Sonic the Hedgehog Pocket Adventure
Template:Short description Template:Good article Template:Use mdy dates Template:Main other{{#invoke:infobox|infoboxTemplate | child = | subbox = | bodyclass = ib-video-game hproduct {{#ifeq:|yes|collapsible {{#if:|{{{state}}}|autocollapse}}}} | templatestyles = Infobox video game/styles.css | aboveclass = fn | italic title =
| above = Sonic the Hedgehog Pocket Adventure
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| label2 = DeveloperTemplate:Pluralize from text | data2 = SNK
| label3 = PublisherTemplate:Pluralize from text | data3 = SNK
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| label6 = DesignerTemplate:Pluralize from text | data6 = Yukihiro Higashi
| label7 = ProgrammerTemplate:Pluralize from text | data7 = Yasuyuki Nakatsuka
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| label11 = Series | data11 = Sonic the Hedgehog
| label12 = Engine | data12 = Template:If first display both
| label13 = PlatformTemplate:Pluralize from text | data13 = Neo Geo Pocket Color
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| label15 = GenreTemplate:Pluralize from text | data15 = Platform
| label16 = ModeTemplate:Pluralize from text | data16 = Single-player, multiplayer
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}}Template:Main other{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|ignoreblank=1|preview=Page using Template:Infobox video game with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"| alt | arcade system | artist | caption | border | child | collapsible | commons | composer | designer | developer | director | embedded | engine | fetchwikidata | genre | image | image_size | image_upright | italic title | modes | noicon | onlysourced | platform | platforms | producer | programmer | publisher | qid | refs | release | released | series | state | subbox | suppressfields | title | writer }}Template:Main other{{#if:Sonicpocketcover.png|}} Template:Nihongo foot (also known as Sonic Pocket Adventure) is a platform game developed and published by SNK for the Neo Geo Pocket Color in 1999. The game is based on Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (1992) for the Sega Genesis, borrowing much of the stage themes and gameplay elements, but featuring unique stage layouts, elements from other Genesis Sonic the Hedgehog games, and extra game modes. Sega's Yuji Naka and the rest of Sonic Team supervised over production.
The game was released in December 1999 to positive reviews. Critics felt Sonic Pocket Adventure was a faithful adaptation of the traditional Sonic game formula, most importantly not making any sacrifices to the game's speed. Reviewers praised the game as one of the best among the Neo Geo Pocket Color's library and commended the quality of SNK's hardware. Several members of the SNK development team later formed Dimps which went on to develop several more Sonic games for handheld devices.
Gameplay
Sonic the Hedgehog Pocket Adventure is a platform game in the style of the classic Sonic the Hedgehog games for the Sega Genesis. The game is heavily based on Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (1992) for the Genesis, while also using concepts from Sonic the Hedgehog (1991) and Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (1994).<ref name="odcm" /><ref name=":3" /> Sonic 2's stage themes are featured throughout, but the stage layouts are unique to the game. The bonus stages are also borrowed from Sonic 2.<ref name="retrogamer">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="gspotreview">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="ignreview">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> AllGame called the game "a slightly dumbed down port" of Sonic 2 and Official Dreamcast Magazine called it "essentially an adaptation of Sonic 2."<ref name=odcm>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref name="allgame">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Unlike Sonic 2, Sonic Pocket Adventure features some exclusive modes. The game includes a save feature so the player can replay any level they have previously completed.<ref name="allgame" /> There is also a time trial mode which ranks the player based on how quickly they finish each level. Another time trial mode requires the player to finish with 50 or more rings for the time to count, as well as stricter rank requirements. Sonic Pocket Adventure also supports two competitive two-player modes with the use of a Neo Geo Pocket link cable. One mode has the players racing each other to finish the stage first, while the other is a race to collect a target amount of rings. The second player controls Tails.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> There is also a puzzle mode where the player assembles portraits of Sonic characters using hidden puzzle pieces found within the levels. Completing the puzzles unlocks a sound test mode.<ref name="allgame" />
Development and release
In August 1999, SNK announced that they were collaborating with Sega to develop a Sonic the Hedgehog game for their Neo Geo Pocket Color handheld system.<ref name=":0" /> The game was developed by SNK, with supervision from Yuji Naka and Sonic Team at Sega.<ref name="credits">Template:Cite video game</ref> This marked the first time Sega was directly involved in the development of a Sonic game for a non-Sega platform.<ref name=":0">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>Template:Efn The team planned for Sonic Pocket Adventure to be a return to the classic 2D gameplay style found in the Sonic games on the Sega Genesis.<ref name=":0" /> In particular, many game design and visual elements are borrowed from Sonic 2. The game's background music tracks are also 8-bit renditions of music from Sonic 3 and Sonic & Knuckles.<ref name="allgame" /> Sonic Pocket Adventure was released first in North America on December 4, 1999.<ref name=":2">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> SNK released a system bundle with the game included for the holiday season.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The game was released in Europe in February 2000,<ref name=":1">Template:Cite magazine</ref> and in Japan on May 25, 2000.<ref name="ngfMay"/>
Several of the SNK staff members who developed Sonic Pocket Adventure went on to form Dimps in 2000—a new team funded by Sega, Sony, and Bandai. The new company went on to develop Sonic Advance (2001) for the Game Boy Advance and several more Sonic games for handheld systems in the following years.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=dsi/>
Reception
Template:Video game reviews Sonic the Hedgehog Pocket Adventure received critical acclaim. Critics generally believed that despite being on a handheld system, the game successfully captured the same high speed thrills and sharp graphics as in the original Genesis games. The most common complaints were occasional frame rate slowdown and the lack of parallax scrolling, but most agreed these problems were not intrusive enough to detract from the otherwise great quality of the game.<ref name="odcm" /><ref name="gspotreview" /><ref name="ignreview" /><ref name="allgame" /><ref name="cvg">Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref name="dailyradar">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Some critics highlighted how well the system's hardware performed in their reviews. Official Dreamcast Magazine praised the joystick on the handheld as controlling better than the Genesis controllers.<ref name="odcm" /> Daily Radar thanked SNK for developing a good enough screen to prevent any unwanted motion blur.<ref name="dailyradar" /> IGN believed the game was a killer app for the Neo Geo Pocket Color, giving the game a 10, and that it filled the platform game role the system's library was so desperately missing.<ref name="ignreview" /> Official Dreamcast Magazine called it SNK's raison d'être for the Neo Geo Pocket Color.<ref name="odcm" /> AllGame disagreed that it was a killer app, but felt it showcased the system's processing prowess well.<ref name="allgame" />
In retrospect, IGN called Sonic Pocket Adventure a system seller and a proving ground for the development team, as many members of the staff would go on to develop several more Sonic games for handheld systems as Dimps. IGN included Sonic Pocket Adventure on their wishlist of games for the Virtual Console on the Nintendo DSi.<ref name=dsi>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Although the Neo Geo Pocket Color was not commercially successful, Retro Gamer still called it a "fantastically playable" machine with Sonic Pocket Adventure being one of the best games in the system's library and the Sonic catalog.<ref name="retrogamer"/> GamesRadar listed the game at number six among their list of top 25 Sonic games of all time. Sonic Pocket Adventure is famously the only Sonic the Hedgehog game to get a 10/10 score from IGN.<ref name=":3">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2023, Time Extension identified Sonic Pocket Adventure as one of the best games for the NGPC.<ref name="TE">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Notes
References
External links
- Template:Official (English, archived)
- Template:Official (Japanese, archived)