One of my fondest childhood memories was waking up on Christmas day to find the latest Sega Mega Drive parked in front of our lounge room TV, amazing upbeat music blaring from the speakers, and this blue hedgehog pointing his finger at me. That was the last time a videogame ever made me cry.

16 years later, Sonic has returned to the original platformer days, and it immediately brought me back to that very special Christmas. Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 is the direct sequel to Sonic and Knuckles, and it revives the good old 16 bit side scrolling platformer that made it so special to begin with.

Episode 1 contains 4 Zones, each consisting of 4 Acts and 2 iPhone-only levels. The graphics are a perfect blend of 2D and 3D art, taking many visual cues from the original game. The acts are fast and exciting, and are not too long or too difficult. The whole game floods your body with warmth and nostalgia.

 

Presentation

 

Sonic has gone back to its roots, and what you now get is a perfect blend of updated 2D and 3D art from the original game. The levels are fast, large and exciting, and are not too long or too difficult. Colors are bright and vivid, making it the perfect companion for your iPhone. Sonic fans will be very pleased.

 

Controls

 

The same basic controls from the original Sonic are used in this game. Holding down and pressing the action button charges Sonic for a fast takeoff. Tap the action button to make Sonic jump. Double tap it and it activates Sonic’s new Homing Attack feature which automatically locks on to nearby destructible objects.

Some levels in Sonic 4 make use the iPhone’s tilt control. These are well done, and I cannot understand why this was not implemented in the other Sonic games for the iPhone. The Special Stages, which have been in numerous games in the series, are played using both tilt and touch controls.

 

Sound

 

The Sonic series is renowned for its upbeat and energetic soundtrack, and Sonic the Hedgehog 4 keeps this tradition alive. The sound quality is fantastic even through the iPhone external speakers, and remnants of the previous sound track are found throughout. It makes it an absolute pleasure to listen to the soundtrack as it is to play the game.

 

Gameplay

 

Your goal is, like the original Sonic games, to get from the start to end by collecting the most number of coins and destroying enemies in the least amount of time. Every 100 rings collected earns you a life. Collecting 50 or more rings by the end of the Act will reveal a large ring that takes you to a bonus round to collect the Chaos Emeralds. Collect all 7 Chaos Emeralds and you become Super Sonic! Sound familiar?

A criticism I have for the game is its physics. They hinder on the overall speed of the game, and takes a little away from the overall experience. For example, when Sonic rolls down a hill, he actually slows down to a stop rather than increasing speed. This is annoying, especially if you are trying to go faster! Another criticism is rolling off a jump into the air. Sonic automatically uncurls from his spinning ball and makes him vulnerable to attacks. Coming from playing the original game where you rely on Sonic to be spinning out of a jump and you realize how annoying this really is. I believe that these are the only issues with the game. Everything else to me is perfect.

 

Recommendation

Criticism aside, Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 is nearly everything that a Sonic fan could want. It brings you back to the good old days. It is definitely worth the purchase, although the price may be a little steep. Keep in mind that this release is only Episode 1, so expect some more action packed Sonic fun to follow soon enough! Sonic 4 is not only an incredible Sonic game, but a terrific game for the iPhone. Thank you Sega!

Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 is available on the App Store.

 

iPhone / iPod Touch users – how many times have you gone to search for some cool new apps, only to find you already have them?

With the growth of the App Store now surpassing 300,000 apps, I began to wonder how on earth I could only have 100 of these apps?

So I began my search, destined to find some fresh apps. Angry Birds – check. Doodle Jump – check. Fruit Ninja – check. FatBooth – check. Can you see the pattern?

The top apps chart on the App Store was the only place I knew of to find cool apps, and it concerned me I didn’t have any other way!

The list compiled below is the result of search engine probing for the best iPhone app websites to use for finding new and cool iPhone apps. Bookmark these sites to keep your iPhone fresh!

 

FreshApps

Freshapps is a voting site for iPhone apps. By voting, you add to the app’s freshness, and can leave comments based on your experience with the app.  App developers can also submit their app to the website.

Why I like this site? You can sort the apps by newest, most fresh, or most discussed, and also show free or paid apps. This really helps to find some cool free apps.

I have added quite a few more apps to my collection using this site, and I know you will too!

 

 

The App For Apps

The App For Apps is an app site which is aiming to display 2,500 apps on the main page. Apps are shown in different positions, and clicking them shows a popup box containing the app from iTunes Preview.

Why I like this site? It’s cool. You have no idea what kind of app you are clicking on other than a short description when you hover over the app. It adds a mysterious element to apps, and according to the site will create the largest app on the AppStore.

Although it is new, I feel it should be mentioned as it was the best website for downloading many apps very quickly. I would love to see more apps on the site.

 

 

Mac World

Mac World is one of many iPhone app review sites on the net, and also one of the best. They provide thorough walkthroughs on app features, and unbiased reviews on the app’s quality.

Why I like this site? iPhone app reviews are unbiased, and you get a good idea of determining if the app is of interest to you. It is a great source to base your next app purchase.

Use this site as reference for more expensive app purchases. The information Mac World provides is invaluable to you.

 

 

Free App A Day

Free App A Day is an iPhone app site that posts a usually paid app for free for one day only. App creators apply to get their app on the site, and the site managers usually handpick the ones to become free.

Why I like this site? You get a paid app for free! Who doesn’t like scoring free stuff? The site managers have also screened the apps, so they have passed some sort of internal quality test.

Bookmark this site and don’t miss out on the day’s free apps!

 

 

Free App Alert

Free App Alert is an iPhone app site that produces a list of apps that were once paid and are now free. It notifies you via Facebook and Twitter of new additions.

Why I like this site? It notifies you of any app that has become free via Facebook and Twitter, as well as a listing on the homepage. It’s a good way to get some expensive apps for free.

I have saved a fortune using this site, and you will too!

 

Have any other useful iPhone app discovery sites? Let me know!