AMAZING GAME!

If you grew up playing the Sonic series you will immediately feel right at home, as this takes our favourite blue hedgehog right back to his roots with a high-speed side-scrolling platform adventure that's been given a 21st century makeover thanks to the power of the 3DS.

Each level is split into three stages: Classic, Modern and Special. Unlike the PS3 and 360 versions of the game which give you both side-scrolling and free-roaming versions of the same areas to explore, the 3DS version sticks to the retro side-scrolling gameplay we all know and love. Rest assured though, that the Modern levels do feel very different to the Classic ones, thanks to Sonic's arsenal of extra moves and some very nifty camera angles which really make this game stand out from the crowd. After these have been cleared you are given the option of a Special stage, and Megadrive fans will feel right at home with this as it's a race to collect a Chaos emerald. Completing the main stages also opens up Boss levels, with a variety of returning foes including Dr Robotnik and Metal Sonic, to name but two.

Unlike some titles on Nintendo's latest handheld console the 3D effect actually adds to this game. There is a great sense of depth and speed when the 3D is cranked up to the max. I think I've given myself a headache now though, been playing it a bit too much!

The only things I dislike about this game is that it is so short, and the cutscenes are badly done. I have only had it a day and am already 2/3 of the way through the main mode, but there are missions and side quests to unlock so replay value seems to be pretty high. And it's so much fun to play anyway. As for the cutscenes I was expecting something Dreamcast quality, with voice acting, but instead they are boring and mostly text based apart from the odd laugh or "hey". Thankfully they are skippable anyway.

Another thing to point out is that apart from one or two boss battles, and the inclusion of the iconic Green Hill Zone, this game is completely different to the PC, PS3 and 360 version of the title. A whole different set of levels have been brought to life on the 3DS, including Emerald Coast from Sonic Adventure and Mushroom Hill from Sonic and Knuckles, so if you're a big Sonic fan you might want to check out the other version of this game on one of the home consoles too.

So, well done SEGA. A great game. Now how's about a 3D port of Sonic Adventure with enhanced graphics?