History VideoGame / SonicTheHedgehog18Bit

Due to playing on weaker hardware, the high-speed element of gameplay was scaled back quite a bit, and it really didn't help the Game Gear gain an advantage over the Nintendo's UsefulNotes/GameBoy in the handheld market. Nevertheless, it's still pretty fun in its own right, and features a catchy soundtrack of its own composed by Yuzo Koshiro (with some adaptations of Nakamura's material), the most notable sample being the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gl1NHbCEFds Bridge Zone theme.]]

* AmericanKirbyIsHardcore:
** Sega of America edited Sonic's appearance on the Game Gear box and in all promotional media to make him look more "punk"-like, shaping his quills to look like a mohawk and giving him a more smug expression. However, which unlike the Genesis and Game Gear versions, the Master System box uses Sonic's original Japanese design as opposed to his redesign by Greg Martin. This is due to the game being a direct import of the European version, which had used his Japanese design.

The first 8-bit ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' game, Released for the Master System and Game Gear, and anonymously developed by Creator/YuzoKoshiro's game company Ancient in their first commercial release.

It wasn't so much a port or sequel as it was a [[ReformulatedGame unique alternative]] to the [[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog1 16-bit version]]. Due to playing on weaker hardware, the high-speed element of gameplay was scaled back quite a bit, and it really didn't help the Game Gear gain an advantage over the Nintendo's UsefulNotes/GameBoy in the handheld market. Nevertheless, it's still pretty fun in its own right, and features a catchy soundtrack of its own composed by Yuzo Koshiro (with some adaptations of Nakamura's material), the most notable sample being the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkS_X6_KMno&list=PL16768DBC15D73A37 Bridge Zone theme.]]

Unlike its 16-bit counterpart, Chaos Emeralds are hidden somewhere in the levels themselves. Special Stages are only for extra lives and continues.

* AdaptedOut: While Green Hill, Labyrinth and Scrap Brain make it in, Marble, Spring Yard and Starlight are absent in this version. The former two are replaced by Bridge and Jungle, while Scrap Brain takes Starlight's original spot as the fifth zone, with Sky Base becoming the new final zone.

** Sega of America edited Sonic's appearance on the game's box and in all promotional media to make him look more "punk"-like, shaping his quills to look like a mohawk and giving him a more smug expression. It should be noted that this [[http://archive.is/s4LdG more closely matches his appearance on the title screen]], which is the same in both Japan and America, indicating that the design had ''[[InvertedTrope already been changed in Japan]]''.
** Averted with the US Master System release, which unlike the Genesis and Game Gear versions, uses Sonic's original Japanese design as opposed to his redesign by Greg Martin. This is due to the game being a direct import of the European version, which were using his original design at the time.
* AntiFrustrationFeature: The Robotnik fight in Labyrinth Zone takes place underwater. To compensate for this, Sonic can breathe underwater and not drown.
* AssimilationPlot: Robotnik's entire plan is to [[UnwillingRoboticization turn literally everyone into a robot that he can command]].
* AttractMode: Leave the title screen alone, and you'll get treated to short demos of the first acts of Green Hill and Jungle Zones.

* BigStormEpisode: The first act of Sky Base Zone takes place during a thunderstorm. As Sonic travels to Dr. Robotnik's airship, he must dodge the lightning from the barriers as they flash.

* CyberPunk: Sonic is a NatureHero fighting against an EvilGenius who is [[UnwillingRoboticization systematically turning the world's inhabitants into robots]]. The game's last Zone even references ''Film/BladeRunner''.

* DubNameChange: [[EnforcedTrope Sega's U.S. marketing department]] changed Dr. Eggman to Dr. Ivo Robotnik for the Western release. Later references reconcile the two by explaining that [[RetCanon Dr. Eggman is his nickname or alias while Robotnik is his actual name]].
* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: No Spin Dash, no Super Sonic, and only six Chaos Emeralds. Emeralds are not obtained from Special Stages; instead, the game features a freestanding Emerald hidden somewhere in one of the first two Acts of each Zone. There are also a few zones with rather bland one word names (Labyrinth, Bridge, Jungle), whereas every subsequent 2D ''Sonic'' game would either give the zones two word names or one big word as a name.

