Sonic the Hedgehog Triple Trouble

Sonic the Hedgehog Triple Trouble (ソニック&テイルス2), also simply known as Sonic Triple Trouble, is a platforming game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series for the Sega Game Gear. First released in November 1994, it was developed by Aspect and published by Sega. Unlike many Game Gear titles, an official Master System port was never released. It acts as a standalone sequel to Sonic Chaos, and features several gameplay mechanics and power-ups from that game.

Sonic Triple Trouble follows Sonic and Tails' adventure to gather six Chaos Emeralds before Dr. Robotnik manages to do so and involves two other adversaries, marking the first appearance of the semi-recurring character Nack the Weasel (later known as Fang the Sniper), and Knuckles' first appearance in a handheld game. Like many other Sonic-themed Game Gear games, Sonic the Hedgehog Triple Trouble was re-released in numerous compilation titles or as unlockable game. The standalone game was re-released on the Nintendo 3DS in March 2012.

Plot
Dr. Robotnik has finally managed to get his mitts on six of the Chaos Emeralds without Sonic knowing. Unfortunately for him, an accident during the testing phase of one of his new weapons scatters the Emeralds. He managed to recover the yellow Emerald, but could not track down the other five. As he anticipated, Sonic and his buddy Tails are now out to retrieve them, so he once again tricks Knuckles into working for him.

Meanwhile, a treasure hunter named Nack the Weasel has eavesdropped on the exchange between the hedgehog and the echidna. Unknown to them, he already discovered the Chaos Emeralds in his home dimension. Now Sonic and Tails must fend off Robotnik and Knuckles while retrieving the Emeralds back from Nack.

In western instruction manuals, the storyline is slightly different in terms of characters' descriptions. In the western storyline, Knuckles has been tricked into thinking that Sonic and Tails are out to steal the Chaos Emeralds, and Nack is not aware of the Chaos Emeralds' true power- only that they would be worth a lot of money- so he sets out to take them for himself before the others do.

Gameplay
Sonic Triple Trouble is a 2D side-scrolling platforming game like most other Game Gear Sonic titles. The main goal is to reach the end of each Act of a Zone (a level in the game) within a time limit. Many gameplay elements from Sonic Chaos are featured. The player can choose one of two playable characters, Sonic and Tails, each of them having different abilities. The player starts the game with four lives and one Continue.

Abilities for both Sonic and Tails are relatively the same as in Sonic Chaos. Alongside the regular Spin Jump, Spin Attack and Spin Dash maneuvers, the player can perform both the Strike Dash for Sonic and the Heli-Tails for Tails. The game also introduces the one-time ability called Flying Spin Attack, which can be performed in mid-air after bouncing on a Spring. The Flying Spin Attack is useful for attacking enemies from above or providing protection from damage in mid-air.

Like in previous games, Rings are found everywhere in the Zones and protect the player from taking damage. Sonic the Hedgehog Triple Trouble is one of the first games in the series in which the player does not lose all their Rings after getting hit; instead, only thirty Rings are lost when the player gets hurt. The power-ups in the Monitors are mainly the same as in Sonic Chaos with Super Rings, Power Sneakers, Invincibility and extra lives. Like in Sonic the Hedgehog (8-bit), when losing a life, the player is sent back to the beginning of the Act or the latest opened Marker. As for Sonic and Tails, Monitors may also contain power-ups exclusive to them. Many of these include the returning Pogo Springs and Rocket Shoes from Sonic Chaos as well the new Hyper Heli-Tails, Jet Boards and Screw Shoes. In Tidal Plant Zone, Tails can also pilot the Sea Fox to travel through underwater sections without need for Air Bubbles.

The level design in Sonic the Hedgehog Triple Trouble is more extensive in size compared to previous Game Gear titles in the Sonic series and includes alternative pathways and secrets in each Zone, while staying much closer to the first main installments for the Sega Genesis. The Zones' aesthetics are similar to those of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 &amp; Knuckles. Besides the traditional Springs and Boosters, each Zone features different types of gimmicks and contraptions.

