Sonic Spinball

Need more Sonic? Last year's Sonic pinball extravaganza has been successfully crammed into a Game Gear cart. There's noth ing really new here, but it's a good translation.

Better the Second Time Around

It's Sonic, it's pinball, and it's almost exactly like the Genesis original. Sonic must defeat Robotnik's diabolical Veg-O-Fortress in four levels of pinball madness that are identical to those on the Genesis: the Toxic Pools, the Lava Powerhouse, the Machine, and the Final Showdown. In Levels One and Two, Sonic advances by grabbing all three Emeralds and beating one of Robotnik's mechanical menaces. In Levels Three and Four, he must grab five Emeralds and defeat Robotnik's evil cronies. Bonus rounds cap off the levels.

Each board has a variety of bumpers, chutes, creatures, and secret rooms. More of all of the above would've added to the game play-the pace often feels slow and uneventful in comparison to other pinball carts. You spend a lot of time ricocheting back and forth to the same places where nothing new is happening.

Spinball's flippers are controlled by Buttons 1 and 2, a two-finger combo that's a little tricky and just doesn't feel right. You can also use the directional pad to send Sonic spinning left or right as he flies across the screen, and he can use his Super Spin Dash, though it isn't very useful.

Lookin'Good

This cart looks good. The boards and backgrounds are fairly similar to the original, though ofcours rrmch detail is lost on the smaller screen.

Does your face scrunch up and do your knuckles clench whenever you hear about the exploits of the world's most dangerous hedgehog? Well take heart, action fans because he's in an entirely new environment, and although there are enough wild thrills in this game, you won't run into any loop-the- loops or yellow springboards.

More Bounce to the Ounce

Yes, that's right, the only mammal to do more running than Bill Clinton is back, and this time he's in a pinball machine. Not just any pinball machine, mind you, but one constructed by the evil Dr. Robotnik. The Doc has locked up more of Sonic's pals, and this time Sonic's gonna bang his head a few times to get 'em out.

Dr. Robotnik is enslaving the population of Mobius with the Veg-O-Fortress, a humongous contraption built like a gigantic pinball machine and powered by the Chaos Emeralds. You must blast your way through three boards including the Toxic Caves, the Lava Powerhouse, and the Machine, until finally you have a showdown with Robotnik to save the animals of Mobius. To finish off a board, though, you must first gather a specified number of Chaos Emeralds. That won't be easy, as the Doctor employs a zany zoo of creatures to block your path, including killer chickens, lava worms, flying Ferrons (don't ask), and more.

Along with that, there are lava pits, slime pools, deadly grinding gears, and a host of hedgehog horrors to deal with. With the right amount of Sonic speed and flipper ingenuity, however, you'll sail past them in no time.

At the end of each machine, you face one of Robotnik's fearsome bosses, from Scorpius to the Robo- Boiler bosses. You bounce, jump, and careen off these gruesome, gargantuan game-enders to try to save Mobius. When you're done with a stage, you'll also play a Bonus pinball round, where you have to eliminate a mini-Robotnik creation in order to score an extra ball and more points.

Hipper Flippers

The graphics in this pinball game go much faster, have more surprises, and move a lot cleaner than in any other pinball game for the Genesis. All the sprites are well-animated, and the background boards are colorful, diverse, and intelligently designed. Even the bosses are bigger and better than they are in the Sonic side-scrolling games.

The music is definitely pinball-wizard stuff. Every bell, whistle, whoop, and whine is heard and felt in this game.

You'll swear that you feel the control pad vibrate when Sonic hits the bumpers, and the music changes when Sonic falls or gets into trouble.

Controlling Sonic is even easier than hitting the bumpers. You can configure the flippers to any button, and you even have some control over Sonic's arc of descent using the directional pad. The game does throw some wrenches at you, like boiling pits of lava that show up where you least expect them, and steam pipes that act as flippers.

Living on the Hedge

If you're a pinball purist, you may not like all the cutesy additions to the traditional pinball motif. If you're a purist, you shouldn't be playing video games anyway. This game is as close to the real thing as you're going to get, and the fact that its Sonic makes it one better.

You'll be going back for more if you lose, and you'll definitely find yourself playing over and over again, even if you beat this game. As for the little blue hedgehog, hey... he's rolled up in a ball most of the time, so put the spin on Sonic.

He's fast, he's cheeky, and he's blue. He's also Game Gear-bound this fall. As in the previous Genesis version, in this four-meg handheld game, Sonic the Hedgehog must spin, flip, and fly through Dr. Robotnik's Pinball Defense System in order to destroy the terrifying Volcano Veg-O-Fortress. The five rounds of side-view pinball action include the Toxic Caves, the Lava Powerhouse, and The Machine, with Bonus Cages as the sources for Mystery Eggs.

Question: Hey if it's not too much to ask (and I really mean it), can you guys print a map of the fourth level Showdown? I've tried it about once or twice and the whole place looked cockeyed to me, so please help me get those five emeralds! Answer: First of all, it's not 'you guys', it's just little old me, all by my lonesome. Second, it's usually not too much trouble, especially given that I've printed maps to the other three levels of Spinball in past issues. However, this one turned into some kind of nightmare - the damn thing is HUGE! And lastly - hey, you only tried it once or twice before you came running to me? Show some cajones man, and stick with it a while next time.

Now, get ready for a new kind of Hedgehog adventure - Spinball! This time around, Sonic must face four nasty levels in a pinball style fashion in order to save the island from Robotnik's clutches!

