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Sonic the Hedgehog Spinball

From Sonic Retro

"Sonic Spinball" redirects here. For the Sega Master System and Sega Game Gear versions, see Sonic Spinball (8-bit). For other similarly-titled media, see Sonic Spinball (disambiguation).

n/a

Spinball title.png
Sonic the Hedgehog Spinball
SonicSpinball iOS icon.png
System(s): Sega Mega Drive, Virtual Console, Steam, RealOne Arcade, iOS, Nintendo Switch Online
Publisher: Sega
Developer:
Distributor:
Sega Mega Drive
Majesco Sales (US re-release)
Sound driver: GEMS
Genre: Action[1][2], Table[3]
Number of players: 1-4 (alternating)
Release Date RRP Code Rating
Sega Mega Drive
JP 		1993-12-10[3] ¥6,800 G-4112
Sega Mega Drive
US 		1993-11-23 $49.99[4] 1537
Videogame Rating Council: GA
Sega Mega Drive
US
(Majesco) 		199x $? ?
ESRB: Kids to Adults
Sega Mega Drive
EU 		1993-11-15 €? 1537
Sega Mega Drive
UK 		1993-11-15 £39.99[5][6] 1537
Sega Mega Drive
AS 		1993  ? 1537
Sega Mega Drive
AU 		1993 $99.95[7] FSON05SMC
Sega Mega Drive
AU
(sgc) 		199x $? FSON05SMC
Sega Mega Drive
BR 		1993 R$? 044600
Sega Mega Drive
KR 		199x ₩? GM93039JG
Sega Mega Drive
SE
(r) 		199x  ?kr ?
Sega Mega Drive
PT 		199x  ? ?


Wii Virtual Console
JP 		2007-03-13[8] 600[9]pts ?
CERO: A
Wii Virtual Console
US 		2007-03-12[10] 800[10]pts ?
ESRB: Everyone
Wii Virtual Console
EU 		2007-04-06[11][12] 800[11]pts ?
PEGI: 3+
Wii Virtual Console
DE 		2007-04-06[11][13] 800[11]pts ?
USK: 0
Wii Virtual Console
AU 		2007-04 800[14]pts ?
OFLC: General (G)


RealOne Arcade
US 		2003-05-01[15] $? ?
Steam
EU 		2010-09-13[16] €4.49[17] 34313
PEGI: 3+
Steam
UK 		2010-09-13[16] £3.99[17] 34313
PEGI: 3+
Steam
US 		2010-09-13[16] $4.99[17] 34313
ESRB: Everyone
Steam
AU 		2010-09-13[16] $6.99[17] 34313
OFLC: General (G)
Steam Linux
EU 		2019-01-31[18] €4.49[19] 34313
PEGI: 3+
Steam Linux
UK 		2019-01-31[18] £3.99[19] 34313
PEGI: 3+
Steam Linux
US 		2019-01-31[18] $4.99[19] 34313
ESRB: Everyone
Steam Linux
AU 		2019-01-31[18] $5.99[19] 34313
OFLC: General (G)
Steam OS X
EU 		2019-01-31[18] €4.49[19] 34313
PEGI: 3+
Steam OS X
UK 		2019-01-31[18] £3.99[19] 34313
PEGI: 3+
Steam OS X
US 		2019-01-31[18] $4.99[19] 34313
ESRB: Everyone
Steam OS X
AU 		2019-01-31[18] $5.99[19] 34313
OFLC: General (G)


iOS
EU ▼ 		2010-12-16[20] €2.39[20] ?
4+
iOS
UK ▼ 		2010-12-16[21] £1.79[21] ?
4+
iOS
US ▼ 		2010-12-16[22] $2.99[21][22] ?
4+
iOS
JP ▼ 		2010-12-17[23] ¥333 (350)[23][24] ?
4+


Nintendo Switch Online
JP 		2022-04-22[25] ¥sub ?
Nintendo Switch Online
US 		2022-04-21[26] $sub ?
Nintendo Switch Online
EU 		2022-04-22[27] €sub ?
Nintendo Switch Online
UK 		2022-04-22[28] £sub ?
Nintendo Switch Online
AU 		2022-04-22[29] $sub ?

