Retro Review: Tails Adventure

Whereas many of Sonic the Hedgehog's Genesis games were excellent in every way possible, his Game Gear games were pretty much hit-or-miss. Some were decent, and others were among the worst titles in the hedgehog's existence. Luckily, the latter category does not apply to the game I am about to review, which would be Tails Adventure. Released in 1995, this game does not feature Sonic at all (except as a power up item), but instead, the starring role is given to Tails, the adorable two-tailed fox. Rather than strictly being a platform game, Tails Adventure mixes platform elements with RPG features, and the result is a surprisingly superb adventure that, while relatively short, is nothing short of addictive and fun.

The story takes place on Coco Island, which has been invaded by an army of diabolical birds: Their mission: to find the Chaos Emeralds and gain total power. The only one who can stop them is Tails, who will need to find the emeralds before the birds do, and then defeat them. Interestingly, when the story takes place depends on where you live. Outside of Japan, the story occurs while Tails is vacationing from his adventures with Sonic. However, in Japan, the events happen before Tails even meets Sonic. Personally, I prefer the latter variation because it shows that Tails could muster the courage to become a hero in his own right without depending on anyone else.

Your journey starts at Poloy Forest, which has been engulfed in flames as a result of the birds' attack. Here, and in many locations throughout the game, your job is to thoroughly explore everything, defeating enemies, and solving puzzles along the way. Tails' health is indicated by the amount of rings that he has, and initially, he can only hold ten rings at a time. He loses some ring energy if he takes damage, and if the ring supply expires, the game is over. Tails can also fly through the air, but he can only stay airborne for a while before he tires out. At first, you can only fly for a few seconds before being forced to land. By finding the six Chaos Emeralds, Tails can level up and be able to hold more rings at a time as well as stay in the air for a longer period of time.

The game revolves around collecting items, which are hidden throughout the various locations that you must explore. Some of them are weapons, such as bombs that can destroy rocks. Other bombs have increased power or can be thrown into small spaces that Tails cannot go through. Early in the game, Tails can acquire a robot that can fit into tight spaces and help our furry friend solve puzzles or collect items. Other items give Tails enhanced abilities, such as being given Knuckles' punch, or are just for fun, such as a radio that changes the game music. As you collect these items, you will often need to backtrack to an already visited area so that you may use them to explore places that you could not reach before.

Later in the game, Tails will be able to use his submarine, the Sea Fox, for some underwater exploration. By gathering more items, the submarine's abilities will increase. You can gain missiles that will break through rocks that the default gun cannot penetrate, temporary invincibility, and even a rocket booster that enables the sub to fly. Additionally, the sub can help you reach new areas as it gains new skills. All of this backtracking may seem overwhelming at first, but it does give the game a feel of exploration that a lot of Sonic games lack.

I was surprised by how enjoyable this game turns out to be. The puzzles are largely simple and quite fun to solve. The battles are thrilling, and the amount of exploration and RPG elements give the game a rather unique feel for a Sonic-related title. The graphics give the game a nice cartoon like feel, and the musical score is surprisingly enjoyable, particularly in the cave levels, boss battles, and the final fortress. There are still some flaws, however. You can only equip four items at a time, and you can only equip them at Tails' house, meaning that you will first need to exit the current area. The adventure is a bit on the short side, but will likely require multiple sessions to complete. In lieu of a save feature, there is a password feature, which is updated as you unlock new areas and gain more items. The passwords are long-sixteen characters each-and entering them incorrectly can mean a lot of progress is lost. Still, these are largely minor complaints, since the game as a whole is truly remarkable.

Tails Adventure is a rarity for a Sonic Game Gear title in that it actually rises well above mediocrity and becomes an excellent game in almost every single area. In recent years, it has become available in compilations such as Sonic Gems Collection, so those who missed out on the game years ago have a chance to experience how great it is. If you like games that mix RPG and platform elements well and you are a fan of Tails, be sure to check out this game, which I feel is the best Sonic Game Gear game around...and Sonic is not even the star! We need more awesome games starring Tails, and less Sonic games that revolve around silly gimmicks. Speaking of games that star Tails, there is another Game Gear game featuring the lovable fox that was far worse than this game...but that is for another review.