Sonic Blast

About

Sonic Blast is a 3D platformer that shifts Sonic into a fully polygonal world. You chase after Dr. Robotnik across angular stages filled with hazards and Flickies to rescue. The controls feel tighter than the era’s 3D experiments though the camera occasionally frustrates. Levels loop between running shooting and puzzle solving with Knuckles joining later to split Chaos Emerald shards. The Game Gear version runs at 60fps but the Master System port is slower and simpler. This was Sonic’s final Game Gear title and last hurrah for the Master System in Brazil. Despite a similar name it shares nothing with 1996’s Sonic 3D Blast, distinct levels bosses and a story where Knuckles teams up to reclaim emerald fragments. While early reviews panned the Game Gear edition for technical hiccups retro fans now praise its speed and raw 90s charm. The 3DS Virtual Console reissue lets modern players skip the hardware headaches.