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Sonic CD - Explain It To Me Please

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    Sonic CD - Explain It To Me Please

    After getting Homebrew Channel working I've been able to finally run my japanese copy of Sonic Gems Collection working and decided to have a playthrough of Sonic CD. Somewhat embarassingly (it is "only" a Sonic game after all) I'm a little unsure exactly what I should be doing beyond the usual collect rings, clear zones, enter special stages.

    I get time travel aspect is important and that you can travel to the past, perform actions and change the future version to a 'good' version. However, I'm not sure exactly what I'm supposed to do in the past to improve the future. In a couple of stages I found a projection of Metal Sonic which I destroyed but that didn't seem to do anything that I could see.

    Also, is there any benefit to traveling to future zones or are they just a trap? It seems there are more future timeposts in the stages (often near springs/ramps that almost force you to reach the required speed) but can't think of a reason to want to go there.

    Finally, do the Time Emeralds play any role in this or are they just for collecting and have no other purpose?

    #2
    I'd also like to know all of this lol... I played it a couple of times but couldn't figure out what I was doing.

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      #3
      You need the time emeralds and 'good futures' to get the good ending iirc.

      You go into the past, destroy the machines then go back and everything is all happy and pretty and when you finish the stage it says something along the lines of "Sonic created a good future" (been ages since I played it). If you do it right for every act in a stage, the boss stage will be a good future version.

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        #4
        Easier said than done, it has to be said.

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          #5
          There is a machine and a projector on each past act. You need to destroy both of these to create good futures, making the game quite tactical as you have to memorise levels and find suitable places to build up speed. It becomes very difficult to do as the game goes on but when you try making good futures for each level the reason why the levels are designed the rather odd way that they are becomes clear. I don't think the futures serve any purpose other than being able to listen to a banging tekno soundtrack.

          I love Sonic CD.

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            #6
            Just to let you know, the Sonic CD on the GEMS collection is the inferior PC version. The only thing it has over the Mega CD original is the quality of the opening and ending videos.

            Yakumo

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              #7
              Thanks for the info.

              Sounds like there's a bit more searching around the levsl to find this "machine" and projector. I take it the game's pace is a little slower than other Sonic games?

              Not played a Sonic game through to completion in ages so Looking forward to playing through this immensely.

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                #8
                I like how sonic's legs go when he's running fast.

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                  #9
                  Originally posted by Yakumo View Post
                  Just to let you know, the Sonic CD on the GEMS collection is the inferior PC version. The only thing it has over the Mega CD original is the quality of the opening and ending videos.

                  Yakumo
                  Purely curious, is there any notable aspect that makes the MegaCD version superior? It seemed about the same to my (admittedly inexperienced) eyes.

                  Certainly I feel the Saturn version of Sonic R is superior to the PC/Gems version, additions aside. The whole point of Radiant Emerald was the transparency, which the PC/Gems version removed.

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                    #10
                    Originally posted by Shakey_Jake33 View Post
                    Purely curious, is there any notable aspect that makes the MegaCD version superior?
                    I've never played the PC version but hasn't it got the sh*tty soundtrack that was in the US Sega CD version?

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                      #11
                      I've got the Japanese version of Gems, which has the proper soundtrack (and the three Streets of Rage games that were removed from other versions). I think the UK version has the rubbish US one, though.

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                        #12
                        Originally posted by Shakey_Jake33 View Post
                        Purely curious, is there any notable aspect that makes the MegaCD version superior? It seemed about the same to my (admittedly inexperienced) eyes.

                        Certainly I feel the Saturn version of Sonic R is superior to the PC/Gems version, additions aside. The whole point of Radiant Emerald was the transparency, which the PC/Gems version removed.
                        From what I've been told the only disadvantage to the Gems Collection version is that it lacks some colour change effects when underwater.

                        Anyway, after playing for a couple of nights it's starting to become a little clearer now. I've managed to create good futures but missed loads so I'm clearly on my way to a "bad" ending this time out.

                        One interesting thing is that I created a good future in one zone by only destroying the machine and not the Metal Sonic projection so not sure what that does.

                        However, this is a great example of a Sonic game. There is some wonderful level design. I almost always hate the water levels in Sonic games but Tidal Tempest is amazing and Quartz Quadrantwas a lot of fun. Seems crazy in this age of 4xMSAA and light sourced bump mapping and whatever but the amount of paralax scrolling in some of the backgrounds is massive and looks really impressive in motion.

                        I get the impression that this game was created by a team seperate from those who created Sonic 2, 3 and Knuckles.

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                          #13
                          Originally posted by C' View Post
                          I get the impression that this game was created by a team seperate from those who created Sonic 2, 3 and Knuckles.
                          Correct, was done by a mostly different team, I think the producer was Naoto Oshima who designed the original characters, now the President of Artoon. I think most of Sonic Team went to the US and did Sonic 2 over there.

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                            #14
                            Yeh, it definitely keeps and expands on the atmosphere and style of Sonic 1, which is what I really like about it.

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                              #15
                              That explains the use of the Sonic 1 sprite and absence of Tails despite coming after Sonic 2.

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