idiot would purchase a copy." The three reviewers were more positive about the game's graphics and sound. [17] According to Ulf Schneider of German magazine Mega Fun  [ de ], Sonic Drift does not have the same quality of gameplay as Super Mario Kart and he criticized the lack of vision of a corner until being just before one, but he also said the game was fun and easy to master even on Hard difficulty. He also commented that the controls could be figured out within a few laps of gameplay. [16]

Retrospective feedback has been negative. The game's inclusion in Sonic Mega Collection was negatively received; Chris Baker of GameSpy labeled it as "almost unplayable", [18] while Tom Bramwell of Eurogamer called it "a terrible, terrible racing game whose flickering madness actually made me physically sick." [19] A reviewer for Jeuxvideo.com in 2012 compared Sonic Drift to Super Mario Kart, disliking Drift for being too simplistic and very easy to finish, alongside the general lack of content and poor presentation. The reviewer stated, "Too simple and too fast to finish, Sonic Drift is unfortunately not a title that will fascinate the crowds." [15] The staff of USgamer identified Sonic Drift's use of half the Game Gear's screen for the course map as an issue, and called the game "a poor man's Out Run". [20] Apollo Chungus of Hardcore Gaming 101 said that the gameplay itself was decent and solid, but felt that it was greatly lacking in content and variety. He criticized the track design in particular for being generally boring, lacking in presentation, and for the stage themes being purely cosmetic instead of affecting the track designs themselves. Chungus concluded his review by stating "the small amount of content mean that it's a racer only a small number of people will dedicate themselves to." [1] GamesTM described the title as a "lazy and cynical cash-in", saying that it did not understand what made Super Mario Kart so successful. [21]

Notes

  1. ↑ Japanese: ソニックドリフト, Hepburn: Sonikku Dorifuto

Related Research Articles

<i>Sonic Mega Collection</i> 2002 compilation video game by Sega

Sonic Mega Collection is a video game compilation developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega in 2002 for the GameCube. It is a compilation of several Sonic the Hedgehog games originally released for the Genesis, along with a few other Sega-published titles for the system.

<i>Sonic the Hedgehog</i> (1991 video game) 1991 platform game

Sonic the Hedgehog is a 1991 platform game developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega for the Genesis/Mega Drive. It was released in North America on June 23 and in PAL regions and Japan the following month. Players control Sonic the Hedgehog, who can run at near supersonic speeds; Sonic sets out on a quest to defeat Dr. Robotnik, a scientist who has imprisoned animals in robots and seeks the powerful Chaos Emeralds. The gameplay involves collecting rings as a form of health, and a simple control scheme, with jumping and attacking controlled by a single button.

<i>Sonic the Hedgehog</i> (8-bit video game) 1991 video game

Sonic the Hedgehog is a 1991 platform game. It is a companion to the 16-bit Sega Genesis game Sonic the Hedgehog for the 8-bit Master System and Game Gear consoles. Ancient—a studio founded by composer Yuzo Koshiro for the project—developed the game and Sega published it to promote the handheld Game Gear. The 8-bit Sonic is a side-scrolling game similar in style to the 16-bit game, but reduced in complexity to fit the 8-bit systems.

<i>Sonic CD</i> 1993 video game

Sonic the Hedgehog CD is a 1993 platform game developed and published by Sega for the Sega CD. As Sonic the Hedgehog, the player attempts to protect an extraterrestrial body, Little Planet, from Doctor Robotnik. Like other Sonic games, Sonic runs through themed levels while collecting rings and defeating robots. Sonic CD introduces time travel as a game mechanic. By traveling through time, players can access different versions of stages, featuring alternative layouts, music, and graphics.

<i>Sonic 3D Blast</i> 1996 video game

Sonic 3D Blast, known in Europe and Japan as Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island, is a 1996 platform game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series for the Sega Genesis and Sega Saturn. As Sonic the Hedgehog, the player embarks on a journey to save the Flickies, birds enslaved by Doctor Robotnik. The player must guide Sonic through a series of themed levels to collect Flickies and defeat Robotnik. Though it retains game mechanics from prior Sonic games, Sonic 3D Blast is differentiated by its 2D isometric perspective, with pre-rendered 3D models converted into sprites.

<i>Sonic & Knuckles</i> 1994 video game

Sonic & Knuckles is a 1994 platform game developed and published by Sega. Players control Sonic the Hedgehog or Knuckles the Echidna in their quests to save Angel Island; Sonic tries to stop Doctor Robotnik from re-launching his orbital weapon, the Death Egg, while Knuckles scuffles with Robotnik's minion, EggRobo. Like previous Sonic games, players traverse side-scrolling levels at high speeds while collecting rings and defeating enemies.

