Wikipedia

Tails Adventure

Tails Adventure[a]is aplatform gamedeveloped byAspectand published bySegain 1995 for theGame Gear.The game starsTailsfrom theSonic the Hedgehogseries in a solo adventure, as he collects an array of items to help him explore Cocoa Island and defeat the enemies inhabiting it. The gameplay is more slow-paced than otherSonicgames, with Tails only capable of walking and flying at a moderate speed. The stages are explored in a non-linear fashion, with newly collected items opening up pathways in previous areas.

Tails Adventure
Developer(s)Aspect
Publisher(s)Sega
Director(s)Katsuhiro Hasegawa
Producer(s)Katsuhiro Hasegawa
Artist(s)Nobuhiko Honda
Shinichi Higashi
Composer(s)Kojiro Mikusa
SeriesSonic the Hedgehog
Platform(s)Game Gear
Release
  • JP:September 22, 1995
  • EU:October 1995
  • NA:November 1995
Genre(s)Platform,Metroidvania[1]
Mode(s)Single-player

Along withTails' Skypatrol,the game is one of two on the Game Gear to star Tails in a solo role.Tails Adventurereceived mixed reviews, with critics finding the game unoriginal and too slow-paced compared to previousSonicofferings. Retrospective reviews commended the game for trying something different and compared the gameplay to theMetroidseries, but disliked what they felt was repetitive backtracking.Tails Adventurehas been included inSonicgame compilations, and was re-released on theNintendo 3DSin 2013.

Gameplay

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Tails, equipped with bombs, looks upwards at an enemy

Contrary to the classic speedy gameplay in theSonic the Hedgehogseries,Tails Adventureis a slow-pacedplatformerwith an emphasis on exploration.[1][2]The player controlsTailsin a story set before he befriendedSonic,as he adventures to save Cocoa Island from an invasion of the Kukku Army.[1][3]He cannot run, but only walk at a steady pace.[1]The player explores twelve non-linear stages, collecting new items and abilities to open up new path ways in previous stages.[1]A total of 26 items can be collected, including some to defeat enemies and others to aid in exploration.[2]Along with using items, Tails can fly for a short period of time. His fly duration can be extended by locatingChaos Emeralds.Ringsare collected as a form ofhealth,and unlike otherSonicgames, only a few rings are lost when touching a hazard.[1]This gameplay has been compared toMetroidvaniagames.[1]

Tails finds several different kinds of gadgets on his adventures.[1]Some of these items are weapons used to defeat enemies, like bombs and hammers.[2]Some items aid in exploration, such as a small robot which Tails can control to scout ahead and squeeze into tight spaces.[1]Tails can only carry four tools when entering a stage. Only one item can be equipped at a time, the player must pause the game to change items. If the player finds that they cannot advance because they require another item, they must find a stage exit, swap items, and re-enter the stage from the beginning.[1]

Development and release

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Tails Adventurewas developed for theGame GearbyAspectand published bySega.[4][5]Along withTails' Skypatrol,it is one of twoSonic the Hedgehoggames on the Game Gear to star Tails.[1]The soundtrack was composed by Kojiro Mikusa, who also wrote music forSonic Blast.[1]Tails Adventurewas released for the Game Gear on September 22, 1995, in Japan.[5]It was released in Europe in October,[6]and in North America in November.[7]The game was first re-released throughSonic Adventure DXin 2003 as an unlockable bonus game, and later in theSonic Gems Collectioncompilation in 2005,[8]andSonic Origins Plusin 2023.[9]It was also re-released on theNintendo 3DSvia theeShopworldwide in 2013 along with several otherSonicgames for the Game Gear.[5][10][11]

Reception

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Critics feltTails Adventurewas too similar to other platform games, and its slow pace made it weaker than otherSonicofferings.[6][15][13][14]Famitsufelt it lacked any surprising elements and was disappointed it was much more standard than otherSonicgames.[15]Mean Machines Segaagreed, calling it "decidedly unoriginal", but believed secret areas and a steep learning curve made it interesting enough to continue playing.[6]Electronic Gaming Monthlycompared the game toSuper Marioplatforming titles and also enjoyed finding hidden areas.[13]Critics generally liked the graphics and controls, however the graphics did receive some criticism.[6][15][13][14]Mean Machines Segafelt some of the background textures repeated too much,[6]Famitsucriticized the screen's narrow field of vision,[15]andElectronic Gaming Monthlynoted some screen blur issues.[13]

