Tails Adventure

Last updated

Tails Adventure
Tails Adventure Coverart.png
Developer(s) Aspect
Publisher(s) Sega
Director(s) Katsuhiro Hasegawa
Producer(s) Katsuhiro Hasegawa
Artist(s) Nobuhiko Honda
Shinichi Higashi
Composer(s) Kojiro Mikusa
Series Sonic the Hedgehog
Platform(s) Game Gear
Release
  • JP: September 22, 1995
  • EU: October 1995
  • NA: November 1995
Genre(s) Platform, Metroidvania [1]
Mode(s) Single-player

Tails Adventure [lower-alpha 1] is a platform game developed by Aspect and published by Sega in 1995 for the Game Gear. The game stars Tails from the Sonic the Hedgehog series in a solo adventure, as he collects an array of items to help him explore Cocoa Island and defeat the enemies inhabiting it. The gameplay is more slow-paced than other Sonic games, with Tails only capable of walking and flying at a moderate speed. The stages are explored in a non-linear fashion, with newly collected items opening up pathways in previous areas.

Contents

Along with Tails' Skypatrol , the game is one of two on the Game Gear to star Tails in a solo role. Tails Adventure received mixed reviews, with critics finding the game unoriginal and too slow-paced compared to previous Sonic offerings. Retrospective reviews commended the game for trying something different and compared the gameplay to the Metroid series, but disliked what they felt was repetitive backtracking. Tails Adventure has been included in Sonic game compilations, and was re-released on the Nintendo 3DS in 2013.

Gameplay

Tails, equipped with bombs, looks upwards at an enemy GGTailsAdventuresPF.png
Tails, equipped with bombs, looks upwards at an enemy

Contrary to the classic speedy gameplay in the Sonic the Hedgehog series, Tails Adventure is a slow-paced platformer with an emphasis on exploration. [1] [2] The player controls Tails in a story set before he befriended Sonic, as he adventures to save Cocoa Island from an invasion of the Kukku Army. [1] [3] He cannot run, but only walk at a steady pace. [1] The player explores twelve non-linear stages, collecting new items and abilities to open up new path ways in previous stages. [1] A total of 26 items can be collected, including some to defeat enemies and others to aid in exploration. [2] Along with using items, Tails can fly for a short period of time. His fly duration can be extended by locating Chaos Emeralds. Rings are collected as a form of health, and unlike other Sonic games, only a few rings are lost when touching a hazard. [1] This gameplay has been compared to Metroidvania games. [1]

Tails finds several different kinds of gadgets on his adventures. [1] Some of these items are weapons used to defeat enemies, like bombs and hammers. [2] Some items aid in exploration, such as a small robot which Tails can control to scout ahead and squeeze into tight spaces. [1] Tails can only carry four tools when entering a stage. Only one item can be equipped at a time, the player must pause the game to change items. If the player finds that they cannot advance because they require another item, they must find a stage exit, swap items, and re-enter the stage from the beginning. [1]

Development and release

Tails Adventure was developed for the Game Gear by Aspect and published by Sega. [4] [5] Along with Tails' Skypatrol , it is one of two Sonic the Hedgehog games on the Game Gear to star Tails. [1] The soundtrack was composed by Kojiro Mikusa, who also wrote music for Sonic Blast . [1] Tails Adventure was released for the Game Gear on September 22, 1995, in Japan. [5] It was released in Europe in October, [6] and in North America in November. [7] The game was first re-released through Sonic Adventure DX in 2003 as an unlockable bonus game, and later in the Sonic Gems Collection compilation in 2005, [8] and Sonic Origins Plus in 2023. [9] It was also re-released on the Nintendo 3DS via the eShop worldwide in 2013 along with several other Sonic games for the Game Gear. [5] [10] [11]

Reception

Critics felt Tails Adventure was too similar to other platform games, and its slow pace made it weaker than other Sonic offerings. [6] [15] [12] [14] Famitsu felt it lacked any surprising elements and was disappointed it was much more standard than other Sonic games. [15] Mean Machines Sega agreed, calling it "decidedly unoriginal", but believed secret areas and a steep learning curve made it interesting enough to continue playing. [6] Electronic Gaming Monthly compared the game to Super Mario platforming titles and also enjoyed finding hidden areas. [12] Critics generally liked the graphics and controls, however the graphics did receive some criticism. [6] [15] [12] [14] Mean Machines Sega felt some of the background textures repeated too much, [6] Famitsu criticized the screen's narrow field of vision, [15] and Electronic Gaming Monthly noted some screen blur issues. [12]