<i>Sonic Blast</i> 1996 platform video game

Sonic Blast is a 1996 side-scrolling platform video game known for its use of pre-rendered visuals. To stop Doctor Robotnik from using Chaos Emerald shards to fortify his base, the player controls Sonic the Hedgehog and Knuckles the Echidna through 15 levels. As a Sonic the Hedgehog series platformer, the characters run and jump to reach the end of a level while defeating enemy robots and collecting rings. In separate bonus stages, the player must run forward and collect rings to earn one of the Chaos Emerald shards.

<i>Dr. Robotniks Mean Bean Machine</i> 1993 video game

Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine is a falling block puzzle game developed by Compile and published by Sega. It was released for the Sega Genesis / Mega Drive in North America and Europe in November 1993, and ported to the Game Gear in 1993 and Master System in 1994.

<i>Sonic Spinball</i> 1993 pinball video game

Sonic the Hedgehog Spinball, also known as Sonic Spinball, is a 1993 pinball video game developed by Sega Technical Institute and published by Sega. It is a spinoff of the Sonic the Hedgehog series. Players control Sonic the Hedgehog, who must stop Doctor Robotnik from enslaving the population in a giant pinball-like mechanism. The game is set in a series of pinball machine-like environments with Sonic acting as the pinball.

<i>Sonic Drift 2</i> 1995 racing video game

Sonic Drift 2, released in Europe as Sonic Drift Racing, is a kart racing video game by Sega for the Game Gear. The sequel to Sonic Drift, it was released in Japan and Europe in April 1995 and in North America in November 1995. It added three characters: Knuckles, Fang the Sniper, and Metal Sonic, and marked the first time the last two were playable characters. Sonic Drift 2 was later released worldwide as part of Sonic Adventure DX in 2003 and the compilation game Sonic Gems Collection in 2005. It was released again in 2023 as part of Sonic Origins Plus.

<i>Sonic Labyrinth</i> 1995 video game

Sonic Labyrinth is an action-puzzle game developed by Minato Giken and published by Sega for the Game Gear in 1995. The game features Sonic the Hedgehog exploring maze-like stages from an isometric perspective. Dr. Robotnik has robbed Sonic of his trademark speed, so Sonic walks slowly but can roll into a ball and dash across the stages.

<i>Sonic R</i> 1997 racing game

Sonic R is a 1997 racing game developed by Traveller's Tales and Sonic Team and published by Sega for the Sega Saturn. It is the third racing game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series, and the first to feature 3D computer graphics. The player races one of ten Sonic characters in various Sonic-themed race tracks as they attempt to stop Doctor Robotnik from stealing the Chaos Emeralds and enslaving the world. Sonic R features single-player and multiplayer game modes, and while similar to kart racing games such as Mario Kart, it places an emphasis on jumping and exploration. By collecting items and completing objectives, players can unlock secret characters.

<i>Sonic the Hedgehog: Triple Trouble</i> 1994 platform game

Sonic the Hedgehog: Triple Trouble is a 1994 platform game developed by Aspect and published by Sega for the Game Gear. It is the sequel to Sonic Chaos (1993) and features classic side-scrolling Sonic gameplay. The player controls either Sonic the Hedgehog or Miles "Tails" Prower as they venture to protect the powerful Chaos Emeralds from Doctor Robotnik, Knuckles the Echidna, and series newcomer Nack the Weasel. Sonic and Tails' unique abilities, as well as various power-ups, can assist the player in gameplay.

<i>Sonic Chaos</i> 1993 video game

Sonic Chaos is a 1993 platform game published by Sega for the Master System and Game Gear. Players control Sonic the Hedgehog and his sidekick Miles "Tails" Prower in their quest to retrieve the Chaos Emeralds from Doctor Robotnik, who has stolen them to construct nuclear weapons. Gameplay involves running through stages, collecting rings, and defeating enemies. It is largely based on the Master System version of Sonic the Hedgehog 2, and is thus considered a follow-up to that game. Chaos is the first Sonic game for the Master System and Game Gear to feature Tails as a separate playable character with his own unique abilities.

<i>Sonic Gems Collection</i> 2005 compilation video game by Sega

Sonic Gems Collection is a 2005 compilation of Sega video games, primarily those in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. The emulated games span multiple genres and consoles—from the Sega Genesis to the Sega Saturn—and retain the features and errors of their initial releases with minimal edits. Player progress is rewarded with demos of other Sonic games, videos, and promotional artwork spanning the history of the Sonic franchise. While its 2002 predecessor, Sonic Mega Collection, comprises popular Sonic games, Gems Collection focuses on more obscure games, such as Sonic CD (1993) and Sonic the Fighters (1996). Other non-Sonic games are included, but some, such as the Streets of Rage trilogy, are omitted in the Western localization.

<i>Sonic the Hedgehog 2</i> (8-bit video game) 1992 video game

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is a 1992 platform game developed by Aspect and published by Sega for the Master System and Game Gear. It is the sequel to the 8-bit Sonic the Hedgehog (1991) and follows Sonic as he attempts to get the Chaos Emeralds back to rescue his friend Miles "Tails" Prower from Dr. Robotnik. Like the first Sonic the Hedgehog, players run through levels at high speeds while collecting rings and defeating enemies. Although it shares the same title with Sonic the Hedgehog 2 for the Sega Genesis and their releases coincided, the games have little in common and share no levels.

