Sonic CD

Sonic the Hedgehog CD is a 1993 platform game for the Sega CD developed and published by Sega. Sonic CD is distinguished by its time travel feature, a key aspect to the story and gameplay. By traveling through time, players can access different versions of stages, featuring alternative layouts, music, and graphics. The Sega CD's flagship game, Sonic CD was conceived as an enhanced port of Sonic the Hedgehog 2, but was reworked after lackluster sales of Sonic 2 in Japan. Directed by Sonic co-creator Naoto Ohshima, the developers designed the game to show off the technical capabilities of the Sega CD. Reviewers praised its exceptional size, music, and the time travel feature, although some also believed the game did not use the Sega CD's capabilities to its fullest. The game was ported to Windows as part of the Sega PC brand in 1996, and to PlayStation 2 and GameCube as part of Sonic Gems Collection in 2005. Players control Sonic the Hedgehog as he ventures to stop his nemesis Doctor Robotnik from obtaining the magical Time Stones and conquering Little Planet. In the first and second games, the levels were named zones, but in this game, they're named rounds, the previously-named acts now named zones instead. Players start with three lives, which are lost when they suffer any type of damage without rings in their possession; losing all lives results in a game over. Sonic CD is differentiated from other Sonic games through its time travel game mechanic, which allows players to access different versions of rounds set in the past, present and future. Sonic starts the first two zones in the present.