In retrospective reviews, bothNintendo World ReportandNintendo Lifefelt the game was a significant contrast to the otherSonicGame Gear games. They believed the game exchanged the speed of previous series installments for exploratory gameplay more akin to theMetroidseries andGargoyle's Quest(1990).[1][2]USgamerrecommended the game, calling it a departure from theSonicseries, and the closest aSonicgame ever felt to a Nintendo franchise.[4]Nintendo Lifeenjoyed the variety of gadgets and level designs, but criticized the dark environments and repeating background textures.[1]Along withNintendo World Report,they criticized the game's poor handling of inventory. The journalists would often explore large portions of a level only to learn they were missing a necessary item, and would need to restart the stage.[1][2]The game's presence inSonic Gems Collectionwas welcomed as a modern convenience,[16]but was criticized along with other Game Gear inclusions for graphical glitches and poor emulation.[17][18]Some felt the portable games were merely supplemental to the more substantial games in the collection and dismissed them.[16][19]1UP.comperceivedTails AdventureandTails Skypatrol's inclusion in the compilation as Sega "scraping the bottom of the barrel," describing them as "nigh-unplayable portable titles from an era best forgotten."[19]

Notes

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  1. ^Teirusu Adobenchā(テイルスアドベンチャー)in Japanese. The game is referred to asTails Adventureson the title screen and on the Japanese packaging.
  2. ^Average of four critic reviews: 7.0 / 7.5 / 8.0 / 8.5[13]
  3. ^Combination of scores 4.0 for graphics, 3.5 for sound, 4.0 for control, and 4.0 for "Fun Factor".[14]

References

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  1. ^abcdefghijklmnoSleeper, Morgan (June 27, 2013)."Review: Tails Adventure (3DS eShop / GG)".Nintendo Life.Archivedfrom the original on May 27, 2016.RetrievedDecember 31,2018.
  2. ^abcdeRonaghan, Neal (June 26, 2013)."Tails Adventure - Review Mini".Nintendo World Report.Archivedfrom the original on March 4, 2016.RetrievedDecember 31,2018.
  3. ^"テイルスアドベンチャー".Sega.2005.Archivedfrom the original on March 10, 2018.
  4. ^abParish, Jeremy (April 14, 2016)."What are the Best Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console Games?: Game Gear".USgamer.Archived fromthe originalon November 1, 2017.RetrievedDecember 31,2018.
  5. ^abc"テイルスアドベンチャーのご thiệu giới ｜ＳＥＧＡ バーチャルコンソール công thức Webサイト".Sega.Archivedfrom the original on June 8, 2017.RetrievedDecember 31,2018.
  6. ^abcdef"Game Gear Review: Tails Adventures".Mean Machines Sega.No. 37. November 1995. pp. 78–79.
  7. ^"Tails Adventure".Allgame.Archived fromthe originalon November 14, 2014.
  8. ^Theobald, Phil (August 15, 2005)."Sonic Gems Collection".GameSpy.Archivedfrom the original on February 2, 2014.RetrievedDecember 31,2018.
  9. ^Shea, Brian (March 23, 2023)."Sonic Origins Plus Adds Amy As Playable Character, Game Gear Games, And More This June".Game Informer.Archived fromthe originalon March 23, 2023.RetrievedJuly 9,2023.
  10. ^"Tails Adventure".Nintendo Life.Archivedfrom the original on June 28, 2017.RetrievedDecember 31,2018.
  11. ^Drake, Audrey (May 17, 2013)."3DS eShop: Zelda Sale and Tons of GameGear Games".IGN.Archivedfrom the original on December 21, 2018.RetrievedDecember 31,2018.
  12. ^"テイルスアドベンチャー [ゲームギア]".Famitsu(in Japanese).Archivedfrom the original on June 18, 2015.RetrievedDecember 31,2018.
  13. ^abcdeBaran, Andrew; Lefebvre, Mark; Desmond, Mike; Sushi-X (January 1996)."Review Crew: Tails' Adventure".Electronic Gaming Monthly.No. 78. p. 48.
  14. ^abcSir Gamabus (February 1996)."ProReview: Tails' Adventures".GamePro.No. 79. p. 80.
  15. ^abcd"テイルスアドベンチャーの bình 価・レビューとブログ [ゲームギア]".Famitsu(in Japanese). Archived fromthe originalon January 1, 2019.RetrievedDecember 31,2018.
  16. ^abCastro, Juan (August 19, 2005)."Sonic Gems Collection".IGN.Archivedfrom the original on October 17, 2018.RetrievedDecember 31,2018.
  17. ^Davis, Ryan (May 17, 2006)."Sonic Gems Collection Review".GameSpot.Archivedfrom the original on August 17, 2017.RetrievedDecember 31,2018.
  18. ^Bramwell, Tom (October 6, 2005)."Sonic Gems Collection".Eurogamer.Archivedfrom the original on June 22, 2018.RetrievedDecember 31,2018.
  19. ^abParish, Jeremy (August 16, 2005)."Sonic Gems Collection".1UP.com.Archived fromthe originalon February 19, 2013.
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