Sonic the Hedgehog Spinball (Japanese: ソニック・スピンボール) is a pinball game for the Sega Mega Drive featuring Sonic as the ball. The game's title is a pun on pinball and Sonic's famous Spin Attack move. It is the only official game to incorporate the characters and setting of the Sonic the Hedgehog animated series, and one of only two for Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog (the other being Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine).

The game is unique as it was coded entirely in the C programming language when the norm was assembly[30].

Story

Sonic and Tails approaching the Veg-O-Fortress in the opening sequence.

Dr. Robotnik has assumed control of Mt. Mobius and turned it into a mechanical base. Utilizing energy produced by the magma flowing under the volcano, this new monstrosity (the Veg-O-Fortress) has the power to transform helpless animals into robot slaves at an astounding rate. Sonic the Hedgehog and Tails fly onto the scene to mount an aerial assault, but Sonic is knocked off the wings of Tails' airplane by a blast from the fortress. He falls into the water, but is rescued and taken to the subterranean levels of the Veg-O-Fortress.

The fortress must be destroyed from the inside-out, and the only way to make that happen is to trigger an eruption in the volcano it's built on. Sonic knows this can be done by removing the Chaos Emeralds that keep the volcano stable. Robotnik, however, is also aware of the fragile relationship that exists between the Emeralds and the mountain, and he's set up an elaborate Pinball Defense System to make sure the precious jewels don't go anywhere. Sonic must use the fortress' special "Pinball Defense System" to his advantage as he works his way up the volcano's interior, destroying the doctor's boss guardians and, eventually, taking out the massive roboticizer itself, the Veg-O-Machine. The grand finale is at a launch hangar built around the volcano's crater, as Robotnik attempts to escape Mt. Mobius in a rocket ship before it erupts.

Gameplay

Gameplay screenshot, depicting Toxic Caves.

Sonic Spinball is basically a continuation of the pinball-themed levels first seen in Spring Yard Zone and Casino Night Zone from the first Sonic games. As with those games, the player has some control of Sonic while he is being knocked around the pinball tables of each level. The D-Pad will move him while in ball form and the A, B, and C buttons will cause the flippers to flick. If he happens to land on a flat surface, the player can move him in a similar fashion to regular Sonic games and be able to jump and perform the Spin Dash. This does not happen often as there are few platforms to land, so platforming is kept to a bare minimum. Sonic is also capable of grabbing ledges with a move known as the Cliffhanger Flip.

The objective of the game is to collect the Chaos Emeralds which are hidden in each level, then defeat the level's boss. To do this, obstacles must be cleared and levers must be switched. Rings are scattered around the level but do not grant free lives or extra protection from hits (enemies never attack and Sonic is always in ball form when encountering them anyway). However, if all the Rings in the level are collected, it will open up the opportunity to visit a hidden multi-ball Bonus Stage known as Clucker's Defense, while other Bonus Stages are played after clearing each level. Extra lives are awarded for every 20,000,000 points scored.

Unlike traditional Sonic games, the player can actually fall outside of the boss arena, though the boss will remain in the state it was last left in providing the player doesn't lose a life. The bosses take a lot more hits than normal Sonic bosses, but to compensate it's easy to hit them multiple times in a row.

Sonic Spinball also features alternating multiplayer for up to four players. All players take turns to play through the game using the first Control Pad, switching out whenever a player loses a life or completes the game.

History

Development

Sonic Retro emblem.svg Main article: Sonic the Hedgehog Spinball/Development

Versions

An enhanced port of the game for Windows PCs was planned, but was cancelled. A cover design intended for this port was posted online by Sega Forever on July 27, 2023[31].

Version history

Sonic Retro emblem.svg Main article: Sonic the Hedgehog Spinball/Changelog
System Version Size Date Comment Ref Icon
iOS
 0000020000000000000000000000002.0.0 4.8MB 201211292012-11-29 [32]
iOS
 0000010000000000010000000000001.0.1 4MB 201012162010-12-16 [22]

