Properly using a time gate adds some much-needed tension to Sonic's traditional gameplay. If you can't maintain your top speed, you'll lose that gate's power.

Even with Sonic the Hedgehog’s return to form in this year’s above-average Sonic Generations, we’ve still been yearning for the “perfect 2D Sonic game” on Xbox 360. Luckily for us, Sonic CD already exists, and it’s only $5 on Live Arcade.

Thankfully, this port is a great package. Unlike the Sonic Genesis games that Sega’s re-released on XBLA over the years, Sonic CD has been refitted to display in 16:9 and it trades the old save-anywhere system for saving at the end of stages, which is less exploitable and less often leaves you in precarious situations. More important, the game comes with a variety of presentation options that should please Sonic fans of any stripe. You can set the sprite-based visuals to smoothed, sharpened, or original, while choosing either the experimental Japanese soundtrack or the traditional U.S. take, both of which were bolstered by the Sega CD’s enhanced capabilities. With up to four different songs in each of the game’s seven “zones,” you’re getting one of the deepest soundtracks on XBLA.

The "Super Peel Out" move debuted in Sonic CD. It gives Sonic a little bit more speed than a Spin Dash, but it leaves him more vulnerable to attacks.

Sonic CD’s major improvements extend far past the enhanced visuals and soundtracks, though, thanks to the time travel–based gameplay. While you could complete the Genesis-era Sonic games by running straight from left to right (avoiding a few obstacles along the way), Sonic CD encourages exploration. What might normally be a 90-second stage could become a 10-minute adventure: after finding the properly-directing time post and a stretch of land long enough to hit the right time-shifting speed, you can thoroughly explore the past, present, or future to find hidden areas and items. (The ability to see a dystopian future turn peaceful due to your actions in the past is a fun twist for time-travel fans.) Moreover, the secret worlds hiding the game’s Time Stones (Sonic CD’s equivalent of the Chaos Emeralds) are more enjoyable and easier to comprehend than in previous games, and minus a dud or two, the boss battles are unforgettable. Really, every part of the Sonic the Hedgehog series is at its best in Sonic CD.

Given the sizeable enhancements to this version of Sonic CD, it’s surprising that Sega is selling it for a mere $5. Make no mistake: no corners have been cut, and the developers have put in more than enough extra content (in the form of audio and video options) to properly pay tribute to Sonic’s finest spin.

PUBLISHER: Sega  •  DEVELOPER: Sega  •  ESRB: Everyone  •  MULTIPLAYER: None  •  ACHIEVEMENTS: All are doable  •  COST: 400 Microsoft Points ($5)

On Xbox Live Arcade

+ Perfects the classic 2D-style Sonic, with gameplay and stages that encourage exploration.

+ A multitude of visual and sound options let you fine-tune the game to fit your personal nostalgia (or lack thereof).

– A way to restart stages would have been much-appreciated.

? Why did Sega never revisit this type of gameplay?

9.0