Sonic Pocket Adventure is a fantastic title that lends itself well to repeated playing in short bursts.
So, with this in mind, what makes Sonic the Hedgehog: Pocket Adventure so special? Well, it wasn't merely a great game in its own right... It was also the first portable Sonic game to truly capture not only what the Genesis titles looked and sounded like, but also what they felt like.
More than anything, this may be due to the fact that Sonic Pocket Adventure is really just a condensed version of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 with a some of the more demanding levels removed, a slightly modified stage layout, brand new boss fights, and the music of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles. At least they had a good foundation.
The soundtrack is chock full of classics, such as Angel Island and Hydrocity from Sonic 3 and Flying Battery from Sonic & Knuckles. The sound quality is naturally miles behind what the Sega Genesis was capable of, but the tracks manage to sound great regardless. The sound effects are also well-done, chock full of classic spin, bumper, and skid noises, though the ring effect is still a little off. All in all, it's pretty good.
The developers wisely mimicked the cartoony look of the art for the brand-new Sonic Adventure while evoking a feel that was rooted firmly in the old-school style. The result is, graphically, one of the finest achievements for the system, full of vivid and colorful environments. What's more amazing is, despite all the work in the graphics department, there's no trade-off in the quality of the gameplay.
It handles like a dream, nearly identical to the Genesis counterparts it heavily draws from, and there's a legitimate sense of speed at play with minimal slowdown. 2D Sonic games have never required more than a directional pad and a button or two, a format which lends itself well to the NeoGeo Pocket Color. And while the game is responsive, it's not excessive, which allows any transition in movement to feel smooth and natural. As for the new boss fights, they're fun and creative for the most part, though there is a clunker or two to be found. If Sonic Pocket Adventure has any major weaknesses, it's that the game is too short and easy. While many will remember its parent, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, as one of the hardest games in the series, Sonic Pocket Adventure goes in the opposite direction. Most players really won't have much difficulty clearing the game and collecting all the Chaos Emeralds.
Fortunately, the replay value is extended in the form of puzzle pieces found in the game's levels. Once you've found these pieces, they can be assembled outside of the main game as a nifty extra. It's not a huge payoff, but attempting to find these pieces does add some length and challenge to the game. Sonic Pocket Adventure also includes a sound test feature and a one-on-one multiplayer mode, the latter of which I have yet to experience.
In the end, Sonic Pocket Adventure is a fantastic title that lends itself well to repeated playing in short bursts. Sadly, the NeoGeo Pocket Color didn't catch on like it should have and SNK later went out business. Even so, while I can't justify purchasing a hard-to-find system for a single game, Sonic the Hedgehog: Pocket Adventure comes highly recommended.