Critical Bug Found in Sonic the Hedgehog

By
Tristan Oliver
– June 23, 1991
Late Word of a Spiky Situation The launch window for Sonic the Hedgehog on the Genesis is not even a day old, but already we’ve heard many readers buzzing on...

Late Word of a Spiky Situation

The launch window for Sonic the Hedgehog on the Genesis is not even a day old, but already we’ve heard many readers buzzing on our BBS of a serious glitch that a few have called game-breaking.

It’s been dubbed the “spike bug,” and it happens when Sonic touches a series of the traps in succession.  Touching the spikes once has the same effect as taking damage from the game’s normal enemies; Sonic will lose his rings and be down to zero.  But Sonic needs one ring to live, and if Sonic falls right into another pile of spikes after taking damage, it’s one life lost.

The problem is, that’s not supposed to happen.  Sonic blinks after taking damage, inferring a temporary period of invincibility.  From what we’ve learned, that holds true in nearly every circumstance except this one.  No one knows how or why Sega could overlook such a glaring error.

From our exclusive video technology, we can show you how this is even a problem in the game’s first stage.  Watch below.  It’s supposed to be the easiest of the bunch, so we can’t imagine what could happen if players come across more rows of spikes as they progress.

We have attempted to reach Sega for comment over the telephone on this matter.  They have not returned our calls.  We can’t speak intelligently on the prospects of a recall for that reason.  So we ask you: Is this enough for you to reconsider purchasing the game?  Tell us below in the comments.