<s>
Sonic	B-Application
Blast	I-Application
is	O
a	O
1996	O
side-scrolling	O
platform	O
video	O
game	O
known	O
for	O
its	O
use	O
of	O
pre-rendered	O
visuals	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
To	O
stop	O
Doctor	O
Robotnik	O
from	O
using	O
Chaos	O
Emerald	O
shards	O
to	O
fortify	O
his	O
base	O
,	O
the	O
player	O
controls	O
Sonic	B-Application
the	I-Application
Hedgehog	I-Application
and	B-Application
Knuckles	I-Application
the	O
Echidna	O
through	O
15	O
levels	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
a	O
Sonic	B-Application
the	I-Application
Hedgehog	I-Application
series	I-Application
platformer	O
,	O
the	O
characters	O
run	O
and	O
jump	O
to	O
reach	O
the	O
end	O
of	O
a	O
level	O
while	O
defeating	O
enemy	O
robots	B-Algorithm
and	O
collecting	O
rings	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
the	O
final	O
Sonic	B-Application
the	I-Application
Hedgehog	I-Application
game	O
for	O
the	O
system	O
,	O
and	O
has	O
been	O
rereleased	O
on	O
the	O
Master	O
System	O
(	O
1997	O
)	O
,	O
through	O
two	O
Sonic-themed	O
compilations	O
(	O
2003	O
and	O
2004	O
)	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Operating_System
3DS	I-Operating_System
's	O
Virtual	B-Application
Console	I-Application
(	O
2012	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Despite	O
their	O
similar	O
titles	O
and	O
coinciding	O
releases	O
,	O
Sonic	B-Application
Blast	I-Application
and	O
Sonic	B-Application
3D	I-Application
Blast	I-Application
have	O
little	O
in	O
common	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Retrospective	O
reviewers	O
generally	O
had	O
little	O
praise	O
for	O
Sonic	B-Application
Blast	I-Application
and	O
have	O
deemed	O
it	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
series	O
 '	O
worst	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sonic	B-Application
Blast	I-Application
is	O
a	O
2D	O
side-scrolling	O
platform	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
One	O
of	O
the	O
shards	O
hits	O
Sonic	B-Application
the	I-Application
Hedgehog	I-Application
,	O
who	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
help	O
of	O
Knuckles	O
the	O
Echidna	O
,	O
sets	O
out	O
to	O
prevent	O
Robotnik	O
from	O
collecting	O
the	O
other	O
shards	O
and	O
fortifying	O
his	O
island	O
base	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sonic	B-Application
and	I-Application
Knuckles	I-Application
serve	O
as	O
the	O
player-characters	O
of	O
the	O
single-player	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sonic	B-Application
,	O
in	O
addition	O
to	O
his	O
spinning	O
attacks	O
from	O
prior	O
Sonic	B-Application
games	O
,	O
has	O
a	O
special	O
double-jump	O
that	O
gives	O
him	O
a	O
secondary	O
jump	O
in	O
midair	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Knuckles	O
retains	O
his	O
abilities	O
from	O
Sonic	B-Application
&	I-Application
Knuckles	I-Application
:	O
like	O
Sonic	B-Application
,	O
he	O
can	O
perform	O
spin	O
attacks	O
,	O
but	O
can	O
also	O
glide	O
through	O
the	O
air	O
and	O
climb	O
up	O
walls	O
when	O
he	O
hits	O
them	O
in	O
midair	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Every	O
third	O
act	O
contains	O
a	O
boss	O
fight	O
against	O
Robotnik	O
and	O
one	O
of	O
his	O
larger	O
robots	B-Algorithm
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
Sonic	B-Application
series	I-Application
tradition	O
,	O
Sonic	B-Application
and	I-Application
Knuckles	I-Application
collect	O
rings	O
as	O
a	O
form	O
of	O
health	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Rings	O
serve	O
as	O
protection	O
for	O
the	O
animals	O
,	O
defending	O
them	O
from	O
the	O
attacks	O
of	O
robot	B-Algorithm
enemies	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Losing	O
all	O
lives	O
results	O
in	O
a	O
game	B-Application
over	I-Application
,	O
after	O
which	O
the	O
player	O
is	O
returned	O
to	O
the	O
title	O
screen	O
and	O
must	O
restart	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Power-ups	O
hidden	O
in	O
television	O
monitors	O
provide	O
Sonic	B-Application
and	I-Application
Knuckles	I-Application
numerous	O
boons	O
,	O
including	O
more	O
rings	O
,	O
a	O
burst	O
of	O
speed	O
,	O
shields	O
,	O
invincibility	O
,	O
extra	O
lives	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
save	O
progress	O
in	O
a	O
