I'm finally back from my unplanned hiatus, and goodness do I have a lot in the pipeline, both here and elsewhere on the internet! In the meantime, I hope you enjoyed this look back at Sonic's weird Game Gear games. I really enjoyed making this video, even if FCPX was being an absolute problem child! This video also would be impossible without the fine folks over at Infinite Frontiers. It's actually based off of an article I hard published there last month, which you can read here: www.infinitefrontiers.org.uk/retrospective-sonics-weird-sega-game-gear-games/

Last time I was this early, there was actually sonic games coming out yearly

Sonic 2 on gamegear was my jam growing up. Honestly probably remains my favourite Sonic experience to date. For some reason sonic games just never clicked with me like that one did. That said, I was a kid when first playing it and had a lot of free time to learn all its quirks. I liked the variety. Especially among the bosses. And the hang-glider never game me any issues. There was a seal with a bunch of bouncy balls on the other hand that really bottle necked my playthrough as a kid.

Wake up babe, new stuff we play video

"It's not what I'd call a 'hidden gem', per se..." I see what you did there...

"criminally overlooked" is an understatement. Game gear was a powerhouse and sonic 1 on gamegear is off the charts like you said the soundtrack is sublime!!

Triple Trouble is my favorite Game Gear game too! Excellent choice and review. I will say that Sonic 2 is beatable with all the emeralds if you have the patience for it, including learning how to use the hang glider, but can definitely be frustrating.

You deserve more views. I've been binging your stuff and it's great!!

Sonic 1 Master System was available on the Wii Virtual Console for a number of years. That's where I played it. It should be noted that Labyrinth Zone act 2 was significantly different on the Master System version compared to the Game Gear, including the location of the emerald.

Such an amazing video, love Chaos and all the other sonic games on the GG. I still play them occasionally on my worn and torn GG.

I quite enjoy Sonic 1 8bit and Triple Trouble.

*on North America Many of those are actually Master System ports that were enjoyed worldwide. The high difficulty and screen crunch is precisely because the original game was designed with the SMS in mind

The reduction in play space for most of these side scrolling games featured here is pretty unreasonable even considering the technical concerns introduced by the platform.

Man, the ending of Sonic Blast with the Eggman planet thing sinking into the sea while Sonic watches, looks suspiciously similar to the ending of Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong-Quest, where the same happens to Crocodile Isle. Like, there's no excuse for it NOT being influenced by DKC2 because DKC2 released a whole year before Sonic Blast! I'm not mad about it, it's just... a weird thing I noticed.

*Talks about Tails for 30 minutes then..* "This game is about a titular fox & his adventures" lmao

I quite enjoy sonic 1 in 8 bit. The Game Gear version was easier for me. I have the master System downloaded on my Wii and the GG On my 3ds. Couldn't beat the master system version. Also really love the music to "Bridge Zone". A little disappointed tee Lopes took his version down.

Tails having two games of his own is not because of his luck He definitely deserves even more He is not only a sidekick

Ok, here's some info, Sonic Labyrinth wasn't actually developed by SEGA, but by a company called Minato Giken. So you should really blame THEM for the slowness. Next, the japanese version of Sonic Blast is G-Sonic, released under the Kids Gear line over there, so yeah it's boring for a reason I guess.

Sonic The Hedgehog on Game Gear is honestly Fantastic. The soundtrack is one of the best.

I miss renting at grocery stores and blockbuster video what s difference ❤😊

I got all these sonic gamegear on my gamecube sonic adventure dx game i always like sonic 2 and sonic labyrinth which i use to own my gamegear back when i was 15 years old.

PS as boring as Sonic Blast is, I still find it impressive that they managed to put pre-rendered graphics on an 8-bit system, and I will admit that the graphics do look pretty nice. Unfortunately, graphics aren’t everything in a game.......

I actually really enjoyed Sonic Labyrinth quite a bit.

Sonic the hedgehog was segas mascot plus he had games on the Sega master system Sega game gear Sega Genesis and Sega dream cast

James! Great video. I remember being a kid and my uncles having the Game Gear. I remember playing a few of the sonic games you mentioned but never even heard of the others until this video. Great content as always and I’m always a soundtrack kind of guy so “criminally underrated” is still an underrated statement. Can’t wait for more vids!!!

How you gonna dislike sonic 2 or sonic drift 2? Those games kicked ass

Great vid! So happy to see some love to for the Gamegear. Do you have a fav GG game you go back to?

Sonic 2 on game gear is honestly kinda BS; I prefer the Master System version (and of course the Genesis original) any day. Also, gotta love how “Toot Toot! Sonic Warrior” made its debut in Sonic 2 on the Master System as the Green Hill Zone theme (which, weirdly enough, was the 5th level in the game while most sonic games had the grassy meadow setting as the first level)

I kinda like Sonic Labyrinth. I don't think its as bad as people say.

Didnt you know that tails doll from Sonic R is basically that tails from sonic 2's bad ending. Yeah you thought that 8bit games are dark. well sonic lore is.

I finished sonic spinball once and i absolutely loath that title

With regards to Sonic Blast (as well as Sonic's picture in the Sonic 3 title screen and various other things), it's amazing how people went for CG renderings that looked like trash compared to actual hand-drawn raster art. Particularly for Sonic Blast, not even being a 3D game, its an idiotic choice...but the creators were simply chasing the trend...something that does not produce media that can stand the test of time.

4:23 that's actually wrong to say that 8bit Sonic 2 brings Tails back, since it's released months before 16bit Sonic 2🤔, so actually the 8bit title introduces him and the 16bit one brings him back, but now as a playable character P.S. Also both Sonic 1 and Sonic 2 on GameGear are ports of Master System versions, thus it would be more correct to say that "version of SMS Sonic 1 was also released on GameGear", since it was ~2months later

Sonic 2 for the game gear is my least favorite sonic game and I have played moat of them.

Brilliant video :D

SONIC DR MARIO?!

Triple trouble

I honestly forgot that i subbed to you

Awesome!!!!

Sweet

What took you so long?

Not first!

Hello 👋

triple trouble is fucking horrible imo special stages are some of the worst in sonic and the levels are rarely ever fun, the game lags like shit and while the previous game gear sonic games felt unique, triple trouble feels like a shitty version of the genesis games. music is decent but it's nowhere near yuzo koshiro or previous soundtracks. it's also a bit too easy at times and the bosses are pathetic. it's boring aswell and most of it is style and pandering to genesis sonic fans over actual substance. the visuals and the sunset park fight are the only saving grace along with atomic destroyer 2 (which is actually difficult and fun)