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Sonic the Hedgehog Pocket Adventure

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Sonic the Hedgehog
Pocket Adventure
System(s): Neo Geo Pocket Color
Publisher: SNK
Developer:
Licensor: Sega Enterprises, Ltd.
Peripherals supported: Dreamcast Link Cable
Genre: Action
Number of players: 1-2
Release Date RRP Code Rating
Neo Geo Pocket Color
US
1999-12-07[1] $34.95[2] NEOP00591
ESRB: Everyone
Neo Geo Pocket Color
EU
2000-03-24[3] €? NEOP0059
ELSPA: 3+ OK
Neo Geo Pocket Color
JP
2000-05-25[6] ¥3,800[6] NEOP00590

Sonic the Hedgehog Pocket Adventure (ソニック・ザ・ヘッジホッグ ポケットアドベンチャー) is a Sonic the Hedgehog game for the short-lived Neo Geo Pocket Color handheld console. It was released in late 1999.

Sonic Pocket Adventure can be seen as a "hybrid" Sonic game, rather than a brand new release. Its levels are mostly inspired by Sonic the Hedgehog 2 for the Sega Mega Drive, though some share elements from the first game and the majority of the music is recycled from Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles. Some tunes are also recycled from the Sega Saturn compilation Sonic Jam. It is not a straight port of any of these games, however, as it introduces brand new bosses, a "puzzle" mode and a few original soundtracks of its own.

Sonic Pocket Adventure is the only game in the series to successfully mix the modern post-Sonic Adventure design of Sonic with his classic Mega Drive-style counterpart. The in-game graphics look similar to the classic style, while on the title screen and other up-close artwork Sonic resembles his modern design that debuted in Sonic Adventure. This mix of styles also applies to Dr. Eggman - in the early levels he has his original design, but he switches to his Sonic Adventure design on Sonic reaching his base.

Gameplay

Sonic is the only playable character in Sonic the Hedgehog Pocket Adventure, however if two Neo Geo Pocket Colors are linked together, one can initiate Versus mode, in which the second player controls Tails. Tails is not available in normal play without hacking. Sonic Pocket Adventure would be the last Sonic game to just feature Sonic as a playable character until 2007's Sonic and the Secret Rings.

Each of the six "Act 1"s have a Special Stage containing a Chaos Emerald, and are triggered by jumping into a Giant Ring at the end of the stage (assuming Sonic has at least 50 Rings). Unlike earlier games, the Special Stages are linked directly to the Zone (e.g. the first Special Stage can only be accessed from Neo South Island Zone, the second only from Secret Plant Zone, etc.). As Sky Chase Zone and Aerobase Zone count as a pair, this only leaves six Special Stages - the final Chaos Emerald is obtained in Last Utopia Zone, in which Sonic has to aim for the emerald powering Dr. Eggman's machine rather than Eggman himself.

Collecting all seven Chaos Emeralds will open Chaotic Space Zone, a Super Sonic-only stage. Like the Sonic Advance games, it is impossible to play as Super Sonic in normal stages.

Hidden throughout Sonic Pocket Adventure are puzzle pieces, which when collected, can be used to construct artwork. Completing three puzzles unlocks a sound test mode, and completing all six unlocks a Special Stage option.

History

Release

In the UK, Sonic Pocket Adventure was initially set to be released on February 18th, but was recalled at the last minute due to faulty cartridges. However, it was still available from some independent retailers who never returned their units from the initial batch. It would eventually see release on March 24th.[3]

Manuals

Sonic Retro emblem.svg Main article: Sonic the Hedgehog Pocket Adventure/Manuals

Magazine articles

Sonic Retro emblem.svg Main article: Sonic the Hedgehog Pocket Adventure/Magazine articles

Video coverage

Sonic Retro emblem.svg Main article: Sonic the Hedgehog Pocket Adventure/Video coverage

Production credits

Sonic Retro emblem.svg Main article: Sonic the Hedgehog Pocket Adventure/Production credits

Promotional material

Physical scans

Segaretro-round.svg Reception »
Neo Geo Pocket Color, US
SonicPocketAdventureUSBox back.jpgNospine-small.pngSonicPocketAdventureUSBox.jpg
Cover
Neo Geo Pocket Color, EU
Spa-eu-box.jpg
Cover
Neo Geo Pocket Color, JP
SonicPocketAdventureJpBox2.jpgNospine-small.pngSonicPocketAdventureJpBox.jpg
Cover

Technical information

ROM dump status

System Hash Size Build Date Source Comments
Neo Geo Pocket Color
CRC32 356f0849
MD5 b8a899ae2b0f1dfa0db5417de745a51e
SHA-1 3fe15d4374c4ca073aa0393fcfcad0055bd345ab
2MB Cartridge
Neo Geo Pocket Color
 ?
CRC32 45fc3bca
MD5 69c5d58770f111037f565efbcc366b53
SHA-1 fb34cc0f6a19fb47ffeae4e6f4113ed66d14e1bd
2MB 1999-10-22 Cartridge[7] Preview Download.svg (451 kB) (info) Page
Neo Geo Pocket Color
 ?
CRC32 622176ce
MD5 67a4b4c481625860d1c33978b28959b1
SHA-1 a11283703fe6007c2e96ce81dfc56081eff6f593
2MB Cartridge Taikenban Download.svg (699 kB) (info)

References

  1. http://www.digiweb.com/~dimension-sega/sngp/news/archive/newsarch_12_1999.htm (Wayback Machine: 2000-09-18 03:52)
  2. [odmus, issue 4, page 81 odmus, issue 4, page 81]
  3. 3.0 3.1 http://www.neo-pocket-gamer.co.uk/news.htm (Wayback Machine: 2000-05-21 02:44)
  4. [cvg, issue 220, page 100 cvg, issue 220, page 100]
  5. [odmuk, issue 5, page 27 odmuk, issue 5, page 27]
  6. 6.0 6.1 http://www2.neogeo.co.jp/soft/c_sonic/index.html (Wayback Machine: 2000-06-08 10:21)
  7. Hidden Palace: Sonic the Hedgehog Pocket Adventure (Oct 22, 1999 prototype)


Sonic the Hedgehog Pocket Adventure
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