Comparisons

Sonic Retro emblem.svg Main article: Sonic the Hedgehog Spinball/Comparisons

Also released on

Production credits

Sonic Retro emblem.svg Main article: sega:Sonic the Hedgehog Spinball/Production credits
  • Programming: Polygames, Scott Chandler (SEGA Technical Institute), Jason Plumb (SEGA Technical Institute), Ken Rose (SEGA Technical Institute), Dave Sanner (SEGA Technical Institute), Earl Stratton (SEGA Technical Institute), Steve Woita (SEGA Technical Institute)
  • Game Design: Peter Morawiec, Hoyt Ng
  • Art: Tom Payne, Kurt Peterson, Brenda Ross, Katsuhiko Sato, Craig Stitt
  • Sound and Music Effects: Barry Blum (Sega Multi-Media Studio), Brian Coburn (Sega Multi-Media Studio), Howard Drossin (Sega Technical Institute), OUI Multimedia
  • Director of SEGA Technical Institute: Roger Hector
  • Producer: Yutaka Sugano
  • Art Director: John Duggan
  • Marketing Product Manager: France Tantiado
  • Lead Testers: Joe Cain, Wesley Gittens
  • Testers: Michael Bench, Steve Bourdet, Daniel Dunn, David Forster, Rick Greer, Casey Grimm, Jason Kuo, Simon Lu, Dumot Lyons, Bill Person, Kimberly Rogers, Kirk Rogers
  • Manual: Neil Hanshaw, Carol Ann Hanshaw
  • Special Thanks: Thomas J. Abramson, Alan Ackerman, Dominique Adevereaux, Justin R. Chin, Diane A. Fornasier, David Javelosa, Deborah McCracken, Patrick Meehan, Bert Mauricio, Stephen Patterson, Noel Pulido
  • A Special Bow To: Hirokazu Yasuhara and Yuji Naka, creators of Sonic The Hedgehog
Source: US manualMedia:SonicSpinball MD US manual.pdf[33]
Development Staff
  • Game Concept: Peter Morawiec
  • Programming: Lee Actor, Dennis Koble, Ken Rose, Steve Woita, Jason Plumb, Earl Stratton, Dave Sanner, Scott Chandler
  • Game Design: Peter Morawiec, Hoyt Ng
  • Art: Katsuhiko Sato, Tom Payne, Craig Stitt, Brenda Ross, Kurt Peterson
  • Music and Sound Effects: Brian Coburn, Barry Blum, Howard Drossin, OUI Multimedia
  • Testers: Joe Cain, Wesley Gittens, Rick Greer, Kirk Rogers, Kimberly Rogers, Daniel Dunn, David Forster, Simon Lu, Steve Bourdet, Casey Grimm, Jason Kuo, Mike Bench, Bill Person, Dermot Lyons
Management Staff
Source: In-game credits[34]

Manuals

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

Magazine articles

Sonic Retro emblem.svg Main article: sega:Sonic the Hedgehog Spinball/Magazine articles

Artwork

Physical scans




Sega Mega Drive
 86 Sonic Retro Average
Based on 2 reviews
Publication Score Source
GamesMaster (UK) 81 [35]
Mega Action (UK) 91 [36]
Mega Drive, JP
Spinball-box-jap.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, US
Spinball-box-us.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, US (ESRB)
Sonic Spinball MS US ERSB Cover.jpg
Cover
Sonic Spinball US Cart.JPG
Cart
Sonic Spinball MD US ERSB MAnual.jpg
Manual
Mega Drive, US
(Majesco rerelease)
Sonic Spinball Genesis US ESRB Cardboard Cover.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, US (Not For Resale)

Sonic Spinball USNFR Cart.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, EU (Assembled in U.K.)
Spinball-box-eu.jpg
Cover
Sonic Spinball MD EU AssembledInUK Cart.jpg
Cart
Sonic Spinball MD EU PrintedInUK Manual.jpg
Manual
Mega Drive, EU (Made in Japan)
Spinball-box-euj.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, PT
Sonic Spinball MD PT Box Back.jpgNospine.pngSpinball-box-pt.jpg
Cover
Sonic Spinball MD EU AssembledInUK Cart.jpg
Cart
Sonic Spinball MD PT Manual.jpg
Manual
Mega Drive, SE (rental)
SonicSpinball MD SE rental cover.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, AU (alt)
SonicSpinball MD AU alt cover.jpg
Cover
SonicSpinball MD AU Cart.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, BR
Spinball-box-bra.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, KR
SonicSpinball MD KR cover.jpg
Cover

