Sonic Blast
Encyclopedia
Sonic Blast is a video game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series developed by Aspect
and published by Sega
for the Sega Game Gear
. It is known as G Sonic in Japan
. It was released in December 1996 for both North America
n and Europe
an markets. A Japanese release followed later that year on December 13, being the last commercial title released for the system.
The game was also ported to the Sega Master System
in Brazil by TecToy and released in December 1997
.
Sonic Blast was later compiled with other Sonic titles in Sonic Adventure DX and Sonic Mega Collection Plus, and a demo
of its ending can be unlocked in Sonic Gems Collection.
While this game was released at the end of 1996 in conjunction with the similarly named Sonic 3D Blast
, the games have little in common. No enemies, levels, or bosses are shared between them. The story is also completely different; Sonic and Knuckles join together to collect five of the Chaos Emeralds and confront Eggman at Silver Castle.
, Sonic Blast for Game Gear was a side-scrolling run and jump platform game
. It was the last new Sonic the Hedgehog game released for the Sega
handheld, and sported some of the most advanced features of the 8-bit series (although it was not very well received).
The two playable characters in the game are Sonic the Hedgehog
and Knuckles the Echidna
. The object of the game is to collect five Chaos Emeralds, in stages visually similar to the Sonic the Hedgehog 3
special stages, but instead require Sonic and Knuckles to collect rings as in Sonic the Hedgehog 2
s special stages. Emeralds can only be obtained in the second act of each level. Finishing a special stage in the first act will gain the player an extra life instead. Similar to Sonic 3, special stages are entered through large rings hidden in the regular stages.
Much like Sonic Triple Trouble
, when the player is hit by an enemy, he only loses some of his rings as opposed to all of them (in this game, 10 rings per hit). Sonic's maneuvers are similar to those in other games, but he has a special double-jump ability that allows him to reach greater heights, like with the electric shield in Sonic 3. Knuckles's abilities are his standard climbing and gliding, as seen in Sonic and Knuckles.
graphics, which had become popular in Nintendo's
16-bit hit Donkey Kong Country
. The rendered graphics give the game a more advanced look than most other 8-bit games. The character graphics also took up a bigger portion of the screen.
Aspect (video game company)
Aspect Co. Ltd is a Japanese based video game company which was founded in March 1991. Aspect has developed for the Sega Master System, Game Gear, Pico, Genesis, Saturn, Super NES, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, and WonderSwan Color...
and published by Sega
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
for the Sega Game Gear
Sega Game Gear
The was Sega's first handheld game console. It was the third commercially available color handheld console, after the Atari Lynx and the TurboExpress....
. It is known as G Sonic in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. It was released in December 1996 for both North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an markets. A Japanese release followed later that year on December 13, being the last commercial title released for the system.
The game was also ported to the Sega Master System
Sega Master System
The is a third-generation video game console that was manufactured and released by Sega in 1985 in Japan , 1986 in North America and 1987 in Europe....
in Brazil by TecToy and released in December 1997
1997 in video gaming
-Events:*October 4 — Gunpei Yokoi dies after a double car accident.*November – Interactive Entertainment Merchants Association launched.*3rd annual E3...
.
Sonic Blast was later compiled with other Sonic titles in Sonic Adventure DX and Sonic Mega Collection Plus, and a demo
Game demo
A game demo is a freely distributed demonstration or preview of an upcoming or recently released video game. Demos are typically released by the game's publisher to help consumers get a feel of the game before deciding whether to buy the full version....
of its ending can be unlocked in Sonic Gems Collection.
While this game was released at the end of 1996 in conjunction with the similarly named Sonic 3D Blast
Sonic 3D Blast
Sonic 3D is an isometric platform game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. It was developed in the United Kingdom by Traveller's Tales and published by Sega. The Japanese version was also Sega Saturn exclusive...
, the games have little in common. No enemies, levels, or bosses are shared between them. The story is also completely different; Sonic and Knuckles join together to collect five of the Chaos Emeralds and confront Eggman at Silver Castle.
Gameplay
Unlike its pseudo-3D counterpartSonic 3D Blast
Sonic 3D is an isometric platform game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. It was developed in the United Kingdom by Traveller's Tales and published by Sega. The Japanese version was also Sega Saturn exclusive...
, Sonic Blast for Game Gear was a side-scrolling run and jump platform game
Platform game
A platform game is a video game characterized by requiring the player to jump to and from suspended platforms or over obstacles . It must be possible to control these jumps and to fall from platforms or miss jumps...
. It was the last new Sonic the Hedgehog game released for the Sega
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
handheld, and sported some of the most advanced features of the 8-bit series (although it was not very well received).
The two playable characters in the game are Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic the Hedgehog (character)
, trademarked Sonic The Hedgehog, is a video game character and the main protagonist of the Sonic video game series released by Sega, as well as in numerous spin-off comics, cartoons, and a feature film. The first game was released on June 23, 1991, to provide Sega with a mascot to rival Nintendo's...
and Knuckles the Echidna
Knuckles the Echidna
Knuckles the Echidna is a video game character of the Sonic the Hedgehog game series, including spin-off games and comics. His first appearance was in Sonic the Hedgehog 3, released in 1994 to introduce a new rival for Sonic. He was presented as an antagonist who was tricked by Dr. Eggman into...
. The object of the game is to collect five Chaos Emeralds, in stages visually similar to the Sonic the Hedgehog 3
Sonic the Hedgehog 3
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is a 1994 platform video game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis. It was developed in the United States by members of Sonic Team working at Sega Technical Institute, and was published by Sega, debuting worldwide in the first half of 1994...
special stages, but instead require Sonic and Knuckles to collect rings as in Sonic the Hedgehog 2
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (16-bit)
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is a 16-bit 1992 platform video game that was developed by Sonic Team members working at the Sega Technical Institute, and published by Sega for the Sega Genesis console. It was released in Japan on November 21, 1992 and in North America and Europe on November 24, 1992...
s special stages. Emeralds can only be obtained in the second act of each level. Finishing a special stage in the first act will gain the player an extra life instead. Similar to Sonic 3, special stages are entered through large rings hidden in the regular stages.
Sonic Triple Trouble
Sonic the Hedgehog: Triple Trouble is a platform video game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series, for the Sega Game Gear. It was developed by Aspect and published by Sega in 1994. It is the sequel to Sonic Chaos, which was the first Sonic & Tails game in Japan...
, when the player is hit by an enemy, he only loses some of his rings as opposed to all of them (in this game, 10 rings per hit). Sonic's maneuvers are similar to those in other games, but he has a special double-jump ability that allows him to reach greater heights, like with the electric shield in Sonic 3. Knuckles's abilities are his standard climbing and gliding, as seen in Sonic and Knuckles.
Graphics
A prominent feature of this game was its pre-renderedPre-rendered
Pre-rendering is the process in which video footage is not rendered in real-time by the hardware that is outputing or playing back the video. Instead, the video is a recording of a footage that was previously rendered on a different equipment...
graphics, which had become popular in Nintendo's
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
16-bit hit Donkey Kong Country
Donkey Kong Country
Donkey Kong Country is a side-scrolling platformer video game developed by Rare, featuring the character Donkey Kong. It was released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1994. Following an intense marketing campaign, the original SNES version sold over 8 million copies worldwide, making...
. The rendered graphics give the game a more advanced look than most other 8-bit games. The character graphics also took up a bigger portion of the screen.