* EternalEngine: Scrap Brain Zone is both Robotnik's headquarters and the engine powering his entire operation. [[http://archive.is/GST2I/4f280ee98bc62dd37c6a6ec4037a0418ec2a216e.png As such, it fits this.]] The last stage of the game, Sky Base Zone's third act, does also.

* ExcusePlot: The entire plot can be summed up as this: "Dr. Robotnik is kidnapping the animals and trying to take over the island, and Sonic has to stop him!"
* FinalBoss: Two variations depending on whether it's the Master System or Game Gear version. Both have Robotnik in a glass capsule on the right and a lightning ball generator above him, and Sonic needs to break the glass. On the Master System, there's a pair of electric pylons along the floor and ceiling that create a current between them, but on the Game Gear, there's only three flamethrower machines on the ground, and only one of them shoots at a time.

* GreenAesop: The nature vs. technology conflict is retained in the 8-bit version, with the contrast between the beauty of [[http://web.archive.org/web/20200309223555/https://info.sonicretro.org/images/0/01/Green_Hill_SMS.png Green Hill Zone]] and the dystopic nightmare of [[http://web.archive.org/web/20200309223447/https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/sonic/images/8/8c/S1-8bitScrapBrain3.png/revision/latest?cb=20120307040815 Scrap Brain Zone]] being just as clear as before.

* GreenRocks: The Chaos Emeralds — magical gemstones that [[KiManipulation contain the power of nature]]. In both the 16-bit and 8-bit versions of Sonic 1, there are six of them; however in this game, [[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness they are all blue]]. Obtaining all of them is necessary to earn the GoldenEnding, in which their power is used to restore nature and remove all of the pollution that Robotnik created.

* InCaseOfBossFightBreakGlass: The final Robotnik boss shields him inside a glass/metal chute that you need to jump into when you get a chance.

* UnwillingRoboticization: Robotnik's Badniks are actually organic beings that have been [[ReforgedIntoAMinion unwillingly stuffed into a servile robotic shell]]. The fleshy being inside serves as little more than a LivingBattery for the robot to get energy from: [[AndIMustScream they have no say in what the robot shell does under Robotnik's orders]].
* VillainExitStageLeft: Robotnik always flies away every time you defeat him. Also, at the end of Scrap Brain Zone Act 3, Robotnik runs away from you and gets away by taking a floating platform up in the air to Sky Base Zone.
* WarmUpBoss: Green Hill's boss is even easier than in the 16-bit version, with Robotnik floating in his regular Egg Mobile to the edge of a screen, slowly descending to ground level, and then [[CollisionDamage trying to ram into you]]. The UsefulNotes/GameGear port's low screen resolution makes it possible for Sonic to jump high enough to hurt Robotnik and defeat him before he even gets the chance to attack you. It's easier than the [[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2 drill vehicle]].

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/sonic1_5.jpg]]

* GoodIsNotSoft: After the final boss fight, Sonic will smash Robotnik's escape pod, at which point he will just watch with his hands on his hips as Robotnik crashes in the distance, [[KarmicDeath somewhere in the middle of his own]] [[NoOshaCompliance inhospitable factory city]]. Robotnik survives.

* GreenRocks: The Chaos Emeralds — magical gemstones that [[KiManipulation contain the power of nature]]. In this first game, there are six of them, [[NonIndicativeName all different colors]]. Obtaining all of them is necessary to earn the GoldenEnding, in which their power is used to restore nature. Fail to obtain them all, and Robotnik will have any that you missed, implying that he'll use their power for his nefarious purposes.

* MascotWithAttitude: Sonic was the inspiration for dozens of knock-offs, [[SturgeonsLaw only very few of whom actually had good games]].

* VillainExitStageLeft: Robotnik always flies away every time you defeat him. However, at the end of the game, Sonic destroys his escape pod in a cutscene.

[[JustForFun/TheOneWith The one where]] it's the first one again...''but with half the bits!''

* AdaptedOut: While Green Hill, Labyrinth and Scrap Yard make it in, Marble, Spring Yard and Starlight are absent in this version. The former two are replaced by Bridge and Jungle, while Scrap Brain takes Starlight's original spot as the fifth zone, with Sky Base becoming the new final zone.