Technical information

ROM dump status

System Hash Size Build Date Source Comments
Sega Mega Drive
✔
CRC32 677206cb
MD5 841e347b30a6e298ee2b0c722f19fe74
SHA-1 24bf6342b98c09775089c9f39cfb2f6fbe7806f7
1MB 1993-09 Cartridge (US)
Sega Mega Drive
✔
CRC32 aea0786d
MD5 800c7c12bc1eae7ddb61186875b29733
SHA-1 f61a568314133b60de82ac162b5b52473adc9e1c
1MB 1993-09 Cartridge (EU)
Sega Mega Drive
✔
CRC32 acd08ce8
MD5 3a12dc6b4f41681e0dc0ae3b2f894b4f
SHA-1 43b2fdac9c747d6f6a629347c589599074408cd9
1MB 1993-09 Cartridge (JP)
Sega Mega Drive
 ?
CRC32 e9960371
MD5 3fb84c8a3dcc64af079e4c37cd2ec8e0
SHA-1 8f372e3552e309d3462adeb700242b251f59def1
1MB 1993-09 Alternate music Page
Sega Mega Drive
✘
CRC32 b1524979
MD5 693395f3acb238994641ae09562e8fee
SHA-1 b426457e5b440ed33ee1756bc6dad2bdcd0c0d9f
1.25MB 1993-08 Cartridge Download.svg (487 kB) (info) Page
Sega Mega Drive
 ?
CRC32 c203c557
MD5 5c8462f885aabd7c7921dc029ee62d49
SHA-1 1b17e659f8a18656c36b8e26cc997c0d8312761b
1MB 1993-09-17 EPROMs Download.svg (501 kB) (info) Page
Sega Mega Drive
 ?
CRC32 f9ad829e
MD5 0c728a848f9c6ee4dac2283b7a88e459
SHA-1 d8a1172c286cd9b8d2236542bcc7b89b99495992
1MB 1993-09 Cartridge (US) Pirate

External links

References

  1. ↑ File:Spinball-box-jap.jpg
  2. ↑ File:SonicSpinball MD KR cover.jpg
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 https://sega.jp/history/hard/megadrive/software.html (Wayback Machine: 2020-07-20 09:51)
  4. ↑ [gamepro, issue 54, page 52 gamepro, issue 54, page 52]
  5. ↑ [cvg, issue 145, page 77 cvg, issue 145, page 77]
  6. ↑ [megapower, issue 5, page 68 megapower, issue 5, page 68]
  7. ↑ [mz, issue 34, page 39 mz, issue 34, page 39]
  8. ↑ https://www.nintendo.co.jp/wii/vc/software/02.html (Wayback Machine: 2018-03-05 23:11)
  9. ↑ http://vc.sega.jp:80/vc_spinball/ (Wayback Machine: 2007-03-12 15:17)
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 http://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/Qvx2MMVOqUeFz0yNvKVpn004CTXoJvnd (Wayback Machine: 2010-11-23 00:57)
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 http://www.nintendolife.com/games/megadrive/sonic_spinball (Wayback Machine: 2017-07-04 17:39)
  12. ↑ https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Virtual-Console-Wii-/Sonic-Spinball--279085.html (archive.today)
  13. ↑ https://www.nintendo.de/Spiele/Virtual-Console-Wii-/Sonic-Spinball--279085.html (archive.today)
  14. ↑ http://www.nintendo.com.au/index.php?action=catalogue&prodcat_id=41&prod_id=19770&pageID=4 (Wayback Machine: 2012-04-03 02:30)
  15. ↑ http://games.real.com/allgames.php?mode=spnav (Wayback Machine: 2004-08-02 23:32)
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 https://steamdb.info/app/34313/ (Wayback Machine: 2019-11-17 19:48)
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 http://steamdb.info/app/34313/ (Wayback Machine: 2013-05-22 19:40)
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4 18.5 18.6 18.7 https://steamdb.info/app/34313/history/?changeid=5749741
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 19.4 19.5 19.6 19.7 http://steamdb.info/app/34313/ (Wayback Machine: 2019-11-17 19:48)
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 http://itunes.apple.com/fr/app/sonic-spinball/id386379635?mt=8 (Wayback Machine: 2010-12-21 10:10)
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 http://www.sonicstadium.org/2010/12/sonic-spinball-out-now-on-iphone/ (Wayback Machine: 2017-06-21 15:40)
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sonic-spinball/id386379635?mt=8 (Wayback Machine: 2010-12-30 01:33)
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 http://www.4gamer.net/games/049/G004989/20101217098/ (Wayback Machine: 2011-02-21 19:53)
  24. ↑ http://sega.jp/kt/apple/spin/ (Wayback Machine: 2010-12-20 05:41)
  25. ↑ https://topics.nintendo.co.jp/article/024066ce-d840-4af5-a4c0-8e70d94a2667 (archive.today)
  26. ↑ @NintendoAmerica on Twitter (archive.today)
  27. ↑ @NintendoEurope on Twitter (archive.today)
  28. ↑ @NintendoUK on Twitter (archive.today)
  29. ↑ @NintendoAUNZ on Twitter (archive.today)
  30. ↑ https://www.sega-16.com/feature_page.php?id=83&title=Interview:%20Peter%20Morawiec (Wayback Machine: 2008-04-07 22:35)
  31. ↑ @segaforever on Twitter (archive.today)
  32. ↑ http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sonic-spinball/id386379635?mt=8 (Wayback Machine: 2014-03-01 05:51)
  33. ↑ File:SonicSpinball MD US manual.pdf, page 21
  34. ↑ File:Sonic Spinball MD credits.pdf
  35. ↑ [gamesmaster, issue 12, page 86 gamesmaster, issue 12, page 86]
  36. ↑ [megaaction, issue 15, page 10 megaaction, issue 15, page 10]


