Lucky were those who owned a games console
in the 90s - luckier still were those who
had access to multiple consoles.
However, at least growing up, it was rare
indeed to find someone with a decked out Genesis
complete with CD drive.
As such Sonic CD was only ever enjoyed in
bursts at retail stores and despite ports
to other platforms, it was never quite a complete
experience.
Enter one Christian Whitehead, a proof of
concept on the iPhone and after two years
we now have access to the penultimate version
of this game.
Except there's still one tiny problem - the
touch screen.
Rebuilt almost entirely from the ground up,
Sonic CD for iOS is a complete marvel, with
levels blitzing their way past at lightning
speeds featuring no slowdown in the process
despite the frantic and complex 2D visuals.
It's a visual feast made all the more amazing
thanks to the game's time-traveling premise.
After deciding to visit a strange land that
appears only once a year, Sonic comes across
Dr. Eggman's (Robotnik) plan to steal all
of the time crystals it contains.
And so the usual premise of collecting gems
and defeating Eggman is once again justified,
however there's a new twist - upon collecting
'Past' or 'Future' tokens, Sonic can shift
through time (should he build up speed and
hold it for long enough) reaching past, present
and future incarnations of the zone.
In order to gain the 'good' ending, Sonic
needs to travel to the past to destroy a hidden
robot manufacturing machine in every zone
- collecting all 7 time zones by opening portals
at the end of a level with 50 rings does much
the same thing automatically.
The reason this is so amazing is in how it
affects the game's level directly, with future
versions of the area becoming more robotic,
dangerous and trap filled if left untouched,
or reaching a 'utopian' alternative with relatively
few enemies or traps if you clear Eggman's
machines.
The visuals and background soundtrack change
to reflect shifts in the era, making for a
dense aesthetic feast.
And yes, for those wondering both the US and
the Japanese soundtracks have been included
and can be switched via the options.
The only weak link in the chain is the controls.
Despite the responsive virtual pad and very
generously sized jump button, it's all too
easy to have Sonic jive away uselessly while
you attempt to spin - familiarity makes things
easier, but it can't replace the certainty
of physical controls and is a flaw in Sonic
CD's otherwise perfect recreation.
If you're a Sonic fan who has been craving
a serious platforming title, you'd do well
to dive in to this spectacular feast; however
if you're one of those who demands utter perfection
from their controls, you may want to wait
for the Live Arcade or Playstation Network
release.
