Game: Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1
Price: $9.99
Size: 7.6MB
Buy it now from the iTunes Store:US/UK
Sonic the Hedgehog 4 has been, arguably, one of the most controversial titles of the year. Now famous for its leaked footage, its outraged fanbase, and that notorious mine cart level, we finally have a taste of Sega's big platform revival. So the question is ... does it suck, and are his EYES TOO GREEN!?
Sonic 4 is, to be fair, a mixed bag. There are some really good levels, and a few pretty dire ones. Ironically, the Mine Cart level is actually one of the most fun stages in the game, with the preceding Lost Labyrinth stage actually being among the worst in the game. Unfortunately, other gimmicks like the cannons in Casino Street haven't been put together so well, and a few odd design decisions can lead to frustration.
Irritations aside, Sonic 4 provides quite a bit of fun and actually manages to have decent touchscreen controls. Sonic responds well to the virtual touchpad, making this a vastly superior offering to the older Sonic games that had been ported over. It looks great and has the kind of music that Sonic fans once enjoyed. No faux teeny bopper rock this time!
Sonic the Hedgehog 4 on iPhone is, quite clearly, the famed "older" build of the game, so we can't take this title as a true indictment of the console versions. That said, this version is competent, fun, and only occassionally a pain in the ass. The price tag is most probably a bit steep, but if you've got the bones, check it out. You've probably been waiting for this for a long time.
Oct 07, 2010
