
Players who enjoy pinball games may be impressed by SL but Sonic fans who are expecting a great Sonic title need to take a closer look.Dr Eggman comes has the sudden realisation that if Sonic were to loose his break neck speed he wouldn't be half as much trouble. Sonic Labyrinth removed all of the blue rodent's running speed and inadvertently destroyed all of the enjoyable gameplay expected from the fast-action hero. The sound remains a typical Game Gear release offering little to accent the poor sound characteristics associated with the music capability. The game does allow you to choose which direction you wish to be represented by, leaving little customization for you to worry about. Control is touchy having the classic 3-D grid game problem with straight being diagonal and vice-versa. The levels are detailed, featuring colorful layouts and multiple stages filled with pinball items. Because your running ability is impaired, you will have to rocket about the screen in ball form smashing enemies and avoiding the traps and the white goo meant to stop you in your tracks. Your duty as Sonic is to complete the four zones with three levels in each by gathering three keys in each and getting to the exit before time runs out. Moving around mostly in ball shape, Sonic finds himself in a pinball-based labyrinth where he must search for the Chaos Emeralds to release the cursed shoes from his hedgehog feet. But Sonic remembers that he can still use his Super Spin Dash to move swiftly about. Robotnik has tricked Sonic into putting on a pair of his specially made shoes that were designed to slow Sonic's running capability. This change-of-pace cart is a good addition to his handheld collection. Sonic has starred in some excellent Game Gear games. Standard Sonic rinky-dink sounds aren't essential to the game you'll want to turn them off. The simple layout is appealing, but the itty bitty Sonic is a strain without bifocals.




These boss battles, which will be familiar to Sonic fans, take some doing on the tiny screen. The final subzone in each area includes a ring-nabbing bonus round plus a battle with a boss. Maneuvering around takes a bit of practice, but the controls are simple. Most of his traditional moves are missing, but Sonic still takes out foes with his trademark Spin Dash move. The gameplay is similar in each of the four zones. In maze-style action similar to Marble Madness, Sonic zips up and down 3D ramps while dodging exploding platforms and laser beams as he searches for the magic keys that enable him to exit the maze. You'll recognize Sonic immediately, but actually this game presents a whole new look for the 'hog. Hr Of the three new Sonic games coming for the Game Gear, the most interesting is Sonic Labyrinth, a cross between traditional Sonic action and Marble Madness.
