Welcome back to Sega Saturday, our weekly whirlwind through Sega's stellar (and sometimes stinky) catalog! This week, we're cranking up the handheld with Sonic Blast for the Game Gear—the 1996 swan song for both the blue blur's 8-bit adventures and Sega's ill-fated portable powerhouse. That vibrant pink-spine box art with Sonic mid-leap? It's the last gasp of Game Gear glory. Spin dash into the final frontier!
The Game: A Sluggish Send-Off
Developed by Aspect (veterans of prior Game Gear Sonics like Chaos and Triple Trouble) and published by Sega, Sonic Blast dropped in North America and Europe in November 1996, with Japan getting G Sonic on December 13 under the kid-friendly "Kid's Gear" banner. You control Sonic (double jump for a "Boost Blast") or Knuckles (glide and wall-climb) across five zones (Green Hill, Yellow Desert, Red Volcano, Blue Marine, Silver Castle), each with two acts and a boss. Collect Chaos Emeralds via special stages (grab 50 rings near a giant ring to warp in), smash Robotnik's glass-domed machines, and stop him from powering up with emerald shards.
It's classic 2D Sonic platforming... but slower, shorter, and screen-cramped on the Gear's tiny display. Snag all five emeralds for a secret Robotnik showdown!
Why This Port... Exists?
Aspect chased the pre-rendered 3D sprite trend (Donkey Kong Country, Sonic 3D Blast) for flashy visuals on 8-bit hardware. It looks detailed—chunky Sonic models pop against colorful backdrops—but animations stutter, colors muddy up, and the sluggish pace kills momentum. Jump, and the camera follows vertically (handy for pitfalls, annoying for visibility). Bosses demand dome hits only. Critics at launch were mixed; retrospectives roast it as "one of the worst Sonics" for "distracting" graphics and "dreadful" levels like Blue Marine Act 2 (infamous water slog).
Mind-Blowing (or Eye-Straining) Trivia
- Name Confusion Alert: Shares a title (and release timing) with Sonic 3D Blast (isometric Flicky-rescuer on Genesis/Saturn), but they're unrelated beyond rendered sprites. No 3D here—just side-scrolling regret.
- Game Gear Goodbye: Last Sega-published GG title worldwide; final game period in Japan. Tectoy ported it to Master System in Brazil '97—glitchy borders, palette issues, but bigger screen helps (kinda).
- Unused Leftovers: Strike Dash animation from older GG Sonics lurks in ROM, unused. Error handler? Infinite freeze loop—no helpful message.
- Regional Quirks: Identical ROM, but Japan-exclusive G Sonic title animation (ring-to-G morph). Kid's Gear aimed at tots—short levels fit, but bored everyone else.
- Re-Releases Galore: Unlockable in Sonic Adventure DX (2003), Sonic Mega Collection Plus, 3DS VC (2013), Sonic Origins Plus (2023). Plug-n-play TV console in 2005!
- Cult Status? Nah: Often called GG Sonic's low point—sluggish hero, short zones, brutal water bits. Yet completists endure; speedruns clock ~20-30 mins.
Legacy: The End of an Era
Sonic Blast aimed high with visuals but crash-landed on clunky controls and forgettable design—proof even Sega stumbled closing out the Game Gear. It's playable curiosity for 8-bit Sonic diehards, but skip unless you're emulating Origins Plus. Fire it up: Can you stomach Blue Marine without rage-quitting?
Worst GG Sonic? Guilty pleasure? Spill in comments! Next week, another Sega surprise. Until then—boost those rings! 🦔💨
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