On Playing Sonic Chaos on Sonic Mega Collection +

Does anyone remember the SEGA Game Gear?
I do...but I never played on one, let alone owned one.

So when Sonic Team at SEGA came up with the Sonic Mega Collection Plus a few years ago for the Playstation 2, it made it possible for other Sonic gamers like me to experience those old games.

This time, instead of going to my usual favorite Sega Genesis Sonic games, I wanted to try a video game from the collection that I've never tried before, which is the Game Gear retro Sonic Chaos. This was a game that starred Sonic and even his friend Tails. In this game, Tails can fly. But since it was my first time playing this game (and on a bigger screen at that), I wanted to play as Sonic. Okay, here goes...

Of course, the music sounds very old, retro for a game that was for the Game Gear. I call it "Nintendo-ee." There was an intro that showed Sonic chasing after Robotnik, and after they go off-screen, Tails runs on-screen to follow Sonic. Then when the Title Screen comes up and I "Press Start," I have to chose between Sonic and Tails. I chose Sonic and I pushed the X button, and nothing happened. I pushed the O button, nothing happened. I pushed the R2 button, nothing happened. I pushed a bunch of the buttons one by one, and my choice was confirmed. Somehow.

I started out at the Turquoise Hill Zone. It is a typical colorful/nature-like enviroment that all Sonic games start with. At the end of the act, he passes the post with Robonik's face and it turns into Tails' face or a blue bird's face. Then the screen says "Sonic Has Passed 1." Uh...one what? The first act.

At the start of the next act, as Sonic runs I said, "For a hedgehog, he has pretty big feet."

After I fight the boss for this zone, Sonic automatically runs away, soon off-screen, and I shouted, "Sonic runs away from the crime scene!"

The next level was the Gigapolis Zone. This was the first level that I start losing lives. I was down to one life, and there are NO Marking Posts, so if Sonic loses a life, he has to begin at the start of the act. Then somehow I came across an area full of rings, and I picked them up until I got 100 of 'em. This took Sonic to a Special Stage. He picks up rocket shoes, and then gets as many rings as possible. I picked up about eight extra lives. But usually in a special stage you get a Chaos Emerald, right? I didn't find one...yet, probably.

Sigh, long post...

I didn't have to finish the act because it took me to the next one. The boss one :O Sonic died two times fighting this ball-worm boss. So then I say, to my sister watching me, and I quote myself: "The beauty of Final Fantas--er, Sonic Mega Collection Plus for the PS2 is that you can save (sic...I meant load), WHEN YOU SCREW UP!" lol.

In reaching the next level, the Sleeping Egg Zone, I came to a conclusion that "there is a motivation to getting a hundred rings: You not only get extra lives, you are entered in a Special Stage." I was able to get a blue Chaos Emerald in this second attempt in the Special Stage, and I realized that the Chaos Emeralds can in fact be found in the Special Stage after all. They are somewhere; you have to find the one for that stage before the time runs out (I think it's about one minute). I got two Continues too. Yay!

Then I left off at the Mecha Green Hill Zone. The boss is a tough one...I lost life after life so had to leave off there. Not a powerful start, but so far so good for my first try of Sonic Chaos .

Other notable exclamations :
After finishing an act, I didn't move Sonic for a few moments, so he looked at me: "Sonic looked at me like, 'You can do better than that, c'mon!"

As Sonic waits for me to move him, he taps his foot and looks at me, then glances at his wrist, then looks back at me: "You don't have a watch, Sonic, c'mon!"