<i>Sonic the Hedgehog 2</i> 1992 video game

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is a 1992 platform game developed by Sega Technical Institute (STI) for the Sega Genesis. Players control Sonic as he attempts to stop Doctor Robotnik from stealing the Chaos Emeralds to power his space station. Like the first Sonic the Hedgehog (1991), players traverse side-scrolling levels at high speeds while collecting rings, defeating enemies, and fighting bosses. Sonic 2 introduces Sonic's sidekick Miles "Tails" Prower and features faster gameplay, larger levels, a multiplayer mode, and special stages featuring pre-rendered 3D graphics.

<i>Somari</i> 1994 unlicensed video game

Somari is a side-scrolling platform video game for the Famicom. An unlicensed recreation of Sega's 1991 Sega Genesis game Sonic the Hedgehog, the game was sold primarily around Asia, Russia, Eastern Europe, and other regions where pirated NES cartridges were distributed. Like the original, players venture to defeat the mad scientist Dr. Robotnik, who plots to turn the animal population of the fictional South Island into evil robots. Unlike the original, the game features Nintendo's mascot Mario as the main character rather than Sonic. The title is a portmanteau of "Sonic" and "Mario".

<i>Tails Skypatrol</i> 1995 video game

Tails' Skypatrol is a horizontally scrolling shooter video game published in Japan in 1995 by Sega for the Game Gear. It is a spin-off of the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, and one of two Game Gear games to star Sonic's sidekick Tails. The player controls the titular character in his quest to stop the evil witch Witchcart before she conquers an island and turns its inhabitants into crystals. Gameplay involves shooting enemies, collecting power-ups, and defeating bosses.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Chungus, Apollo (March 12, 2019). "Sonic Drift". Hardcore Gaming 101 . Archived from the original on August 20, 2019. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 "Game Gear - Sonic Drift". Electronic Gaming Monthly . No. 58. May 1994. p. 200.
  3. ↑ "International Outlook: Sonic Drift". Electronic Gaming Monthly . No. 57. April 1994. p. 80.
  4. ↑ The Trackman in Japan (June 1994). "Overseas Prospects". GamePro . No. 59. p. 128.
  5. ↑ Nakamura, Eric (June 1994). "Global Gaming". VideoGames . No. 65. p. 92.
  6. ↑ "Sonic Kart?". Mean Machines Sega . No. 18. April 1994. pp. 10–11.
  7. ↑ "[セガハード大百科] ゲームギア対応ソフトウェア（セガ発売）" (in Japanese). Sega. Archived from the original on June 1, 2012. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  8. 1 2 "Be Mega Dog Race". Beep! MegaDrive (in Japanese). April 1994. p. 21.
  9. 1 2 "First Shots". Computer and Video Games (151). Future plc: 11. June 1994.
  10. ↑ "Newsbox". Sega Magazin (in German). No. 6. May 1994. p. 4.
  11. ↑ Changes, Apollo (March 12, 2019). "Sonic Drift 2". Hardcore Gaming 101. Archived from the original on August 20, 2019. Retrieved May 27, 2023.
  12. ↑ Goldstein, Hilary (November 3, 2004). "Sonic Mega Collection Plus". IGN . Archived from the original on June 23, 2018. Retrieved December 16, 2018.
  13. ↑ Shanklin, Will (March 23, 2023). "'Sonic Origins Plus' brings the hedgehog's Game Gear entries to modern consoles". Engadget . Archived from the original on May 7, 2023. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
  14. ↑ "ソニックドリフト (GG)". Famitsu (in Japanese). Kadokawa Corporation. Archived from the original on February 29, 2020. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
  15. 1 2 L'avis de Wolphegon (January 2, 2012). "Test : Sonic Drift". Jeuxvideo.com (in French). Archived from the original on February 8, 2016. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
  16. 1 2 "Sonic Drift". Mega Fun (in German). July 1994. p. 110.
  17. 1 2 Hill, Mark (December 1994). "Sonic Drift". Sega Pro . No. 39. p. 72. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  18. ↑ Baker, Chris (November 1, 2004). "Sonic Mega Collection Plus". GameSpy . IGN. pp. 1–2. Archived from the original on February 25, 2016. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  19. ↑ Bramwell, Tom (May 11, 2005). "Sonic Mega Collection Plus". Eurogamer . Gaming Network. Archived from the original on October 16, 2019. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  20. ↑ "Gotta Go Fast: Ranking All of The Sonic The Hedgehog Games". USgamer . January 6, 2020. Archived from the original on August 25, 2017. Retrieved September 21, 2020.
  21. ↑ "8 Other Games Inspired by Mario Kart". GamesTM: The 25 Greatest Nintendo Games. November 4, 2018. p. 27 – via Internet Archive.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.