Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 Wii
User Score
6.3 out of 10

Mixed or average reviews- based on 66 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 39 out of 66
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 66
  3. Negative: 19 out of 66

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  1. imaginarysounds
    Oct 14, 2010
    2
    Absolutely awful. Seriously. I was so excited for Sonic 4, downloaded it, and was frustrated by the middle of the 1st level. The homing mechanic is more aggravating than helpful, and the physics feel NOTHING like the original Sonic games. If you don't believe me, watch this video. The footage speaks for itsself. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6-1cGzPn3E The only thing they got right is the graphics are pretty, and the music is decent, which is why I gave them a 2.… Collapse
  2. GestalReplicant
    Nov 19, 2011
    4
    Falling directly below average, Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I is a flat-out disappointment. Playing like a lite internet-game version of the classics, replete with awkward physics and awkward design ideas, it manages to both fail to capture that classic Sonic feel, and (unfortunately) assure there is more of this to come, in the way of additional episodes. Here's to hoping Sega lets this one fall under the radar and not insist on dragging it out to further embarrass itself.… Expand
  3. AmakuraKyon
    Oct 11, 2010
    4
    Poor game, bad soundtrack and TOO EASY! I dont like this game. The bosses are easy too, the soundtrack is too weak, not to mention Spider-Sonic ¬ ¬ SEGA... try next time.
  4. sadsonicfan
    Oct 15, 2010
    3
    Yeah I'm dissapointed, yeah I'm comparing this sonic game to it's genesis glory. Sue me, Sonic 4 should be compared to the 16 bit games because we all know that at least that much potential is possible.

    I could go on all day about my personal gripes (don't like the 2.5 D, don't care for the special stages, etc.) but for the sake of this critique, I'll limit my complaints to the worst poin    ts.

    First, the camera is too close. When sonic finally manages to get sped up, you have about a half second to respond to the oncoming badnik/trap. This has the side effect of making the world feel cramped.

    Second, the physics suck. Pretty much every bad review on this site has to do with the physics. All I have to add is that it's worse than you think. Controlling Sonic feels stiff, and holy smokes he got slower. Third: what the hell is the homing attack doing here?! The homing attack may have been a necessity in the 3D realm where delicate platforming is required, but this game just abuses it. The game actually would have been pretty easy with such an over powered attack, except that you never even see the enemy coming.

    All in all, this sonic game lacked any sort of epic feeling from the previous games. In fact, there doesn't seem to be much feeling at all. I'm rather sad though. The sega team had one simple task that they've managed to fail for over ten years at: give us back sonic. I assure you that this is not the sonic we've been waiting for.    … Expand
  5. sonicfan
    Oct 20, 2010
    1
    Honestly this is a horrible game. I got scammed with the 15 dollars and got so dissapointed :'( I gave it a chance, I really did. I really wanted to love it but DAMNN IT SUCKSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!
  6. Mahboy
    Aug 1, 2011
    4
    No. Just... no. This game was a huge mistake. A step in the wrong direction for Sega. The level design is cheap and repetitive, the music is grating, and the bosses, while keeping the same nostalgic feel as the previous Sonic the Hedgehog games, still feel so bland, and stripped of any kind of intelligence. I grew up with Sonic, I played all of the Genesis releases, and this game does NOT deserve to be called Sonic the Hedgehog 4. Even if you were new to Sonic, the game is still bland, repetitive, annoying, and $10 too expensive for what it has to offer.… Expand
  7. Even_Adder
    Oct 14, 2010
    0
    For a game trying to throw it back to the Genesis days it fails to nail many of the things that made that game great. The clunky controls and physics fail to convince me I'm playing a Sonic game or a Mario game for that matter.
  8. Ryu1908
    Oct 13, 2010
    0
    Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode I fails miserably to live up to his predecessors, and even worse, fails miserably as a game itself.

    First let's talk about the clunky controls, you feel like you're controlling Sonic in the moon, the jump is so light that it becomes awkward to control, the Homing Attack, which is a ability that doesn't go well in a 2D game and only serves to take out the chall    enge making it too easy, is not optional and it is pratically shoved down on the player's throat, you can't pass a level without using it, you depend on it to proceed through any level without being hit by a enemy attack, to make matters worse, there are times that the Homing Attack doesn't respond in the right moment, making you miss the enemy and Sonic doing an aerial dash straight in a enemy's direction making you lose rings.

    The awful level design also doesn't help, there are loads of boost pads spread through the levels, you barely control Sonic and the game plays itself, full automation.

    Now the worst thing about this abomination of a game are the physics, you can't have a momentum based gameplay in a Sonic Game if the physics are broken, you can easily make Sonic walk up a hill, walk through a loop or stand on a slope without falling, this is just ridiculous.

    The bosses are the same as the genesis games with a pinch mode, that is stupid idea by itself, but then, the Homing Attack just make the bosses as easy as chewing water.


    The music just try to be nostalgic, but it gets repetitive and annoying because they use the same instruments over and over

    Overall, this game is a complete disgrace to the genesis legacy, it sucks, don't waste your time with this thing like i did.

