3.5/5 - Good
This is a review of Sonic the Hedgehog Forever as a game on it's own, not of how it remakes and improves the original.

The original Sonic the Hedgehog is a game I'll always be very mixed on. It's good at its core, but has many strange and bizzare design really holding it back.

The one thing Sonic the Hedgehog will always have going for it is it's revolutionary physics system. This game to this day handels like almost nothing else in the industry - you gain momentum running down slopes, you can roll into a ball through loop de loops, jump at inclines, to gain increased height - it all combines to create a system that is incredibly dynamic and allows for beautiful skill mastery. Playing Classic Sonic well allows you to abuse the level design in your favor to pull off amazing stunts and go super fast. Sonic levels were full of alternate paths, different ways to play, items to collect, and we're immensly replayable. And who could forget the game's highly creative locations and great catchy music!

Unfortunately, what I was just describing was Classic Sonic at it's best. A skill based, dynamic, highly replayable platforming bliss. Unfortunately, Sonic the Hedgehog is only at it's best in 1 stage - the incredible Green Hill Zone, which actually took up a very large portion of the game's development. It's unfortunate then that they didn't quite use this opportunity to learn enough and apply what makes it truly work to many of the game's other zones. Now don't get me wrong, this game has more zones I enjoy - Spring Yard Zone is a bouncy and fun physics maze, Starlight Zone is a little too simple for me but has a nice vibe, and Scrap Brain Zone is a surprisingly well crafted challenge.

But zones like Marble Zone, Labyrinth Zone especially completely misunderstand what even makes Sonic fun at all. While Marble Zone has many sections that can be skipped by playing well, it can still really drag, and Labyrinth Zone will never be anything but an obnoxious slog with its slow water and poorly designed hazards and geometry.

Now, 3/5 Zones being pretty good at least doesn't sound that bad at all - but this game has a slew of other issues. The 3 act structure can make levels drag even in some of the best zones, and those also often blindside you due to their high speed or frustrate with poor design. The bosses are alright at best (besides Starlight Zone's boss, that one was pretty cool). The special stage and Chaos Emerald system is both annoying to access and to play. And at the end of the day, I just aren't entranced by this one all too much. It's a fine experience but has plenty of issues plaguing it all throughout it's short run.

Now credit where credit is due, the 2013 Retro Engine remake and even moreso the Forever mod for it help to improve it - and make easily the best release of the game. One that helps solidify this as a game I consider good, that I do want to replay. This comes with improvements like widescreen helping with blindsides, the elemental shields which are actually often placed in annoying sections in ways that make them more tolerable, the inclusion of new characters to enhance replayability, and especially the removal of the dreaded roll jump lock and the drop dash move which can allow even the weakest of stages some degree of flow.

This way - I enjoy Sonic the Hedgehog Forever. I do revisit it. But it's core design is still hard to completely fix. I might not have replayed it as often if it were longer - but It's a fun but flawed game.

Version 1.5

This is a great update to Sonic 1 Forever.

Amy (Forever Moveset) A great addition to the original cast with some interesting and unique movement options. I look forward to seeing how these moves can be strung together to move through levels quickly.

Amy (Advancesque Moveset): I wish I could say the same for this moveset. The lack of a spin isn't what I have an issue with, it's how you attack. You have two forms of attack, a double jump that has you spin the hammer around once (which is admittedly useful for hitting enemies just above you) and a forward dash, unfortunately this makes it hard to precisely hit enemies below you (especially difficult with enemies like Catakillers).

Golf: A fun callback to the J2ME game this has you play golf on nine holes spread throughout Green Hill Act 1, 2 and 3. A fun little distraction that shouldn't take too long to beat.

Sonic 1 Forever is, by default, the best version of Sonic 1, entirely under the basis of being a spruced up take on the already fantastic mobile port. Widescreen, Tails and Knuckles, customisation options for things like the elemental shields and a seventh Chaos Emerald, all that's here and accounted for. Grab your happy ass an APK of the game that you can find in 10 seconds with a Google Search, and you're off to the races. It's still Sonic 1, so your mileage may vary on the game part of the game, but I think you'd be hard pressed to find a better way to experience the original title that made the blue hedgehog an icon.

But what really drives Sonic 1 Forever home to earn the title of "The way to play Sonic 1"? Is it the spiffy new UI that features remixes of 8-Bit Sonic 1's OST? How about even more customisation options to spice up my 2500th playthrough? Mod support? Playable Amy?

Nah, it's just cause there's a mode that lets you play golf. Like, straight up fucking golf in Sonic 1. How is any other Sonic 1 release even supposed to compete?

This is absolutely one of the best ways to play Sonic 1 alongside the original Genesis version on a CRT. The additional options and characters are great for revisiting the game in a different flavor, and it combines that with the Retro Engine improvements like widescreen and higher quality music. The built in mod support is nice, and the goodies like boss rush and the golf mode are great as well. I would have liked for physics tweaks in this as well to bring the game feel in line with Sonic 2, though I know that's kinda a big ask from a project like this.

"You're just depressed because you play Sonic the Hedgehog without any QoL improvements"

Cool now I'm suffering through Labyrinth Zone with a Bubble Shield in widescreen 👌

Great as a decompilation that lets me play in widescreen but the litany of options and tweaks are the real source of interest for indecisive Sonic nerds like myself. Sonic Frontiers took its own approach to the Goldilocks dilemma with its bevy of customisation options, but the confined space of 2D Sonic simply isn't conducive to heaping on tons of alterations. The Drop Dash feels great in Green Hill Zone's wide fields, but it offers nothing beyond that. Same with the Spin Dash. And the Super Peel Out. The Elemental Shields make segments of Marble Zone and Labyrinth Zone more tolerable, but they feel tacked on.

As with every Sonic game, the systems in place in the original are intentional, with the levels designed around those constraints. Messing with the formula is fun for a moment, but it is hardly an improvement. It is interesting to see how quickly the game falls apart with the verticality afforded by Tails, Knuckles, and Amy, but if I'm blowing past the stages and their obstacles is that really an improvement, or am I just admitting I don't really like the core experience to begin with?

It's all clearly done with love but I'd rather keep things vanilla.