Items

 * Rings
 * Monitors
 * Super Rings
 * Power Sneakers
 * Invincibility
 * 1-Ups
 * Marker
 * Chaos Emeralds
 * Rocket Shoes
 * Pogo Spring
 * Jet Boards
 * Propeller Shoes
 * Super Heli-Tails
 * Time Bonus (Special Stages only)
 * Chaos Emeralds (Special Stages only)

Bonus Panel rewards
Like in Sonic Chaos, Bonus Panels at the end of the first two Acts will grant different type of items for the player after they stop spinning. Occasionally, the Bonus Panel will point backwards, meaning the player has to dash towards it to make spin it again.

Other modes
The player can choose one of two other modes: Sound Test and Time Attack. Both modes are available on the game's title screen by pressing up and down on. Time Attack features a single, separated Act of the Great Turquoise Zone which lacks enemies, but also holds different gimmicks from in the game. Due the lack of battery backup of Game Gear games, none of the records made in Time Attack can be saved on the game's hardware. The Japanese release of the game features a "3D Stage" option to test run the second type of Special Stages.

Playable characters

 * Sonic the Hedgehog
 * Miles "Tails" Prower

Non-playable characters

 * Dr. Robotnik
 * Nack the Weasel
 * Knuckles the Echidna
 * Metal Sonic
 * Flicky

Bosses

 * Marvelous Queen (Nack the Weasel) - Fought at the end of each Special Stage except the first.
 * Tart Turtle
 * Marve-shupopolous-gou
 * Wood Buttarundorf
 * Giga Thomas "Pen"
 * Knuckles the Echidna (Tidal Plant Zone boss)
 * Metal Sonic (Atomic Destroyer Zone sub-boss)
 * Atomic Destroyer Zone bosses 1, 2 and 3 (Dr. Robotnik)

Zones
Sonic Triple Trouble consists six Zones with three Acts each. The third Act is a short course, usually with a small cache of Rings followed by a boss. The zones' order are:


 * Great Turquoise Zone
 * Sunset Park Zone
 * Meta Junglira Zone
 * Robotnik Winter Zone
 * Tidal Plant Zone
 * Atomic Destroyer Zone

Special Stages
Additionally, and in keeping with the 8-bit tradition, there are five individual Special Stages in the game. Sonic the Hedgehog Triple Trouble, however, sees these stages accessed in a unique way: by collecting fifty Rings and breaking open the "Chaos Emerald" Monitor, a portal appears which leads to the Special Stage.

The first, third and fifth stages are giant mazes with a countdown timer. The timer can be boosted with "Time Bonus" items scattered throughout them, but it never exceeds one and a half minutes. The second and fourth Special Stages involve flying the Tornado to collect Rings and avoid bombs. At the end of every Special Stage, Nack shows up and attacks with one of the Marvelous Queen's weapons to protect the Chaos Emerald. Clearing all five Special Stages unlocks the "good" ending of the game.

Reception
Sonic Triple Trouble received mixed to positive reviews from many published video game magazines. GamePro praised the game for graphics and new gameplay elements, but criticized it for being too easy, reducing its longevity and slowdowns leading to cheap deaths. Sega Magazine also described the game as being enjoyable, but too easy. Mean Machines Sega magazine gave an score 85 out of 100 in its December 1994 issue, praising for its graphics and gameplay. The Japanese Famicom Tsūshin gave the game a score of 21 out of 40 in its November 1994 issue.

The reception towards the game in compilation an re-releases has been worse, as Eurogamer stating the game being poorly aged and "intolerable", while GamesRadar calls it "reasonably competent, but no less tedious". As IGN stated it being as not "particularly stellar", Gamespot criticized the game for suffering the poor Game Gear emulation on Sonic Gems Collection release. Nintendolife gave Nintendo 3DS re-release an score 6 out of 10, as praising solid level designs and graphics while criticizing the lack of challenge and sluggish pacing.

Re-releases
Like other Game Gear games, Sonic Triple Trouble is featured on many re-releases and completion titles. It is featured as unlockable game after completing 160 missions in Sonic Adventure DX: Director's Cut for Nintendo GameCube and PC in 2003. The game is released in 2005 as part of the Sonic Gems Collection for the Gamecube and PlayStation 2.

Sonic Triple Trouble, along with 19 other Game Gear and Master System games, have also been released on the Coleco Sonic, handheld game console by Coleco in 2006. In March 2012 along with many Game Gear titles, Sonic Triple Trouble has been re-released on the Virtual Console of Nintendo 3DS with the price of 300 points.

