Sonic the Hedgehog Triple Trouble
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Sonic the Hedgehog Triple Trouble | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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System(s): Sega Game Gear, Virtual Console | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Publisher: Sega | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Developer: Aspect M2[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Genre: Action[2][3] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Number of players: 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Sonic the Hedgehog Triple Trouble, released as Sonic & Tails 2 (ソニック&テイルス2) in Japan, is a 2D Sonic the Hedgehog platform game released for the Sega Game Gear in November 1994, and developed by Aspect Co. Ltd, just like the previously-released Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and Sonic Chaos. Unlike its predecessor Sonic Chaos, this game was exclusively released for the Game Gear, with no Sega Master System version being released (though one was seemingly planned[13]).
This game marks the debut of Fang the Sniper, and is the first Game Gear title to feature Knuckles the Echidna.
Contents
Story
Dr. Eggman manages to acquire the six Chaos Emeralds without Sonic knowing and uses them to test the "ultimate superweapon". Unfortunately, a mistake during testing scatters the Chaos Emeralds across the planet. Eggman only manages to retrieve one of the Emeralds, with no idea where the other five have gone.
Sonic and Tails become aware of the incident and immediately spring into action. As they were running around gathering information on the Emeralds, they were suddenly confronted by Knuckles the Echidna, the guardian of Angel Island, with no sense or reason as to why. Tricked by Eggman into thinking that Sonic and Tails plan to use the Chaos Emeralds to take over the world, Knuckles is determined to get in the heroes' way at every turn.
The five remaining emeralds are in the hands of Fang the Sniper, a treasure hunter who is keeping them for himself in subspace.[14] He has no idea of the Emeralds' true power, but is keen on making a handsome price off of them in the black market.[15]
With three antagonists to go up against, Sonic and Tails set out to reclaim the Chaos Emeralds and stop Eggman once again.
Gameplay
Gameplay in Sonic the Hedgehog Triple Trouble is much larger in size than its predecessors, and the experience is much more in line with the Sonic games on the Mega Drive. The game is structured like in past 8-bit Sonic games in that the player must progress through six regular Zones, each having two regular Acts and a short third Act with a boss fight.
This is also the first Sonic game in which all of the player's Rings are not lost after getting hurt; rather, 50 Rings will be lost if the player takes damage from spikes, and 30 Rings are lost for most other types of damage. This type of Ring loss mechanic would later be seen in games like Sonic Blast, Sonic Unleashed and Sonic Generations. In addition, the player can now collect more than 99 Rings at a time.
Similar to the game's predecessor Sonic Chaos, the game contains 6 Chaos Emeralds total, 5 of which are collected in Special Stages. To access a Special Stage, the player must find the Chaos Emerald/Warp Gate Item Monitor, one hidden in the first two Acts of each Zone. If the player has at least 50 Rings when the Monitor is broken, a Star Circle appears above, which is the entry way to the Special Stage. There are three 2D sidescrolling Special Stages and two 3D Stages in which Sonic or Tails pilots the Tornado collecting Rings. The last Chaos Emerald is obtained automatically after defeating Dr. Eggman in the final Zone.
Characters
Like in Sonic Chaos, the player has a choice between two characters: Sonic or Tails. Both characters can perform the Spin Dash by holding and pressing or repeatedly, then releasing for a burst of speed, and also have the ability to skim atop the surface of water in ball form when timed right, as previously seen in Sonic Chaos and Sonic the Hedgehog 2. A new technique both characters can perform is the ability to curl up into a ball by pressing or after bouncing on a Spring, allowing the player to defend themselves should they be catapulted into the air as well as gain extra air control. This technique is even required at certain points in the game, such as defeating the Tart Turtle boss.
Both characters also have their own unique abilities. Sonic is again able to perform the Strike Dash by standing still and pressing + /, bursting forward with a temporary invinciblity state after starting the move. Tails can perform his Propeller Flight by standing still and pressing + /, then fly around with the D-Pad, though his movements in mid-flight are more loose than in Sonic Chaos, closer reflecting his flight in Sonic the Hedgehog 3. He can also break into flight by pressing + / after bouncing from a Spring, acting as a second jump and slowing his descent. Unlike the previous game, both characters can now enter the Special Stages and get the Chaos Emeralds, and both start with 3 lives and one Continue. There are also new power-ups introduced; these are character exclusive so they cannot be used by both characters.
