14 DAY TRIAL // The Sega Megadrive Classic Collection continues with a name that brought innovation to the gaming world, in both graphics and gameplay areas: Vectorman!
I must admit that even if I have never played this game before, the gameplay and even the main character were somewhat familiar.
I realized that the similarities come from other masterpieces designed for the PC, and where inspired (more or less) by Vectorman.
The game will take you to the future, in the year 2049, when humanity is threatened by a new enemy: the Orbot leader Warhead.
The Orbots (robots with bodies composed from orbs) should clean up the toxic dump that has become Earth, but instead they decide to revolt against their creators.
The responsibility to save the human kind falls on the shoulders of the last Orbot still loyal to Man.
Vectorman is very fast-paced, so your utmost attention is required. Even from the beginning you'll be faced with giant monsters, robotic birds and lots of other dangers.
The main character has morphing abilities that will transform it into a speeding train, a mechanical fish, a power drill, a mighty dune buggy or even a bomb to break down nearby walls.
You'll also be able to equip it with weapons and various power-ups, so that you can better fight off WarHead and restore peace on Earth.
Guiding your character and keeping it alive through the entire 16 levels will prove to be a challenge even for the most experienced gamer, as I found out on my own.
It sure is fun to see the green robot (Vectorman) loose bubbles only to regain them again through power-ups.
Objectively, Vectorman's gameplay is awesome. The difficulty of the game is pretty high and it will take many attempts before you even complete the first level.
As you probably got use to it, we will talk about another game in the Sega Megadrive Classic Collection, a game that defines the entire pack as being a fast-paced platformer heavy champion of the world which used to cause rumble in most arcade rooms.
Sonic the Hedgehog is a title that needs no introduction. It doesn't matter if you're a hard-core games addict or just a beginner in the virtual world; everybody has stumbled at least once on a Sonic game or is at least familiar with the figure of the blue hedgehog.
Dr. Robotnik has a plan that will turn all living animals into robots. When Sonic, the brave hedgehog, realizes the doctor's evil scheme, he starts chasing the villain though various worlds (zones) while collecting rings of power.
At the end of each zone, the blue lightning will have to face Dr. Robotnik in one of his mechanical vehicles. Run, roll and jump your way through six acts in an attempt to rescue the poor animals and destroy the devious contraptions.
The main ingredient that will make a lot of people instantly love this game is speed. This element can also increase the difficulty in some cases.
A cool addition to the game are the special stages, which can be only be activated if Sonic can reach the end of a stage with 50 rings and then jump into the giant gold ring. After that all that's left is to make your way through a pinball-like-maze while increasing your score! Sonic is quite hard to control in this special event, which I found to be a very good break from the velocity present in almost every scene of the game.
Straight from the beginning, Sonic the Hedgehog became a flagship product for Sega and lasted until today with series that add extra spice players and characters like Knuckles and Tails.
Considered by most a reply to the famous plumber Mario, Sonic will always have a special place in the hearts of fans.
Playing these cool games reminded me of a lot of more “recent” creations that had a big impact on the action-adventure gaming industry, games like Raynman, Earthworm Jim and Jazz JackRabbit.
Those that have played Vectorman or Sonic before will relive the joyful feelings of their youth, while those who never got to enjoy these masterpieces will finally be able to get their hands on a glimpse of the past.
Be sure not to miss the next week's review on Sonic the Hedgehog 4, a game that really lives up to the the Sonic franchise.
