When I first got my GameCube, I saw this game, played the demo, and bought it. It's actually pretty good for a 3D Sonic game. It also has a pretty good selection of music. Here are the basics and the controls. I will rate this on a 1-7 scale (7 being the best) since there are seven main characters
Publisher: Sega
Licensed: Nintendo
Platform: GameCube
Rated: E for everyone.
Controls: 6
Sonic the Hedgehog and Shadow the Hedgehog: Races- you have to complete a foot race and get into the goal ring. A for jump, B for ball (in multiplayer for attacks), and analog stick to move. There is also double A for homing attack. Power-ups are also included for each player but Amy Rose the Cat.
Knuckles the Echidna and Rouge the Bat: Treasure Hunt- find three pieces of the Master Emerald. Analog to move, A for jump, double A for glide, B for punch or kick. Your radar will ring fast and turn red when you are close to the emerald piece.
Tails Miles Prowler the Fox with two tails and the Evil Dr. Eggman: Shooting races- you have to get to the goal ring in a machine which allows you to shoot henchmen. B to shoot, A to jump, and the analog stick to move.
Music: 7
If I were an arachnid, I'd give the music eight thumbs up (and I'd be able to type faster, but that's not the point). Sonic has alternative music, Tails has Electric Guitar and drum music, Knuckles has rap, Rouge has Jazz, Shadow has Heavy Metal, and Dr. Eggman has Techno. I hated the singer in Shadow's theme though, and Amy's voice got annoying.
Story: 7 Understandable, and unusual. You get to be Hero or Dark! I wish Nintendo had done the same with Mario 3. *sigh* If you're Hero, stop Dr. Eggman from destroying Earth and get back the pieces of the Master Emerald Knuckles broke so Dr. Robotnick (Dr. Eggman) wouldn't get it. In Dark mode, destroy Earth.
Characters: 7
I like all but Sonic and Dr. Eggman. Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles are on the Hero's side and Rouge, Shadow, and Dr. Eggman are on the Dark side. Shadow and Rouge are new characters. Omachao is fun to hurt.
The stages below are color-coded by the character you play as. The colors are the same as the names in the controls section.
Hero Side:
Stage 1 City Escape: One of my favorite levels! I didn't care much for this music, since it got boring after a while. But the rest of it is great! You begin on a snowboard. After a little jump, you get off the snowboard and run all the way to the goal ring. Ranking: 5
Stage 2 Wild Canyon: My third favorite level, which means it's good! Cool rap put in with music that fits this place well. The landscape gives this a high ranking. There's a wind thingy that allows you to fly up to the second story. Also, it is simple to find the three emeralds. Rank: 7
Stage 3 Prison Lane: Uh... it's okay. Not really fond of it though. There's a bunch of enemies, and a boss battle right before it; it only takes three seconds to beat Dr. Eggman though. The music is okay, but the later music is the kind that gets you going. Gameplay is okay, but the elevators change it; I hate waiting around three minutes. Ranking: 4
Stage 4 Metal Harbor: WOW!!! Set up nicely! Good music, good track, everything!!! You are on a metal track escaping the military base because some police caught after mistaking you are not Shadow. Three quarters of the way through you go up on a rocket and fall into a tunnel on the same old snowboard. Ranking: 6
Stage 5 Green Forest: Yup, Sonic again. This stage I was not fond of, you have to be in such a rush with limited time. Why? The island is gonna blow! Sure helps you find secrets. And to complain even more, I hate the music!!! White Jungle has a time limit too, but it's song is my second favorite. Ranking: 3
Stage 6 Pumpkin Hill: Like Prison Lane, bad music and I hated the course. I'd have to say this is my least favorite Knuckles stage. I hate the trains! And what's up with the ghosts that startle you? Huh? Ranking: 4
Stage 7 Mission Street: The Sonic gang found out Dr. Eggman is going to destroy the world. Sonic and Amy go to take care of the police. Tails escapes. Now here is the stage. What an improvement. Great music, great landscape!!! I love it. That's all I can say about this great city. Ranking: 7
Stage 8 Aquatic Mine: Too repetitive music. Boring landscape, and tough if you don't have the air necklace (allows you to breath underwater). This place stinks. Well, I like throwing him in the death drop thing filled with spiky balls. ^_^ Ranking: 4
Stage 9 Route 101: Well the controls are just like Mario Kart 64's but Y boosts. You have to get to the president, pretty simple but nifty music. Rank: 5
Stage 10 Hidden Base: Sonic Gang found Dr. Eggman's Base, a pyramid. To get there, you need to be Tails. Nice music, not great though. The quicksand is annoying, just like the phone next to me. This place is not good for a vacation. Rank: 6
Stage 11 Pyramid Cave: After a long time of not being the wrong-colored hedgehog, he's back at a stage that I think is a lot worse than Green Forest. There are ghosts that grab on to you and doors that have a limit time to shut down (at least five seconds) Just a confusing level, Ggal is to go to the middle of the base. Rank: 2
Stage 12 Death Chamber: Despite the name, there isn't any real death (unless you don't have the breathing necklace and use mistic melody there). But it is huge!!! Don't want to be there alone. Creepy. Practically the same thing as Egg Quarters. Good thing there is no Egg Monster, found in Egg Quarters, not Death Chamber. Rank: 4
Stage 13 Eternal Engine: After beating off Egg Golem, the Sonic team heads for space. The shuttle takes off and crashes into meteors, the emerald is out of space and Knuckles jumps out. Tails gets distracted and they crash into the space colony A.R.K., where the laser for destroying the world is. The goal for this stage is to destroy the engine. My favorite level, best music and long. Cool too! You get to go out in space and in the A.R.K. I enjoy pushing Omachao so he can get sucked into space. Oh, this is so fun!!! Rank: 7
Stage 14 Meteor Herd: Here is where Knuckles lands, along with the emerald. This is ranked in my top five favorite levels. Also number five in great music. To make it challenging, most emeralds are in high places and meteors are falling. Boy, the top ten get the best rank so that makes this a 7.
