Eras UPDATE: Classic

ALL about the classic era!

Era: Classic

Main Years: 1991-1994

Gameplay Type: 2-D Platform, side-scrolling games featuring gimmicks like rings and power-ups via item boxes.

Character Designs and Personalities: Sonic characters were typically "short" and round, with attitude. Sonic was kept very cool while Tails was a cuter sidekick. Knuckles, Sonic's first rival, was designed with a Jamaican theme in mind. 

NA/EU often used a darker airbrush effect to seem edgy while JP kept a cute, "softer" look. In western media Sonic was often shown with one line of spikes down his back (rather than layers). This "mohawk" style was based on box art and used in cartoons/comics. 

"Eggman" (JP) was shaped like an egg but with thin legs. Meanwhile "Robotnik" (NA/EU) was often shown as fat all-over. Robotnik also had a beard in the cover of Sonic 2. 

Story Type: While fairly basic, most of the plots stick to Sonic saving the world from Robotnik. This would often include saving animals, saving other characters (Tails, Amy, etc), collecting magic gemstones, and making a long journey.  

Visuals: The graphics mainly are remembered as 16-bit, though several GameGear releases (8-bit) were made. 

Often the levels would include a far away but similar-themed background with a "cut-in-half" (can see the ground or hidden paths) foreground. 

Sonic CD is unique for having several different designs for the same setting (seen via time travel). Common locations include hills, tropics, casinos, under-water passageways, and factories.    

Music: The game's music is generally pop with a retro twist. Possibly due to the limitations, a lot of songs sound a lot like an 80s keyboard solo. The first two games have a happier, pop sound. The following games have some inspiration from hip hop. The focus was on an encouraging pace with some elements of the setting worked in. 

Sonic CD was notable for being a much higher quality sound experience. The original OST heavily used samples and artificial effects for a party-techno vibe, while the NA version used guitar and live vocals for an atmospheric-rock effect.     

Voice Cast: While Sonic did not officially have a voice, the groups of VAs from the DiC cartoons are often associated with the characters of this time. Sonic was voiced by Jaleel White. Tails had several young boy actors. Robotnik, depending on character preference, is remembered for his AoStH voice, Long John Baldry (origin of the "Pingas" meme) or Jim Cummings ("darker"). Kath Souchie provided the voice for what is often portrayed as Sonic's girlfriend in 90s western media, Sally Acorn.     

Main Voice (Sonic): Jaleel White

Memorable Theme Song (for Sonic): "Sonic Boom" (from Sonic CD) 

Memorable Catchphrases (Sonic):  "I'm outta' here." (Sonic CD)

"I'm waiting," "Up, over, and gone," "Let's do it to it," and "Way past cool." (cartoons)

Cartoons and other Appearances: Adventure of Sonic the Hedgehog ("AoStH"), and Sonic the Hedgehog ("Sat Am") aired in the early 90s, around the time of Sonic 3. While released much later, Sonic Underground is often mixed in with the two because of similarities. 

The Archie comics began its' run in this era, incorporating elements of AoStH and the games, but mostly being based upon the plot and characters of Sat Am (Sally, Bunnie, etc). This time also saw the start of "Sonic the Comic," the UK's own "British Sonic." Sonic starred in several Japanese comics (Mangas) as well. 

Virtual Sonic (Album) Review

 

Details

Virtual Sonic was composed by Howard Drossin. From what I learned on Sonic Retro, the music was rushed and done in only one month for the opening of Sega VirtualLand (an amusement facility in a Las Vegas hotel that closed in 98). The album describes itself as: "enhanced music inspired by the world of Sonic." 

 

Summary

In total the selection is odd. The music is funky jazz, cultural atmosphere, metalish rock, 90s hip-hop, and featuring samples ranging from chants to opera and grunts of "come on"...It's kinda' all over the place without anything to link it together. Impressive given the amount of time.

While there are new versions of some familiar tracks, like the Sonic and Knuckles theme, most of the music seems loosely inspired. After just listening to Sonic Boom, the spinball tracks don't seem too different from that album, though. 