* AdaptedOut: While Green Hill, Labyrinth and Scrap Yard Zone make it in, Marble, Spring Yard and Starlight are absent in this version. The former two are replaced by Bridge and Jungle, while Scrap Brain takes Starlight's original spot as the fifth zone, with Sky Base becoming the new final zone.

* AmericanKirbyIsHardcore: Sega of America edited Sonic's appearance on the game's box and in all promotional media to make him look more "punk"-like, shaping his quills to look like a mohawk and giving him a more smug expression. It should be noted that this [[http://archive.is/s4LdG more closely matches his appearance on the title screen]], which is the same in both Japan and America, indicating that the design had ''[[InvertedTrope already been changed in Japan]]''.

The first one again...''but with half the bits!''

* DoWellButNotPerfect: If you want to access the special stages, you have to complete an act with at least 50 rings. However, if you collect more than 99 rings, the ring counter resets to zero, so you may have to deliberately avoid some rings to meet the requirement.

* Level1MusicRepresents: Green Hill Zone, the only theme that appears in both this and the 16-bit version (Marble Zone was originally going to feature in the 8-bit version as well but was cut, leaving only its music embedded in the ROM).

* AmericanKirbyIsHardcore:
** Sega of America edited Sonic's appearance on the game's box and in all promotional media to make him look more "punk"-like, shaping his quills to look like a mohawk and giving him a more smug expression. It should be noted that this [[http://archive.is/s4LdG more closely matches his appearance on the title screen]], which is the same in both Japan and America, indicating that the design had ''[[InvertedTrope already been changed in Japan]]''.
** This was notably averted for the US release for the Master System version, which, unlike the Genesis and Game Gear versions, uses his original Japanese design instead of the redesign. This is due to the US release being a straight import of the European version, complete with its boxart being unchanged.

* AmericanKirbyIsHardcore: Sega of America edited Sonic's appearance on the game's box and in all promotional media to make him look more "punk"-like, shaping his quills to look like a mohawk and giving him a more smug expression. It should be noted that this [[http://archive.is/s4LdG more closely matches his appearance on the title screen]], which is the same in both Japan and America, indicating that the design had ''[[InvertedTrope already been changed in Japan]]''.

* DubNameChange: [[EnforcedTrope Sega's U.S. marketing department]] changed Dr. Eggman to Dr. Ivo Robotnik for the Western release. The names of just about all of the Badniks were changed, too. As of the [[UsefulNotes/SegaDreamcast Dreamcast]] era, Yuji Naka has stated that [[RetCanon Dr. Eggman is his nickname or alias, while Robotnik is his actual name]]. This is reaffirmed by his relatives' surnames, as well as multiple references throughout the series. This is confirmed again in [[Film/SonicTheHedgehog2020 the theatrical film]]. Additionally, while Sonic's planet is named Mobius according to various [[http://archive.is/yHsAf official]] [[http://archive.is/roPvo documents]] and even [[http://archive.is/8kcey interviews]] with the creators, Japanese media left the planet unnamed.

* JungleJapes: [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Jungle Zone]].

* DummiedOut: There's an 8-bit rendition of the 16-bit game's Marble Zone theme in the game's data, along with a sprite for that zone's Bat Badnik.

* BossOnlyLevel:
** Final Zone is the only zone in the game that consists entirely of a Boss battle.
** Sky Base Zone Act 3 (also the final zone) in the 8-bit version. The first four zones play with this by having small platforming/running segments prior to the boss, a tradition that would continue for the other Game Gear games. Scrap Brain does not count since there's no boss.

* TheVeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon: The ''Final'' Zone.

Released for the Master System and Game Gear, and anonymously developed by Creator/YuzoKoshiro's game company Ancient in their first commercial release.

It wasn't so much a port or sequel as it was a [[ReformulatedGame unique alternative]] to the 16-bit version. Due to playing on weaker hardware, the high-speed element of gameplay was scaled back quite a bit, and it really didn't help the Game Gear gain an advantage over the Nintendo's UsefulNotes/GameBoy in the handheld market. Nevertheless, it's still pretty fun in its own right, and features a catchy soundtrack of its own composed by Yuzo Koshiro (with some adaptations of Nakamura's material), the most notable sample being the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkS_X6_KMno&list=PL16768DBC15D73A37 Bridge Zone theme.]]