Stage 15 Crazy Gadget: The second to last Hero place and worst place to be. I hated this place so much. It's so horrible, I can't even explain it. And you thought Pyramid Cave was the worst. Rank: 1
Stage 16 Final Rush: Last stage, good score. Lots of grinding and plenty of running. Not perfect but I'm giving it a 6.
Dark Story
Stage 1 Iron Gate: Okay, I guess. This stage is as boring as Prison Lane. There are two elevators, it's long, and there's a lack of environment. The story behind this is to get to Dr. Eggman's father's experiment, Shadow. Rank: 4
Stage 2 Dry Lagoon: Ahh, what a calming place. I like it. Good enough to be #4 for level and music. Rank: 7
Stage 3 Sand Ocean: Weird music, cool sight of a pyramid. Let's face it, Hidden Base couldn't stand a chance against this place. Dr. Eggman has to get back to his base. Rank: 7
Stage 4 Radical Highway: It's pretty cool, but it just didn't make it to my top ten favorite places because it is long and my friend always goes there. I am also not happy with the music here. Rank: 6
Stage 5 Egg Quarters: A place I would definitely not go to. All because of that darn Egg Guard. Okay music, but I still didn't like it. Rank: 3
Stage 6 Lost Colony: I hate this stage!!! Bad music, too dark, they put in everything that you don't like in this level! Rank: 2
Stage 7 Weapons Bed: Good music, fun place, the opposite of Lost Colony. Rank: 7
Stage 8 Security Hall: One of the most hated places. Rouge had a choice of 15 minutes and chose 5 instead. However, I thought this was pretty easy. Good music also. Rank: 7
Stage 9 White Jungle: The second best music in my opinion. Fun too. Same story as Sonic's Green Forest. Rank: 7
Stage 10 Route 280: A nice car, and a pathetic stage. You have to catch up with Tails. Rank: 5
Stage 11 Sky Rail: Minions in the worst places. To make it worse they added bad music that screws me up. Catch up to Tails again. Rank: 5
Stage 12 Mad Space: Okay music, huge place. I like it. Not perfect but great. Rank: 6
Stage 13 Cosmic Wall: A while since being Eggman, huh? Well, you have to get to the A.R.K. and stop Sonic. You can jump high because there's no gravity. Good music, and a fun roller coaster ride!!! Rank: 7
Stage 14 Final Chase: You are Shadow and have to get to the cannon before Sonic Does. Clear?! This stage features freaky music, and annoying things that try to suck you up.
*gasp gasp gasp* Glad that part is over.
Secrets: 5
Cool secrets that you don't exactly need.
Camera: 1
Only complaint, ONLY COMPLAINT!!! This camera is the worst in the world. It is a device that lets you see behind walls so you can run into an enemy or fall off the stage.
Fun Factor!: 7
Is it fun? Yes!!! I recommend this game to everyone, even Mario fans that despise Sonic games.
Overall: 7
Well, I already recommended this, so what's left? Anyway, here is a question that a lot of people would ask:
Is this the best Sonic game in the world?
Answer: No. In my opinion, that would be Sonic Adventure DX. There's less treasure hunting and you get to fish and race in it!!! The music in SADX is better too. I'll review it next week.
| If you would like to send some feedback
to the author of this submission, please complete this form.
What's your name?
What's your Email address?
How do you rate this submission?
Does this submission belong in Little
Lemmy's Land?
Would you like to see more from this author? Comments and suggestions:
|