In retrospective reviews, both Nintendo World Report and Nintendo Life felt the game was a significant contrast to the other Sonic Game Gear games. They believed the game exchanged the speed of previous series installments for exploratory gameplay more akin to the Metroid series and Gargoyle's Quest (1990). [1] [2] USgamer recommended the game, calling it a departure from the Sonic series, and the closest a Sonic game ever felt to a Nintendo franchise. [4] Nintendo Life enjoyed the variety of gadgets and level designs, but criticized the dark environments and repeating background textures. [1] Along with Nintendo World Report, they criticized the game's poor handling of inventory. The journalists would often explore large portions of a level only to learn they were missing a necessary item, and would need to restart the stage. [1] [2] The game's presence in Sonic Gems Collection was welcomed as a modern convenience, [16] but was criticized along with other Game Gear inclusions for graphical glitches and poor emulation. [17] [18] Some felt the portable games were merely supplemental to the more substantial games in the collection and dismissed them. [16] [19] 1UP.com perceived Tails Adventure and Tails Skypatrol's inclusion in the compilation as Sega "scraping the bottom of the barrel," describing them as "nigh-unplayable portable titles from an era best forgotten." [19]

Notes

  1. ↑ Teirusu Adobenchā (テイルスアドベンチャー) in Japanese. The game is referred to as Tails Adventures on the title screen and on the Japanese packaging.
  2. ↑ Average of four critic reviews: 7.0 / 7.5 / 8.0 / 8.5 [12]
  3. ↑ Combination of scores 4.0 for graphics, 3.5 for sound, 4.0 for control, and 4.0 for "Fun Factor". [14]

Related Research Articles

<i>Sonic Adventure</i> 1998 video game

Sonic Adventure is a 1998 platform game developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega for the Dreamcast. It was the first main Sonic the Hedgehog game to feature 3D gameplay. It follows Sonic the Hedgehog, Miles "Tails" Prower, Knuckles the Echidna, Amy Rose, Big the Cat, and E-102 Gamma in their quests to collect the Chaos Emeralds and stop Doctor Robotnik from unleashing Chaos, an ancient evil. Controlling one of the six characters—each with their own abilities—players complete levels to progress the story. Sonic Adventure retains many elements from prior Sonic games, such as power-ups and the ring-based health system. Players can play minigames such as racing and interact with Chao, a virtual pet.

Tails (<i>Sonic the Hedgehog</i>) Video game character

Miles Prower, better known by his nickname Tails, is a character from Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog series. Tails also appears in several spin-off games in which he stars, comic books, cartoons, and films. He is the first character to consistently appear by Sonic's side in the series as his best friend, appearing in nearly every mainline and spin-off since his debut. The name "Miles Prower" is a pun on "miles per hour", a reference to the famed speed of Sonic the Hedgehog. Miles Prower is a two-tailed anthropomorphic fox, hence the nickname.

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

Sonic the Hedgehog is a 1991 side-scrolling 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 video game similar in style to the 16-bit game, but reduced in complexity to fit the 8-bit systems.

<i>Sonic Adventure 2</i> 2001 video game

Sonic Adventure 2 is a 2001 platform game developed by Sonic Team USA and published by Sega for the Dreamcast. It is a direct sequel to Sonic Adventure (1998) and a part of the larger Sonic the Hedgehog series. The plot centers on Sonic, Tails and Knuckles as they attempt to save the world from Shadow the Hedgehog, Doctor Eggman and Rouge the Bat. The stories are divided into three gameplay styles: fast-paced platforming for Sonic and Shadow, multidirectional shooting for Tails and Eggman and action-adventure exploration for Knuckles and Rouge.

<i>Sonic Advance</i> 2001 video game

Sonic Advance, known as SonicN on the N-Gage, is a 2001 platform game developed by Dimps and published by Sega for the Game Boy Advance. It was the first Sonic the Hedgehog game released on a Nintendo console with Sonic Adventure 2: Battle on the GameCube, and was produced in commemoration of the series' tenth anniversary. The story follows Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Amy as they journey to stop Doctor Eggman from taking over the world. Controlling a character, players are tasked with completing each level, defeating Eggman and his robot army, and collecting the seven Chaos Emeralds.

<i>Sonic Drift</i> 1994 racing game

Sonic Drift 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.

<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 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</i> Video game franchise

Sonic the Hedgehog is a video game series and media franchise created by the Japanese developers Yuji Naka, Naoto Ohshima, and Hirokazu Yasuhara for Sega. The franchise follows Sonic, an anthropomorphic blue hedgehog who battles the evil Doctor Eggman, a mad scientist. The main Sonic the Hedgehog games are platformers mostly developed by Sonic Team; other games, developed by various studios, include spin-offs in the racing, fighting, party and sports genres. The franchise also incorporates printed media, animations, feature films, and merchandise.

<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>Sonic Rush Adventure</i> 2007 video game

Sonic Rush Adventure is a 2007 platform game developed by Dimps and Sonic Team and published by Sega for the Nintendo DS. The sequel to 2005's Sonic Rush, it follows Sonic the Hedgehog and Tails, who are teleported to an alternate dimension and seek the help of Blaze the Cat, while battling a band of robot pirates. Gameplay is similar to prior installments in the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, with players controlling Sonic or Blaze through a series of side-scrolling levels while collecting rings and defeating enemies. Sonic Rush Adventure deviates from prior games with its elements of sea travel, featuring boating minigames that take advantage of the DS's touchscreen.

