Editing Sonic the Hedgehog (1991) (section)

==Gameplay==
[[File:The beginning.png|thumb|225px|[[Sonic the Hedgehog|Sonic]] in [[Green Hill Zone (Sonic the Hedgehog)|Green Hill Zone]], the first [[Zone]] in the game.]]
''Sonic the Hedgehog'' is a 2D side-scrolling platform video game. The only playable character here is [[Sonic the Hedgehog]]. The main goal of the game is to get through a series of Acts for different [[Zone]]s in less than ten minutes. When passing through each Act, the player will be contending with different types of enemies called "[[Badnik]]s" and various terrains that have different gimmicks and obstacles along them. The level designs all vary, each with different types of gimmicks and layouts that may differ between Zones. Along the way, the player can earn [[point]]s by collecting items and defeating Badniks. In order to conclude the first two Acts of a Zone, the player has to pass a [[Goal Plate]] at the end of said Acts. To complete the third and final Act of most Zones on the other hand, the player typically has to open a [[Capsule]] at the end of the Act, after a boss fight. Also upon completing an Act, the player's overall score will be tallied, with bonus points being granted based on their performance,  these being the number of Rings held after passing the Goal Plate and how fast the player finishes the Act.

Sonic's most basic ability is running, which can reach impressive speeds when momentum is build up, allowing him to run through [[loop]]s or up ramps and launch himself high up into the air. For offensive maneuvers, Sonic has a full body rolling maneuver called [[Spin Attack|Super Sonic Spin Attack]] and a spinning jump called the [[Spin Jump|Super Sonic Spin Jump]]. These techniques allow him to destroy breakable objects and enemies.

In ''Sonic the Hedgehog'', the gameplay operates on a [[life]] system, while Sonic takes damage when touching a Badnik or hazard or getting attacked by a boss or Badnik. Throughout the Acts however, [[Ring]]s lie scattered about, which Sonic can pick up by simply touching them. Rings give an [[1-Up|extra life]] after collecting 100 or 200 of them, grant [[point]]s and protect the player from taking damage. If Sonic takes damage, he will drop all of his Rings, though some can be recollected before they disappear. Taking damage without any Rings will cost the player a [[life]]. Sonic will also lose a life, regardless of the Rings he holds, if he spends too long underwater without [[Air bubble|replenishing]] his air supply (air underwater lasts for thirty seconds), falls into a [[bottomless pit]], gets smashed to the ground by a [[crusher]], [[drowning]] or [[Time Over|runs out of time]]. [[Star Post]]s act as checkpoints, and the player will respawn in the last one they touched after losing a life, or from the beginning of the Act if they have not passed any Star Post. If a player loses their last life, [[Game Over|the game will end]], but they can keep playing as long as they have obtained [[Continue|Continues]]. Also scattered throughout each Act are [[Item Box]]es which contain various power-ups beneficial to Sonic's performance.

If the player has at least fifty Rings on hand at the end of the first or second Act of a Zone, they will be able to enter one of six [[Special Stage (Sonic the Hedgehog)|Special Stages]] through a [[Giant Ring]] that appears above the Goal Plate. Once the player has cleared all six Special Stages, the Giant Rings will no longer appear. If Sonic does not jump in before the Goal Plate stops spinning, he will automatically run off of the screen, preventing the player from entering the Special Stage. At the end of each Act, the player can also jump through the air during the score tallying to find invisible [[Secret Bonus]]es that are added to the score.

Beside the game's main goal, the player can also collect the [[Chaos Emerald]]s, which are earned by completing the different Special Stages. Collecting all six Emeralds and completing the [[Final Zone]] will unlock the game's good cinematic ending.

===Scoring system===
{{main|Point#Sonic the Hedgehog (1991)}}

===Controls===
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
!Button formation
![[File:S1-Sonic-Life.png]]&nbsp;Movement
|-
|{{Directional Pad}} left/right
|Walk/Run
|-
|{{Directional Pad}} up
|Look up
|-
|{{Directional Pad}} down
|Look down/[[Crouch]]
|-
|{{A Button (Sega Genesis)}}/{{B Button (Sega Genesis)}}/{{C Button (Sega Genesis)}}
|[[Spin Jump|Super Sonic Spin Jump]]
|-
|{{Directional Pad}} left/right + {{Directional Pad}} down
|[[Spin Attack|Super Sonic Spin Attack]]
|-
|'''START'''
|Pause
|}

===Objects===
====Items====
*[[Air bubble]] {{1st}}
*[[Chaos Emerald]] {{1st}}
*[[Giant Ring]] {{1st}}
*[[Item Box]] {{1st}}
**[[1-Up]] {{1st}}
**[[Invincible]] {{1st}}
**[[Power Sneakers (power-up)|Power Sneakers]] {{1st}}
**[[Shield]] {{1st}}
**[[Super Ring]] {{1st}}
*[[Movable box]] {{1st}}
*[[Ring]] {{1st}}

====Gimmicks and obstacles====
{{Div col |colwidth=15em |content=
*[[Bomb (obstacle)|Bomb]] {{1st}}
*[[Bumper]] {{1st}}
*[[Capsule]] {{1st}}
*[[Color Block]] {{1st}}
*[[Conveyor Belt]] {{1st}}
*[[Dropping platform]] {{1st}}
*[[Electrical emitter|Electrical shocker]] {{1st}}
*[[Elevator]] {{1st}}
*[[Fan]] {{1st}}
*[[Fireball (obstacle)|Fireball]] {{1st}}
*[[Movable box|Floating stone]] {{1st}}
*[[Flywheel]] {{1st}}
*[[Giant spear]] {{1st}}
*[[Goal (obstacle)|Goal]] {{1st}}
*[[Goal Plate]] {{1st}}
*[[Iron ball]] {{1st}}
*[[Jump Stand]] {{1st}}
*[[Reverse]] {{1st}}
*[[Saw]] {{1st}}
*[[Seesaw]] {{1st}}
*[[Spikes (obstacle)|Spikes]] {{1st}}
*[[Spring]] {{1st}}
*[[Star Post]] {{1st}}
*[[Switch]] {{1st}}
*[[Up and Down (obstacles)|Up and Down]] {{1st}}
}}