Items
The Pogo Spring and Rocket Shoes from Sonic Chaos return, with the Pogo Spring now contained in Monitors. Sonic also gets exclusive access to two other power-ups: the Jet Board in Robotnik Winter Zone, which allows him to snowboard, and the Propeller Shoes in Tidal Plant Zone, which allow him to swim at high speed in eight directions. While the Rocket Shoes remain exclusive to Sonic, Tails can get his own exclusive power-up called the Hyper Heli-Tails, which functions the same way as Sonic's Rocket Shoes, as well as his own exclusive vehicle, the Sea Fox, for underwater travel.
Warp Gates are new to the game and grant the player the ability to warp to the Special Stage if 50 Rings are collected before breaking monitors depicting a Chaos Emerald. The Special Stage also contains Time Monitors that will reset the timer back to 1 minute and 30 seconds when obtained.
Bonus Panel
At the end of Acts 1 and 2 of each level, a Bonus Panel is spun, with a reward given based on what it lands on:
Flicky | |
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No prize is awarded. | |
Ring | |
10 Rings are added to the player's final Ring tally. | |
Sonic | |
Sonic gets a 1-Up, Tails gets 10,000 points. | |
Tails | |
Tails gets a 1-Up, Sonic gets 10,000 points. | |
Knuckles | |
A Continue is awarded. | |
Chaos Emerald | |
The player starts the next Act with 50 Rings. | |
Back of Panel | |
The panel must be spun again. |
Extra modes
Sonic the Hedgehog Triple Trouble also features additional modes which can be accessed on the title screen by pressing and .
Time Attack
The "Time Attack" option starts up Time Attack mode, which has the player go through a single stage and finish it as quickly as possible with either character. The stage used for Time Attack is an exclusive stage not used anywhere else in the game, and is based on Great Turquoise Zone while also featuring the Spin Coasters normally found in Sunset Park Zone. When pausing the game in this mode, the player has the choice to change their character and start again, or return to the title screen.
3D Stage
This option takes the player immediately to the second Special Stage, which is a 3D stage in which they must collect Rings while flying the Tornado. Unlike the main game, the Special Stage ends once the player collects 80 Rings, returning the player to the title screen. This title screen option is only available in the Japanese version of the game.
Sound test
The sound test allows the player to listen to the game's music and sound effects as they please. Below is a listing of the songs available to play through the sound test:
- 81: Great Turquoise Zone
- 82: Sunset Park Zone
- 83: Meta Junglira Zone
- 84: Robotnik Winter Zone
- 85: Opening
- 86: Title
- 87: Character Select
- 88: Title Card
- 89: Act Clear
- 8A: Boss
- 8B: Final Boss
- 8C: 1-Up
- 8D: Death
- 8E: Game Over
- 8F: Rocket Shoes
- 90: Power Sneakers
- 92: Invincibility
- 93: Sunset Park Zone Act 3
- 94: Sea Fox
- 95: Propeller Shoes
- 97: Fang the Sniper
- 98: Hyper Heli-Tails
- 9A: Tidal Plant Zone
- 9B: Atomic Destroyer Zone
- 9C: 2D Special Stage
- 9D: 3D Special Stage
- 9E: Metal Sonic
- 9F: Continue
- A0: Chaos Emerald
- A1: Ending
- A2: Staff Roll
The short jingle that plays on the "Try Again" screen is not available in the sound test, though its ID would have been A3, which can be seen if RAM is manipulated.
History
Development
Main article: Sonic the Hedgehog Triple Trouble/Development |
Legacy
Archie Comics produced an adaptation of this game which not only featured Nack the Weasel but also Vector the Crocodile and Octobot. It was published in October 1995.
An unofficial port to the Sega Master System developed by Glitch was released in May 2009, with an updated conversion released on SMS Power! by BcnAbel76. A 16-bit style fan remake, Sonic Triple Trouble 16-bit, was developed by Noah N. Copeland and released in 2022.
