Sonic 4 is a game fully aware of its legacy, and it puts it to great use
Just like watching Bowser kidnap Peach without previous warning or specific reason yet again, or witnessing the big robbing of Donkey Kong's banana hoard one more time, seeing Dr. Eggman come back from the dead without any further explanation or cringe-inducing drama is a good sign of things to come, and it is in this fast manner that Sonic 4 kicks off. As soon as you are given control over Sonic, it is easy to notice that you are in for an amazing treat, as the scenario of the first zone – Splash Hill – is a clear throwback to both Green Hill and Emerald Hill, giving thirsty Sonic fans a nostalgic rush of adrenaline while succeeding in throwing new traps and elements into the level that make it stand out from its distant brothers of the past. This harmonic clash of old-school vibe with a few additions here and there is something that floods Sonic 4, and just like Mario's recent return to sidecrolling goodness, Sonic confidently slides on the line separating novelty from cheap reliance on victories of the past. Sonic 4 is a game fully aware of its legacy, and it puts it to great use.
In total the game has five different zones, four of which have three distinct acts and a boss battle. Some zones are blatant references to the past – like the Casino Zone; others, meanwhile, are fantastically original with the Lost Labyrinth Zone, where dark caves and waterways meet some very interesting puzzles that mix up the game's pace, serving as the finest example of the still existing level design skills present within Sonic Team. Although all of each zone's three acts share the very same background scenario, all of them have a personality of their own due to each focusing on a key gameplay element or trap, showing that instead of being quickly put together, there was some actual designing time poured into each one of the game's twelve acts. Speaking of good design, the stages also blend speedy sections with slow-paced and meticulous platforming in a very natural way. There are plenty of slopes, loops and corkscrews ready to warmly embrace the hero's speed, but there are also dangerous sections on which jumps must be nicely calculated in order to avoid doom. The game's stages feel like one big natural flow, instead of distinct pieces that have been glued together randomly.
Sonic controls in the same way he always did. He can run, jump with the 2-button or spin in place to prepare for a destructive dash by pressing down and 2 at the same time. However, he has gained one new ability: a homing attack. Whenever approaching an enemy, spring or anything that can me attacked a red aiming reticle will circle the target and by pressing the 2-button twice Sonic will automatically perform a fast attack towards it. In many ways this attack may be seen by some as an attempt to make things easier, but – truth is – it ends up adding a lot in the level creation department, since some specific sections of the game make great thrilling use of this particular move, requiring you to quickly react and use the attack to destroy a series of enemies and safely make it to a distant and apparently unreachable platform, among other situations. The controls are extremely responsive, but some players will notice that Sonic's physics have suffered some alterations that may initially bother some veteran players, but that by no means harms the overall experience of Sonic 4 as it is easy to get accustomed to them. Sonic feels a little bit heavier than usual, and his acceleration process drags for a tad too long, taking him a few extra jiffies to reach full speed.
One of the most noticeable differences between Sonic 4 and its three predecessors is the fact that players can now save their progress, therefore erasing any need to finish the game in a single playthrough while also doing away with the awfully sinister lurking possibility that you may have to replay all the levels once again if you run out of lives. It is undeniable that this commonplace feature of modern gaming makes things easier, and much less frustrating, but that does not make Sonic 4 a piece of cake. The levels themselves are hard, especially those on the last couple of zones, and certain segments can drain the lives you collected pretty quickly, but it is all in good fun, after all there will not be a considerable lost of progress if players die enough to see the Game Over screen.
The first episode of Sonic 4 can be completed within four hours, which is a good number for a game that is supposed to be one third of a full sidescrolling adventure. However, if four hours do not sound like they are enough to ease your hunger for delightful Sonic platforming, then you will be glad to know that the levels have lots of alternative paths and it is extremely fun to play them all over again just to gain an even deeper comprehension of how great the level design is here. Besides, there is also the option to play Time Trials and upload your best times to an online leaderboard, or get enough coins on the regular acts to unlock the secret bonus stages that will reward players with the famous Emeralds if they manage to reach their end. In total, there are probably over six hours of gameplay for those who are willing to squeeze everything Sonic 4 has to offer.
In the end, Sonic 4 is a fantastic game. Sega has once again been able to come up with wonderful stages, extremely catchy tunes that are bound to be printed in our memories for years to come, beautiful graphics and everything that makes Sonic games so charming and fantastic. Some people may feel it is too short, or may look down on it for being a downloadable release, but make no such mistake because even though it will come in three different pieces this game will most certainly be deserving of being called Sonic the Hedgehog 4.