This time around, Sonic was programmed in the U.S. of A., by American programmers. This cart is filled with all kinds of kooky animations and cool stunts that we've come to expect from a Sonic cart. Also, there is a pinball bonus game that allows you to free your trapped friends that are from the comic book stories. Definitely the best from Sega of America!

Toxic Waste Zone

This zone can be best described as a tutorial. If you manage to die in this zone, then you really do stink! You can attempt to rescue yourself from danger.

Lava Powerhouse Zone

Here, it won't be as easy to escape from dangers as it was in the last level. Fire pits of lava will scorch you and wind pipes will push you into inevitable death!

Sega's Sonic Spinball is nearing completion, so it can be ready for Sonic Mania Day on November 23. We were able to get a closer look, and we mapped out the first level so you can see the depth and intricate detail of Sonic's latest adventures.

Here is a simple trick to select the level of your choice. When you get to the Title Screen where the clouds are scrolling by, press up, down, down, left, right and then the B button. You should hear a ringing noise, and the screen will flash to reveal the words Stage Select, and a series of numbers. Each of these corresponds with one of the levels. Press the Start button when you get to the one you want.

You can only play the level you choose however, as the game automatically resets after you have beaten the chosen level.

Everyone's favorite 'hog with an attitude, Sonic, returns in an all-new Genesis adventure, with a twist. Sonic's archenemy, the diabolical Doctor Robotnik, never gives up. Just when Sonic thought it was safe to kick back in the forest, he discovered that Robotnik had retreated to his Volcano Veg-0 Fortress. Inside this massive fortress, Dr. R is busy using lava to fuel his latest sinister mechanical device, the Veg-0 Converter. The mad doctor plans to use the Converter to change Sonic's little forest friends into... well... you don't really want to know!

You're Gonna Flip over This One

To stop Doctor Robotnik, Sonic first has to penetrate the defenses of the Veg-0 Fortress with an all-new style of super Sonic action. The fortress is heavily defended by an elaborate Pinball Defense System.

Sonic must bump, bounce, ricochet, spin, flip, and fly through each of the fortress's four huge pinball worlds. Each of the worlds has ramps, drop targets, hidden bonus indicators, and a ton of whacky Robotnik machinery.

To escape each of the worlds, Sonic tries to collect all of the Power Emeralds. He'll find the Emeralds throughout the tons of hidden rooms in each area. Special bonus rounds and boss rooms, where Sonic goes head-to-head with Robotnik once again, also await the infamous Hedgehog.

It's a safe bet, thanks to Sonic's huge popularity, that he'll appear at least once every year from now until eternity in some kind of a new video adventure. It's nice to see Sonic break out of his routine in this well-rounded escapade.

It's fall, and once again Sonic prepares to migrate to the Genesis in a new multi-scrolling adventure. November marks the debut of a new style of game play for the wily 'hog with an attitude. Based on the highly original and popular pinball game play of Sonic 2'c Casini Yone, this game pits Sonic against Robotnik (who else?) and his elaborate Pinball Defense System.

It seems Dr. R has holed up in his Volcanic Veg-O-Fortress. This nasty hideout uses lava to harness the energy Robotnik needs to power his Veg-O-Converter. A sinister machine that the bad doctor plans to use on Sonic and his cuddly forest pals.

Sonic must, of course, save the day in this one-player game. In true Sonic style there are tons of convoluted and chaotic rounds that he must ricochet and bounce through, pinball-style! He still has to collect Power emeralds, but he's battling a new series of nefarious Robotnik robots. Sonic's returned, so strap on your high tops and get ready to roll through the Fortress in this pinball spinoff.

Sonic Spinball (or Sonic the Hedgehog Spinball) is a 2D pinball game naturally starring Sonic. The game’s title is a play on the hero’s ability to move at lightning-fast speed by rolling into a ball.

It does have a story, despite its simple concept. Mt. Mobius has been seized by Doctor Robotnik, and he is using the power of the molten rock from beneath the volcano to rapidly create robotic minions from helpless creatures. Sonic and Tails attempt to assault Robotnik’s new stronghold, but the hero ends up having to destroy everything from the inside out by removing the Chaos Emeralds.

The graphics are nothing out of the ordinary, but each of Sonic Spinball’s four levels are designed differently and decorated to provide some eye-candy. The music and overall sounds also do not stand out very much but they get the job done, and can be turned off if it becomes too annoying (which could be the case when spending hours playing).

The game’s true focus is on the gameplay, as it manages to blend quite a few interesting elements to separate it from a traditional pinball game. Of course, you have to launch Sonic and use sets of pins to send him flying in different directions, but you can also use directional controls to move him as you see fit. There are even instances where you can move him on foot, but these are few and far between, and do not have a great impact on the level. The goal of each level is to release Chaos Emeralds, thus getting access to the boss of the level, and in the very last level, Doctor Robotnik himself. To accomplish this, you must hit switches, destroy barrels and defeat monsters; through these you can earn points, and also by collecting the famous golden rings.

Sonic Spinball takes a new approach to the pinball game genre, providing hours of entertainment and great replay value. It may not be what Sonic fans expect, and some might think it an easy game, however it is definitely not a walk in the park.

Sonic Spinball features:

• Pinball gameplay with a twist.
• Four large and uniquely designed levels.
• Great replay value with its two game modes: normal and fast mode.

After the last Sonic 2 Adventure Sonic got Caught up under Dr.Robotnik's Tower Base. Now it is up to him to fight through Pinball levels to reach Dr.Robotnik and destroy his road blocker base so that He and Tails can continue their adventure.