Sonic the Hedgehog Spinball (16-bit)
Spinball title.png

Main page
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Manuals
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Bootlegs
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  • Levels
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  • Media

Scrapped levels:

Sonic the Hedgehog games for the following systems
Sega Mega Drive

Sega Mega-CD
Sega 32X
  1991  Sonic the Hedgehog | Sonic Eraser     1992  Sonic the Hedgehog 2     1993  Sonic the Hedgehog CD | Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine | Sonic Spinball     1994  Sonic the Hedgehog 3 | Sonic & Knuckles     1995  Chaotix | Sonic Classics     1996  Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island    
Wii Virtual Console
WiiWare
  2006  Sonic the Hedgehog | Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine     2007  Sonic the Hedgehog 2 | Sonic the Hedgehog 3 | Sonic Spinball | Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island     2008  Sonic the Hedgehog (8-bit) | Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (8-bit)     2009  Sonic Chaos | Sonic & Knuckles     2010  Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode I    
filler
iOS
  2007  Sonic the Hedgehog (iPod)     2009  Sonic the Hedgehog (iPhone)     2010  Sonic the Hedgehog 2 | Sonic Spinball | Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games | Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode I | Sonic Comics     2011  Sonic 20th Anniversary | Sonic the Sketchhog | Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing | Sonic the Hedgehog CD     2012  Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode II | Sonic the Hedgehog Skins | Sonic Jump     2013  Sonic Dash | Sonic the Hedgehog | Sonic the Hedgehog 2 | Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed     2014  Sonic Jump Fever     2015  Sonic Runners | Sonic Dash 2: Sonic Boom     2017  Sonic Forces: Speed Battle | Sonic Runners Adventure     2019  Sonic Racing     2020  Sonic at the Olympic Games     2022  Sonic Speed Simulator     2023  Sonic Prime Dash | Sonic Dream Team    
 Unreleased  Sonic Central | Sonic Demo
Steam
  2010  Sonic the Hedgehog | Sonic Spinball | Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine | Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island | Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing     2011  Sonic the Hedgehog 2 | Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles | Sonic Adventure | Sonic Generations     2012  Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode I | Sonic the Hedgehog CD | Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode II | Sonic Adventure 2     2013  Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed     2015  Sonic Lost World     2017  Sonic Mania | Sonic Forces     2019  Team Sonic Racing     2022  Sonic Origins | Sonic Frontiers     2023  Sonic Colours: Ultimate | The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog | Sonic Superstars     2024  Sonic X Shadow Generations    
filler
Mac OS X

Mac App Store
Steam OS X
  2013  Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing     2019  Sonic the Hedgehog | Sonic the Hedgehog 2 | Sonic Spinball | Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island | Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine | Sonic Racing     2022  Sonic Speed Simulator     2023  The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog | Sonic Dream Team    
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