Comic adaptation
The Sonic the Hedgehog comic series published by Archie Comics made a loose comic adaption based on the western storyline of the game. Released on August 1995, it is the third issue in Archie Comic's Sonic Special comic line published on every couple of months for two years. The comic adaption also introduced Nack the Weasel to the comic universe.

Cheat codes

 * Level Select: Hold up on the while powering on the Game Gear. Continue to hold until Knuckles grabs the third Chaos Emerald in the intro, then press START and the Ring chime can be heard. Proceed through the title screen and character select screens to get hidden Level Select menu.

Staff

 * Producer: M.Hoko
 * Director: Katsuhiro Hasegawa ("K. Hase")
 * Staff: M.Sima, Nobuhiko Honda ("N.Honda"), Saori Kobayashi ("Saori.K"), Tadashi Ihoroi ("T.Ihoroi"), Shinichi Higashi ("S.Higasi"), O.Kodera, Toshiaki, K.Oikawa, H.Sai, Kojiro Mikusa ("K.Mixa"), Sukioka, Tatsuo Matsuda ("M.Tatsu"), Tomoko Sasaki ("Tomoko"), Fumi, Yoshiki Ooka ("Yoshiki")
 * Composer: Yayoi Wachi ("Yayoi.F")
 * Thanks: H.Kojima, Y.Furuta, Hayato.T, N.Taidai, K.Unoki, Ray.F, James Spahn ("J.Spahn"), N.Katoh, R.Somaki, J.Misima, Y.Okitsu, T.Tanaka, Manabu.M and You

Trivia

 * Sonic the Hedgehog Triple Trouble (Sonic & Tails 2 in Japan) is a sequel to Sonic Chaos (Sonic & Tails in Japan). However, this was not emphasized outside of Japan due to the game's Western names.
 * However, when the game was first previewed in a Mean Machines Sega article, it was named as Sonic Chaos 2, with Nack originally named as Jet. An early screenshot depicted in the article also shows Nack pointing a gun at Sonic, something that does not occur in the final game.
 * Precisely where in Sonic's world the game takes place is never stated in the game's manual, in contrast to the previous 8-bit titles, Sonic the Hedgehog (8-bit), Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (8-bit), and Sonic Chaos, which were all categorically stated to take place on South Island. It may be that Sonic Triple Trouble takes place there as well; alternatively, due to the presence of Knuckles the Echidna, the game may be set on Angel Island, although it remains altogether possible that Triple Trouble is simply set in an unspecified region not previously visited by earlier Sonic games.
 * In the game's Western storyline, Sonic Triple Trouble is mentioned to take place on Planet Mobius. This was an early name given by Sega of America for Sonic's world, made popular in other media and originated from early western continuity.
 * The localized, international version of the game is almost unaltered in comparison to the Japanese release, apart from the name change. The only notable differences are the alternate title screen and the removal of the "3D Stage" option, even though it is depicted in the instruction manuals.
 * Unlike the previous 8-bit entries, the game was primarily designed around the Game Gear hardware. The viewing area is thus much less of a problem, as the level design accommodates the smaller screen.
 * The game bears some similarities to Sonic the Hedgehog 3, particularly how Knuckles appears at several points to hinder the player character. The game itself was originally released between Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and Sonic & Knuckles.
 * Several game elements such as the Strike Dash, the glass balls in Meta Junglira Zone, and the inclusion of Metal Sonic, are taken from Sonic the Hedgehog CD.
 * The theme of Sunset Park Zone Act 3 is actually an unused track from Sonic Chaos except with a lower pitch.
 * In Tidal Plant Zone, Tails can use a submarine named the Sea Fox, which would later appear as a transformation of the Remote Robot in Tails Adventure.
 * This is the first game (barring the arcade-only Sonic the Fighters) in which Sonic fights Metal Sonic rather than racing him as in Sonic CD and Sonic Drift.
 * In the "Special Thanks" section of the credits, an "H. Kojima" is credited. This may refer to Hideo Kojima, the famed creator of the Metal Gear series, although this is not confirmed and may be coincidental.
 * The Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog incarnation of Dr. Robotnik, originally designed by Milton Knight, is seen on the North American and European front box cover. Milton's character design was heavily used for the character in many Western promotional and game artworks during that time.