Sonic CD is the best 2D Sonic ever made. Travel to the past and future to change zones' fate. The legendary CD soundtrack, intro-outro animations, Metal Sonic. A video game monument.
Your verdict
Category
Platformer1 player3+
Description
Sonic time-travels between past and future to free Little Planet and defeat Metal Sonic and Dr. Eggman. Published by Sega, released in Europe in January 1993. Platformer with time travel to past, present and future, CD cutscenes, Metal Sonic and memorable music. Multilingual version.
Sonic CD review
MAX
Art direction
★★★★★
"Iconic"
MAX
Music
★★★★★
"Legendary"
2/5
Story
★★★★★
"Classic"
Dazzling colours, zones whose hues are radically transformed by time travel and animated cutscenes: the game unfurls a Sonic of overflowing graphic vitality. The richness of the settings and the brilliance of the palettes overflow with charm. This visual direction, lively and polished, stands as a visual peak of the series in 2D.
Taking advantage of the CD, the music of Naofumi Hataya and Masafumi Ogata unfurls a sparkling, funky pop, declined in past, present and future versions for each zone. From the famous "Sonic Boom" to the airiest themes, each track sparkles with an irresistible freshness. This sonic generosity remains one of the most beloved of the whole saga.
Gameplay
"Masterful"
Switching between past, present and future while blasting along at top speed adds a fresh exploratory dimension to the hedgehog's frantic run. Destroying the machines of the past to heal the future rewards curiosity as much as reflexes. More winding than the Mega Drive episodes, this entry keeps a momentum, labyrinthine levels and a charm that have lost nothing.
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
Tearing through levels that travel in time, flipping from a verdant past to a ravaged future depending on your actions: this bold mechanic transcends the hedgehog's formula. The exhilarating speed, the sumptuous backdrops and a cult CD soundtrack create instant magic. Rich, inventive and brimming with charm, arguably the most beautiful Sonic of its era.
Original American Sega longbox pressing from November 1993, whose Western score by Spencer Nilsen and the You Can Do Anything theme later renamed Sonic Boom form an integral part of the Western port's identity. The US longbox includes the time-zones map annotated with alternate Robotnik notes, now an iconic reference document for English-speaking Sonic CD fans.
Memorable bosses
Each zone ends on an Eggman machine full of unexpected ideas, from shifting floors to timed traps, far from a simple trade of blows. Yet it's the chase against Metal Sonic, in the din of Stardust Speedway, that stays burned in memory: a breathless duel of speed more than a classic fight. Inventiveness and tension make these face-offs a high point for the blue hedgehog.
A cult cover
Hurtling toward us in a pose full of momentum, Sonic stands out against a luminous sky where the mysterious Little Planet floats. On the Japanese and European releases, the colorful, bounding artwork breathes the speed and pop optimism of the series. This bright, forthright energy makes it one of the hedgehog's most joyfully recognizable images.
Is Sonic CD still worth playing in 2026?
An exclusive blue hedgehog adventure on Mega CD, Sonic CD offers an unprecedented time travel system that lets Sonic visit past, present and future of each zone. The psychedelic art direction, the animated cutscenes and the cult soundtrack (two JP and US versions exist) make this title one of the most singular 2D Sonic games ever conceived. For fans of the hedgehog or lovers of atypical platformers, an absolutely essential recommendation today still without any hesitation to discover this classic truly indeed.
