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-- Sonic the Hedgehog Triple Trouble --
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Formats: Sega Game Gear
Genre: Platformer
Developer: Sega of Japan
Rating: K-A
Debut: November 11, 1994 (Japan)
Cast: Sonic the Hedgehog, Miles "Tails" Prower, Knuckles the Echidna, Nack the Weasel/Fang the Sniper, Metal Sonic, Dr. Ivo Robotnik/Dr. Eggman
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The worst has happened...Dr. Robotnik has collected all of the Chaos Emeralds. Luckily, while
testing his ultimate destructive weapon, one of his Badnik assistants goofs, and the resulting
explosion scatters five of the Emeralds around the planet. Now it's a four-way, high-speed
Emerald hunt! Robotnik still has one of the Emeralds, and intends on getting the other five back
before anyone else does. Sonic and Tails are in the race to get those Chaos Emeralds before the
Eggman gets them back. Knuckles has left Floating Island to get the Emeralds himself, because he
doesn't trust anyone else with them...not even Sonic and Tails. Newcomer Nack the Weasel, an
expert bounty hunter, doesn't have a clue of the overwhelming power the Emeralds contain, but he
bets those shiny stones will score a handsome price on the market.
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-- International Info --
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Area
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Title
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Debut
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Japan
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Sonic & Tails 2
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November 11, 1994
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USA
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Sonic the Hedgehog Triple Trouble
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November, 1994
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Europe
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Sonic the Hedgehog Triple Trouble
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November, 1994
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Easily the best of Sonic's 8-bit collection, Triple Trouble stands right up to par with
most of his Genesis games. The graphics are superb, the music is exceptional, the level-design
is 16-bit quality, and the game's never overly-difficult (like Sonic 2 on GG) or overly-easy
(like Sonic Chaos).
Although it's somewhat slower-moving than his other Game Gear games, that was a wise area to
sacrifice, because the product more than makes up for it. Control is very similar to Chaos,
except things are more sensibly sized for the Game Gear's small screen. All of the old moves are
intact, including the Spin Dash, a modification of the Peel-Out (known as the Strike Dash,
exactly like the Peel-Out except without the cool figure-eight effect, and Sonic is invincible
for a short while after performing the move), and the Heli-Tails. On top of this, an incredibly
handy new move was added: the Flying Spin Attack. By pressing Button 1 or 2 after bouncing off a
spring, your character (Sonic or Tails) would perform a short Spin, handy for smashing flying
Badniks who would otherwise take your Rings in your vulnerable spring-bounce position.
Triple Trouble was also the first of the 8-bit Sonics to sport a 3D Special Stage...sort of.
Your character was in the Tornado, flying into pre-set 3D Ring patterns. Collecting the
specified number of Rings ended the stage. There were only two 3D Special Stages (one in the
day, the other at night). The other three were 2D, but very interesting nonetheless. They seem
to be in some sort of strange (and well-designed) temples. The object was to get to the end
before time ran out, not always an easy task. At the end of either Special Stage, you'd
fight Nack the Weasel, whose airbike seems to have an interesting variety of hedgehog-trashing
tranformations (like Robotnik's Mobile). I think at this point I'll note in the interest of
consistency that the Japanese version (Sonic & Tails 2) had an option to play the 3D
Special Stage right at the title screen. Although this option was shown in the US instruction
manual, it wasn't in the actual game...and to think the countless hours I spent pressing random
button combos at the title screen trying to figure it out...
Great Turquoise Zone: Waterfalls flow into scattered lagoons and springs top every
palmtree in sight. Invisible platforms reveal themselves only when touched, while flowers dance
in the tropical breeze.
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Sunset Park Zone: Safety wasn't the first item on the construction agenda of this roller
coaster, with crumbling tracks and exploding platforms being the norm. Whirling turbines spin
against a bright orange sunset.
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Meta Junglira Zone: Giant woven baskets hover over slippery mud pits, and twisting vines
hang above the jungle floor. Mysterious crystal spheres with red centers contrast the deep green
hues of the rainforest vegetation.
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Robotnik Winter Zone: Blue-flame torches flare atop poles standing against the
snow-capped endlessness of this wintery wasteland. Snowdrifts provide quick passage to the icy
caverns below, and freezing updrafts provide the way back out...
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Tidal Plant Zone: Riding inside giant bubbles is the only way to make it through this
intricate underwater labyrinth. Breakaway walls in the crumbling cavern lead to shortcuts and
other goodies. Tails has an easy go of things in the Sea Fox.
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Atomic Destroyer Zone: An intricate maze of wind tunnels weaves a confusing metallic
labyrinth. Flashing lights flicker against blue steel floors, subtly hinting at the booby traps
that litter every step of the way.
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Special Stage (2D): Illusions rule in these mysterious temples. Those who can solve the
puzzles of a lost civilization within the time limit are rewarded with Chaos Emeralds. Although
Nack the Weasel will stop at nothing to put Sonic and Tails out of the running...
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Special Stage (3D): It's a high-speed dash through the clouds and stars in the Tornado.
Collect 80 Rings before the time limit runs out, and Sonic or Tails will challenge Nack for
possession of the Chaos Emerald.
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-- MIDI Collection --
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None available
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Level-Select: Hold Up on the D-pad while powering on the Game Gear unit. Continue to hold
until Knuckles grabs the third Chaos Emerald in the intro, then press START. You should hear a
Ring chime.
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Screenshots taken by Jared "Green Gibbon!" Matte. Box cover from
Sega Online. Information compiled and arranged by Jared
"Green Gibbon!" Matte.
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