level	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Similar	O
in	O
fashion	O
to	O
Sonic	B-Application
the	I-Application
Hedgehog	I-Application
3	I-Application
,	O
giant	O
rings	O
leading	O
to	O
special	O
stages	O
are	O
hidden	O
around	O
levels	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
special	O
stages	O
follow	O
the	O
same	O
basic	O
format	O
of	O
those	O
in	O
Sonic	B-Application
the	I-Application
Hedgehog	I-Application
2	I-Application
:	O
the	O
player-character	O
runs	O
forward	O
and	O
must	O
collect	O
rings	O
to	O
meet	O
a	O
required	O
amount	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sonic	B-Application
Blast	I-Application
was	O
the	O
fifth	O
and	O
final	O
Sonic	B-Application
the	I-Application
Hedgehog	I-Application
platformer	O
released	O
for	O
the	O
Game	O
Gear	O
,	O
and	O
was	O
developed	O
alongside	O
Sonic	B-Application
Labyrinth	I-Application
and	O
Sonic	B-Application
3D	I-Application
Blast	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Like	O
the	O
previous	O
Game	O
Gear	O
titles	O
,	O
Sonic	B-Application
Blast	I-Application
was	O
developed	O
by	O
Aspect	O
Co	O
.	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Sega	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Key	O
staff	O
from	O
Aspect	O
's	O
prior	O
Sonic	B-Application
games	O
did	O
not	O
work	O
on	O
Sonic	B-Application
Blast	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
prominent	O
feature	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
is	O
its	O
pre-rendered	O
visuals	O
,	O
which	O
had	O
been	O
popularized	O
by	O
Donkey	B-Application
Kong	I-Application
Country	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
graphics	O
were	O
rendered	O
in	O
3D	O
before	O
being	O
converted	O
into	O
sprites	O
;	O
the	O
final	O
result	O
has	O
been	O
compared	O
to	O
that	O
of	O
Donkey	B-Application
Kong	I-Application
Country	I-Application
and	O
Mortal	B-Application
Kombat	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
the	O
visuals	O
presented	O
some	O
limitations	O
:	O
Sonic	B-Application
and	I-Application
Knuckles	I-Application
have	O
few	O
animation	O
frames	O
,	O
there	O
is	O
no	O
timer	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
player	O
only	O
loses	O
ten	O
rings	O
when	O
hit	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Several	O
gameplay	O
elements	O
were	O
reused	O
from	O
Sonic	B-Application
the	I-Application
Hedgehog	I-Application
3	I-Application
and	O
Sonic	B-Application
&	I-Application
Knuckles	I-Application
,	O
such	O
as	O
Sonic	B-Application
's	O
double-jump	O
and	O
the	O
playable	O
characters	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sonic	B-Application
Blast	I-Application
was	O
released	O
worldwide	O
in	O
November	O
1996	O
,	O
and	O
in	O
Japan	O
as	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
Kid	O
's	O
Gear	O
brand	O
on	O
December	O
13	O
,	O
1996	O
,	O
retitled	O
G	B-Application
Sonic	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Though	O
they	O
have	O
similar	O
titles	O
and	O
were	O
released	O
around	O
the	O
same	O
time	O
,	O
Sonic	B-Application
Blast	I-Application
and	O
Sonic	B-Application
3D	I-Application
Blast	I-Application
have	O
little	O
in	O
common	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
is	O
fairly	O
common	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
,	O
but	O
G	B-Application
Sonic	I-Application
is	O
extremely	O
rare	O
,	O
costing	O
almost	O
350	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Like	O
G	B-Application
Sonic	I-Application
,	O
the	O
Master	O
System	O
version	O
of	O
Sonic	B-Application
Blast	I-Application
is	O
rare	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sonic	B-Application
Blast	I-Application
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
the	O
other	O
11	O
Game	O
Gear	O
Sonic	B-Application
games	O
,	O
is	O
an	O
unlockable	O
bonus	O
in	O
the	O
2003	O
GameCube	B-Application
game	O
Sonic	B-Application
Adventure	I-Application
DX	I-Application
:	I-Application
Director	I-Application
's	I-Application
Cut	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
is	O
also	O
available	O
in	O
the	O
compilation	O
Sonic	B-Device
Mega	I-Device
Collection	I-Device
Plus	I-Device
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
and	O
Xbox	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sonic	B-Application
