View source for Sonic Drift

{{Bob
| bobscreen=Sonic Drift title.png
| developer=[[Sega CS]]
| publisher=[[Sega]]
| system=[[Sega Game Gear]]
| genre=Racing{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/20181207045745/https://sega.jp/history/hard/gamegear/software.html}}
| peripherals=[[Gear-to-Gear Cable]]
| players=1-2
| releases={{releasesGG
| gg_date_jp=1994-03-18{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/20181207045745/https://sega.jp/history/hard/gamegear/software.html}}
| gg_rrp_jp=4,800
| gg_code_jp=G-3415
}}
}}
'''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' (ソニックドリフト) is a kart racing game for the [[Sega Game Gear]] initially released only in Japan. It features [[Sonic the Hedgehog]], [[Miles "Tails" Prower]], [[Amy Rose]], and [[Dr. Eggman]], and is a typical racing game of the early 1990s. The game's racetracks and order they are played in are the same as the original ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog (16-bit)|Sonic the Hedgehog]]''. It also had a sequel, ''[[Sonic Drift 2]]''.

==Gameplay==
{{ScreenThumb|Drift Green Hill.png|width=192|Gameplay screenshot.}}
The objective of the game is to win the three different '''Chaos GPs''' (green, yellow and red [[Chaos Emerald]]). Each Chaos GP has six different tracks based on the original ''Sonic'' game levels' design. The players will race around a track against the other three characters for a top position, using {{2}} to accelerate, {{1}} to brake and the latter combined with a direction allows to drift corners, though abusing it will send the character into spinning out of control. Going out of the asphalt track drops the speed immediately and in the sidelines there are several obstacles that will stop the character altogether if they are hit. The {{up}} direction on the directional pad can use [[Ring]]s collected on the track as a special move, unique to each character.

Each track is composed of a closed circuit with three laps. At the end of the track, points are awarded based on the finishing positions: 1st place - 3 points, 2nd place - 2 points, 3rd place - 1 point and 4th place - 0 points. At the end of each tournament, the character with most points naturally wins. There are two difficulty settings for the game, Normal or Hard, which can be chosen via the options menu.

Additionally, there are two other modes to play: '''Free Run''' is a practice mode in which the player can race alone on any course as well as view the best times for each course. The player can end a Free Run at any time during gameplay by pausing the game and pressing {{1}}+{{2}} simultaneously. '''Versus''' is a standard 2-player mode using the [[sega:Gear-to-Gear Cable|Gear-to-Gear Cable]] in which both players race each other on any course, with a win/loss record kept only for one session.

===Characters===
{| class="prettytable" style="width:auto"
!colspan="2"|Character !! Vehicle !! Special Move !! Gameplay
|-
  |align="center"|[[File:Drift Sonic.png]] || Sonic || [[Cyclone (Sonic Drift)|Cyclone]] || Speed dash (same as red monitor power-up) || Good speed and acceleration, poor handling.
|-
  |align="center"|[[File:Drift Tails.png]] || Tails || [[MTP-01 Whirlwind]] ||Jump over (same as spring power-up) || Good handling, poor speed.
|-
  |align="center"|[[File:Drift Eggman.png]] || Eggman || [[Egg Typhoon (Sonic Drift)|Egg Typhoon]] || Drop mine (same as collision) || Good speed, poor acceleration.
|-
  |align="center"|[[File:Drift Amy.png]] || Amy || [[Breeze]] || Toss heart (reduces others' speed) || Good acceleration, poor speed
|}
*Sonic's car could be modeled after a [[wikipedia:Ferrari F40|Ferrari F40]], Tails' after a [[wikipedia:Lotus Seven|Lotus Seven]] (most likely), and Amy's after a [[wikipedia:Mini Rover Cabrio|Mini Rover Cabrio]].

===Items===
There are several power-ups scattered throughout each course. The power-ups can be accumulated and they respawn in each lap.