<i>Sonic Generations</i> 2011 video game

Sonic Generations is a 2011 platform game developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Windows, and Nintendo 3DS. Produced in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the Sonic the Hedgehog series, the game follows Sonic and his sidekick Tails as they form an alliance with their modern selves. It features two gameplay styles: "Classic", which plays from a side-scrolling perspective like that of the original Sega Genesis Sonic games, and "Modern", 3D levels similar to those in Sonic Unleashed (2008) and Sonic Colors (2010).

<i>Sonic Lost World</i> 2013 video game by Sega

Sonic Lost World is a 2013 platform game developed by Sonic Team. It is part of the Sonic the Hedgehog series, and was released in October 2013 for the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS in PAL regions by Nintendo and by Sega in North America and Japan. A port of the Wii U version for Windows was later released in November 2015.

<i>Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal</i> 2014 video game

Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal is a 2014 action-adventure game developed by Sanzaru Games and published by Sega for the Nintendo 3DS. Along with its Wii U sibling Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric, Shattered Crystal is a spin-off of Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog franchise and is a part of the Sonic Boom sub-franchise, which consists also of an animated television series, whose games serve as its prequels. The two games together formed the third and final part in Sega's exclusivity agreement with Nintendo, following Sonic Lost World and Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games in 2013.

<i>Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric</i> 2014 video game

Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric is a 2014 action-adventure platform video game developed by Big Red Button and published by Sega for the Wii U. Along with Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal for the Nintendo 3DS, it is a spin-off of Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog series and is a part of the Sonic Boom franchise, which also consists of an animated television series, a comic series by Archie Comics, and a toyline by Tomy. The storyline follows Sonic, Tails, Knuckles and Amy, who must stop Lyric the Last Ancient from acquiring the Chaos Crystals by powering up a robot army and wiping out all organic life, after Sonic accidentally awakens Lyric from a thousand year rest, while escaping Doctor Eggman.

<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 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Sleeper, Morgan (June 27, 2013). "Review: Tails Adventure (3DS eShop / GG)". Nintendo Life . Archived from the original on May 27, 2016. Retrieved December 31, 2018.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Ronaghan, Neal (June 26, 2013). "Tails Adventure - Review Mini". Nintendo World Report. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved December 31, 2018.
  3. ↑ "テイルスアドベンチャー". Sega. 2005. Archived from the original on March 10, 2018.
  4. 1 2 Parish, Jeremy (April 14, 2016). "What are the Best Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console Games?: Game Gear". USgamer . Archived from the original on November 1, 2017. Retrieved December 31, 2018.
  5. 1 2 3 "テイルスアドベンチャーのご紹介｜ＳＥＧＡ バーチャルコンソール公式Webサイト". Sega. Archived from the original on June 8, 2017. Retrieved December 31, 2018.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Game Gear Review: Tails Adventures". Mean Machines Sega . No. 37. November 1995. pp. 78–79.
  7. ↑ "Tails Adventure". Allgame . Archived from the original on November 14, 2014.
  8. ↑ Theobald, Phil (August 15, 2005). "Sonic Gems Collection". GameSpy . Archived from the original on February 2, 2014. Retrieved December 31, 2018.
  9. ↑ Shea, Brian (March 23, 2023). "Sonic Origins Plus Adds Amy As Playable Character, Game Gear Games, And More This June". Game Informer. Archived from the original on March 23, 2023. Retrieved July 9, 2023.
  10. ↑ "Tails Adventure". Nintendo Life . Archived from the original on June 28, 2017. Retrieved December 31, 2018.
  11. ↑ Drake, Audrey (May 17, 2013). "3DS eShop: Zelda Sale and Tons of GameGear Games". IGN . Archived from the original on December 21, 2018. Retrieved December 31, 2018.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 Baran, Andrew; Lefebvre, Mark; Desmond, Mike; Sushi-X (January 1996). "Review Crew: Tails' Adventure". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 78. p. 48.
  13. ↑ "テイルスアドベンチャー [ゲームギア]". Famitsu (in Japanese). Archived from the original on June 18, 2015. Retrieved December 31, 2018.
  14. 1 2 3 Sir Gamabus (February 1996). "ProReview: Tails' Adventures". GamePro. No. 79. p. 80.
  15. 1 2 3 4 "テイルスアドベンチャーの評価・レビューとブログ [ゲームギア]". Famitsu (in Japanese). Archived from the original on January 1, 2019. Retrieved December 31, 2018.
  16. 1 2 Castro, Juan (August 19, 2005). "Sonic Gems Collection". IGN . Archived from the original on October 17, 2018. Retrieved December 31, 2018.
  17. ↑ Davis, Ryan (May 17, 2006). "Sonic Gems Collection Review". GameSpot . Archived from the original on August 17, 2017. Retrieved December 31, 2018.
  18. ↑ Bramwell, Tom (October 6, 2005). "Sonic Gems Collection". Eurogamer . Archived from the original on June 22, 2018. Retrieved December 31, 2018.
  19. 1 2 Parish, Jeremy (August 16, 2005). "Sonic Gems Collection". 1UP.com . Archived from the original on February 19, 2013.
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.