Versions
Also released on
- Sonic Adventure DX: Director's Cut for the GameCube and PC (2003-2004)
- Sonic Gems Collection for the Nintendo GameCube and PlayStation 2 (2005)
- Coleco Sonic for Coleco plug and play (2006)
- Playpal Plug and Play for the Coleco Plug and play console (2006)
- Sonic PC Collection for the PC (2009)
- FunPlay 20-in-1 for the Plug and Play console (2009)
- Virtual Console for the Nintendo 3DS (2013)
- Sonic Origins Plus for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch, Steam and Epic Games Store (2023)
Production credits
Main article: Sonic the Hedgehog Triple Trouble/Production credits |
Manuals
Main article: Sonic the Hedgehog Triple Trouble/Manuals |
Magazine articles
Main article: sega:Sonic the Hedgehog Triple Trouble/Magazine articles |
Promotional material
Artwork
Western release
Japanese release
Physical scans
Reception » |
Game Gear, JP |
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Game Gear, US |
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Game Gear, PT |
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Game Gear, AS† |
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Technical information
ROM dump status
System | Hash | Size | Build Date | Source | Comments | |||||||||
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✔ |
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512kB | 1994-08-02[16] | Cartridge (US/EU) | Sonic the Hedgehog Triple Trouble | |||||||||
✔ |
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512kB | 1994-07-30[16] | Cartridge (JP) | Sonic & Tails 2 | |||||||||
✔ |
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512kB | 1994-08-08 | CD-R disc[17] | 0808 prototype | (260 kB) (info) | Page | |||||||
✔ |
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512kB | 1994-08-16 | CD-R disc[18] | 0816 prototype | (260 kB) (info) | Page |
External links
- Sega of Japan Virtual Console page (Japanese)
- Nintendo catalogue pages: JP, US, UK, AU
References
- ↑ https://www.mtwo.co.jp/development/retrogame-2/#tab-4 (Wayback Machine: 2014-04-03 00:26)
- ↑ File:Stt-box-eu back.jpg
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 https://sega.jp/history/hard/gamegear/software.html (Wayback Machine: 2018-12-07 04:57)
- ↑ [sonictimes, issue 0209, page 8 sonictimes, issue 0209, page 8]
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 [mms, issue 26, page 108 mms, issue 26, page 108]
- ↑ [sgp, issue 19, page 13 sgp, issue 19, page 13]
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 http://vc.sega.jp:80/3ds/sandt2/ (Wayback Machine: 2012-10-28 11:50)
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 http://www.nintendo.com:80/games/detail/kZ_YMfAzeybi9HMljoQVGzFE7aP4Ar6k (Wayback Machine: 2012-03-08 23:11)
- ↑ https://www.nintendo.fr/Jeux/Console-virtuelle-Nintendo-3DS-/Sonic-the-Hedgehog-Triple-Trouble-275869.html (archive.today)
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 http://www.nintendolife.com:80/games/gamegear/sonic_the_hedgehog_triple_trouble (Wayback Machine: 2017-09-09 23:10)
- ↑ https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Virtual-Console-Nintendo-3DS-/Sonic-the-Hedgehog-Triple-Trouble-275869.html (archive.today)
- ↑ https://www.nintendo.de/Spiele/Virtual-Console-Nintendo-3DS-/Sonic-the-Hedgehog-Triple-Trouble-275869.html (archive.today)
- ↑ File:SegaPower UK 58.pdf, page 12
- ↑ File:SonicTripleTrouble GG JP manual.pdf, page 6
- ↑ File:SonicTripleTrouble GG US manual.pdf, page 4
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Sonic the Hedgehog Triple Trouble/Hidden content#Build date
Sonic the Hedgehog Triple Trouble | |
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Main page Manuals |
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Comics:
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Sonic the Hedgehog games for the following systems | |
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1991 Sonic the Hedgehog 1992 Sonic the Hedgehog 2 1993 Sonic Chaos | Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine 1994 Sonic Drift | Sonic Spinball | Sonic the Hedgehog Triple Trouble 1995 Sonic Drift 2 | Tails' Skypatrol | Tails Adventures | Sonic Labyrinth | Sonic 2 in 1 1996 Sonic Blast Prototypes Sonic the Hedgehog (Game Gear prototype) | Sonic Chaos prereleases | Sonic Spinball (8-bit) prereleases | Sonic Triple Trouble prereleases | Sonic Blast prereleases Unreleased Sonic's Edusoft
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