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Name:
Tails Adventures - Japan
Tails Adventure - North America and Europe
Other Names (Nicknames): TA
(though that is a personal one of mine)
Release Dates:
November, 1995 - North America
September, 1995 - Europe
September 22, 1995 - Japan
Quality: 8-Bit, Side-Scrolling Handheld
Game System(s): Sega Game
Gear
Also released on:
(1). Nintendo GameCube - Sonic Adventure DX
(2). PC - Sonic Adventure DX
(3). Gamecube - Sonic Gems Collection
Developer(s):
Sega of Japan
Character Introductions: Ducks
with Weapons (the leader being named the Great Battle Kukku XV), a clown,
a chicken and the Remote Robot AKA [in this game, at least] the Sea
Fox (*Note* The Sea Fox was introduced before TA, but now it is a part
of the remote robot).
Region Game Takes Place On: Cocoa
Island.
Concept Introductions: Tails
Adventure is probably unlike any other Sonic game ever released. Instead
of the speed and special techniques elements of most other Sonic games
(running, jumping into enemies, spin dashing), TA instead has you using
a variety of weapons in order to take out your foes. Also, unique (I
think) to TA is a flight gauge that increases with every Chaos Emerald
added. Also, the game has an exploration element. You will find yourself
going back to areas more than once with newer weapons to obtain necessary
items.
Concept Deductions: As stated before, this is
not at all your typical Sonic game. Not only does Sonic the Hedgehog
make no appearance in this game, but the style of game is completely
different as well. Rings are lost based on enemy's strengths, there
are no extra lives nor are there shields or temporary power ups of any
kind. Unless you get the speed shoes item and equipt it, the game itself
moves by very slowly. However, nothing added or taken away remains with
the series, and this game is almost like a stand alone. It is like its
own game, but with a couple of Sonic'y ideas + Tails thrown in.
Storyline(s):
Japan -
This game
takes place before Sonic and Tails ever met.
One magnificent
day on Cocoa Island, the great inventor Tails Fox was laying outside,
just taking a nap and minding his own business when he was awoke by
a startling explosion and the heat of the Paroi Forest going up in flames.
A flicky, who happened to be quick to find out everything that was going
on, told him that the Imperial Kukku Army was taking over the island
in search of the Chaos Emeralds that resided upon it. Should they get
them, they would have enough power to take over the world.
Without
any hesitation, our young hero ran to his house and grabbed his amazing
infinite supply of bombs, and with them he went to save not only his
home and his island, but the planet itself.
US -
Although
Sonic and Tails are the best of friends, there are times when even they
needed a break not only from protecting and saving the world from the
evil clutches of Dr. Robotnik but also from themselves. For these quiet
times, Tails likes to retreat to Tails Island, a beautiful tropical
island.
While sleeping one day on a tree stump in the forest, the robot ducks,
a conquering race of ducks with a clown as a leader, began to burn down
the Poloi Forest. Seeing the devastation, Tails quickly grabs some bombs
and heads out to confront these evil mallards.
Personal Criticism/Opinion:
Now who said that all Sonic games had to be fast paced? Where did that
idea even COME from? Okay, okay, so maybe the speed factor is really
what Sonic games are all about, but Tails Adventure is different (and
in a good way I think). Instead of relying on the high speed action
to draw in attention, this game has distinctive RPG-like qualities that
make it a breath of fresh air, like you're having to make sure you have
the proper inventory before heading into an area, or having to go back
to places you have already beat in order to get items.
The biggest
problem with this game is probably its slow speed. Unless you find the
speed shoes (for those of you who want to know, go back to the Poloi
Forest with the Remote Robot. They are in the second board, you gotta
drop the robot into that first big hole and go left), Tails is not going
to be doing anything much faster than walking. That makes playing this
game through on a one-shot very time consuming (although possible if
you are willing to do nothing all day besides play this game). However,
Sega contemplated this drawback and allows you to go back to Tails'
House and view a code that will allow you to restart your game from
where you were up to. Plus, it has all those Sea Fox zones, which are
way better, in my opinion than the Sonic underwater zones.
Let's see some GAMER'S PERSPECTIVE:
Replay value? Not so good. The game is too slow a game to have
the same kind of replay value as a normal good Sonic game. I can play
it a lot, but that is because I love it. I can see this definately being
a rental.
Graphics and Layout? I am not an artist by any means. However,
the sprites seem to be on the par of all the other Sonic games for Game
Gear that have come out (save the ones that have tried to be 3D like
Sonic Blast and Sonic Labyrinth). The board designs are nice, and I
say this mainly because they encoporate going back when you get more
weapons to find more things. The backgrounds don't have the distance
of other Sonic games, so it lacks that 3D effect, but they are made
in the same style as the sprites so everything fits quite nicely.
Music & Sound Effects? The music in Tails Adventure can
be pretty weird or pretty fast paced. Overall, the music fits the board
you are playing in, unless of course you have found the Radio. Then
the music can be as good as your favorite song in the game.
Storyline? Again, the storyline isn't the most incredible thing
we could have ever seen. It is a basic Sonic storyline, which has a
premise and the boards follow through. It's refreshing to see a game
without Sonic or Dr. Robotnik, however, and some points in the story
can actually be quite amusing. (Oh, come on. A chicken? A CHICKEN?!
You know that is funny.)
OVERALL RATING? I rate Tails Adventure an 8.5/10
