As the title suggests, Sonic The Hedgehog 4 is a direct sequel to the iconic series of Sonic platformers on the Sega Mega Drive / Genesis. The plot picks up after the events of Sonic 3 and Sonic & Knuckles, in which Sonic and his friends foiled Dr. Eggman’s (a.k.a. Dr. Robotnik’s) intentions once more by destroying his Death Egg and returning the stolen Master Emerald. The victory, however, is fleeting, as Eggman seeks vengeance and rebuilds and enhances his best creations to defeat Sonic finally.
The game pays homage to the original series not only in terms of story and title but also in terms of gameplay. Sonic 4 is a traditional 2D sidescroller, similar to its predecessors, with the same game principles. Some new features have been included, such as the “Homing Attack,” which locks on Sonic’s jump on foes, jumping platforms, or breakable things. The aesthetics are one notable distinction, as Sonic 4 employs polygons for the Sonic characters and prerendered graphics for everything else. Therefore it does not mimic the looks of its predecessors, unlike Mega Man 9.
