Sonic the Hedgehog CD (2011)

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Sonic the Hedgehog CD (2011)
System(s): Xbox Live Arcade, PC, iOS, Android, PlayStation Network
Publisher: Sega
Developer: The Taxman

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The 2011 release of Sonic the Hedgehog CD is an enhanced downloadable remake of the 1993 Sega Mega CD game Sonic the Hedgehog CD. It was developed by The Taxman using a proprietary game engine named the "Retro Engine", an updated version of the engine used in Retro Sonic Nexus. His efforts were picked up by Sega who published it for Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network, iOS and Android devices and PC in late 2011 and early 2012.

Unlike other attempts at bringing classic Sonic games to new platforms in the late 2000s (usually handled by Backbone Entertainment), this Sonic CD is neither a port of the original game nor an emulated version. It was re-built from scratch, allowing for a number of enhancements such as widescreen support, online features (such as leaderboards), filters to change the way the game is displayed and a Sonic the Hedgehog 2-styled spindash option. When the game is beaten once, Tails is unlocked. It is otherwise faithful to the original game.

Other changes include reduced loading times, better scaling for the UFOs in the Special Stages, a number of bugfixes and a constant framerate of 60FPS.

Music

The original Sonic CD had its soundtrack changed for the North American release, leading to two distinct soundtracks for the game. This 2011 version includes both, and the user can toggle between the two. Undisclosed licensing issues mean some vocals from the Japanese soundtrack have been removed. All stage music tracks have been edited so that they loop. Some songs from the US track have been extended somewhat, using cues from the Sonic Boom album.

Other Differences

Zone Differences

Palmtree Panic

• The floating platform at the beginning with rings on it falls down after the player stands on it, whereas in the original, it stayed in place.

Collision Chaos

• Sound effects have been added to the pinball flippers.

Tidal Tempest

There's a chime before the underwater countdown begins (much like the Genesis/Megadrive titles).

Quartz Quadrant

• At the beginning of Act 3 (Good Future), the missing Sonic monitor icon from the CD Sonic 510 beta has been restored.

Stardust Speedway

• During the Metal Sonic race at Stardust Speedway, the Bad Future theme always plays in the background, regardless of which soundtrack is chosen.
• During the Time Attack Mode, Amy Rose does not show up at the end of Stardust Speedway; she was instead replaced by a flower capsule, most likely to save time.

Metallic Madness

• During the final battle against Dr. Robotnik, two "light beams" have been added to each side, which are akin to the ones at the Final Zone, Wing Fortress Zone, and Flying Battery Zone.

Special Stage

• The U.F.O.s that carry the Speed Shoes power-up in the Special Stage have been recolored blue, most likely to differentiate between the purple ones, which carry the Ring power-up.

Miscellaneous

• The time taken for time travelling is actually a bit longer. Some objects that activated warping in the original Mega CD game do not do so in this remake.
• The Stage Select menu and Sound Test can no longer be accessed by code. Instead, they have to be unlocked in the same manner as the D.A. Garden and Visual Mode.
  • The FM portion of the Sound Test is now PCM. All "past" tracks have been moved to "D.A.", along with the rest of the soundtrack.
• While the debug mode is enabled, power-up monitors can be used more than once.
  • Ring objects are now available to be placed, unlike the original.
  • There is no background music that plays after the "S" monitor has been struck.
• When the Japanese soundtrack is enabled, there is an entirely new song that plays in the Time Attack menu.
• Entering the code "PCM: 32, DA: 8" on the Sound Test briefly shows a mock-up image of "Desert Dazzle", a stage that was once planned for the remake. It also enables Tails while choosing a stage from the Stage Select menu.
• Rather than the Time Attack theme being used after entering the code for accessing hidden pictures, the Quartz Quadrant Good Future theme plays instead.
• In order to access the Special Stage Time Attack, the player has to select the "Next" icon, rather than pushing left.

Tails Gameplay Differences

• Tails has his moveset from Sonic the Hedgehog 3, allowing him to get to areas that Sonic cannot normally access without the use of time travel.
• The opening cutscene has been disabled.
• Rather than a voice clip being used after getting a 1-Up, the Time Stone/Badnik Teleporter sound effect is used instead.
• Amy Rose has been removed entirely.
  • As such, neither she or Metal Sonic will show up at Collision Chaos Act 1, and the spin tunnel path is opened by default.
  • She has been replaced by a flower capsule at Stardust Speedway Act 3, much like the Time Attack mode.
• As with the opening, the ending cutscene was also removed, and replaced with a credits screen. Unlike Sonic's game, which lists the original staff, this one lists the staff who worked on the remake.

Known Bugs

• When the Sonic CD Spin Dash is enabled, there is a delay in speed after striking the Speed Shoes monitor.
• Collecting one more ring after time traveling (after already collecting a hundred or more) automatically earns the player an extra life.

Artwork

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Sonic the Hedgehog games for the following systems

2011  Sonic the Hedgehog | Sonic Advance | Sonic the Hedgehog CD     2012  Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode I | Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode II | Sonic Jump     2013  Sonic the Hedgehog | Happy Sonic! Live Wallpaper | Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing | Sonic the Hedgehog 2 | Sonic Dash | Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed     2014  Sonic Jump Fever     2015  Sonic Runners | Sonic Dash 2: Sonic Boom     2017  Sonic Runners Adventure | Sonic Forces: Speed Battle     2020  Sonic at the Olympic Games     2022  Sonic Speed Simulator     2023  Sonic Prime Dash      Demos  Sonic the Hedgehog CD Lite | Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode II Lite  Unreleased  Sonic Central | Sonic Demo

PS3	2010  Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode I | Sonic Adventure     2011  Sonic the Hedgehog | Sonic the Hedgehog 2 | Sonic the Hedgehog Anniversary Bundle | Sonic the Hedgehog CD     2012  Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode II | Sonic Adventure 2 | Classic Sonic Bundle | Sonic the Fighters     2013  Sonic the Hedgehog Master Collection      Prototypes  Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode I (Sony QA Network prototype)

filler
	2007  Sonic the Hedgehog | Sonic the Hedgehog 2     2009  Sonic the Hedgehog 3 | Sonic & Knuckles     2010  Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode I | Sonic Adventure     2011  Sonic the Hedgehog CD     2012  Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode II | Sonic Adventure 2 | Sonic the Fighters      Prototypes  Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode I (PartnerNET build)