The wild "Knucklemania" is kinda' funny, but it's basically a clue as to what the character was like at the time. "Robotnik's Revenge" is strange, seeming to be a funky, very 90s track inspired by Sonic 3 & Knuckles with a hint of Spinball. Much of the tracks, if they do resemble Sonic games, resemble those (likely because those were the Sonic games the composer had experience with). "Sandopolis" is vastly different than Sonic & Knuckles' Sandoplolis, however, being more akin to a song made much later for Sonic 06, Dusty Desert. "Boss Opera" may have been inspired by Final Fever from the JP OST of Sonic CD, but other parts seem to contradict this, so I'm not sure.   

"Chaos Jam" seems ahead of its time. Perhaps it was inspired by US Sonic CD OST (rock), but when it combines guitar and hints of the funky Spinball theme, it ends in something that resembles Sonic Adventure. Second most enjoyable track, the first being...

"Metal Sonic." Having vocals makes it stand out on the album, but also in general. The "Classic Sonic" era was mostly made of female vocal songs, so this (being male) also stands out for the time. While the lyrics are infamously hard to make out, they are oddly fitting, calling Metal a "black-eyed stingray," and insisting, "he's put together the wrong way." It's interesting to compare this with the song "Look-a-like" from the OVA because they, much like Stardust Speedway Bad Future, seem to represent the American vs Japanese view of Metal Sonic, and by extension, Sonic.   

  

Final Ranking: C

A little strange. I like "Metal Sonic" and "Chaos Jam" a lot, and the Spinball tracks are also good choices. "Knucklemania" is memorable and "City in the Clouds" is peaceful. 

It's not that it's bad, but that it's an odd combination in total. 

Sonic & Knuckles (Album) Review

  

Details

Sonic and Knuckles received a 1994 album, "Sonic & Knuckles Sonic the Hedgehog 3." Despite the name including Sonic 3, the music is purely from Sonic and Knuckles. It features tracks composed by Howard Drossin, Jun Senoue, and Yoshiaki ("Milpo"), and was arranged by Akinori Minami. 

The songs were not recorded directly and were instead re-sequenced, allowing for extensions, different intros, and altogether a different sound. 

 

Summary

Somehow the album improves upon what's in Sonic and Knuckles. Songs that seemed bland like the special/bonus stage music ("Rings and Diamonds Land"), the boss music, and even Sky Sanctuary seem livelier, despite the instrumentation. 

The Flying Battery is a must-listen. While probably much simpler, I'd rank it over the Mania version. It's my favorite from the album. 

Death Egg sounds fairly different, but it's interesting. Overall, the songs are either equal to, and sometimes better than, their game counterparts. 

A notable coincidence: the intro to Sandopolis sounds a lot like Crisis City (from Sonic 06).  

The lengthy "Sonic and Knuckles Remix" is a combination of the music, and it's great. Up until it hits Sky Sanctuary, then it just sounds like it's skipping around weird. 

  

Final Ranking: B

It may seem simple, but this is an awesome, retro-sounding collection. Impressive. 

Sonic and Knuckles OST Review

  

Summary

I remembered the music of Sonic and Knuckles fondly. Lava Reef! Sandopolis! Death Egg! Even Mushroom Hill! Flying Battery and Sky Sanctuary were overrated, but good. Well Flying Battery, anyway.  

I've realized, though, that these songs just weren't made for headphones. Ones that I usually enjoyed in game like Sandopolis were annoying. And the main theme, ouch. No wonder people are praising Mania's garbage music, they crave the classics but use head phones! 

As a side note, with the exception of Lava Reef the acts don't seem very different from one another (unlike Sonic 3?).  

Best Song:  Lava Reef Act 1

Runner-Up (s): Lava Reef 2, Sandopolis 1, Flying Battery 1, Death Egg 1, Mushroom Hill 1/2, Credits, theme of Knux

Was there even any other choice? I don't care if it steals from an 80s song, it's a Sonic classic!

While 3 had Ice Cap, &K had this memorable, addictive synth-friendly song that made a difficult level as fun as possible.  

Worst Song: Sky Sanctuary

Runner Up (s): Title, Invincible, Ending

MAKE IT STOP. It's loud, high, annoying, harsh. Best thing is the dramatic drums. I hate to say it, but the crappy Generations version was somehow better. With this music and the fairly boring level design, I have no idea why it's a fan-favorite.  

 

Final Ranking: C

What can I say? It was not nearly as good as I remembered. Previously I didn't really think Sonic 3 was that much better, but I was wrong. Take out Lava Reef and it is pretty average. 

It has it's moments, but I'd rank it below Sonic 1, 2, and 3.