{{InfoTable|
{{InfoRow
| title=Ring (リング{{fileref|SonicDrift GG JP manual.pdf|page=23}})
| sprite={{spriteImage|Drift ring.png|2}}
| desc=Collect two Rings allows the player to perform the character's Special Move. Rings can be lost due to using them, abusing the drift or obstacle collision.
}}
{{InfoRow
| title=High Speed (ハイスピード{{fileref|SonicDrift GG JP manual.pdf|page=23}})
| sprite={{spriteImage|Drift redmonitor.png|2}}
| desc=Makes the player dash down the track with a momentary burst of speed.
}}
{{InfoRow
| title=[[Muteki]] (無敵{{fileref|SonicDrift GG JP manual.pdf|page=23}})
| sprite={{spriteImage|Drift bluemonitor.png|2}}
| desc=Makes the player invincible for a short period of time. The BGM during invincibility is based on "[[Sonic - You Can Do Anything]]" from ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog CD]]''.
}}
{{InfoRow
| title=[[Spring|Jump Bane]] (ジャンプバネ{{fileref|SonicDrift GG JP manual.pdf|page=23}})
| sprite={{spriteImage|Drift spring.png|2}}
| desc=These all launch the player up into the air, increasing the speed.
}}
}}

==History==
===Development===
{{mainArticle|{{PAGENAME}}/Development}}

==Versions==
===Also released on===
* ''[[Sonic Adventure DX: Director's Cut]]'' for the [[GameCube]] and [[PC]] (2003-2004)
* ''[[Sonic Mega Collection Plus]]'' for the [[PlayStation 2]], [[Xbox]], and [[PC]] (2004-2005)
* ''[[Sonic Mega Collection Plus & Super Monkey Ball Deluxe]]'' for the [[Xbox]] (2005)
* ''[[Sega Fun Pack: Sonic Mega Collection Plus & Shadow the Hedgehog]]'' for the [[PlayStation 2]] (2009)
* ''[[Sonic PC Collection]]'' for the [[PC]] (2009)
* ''[[Sonic Origins Plus]]'' for [[PlayStation 4]], [[PlayStation 5]], [[Xbox One]], [[Xbox Series X]], [[Nintendo Switch]], [[Steam]] and [[sega:Epic Games Store|Epic Games Store]] (2023)

==Production credits==
{{mainArticle|{{PAGENAME}}/Production credits}}

==Manuals==
{{mainArticle|{{PAGENAME}}/Manuals}}

==Magazine articles==
{{mainArticle|{{PAGENAME}}/Magazine articles}}

==Promotional material==
{{mainArticle|{{PAGENAME}}/Promotional material}}

==Artwork==
<gallery>
Image:SSS SONIC40.png|Cover artwork
Image:SSS SONIC4A.png|[[Sonic the Hedgehog|Sonic]] and [[Cyclone (Sonic Drift)|Cyclone]]
Image:SSS SONIC38.png|Sonic and Cyclone
Image:SSS SONIC4B.png|[[Miles "Tails" Prower|Tails]] and [[MTP-01 Whirlwind]]
Image:SSS SONIC4C.png|[[Dr. Eggman]] and [[Egg Typhoon (Sonic Drift)|Egg Typhoon]]
Image:SSS SONIC4D.png|[[Amy Rose|Amy]] and [[Breeze]]
</gallery>
==Physical scans==
{{ratings|GG}}
{{Scanbox
| console=Game Gear
| region=JP
| front=Sdrift-box-jap.jpg
| back=Sonicdrift back cover.jpg
| spine=
| spinemissing=yes
| square=yes
| cart=Drift gg jp cart.jpg
| manual=SonicDrift GG JP manual.pdf
}}
{{Scanbox
| console=Game Gear
| region=ZA
| front=Sdrift Box ZA.jpg
| spine=
| square=yes
| cart=Drift gg jp cart.jpg
}}

==Technical information==
===ROM dump status===
{{romtable|
{{rom|GG|sha1=fef5d69093df2d774ed274a4079790f8778577fc|md5=8093ef0eeb147f2a938fae3e5a26d8b3|crc32=68f0a776|size=512KB|date=|source=Cartridge (JP)|comments=|quality=good}}
{{rom|GG|sha1=462bdf9bfac3eb9b389142b55be39608c3343223|md5=db3e87dc719c5d6f13859eee81cca297|crc32=baac1fc0|size=512KB|date=|source=Cartridge (JP)|comments=Demo|quality=|prototype=yes|protoname=demo|file=Sonic Drift (Demo) (JP).zip}}
}}

==References==
<references/>

{{SonicDriftOmni}}
{{SonicGGGames}}
[[Category:Game Gear and Master System games]]