Blast	I-Application
received	O
a	O
wide	O
release	O
in	O
2012	O
on	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Operating_System
3DS	I-Operating_System
's	O
Virtual	B-Application
Console	I-Application
service	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
New	O
features	O
in	O
the	O
3DS	B-Operating_System
rerelease	O
include	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
save	O
player	O
progress	O
and	O
choose	O
between	O
the	O
3DS	B-Operating_System
's	O
normal	O
screen	O
resolution	O
or	O
the	O
Game	O
Gear	O
's	O
original	O
resolution	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
release	O
came	O
as	O
part	O
of	O
a	O
campaign	O
by	O
Nintendo	O
to	O
release	O
8-bit	O
games	O
on	O
the	O
3DS	B-Application
eShop	I-Application
following	O
a	O
drought	O
of	O
releases	O
on	O
the	O
distribution	O
service	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Retrospective	O
reviewers	O
did	O
not	O
remember	O
Sonic	B-Application
Blast	I-Application
fondly	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nintendo	O
World	O
Report	O
(	O
NWR	O
)	O
summarized	O
the	O
game	O
as	O
"	O
a	O
step	O
back	O
"	O
from	O
the	O
other	O
Game	O
Gear	O
Sonic	B-Application
titles	O
,	O
due	O
to	O
what	O
they	O
called	O
"	O
the	O
attempt	O
at	O
aping	O
Donkey	O
Kong	O
Countrys	O
pre-rendered	O
sprites	O
on	O
a	O
handheld	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Digitally	O
Downloaded	O
called	O
the	O
visuals	O
more	O
distracting	O
than	O
impressive	O
—	O
hampering	O
the	O
fluidity	O
of	O
the	O
gameplay	O
and	O
preventing	O
the	O
use	O
of	O
integral	O
series	O
elements	O
—	O
while	O
Nintendo	O
Life	O
thought	O
the	O
game	O
aged	O
badly	O
when	O
compared	O
to	O
the	O
other	O
Sonic	B-Application
Game	O
Gear	O
games	O
with	O
its	O
"	O
muddy	O
colours	O
and	O
shaky	O
animation	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Pocket	O
Gamer	O
noted	O
that	O
prior	O
to	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
release	O
,	O
"	O
the	O
capabilities	O
of	O
[	O
the	O
Game	O
Gear ]	O
had	O
seemingly	O
been	O
fully	O
explored	O
"	O
,	O
writing	O
while	O
they	O
offered	O
some	O
compromises	O
,	O
the	O
visuals	O
made	O
Sonic	B-Application
Blast	I-Application
stand	O
out	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nintendo	O
Life	O
held	O
considerable	O
grievances	O
against	O
the	O
inconsistent	O
and	O
random	O
level	O
designs	O
,	O
while	O
Jeuxvideo.com	O
lamented	O
the	O
game	O
lacked	O
the	O
speed	O
previous	O
Sonic	B-Application
games	O
offered	O
,	O
and	O
said	O
the	O
playable	O
characters	O
 '	O
abilities	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
losing	O
only	O
ten	O
rings	O
when	O
hit	O
,	O
made	O
an	O
already-easy	O
game	O
easier	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Digitally	O
Downloaded	O
said	O
the	O
game	O
lacked	O
polish	O
:	O
"	O
were	O
you	O
to	O
convert	O
Sonic	B-Application
Blast	I-Application
into	O
the	O
engine	O
of	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
other	O
Game	O
Gear	O
games	O
,	O
its	O
shortcomings	O
would	O
still	O
be	O
prevalent.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
Pocket	O
Gamer	O
praised	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
take	O
on	O
the	O
traditional	O
Sonic	B-Application
formula	O
,	O
calling	O
it	O
"	O
a	O
strong	O
choice	O
for	O
anyone	O
who	O
's	O
enjoyed	O
any	O
other	O
2D	O
[	O
Sonic	B-Application
game ]	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sonic	B-Application
Blast	I-Application
has	O
been	O
called	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
worst	O
games	O
in	O
the	O
Sonic	B-Application
series	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Complex	O
declared	O
it	O
"	O
the	O
worst	O
handheld	O
Sonic	B-Application
game	O
ever	O
"	O
and	O
said	O
"	O
thank	O
God	O
they	O
did	O
n't	O
attempt	O
the	O
'	O
3D	O
 '	O
aspect	O
of	O
its	O
16-bit	O
older	O
brother	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Some	O
reviewers	O
noted	O
Sonic	B-Application
Blast	I-Application
was	O
the	O
first	O
game	O
to	O
give	O
Sonic	B-Application
the	O
standard	O
ability	O
to	O
double-jump	O
,	O
which	O
would	O
be	O
used	O
in	O
later	O
games	O
such	O
as	O
Sonic	B-Application
Colors	I-Application
(	O
2010	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