    I can't give it more than 3.0    … Expand
  9. caiolopez
    Oct 13, 2010
    3
    Sega managed to almost make me cry - with sadness. I've been longing for a real 2D Sonic since Sonic & Knuckles came out. I even had a name for it: "Sonic 4". Well, years later they came up with Sonic 4. Let me break it down here: Sound FX: 10/10. They are the actual Genesis-Era blips. Music: 10/10. Superb work, kept the spirit of the original catchy songs. Level Design: 10/10. It really feels like a Sonic level, after all this years. Graphics: 5/10. Level graphics are good, but Sonic's model looks dumb, and didn't quite match the games graphic style. 2.5D didn't do the trick, this time. Finally, Controls: 0/10. It's just wrong. There is no inertia, especially when jumping. It doesn't control like Sonic. In fact, it doesn't control like anything I ever played. You release the D-Pad, Sonic stops. Like Pitfall. Nothing should control like Pitfall in 2010, let alone a game in a franchise know for its high quality gameplay.
    I really hope Sega fix that. I could also ask for some vintage skins for Sonic's model, but that would be just a fluff. The important thing here is the controls, and Sega managed to destroy the whole thing with a few lines of code.
    Score: (10+10+10+5+0) / 5 = 7
    7 * how bad the controls are = 2    … Expand
  10. BEES
    Jan 14, 2011
    0
    Feels like a lazy, half-assed effort from SEGA. I think they assumed making a retro-throwback game would be easy, and that they could do it on the quick.

    Sorry guys. It takes effort. The levels have to be unique. The game has to be long. The music has to be good. It has to bring interesting new gameplay features to the table if they're going to call this the sequel to Sonic 3, but in ev    ery measurable sense this is a step back.… Expand
  11. Suroguner
    Oct 13, 2010
    2
    This is truly sonic 4 as you imagined it, if you were having a nightmare. Right off the bat it feels that Sega had forgotten how to make a 2d sonic game and that the fans who make fan games and surpassed Sega.

    First off are the physics, they make sonic feel "Slower than molasses going up hill both ways in January, with crutches!" Sonic's top speed is almost equal to that of sonic 1 if you     don't spindash, There is no inertia and the momentum is near nonexistent.

    Next are the gimmicks, They're alright for the most part. The mine cart plays like the one from Donkey Kong Country and the zip lines work fine. But some of them need work still. The cannon in Casino Street allows you to stand on top of it instead of sucking you in like in Sonic 3. It also make the "fwomp" sound that the Sonic 2 Oil Ocean caps make when blown off.

    The Vines in Splash Hill act 2 wind up having less power than those of Angel Island and the slots only appear in 1 act of Casino street (unless they appear again in act 2 on the iPod version).

    The special stages are hard, no 2 ways about it. you're going to be practicing them as if you were playing Sonic Megamix's or Sonic 1's special stages. Only, you won't have unlimited time and you will have control over the stage.

    If you aren't big on using the homing attack, you will be before the end of the game as some acts have homing attack points where if you don't use it, you die.

    The boss and badniks are all reused. The Lost Labyrinth boss though is a bit more original once you get out of the survival part while the Splash hill boss is more like Sega copying the Seaside Hill boss from Sonic Megamix (see youtube video)

    The music is alright, nothing bad, but the boss music needs to be redone or replaced. Preferably replaced.

    The game itself is too short, uses Sonic advance 3's level structure fused with the genesis games. Uses Megaman x for how level select is done with an option to just go to the next stage that must be done after every stage. Over all, I give this game a 3/10 because i did enjoy the music and its physics were only just better than Sonic the Hedgehog Genesis on GBA, but for $15 I could get all 3 Sega Master System Sonic games at better quality and more levels.    … Expand
  12. Aperturius
    Oct 12, 2010
    4
    Sonic 4 feels like a wierd, Flash-based version of Sonic 1 & 2 made by a fan who took a course in video game design. I give Sonic Team credit for going back to his roots, but it's done so ineptly here that it's kind of embarassing. What breaks the game is the controls. Sonic is very, very floaty. It can be very hard to land accurately on a moving or flipping platform because of this. Momentum is also very odd in the game. In previous 2D Sonics, when you roll into a ball and go down a hill, you can keep your momentum for a long time without holding Right on the controller. Not here. Even when you hold right you can slow to a crawl. Run across one of the classic corkscrew loops and you'll find yourself suddenly moving slower, only to suddenly speed up again when you exit the loop. It's incredibly jarring. The music, which is meant to sound like classic Genesis tunes, is tinny and uncatchy, a very poor homage to the original games. I found myself getting a headache listening to it. I'm glad that I only paid $15 for part 1, because now I know not to spend any more money on further chapters. This is NOT the return to Sonic you were hoping for. I'm very disappointed.… Expand

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
81 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 13 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 13
  3. Negative: 0 out of 13
  1. Games Master UK
    Dec 25, 2010
    88
    No just a rehash, but a brilliant game in itself. Sonic reigns once more. [Issue#232, p.88]
  2. Nintendo Gamer
    Dec 25, 2010
    100
    Purer and cheaper than Sonic Colours, this is a great reboot for 2D Sonic. [Issue#56, p.74]
  3. Thunderbolt
    Dec 22, 2010
    70
    That's what Sonic 4 is all about: trying to be new while recapturing those fleeting moments of brilliance from the old Genesis titles.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »