Tails the two-tailed Fox is usually the alternate character in the Sonic The Hedgehog franchise. Tail's Sky Patrol is a spin-off and is a completely different type of game. In this game, Tails automatically flies, and you have to navigate him past obstacles and enemies to reach the end of the level. If you are hit by an enemy or certain other objects, Tails begins to fall but can recover by tapping a button. Hitting other objects like walls or floor is instant death and this takes you back to the checkpoint. Tails has an energy bar which constantly depletes and reduces by a fixed amount when hit. This can be refilled by collecting the sweets.
Tails holds a ring which can be thrown at enemies to defeat them. This also can latch onto certain objects to pick them up or use them for momentum. There's a mine-cart which can be used to traverse along the rails, a weight to drag you vertically down, or a balloon to float you upwards.
The trouble with the game is that you only have a split second to think if an item is necessary or not, so failing to pick up the weight can mean you plough into a wall. Conversely, blindly picking it up can also lead to your death.
There are only five levels in this game, so it is very short. Most levels are very difficult, especially at first. Once you get used to the mechanics and learn the levels, then it does becomes easier. If you don't play a modern version where you can save like Sonic Gems Collection, then it's gonna take a lot of patience to progress.
At the end of each stage you face a boss. The landscapes in these parts are more like tunnels so it's a case of avoiding the floor or ceiling whilst hitting the boss several times.
Graphically it looks decent enough, but doesn't have enough Sonic aesthetics to it. Even the bosses don't look like they fit in the Sonic universe, consisting of a wolf, bear, rabbit and witch.
Tails' Sky Patrol is decent enough, but is overly punishing. With a higher emphasis on reactions and content, then it could have been a real fun game. This type of game would actually work well on modern phones, since it has simple mechanics and is good to play in short bursts.