Sonic The Hedgehog (1991 Video Game) - Gameplay

Gameplay

Sonic the Hedgehog is a platform game in which Sonic must prevent the evil scientist Doctor Ivo Robotnik ("Doctor Eggman" in the Japanese release) from taking over South Island, by collecting the six Chaos Emeralds and freeing the animals Dr. Robotnik has trapped inside robots. The player controls Sonic as he traverses six zones, each of which is split into three "acts". At the end of the third act of each zone, the player faces Dr. Robotnik in one of his vehicles. After the sixth zone, the player continues directly to the Final Zone for the last encounter with Dr. Robotnik.

The game plays as a 2D sidescrolling platformer. The gameplay centers around Sonic's ability to run at high speed through levels that include springs, slopes, high falls and loop-de-loops. The levels are populated with hazards in the form of animals Dr. Robotnik has trapped inside mechanical bodies (named "badniks" in the Western game manuals). The player must also avoid rows of sharp spikes, bottomless pits, and other obstacles. Sonic's main means of attack is the Spin Attack, where Sonic curls into a ball, which can be performed by jumping in the air or by pressing down on the D-Pad while moving on the ground. The move is used to destroy enemies and other obstacles in his way.

Scattered around each level map are gold rings, a signature item of the Sonic series. Collecting 100 rings rewards the player with an extra life. Rings act as a layer of protection against hazards—if Sonic is holding at least one ring when he collides with an enemy or dangerous obstacle, he will survive, but all rings in his possession will be scattered. However, if he is hit without holding any rings, the player loses a life. Shields and temporary invincibility can also be collected in order to provide additional layers of protection; however, they do not prevent the player from losing a life if Sonic is crushed by a trap, drowns, falls into a bottomless pit, or spends over ten minutes in an Act.

Progression through the game is aided by lamp posts that act as checkpoints. If a checkpoint is activated and a life is lost as a result of running out of time, the time at the checkpoint will reset to 0:00. If Sonic loses all his lives, the game is over unless he has obtained continues from Special Stages, in which case Sonic returns to the beginning of the Act with three lives.

When Sonic reaches the end of Act 1 or Act 2 of a Zone with at least 50 rings, a large ring appears which the player can jump through to enter a Special Stage. In the Special Stages, Sonic is permanently curled up in his spinning animation, and bounces off the bumpers and walls of a 360° rotating maze. In these levels, the player may earn continues by collecting 50 rings; however, the main aim is to obtain the Chaos Emerald at the end of the maze, without colliding with any of the "goal blocks" that will instantly end the level. Collecting all six of the game's Chaos Emeralds allows the player to view the good end sequence.