Tails and the Music Maker

Tails and the Music Maker is a game released for the Pico in 1994 in North America, and 1995 in Japan.

Plot
As the game is an edutainment title, there isn't really a plot.

The object of the game is to learn scales, tempo, rhythm and about instruments, and then match the music to the instruments. The player may also create their own music.

Gameplay
The game consists of several mini games designed to help explain rhythm to young children. Some of these mini games include:


 * Playing musical chairs with frogs on lilypads. Tails must keep hopping along trying to avoid being on the red lilypad when the music stops or else he'll fall into the water.
 * A game where Tails can run, jump, tiptoe and stop as he makes his way through Green Hill zone. The music reacts to whatever action Tails is performing at the time; it slows down when he tiptoes, stops when he does or goes faster whilst running. There are actual obstacles to avoid such as coconuts and collapsing bridges that Tails must use the above actions to avoid.
 * A musical version of Casino Zone that has similar gameplay to Sonic Spinball. Each bumper plays a different instrument. Tails must collect the musical notes as he is bounced around this level. Hitting the bell at the top will award the player a score and make them retry if all the music notes are not collected. You can fall past the flippers to prematuraly be kicked out the game.
 * A block breaking mini game that has Tails act like he's the ball in Atari's Break Out game.

Trivia

 * This is Tails' first starring title. It is followed by Tails' Sky Patrol and Tails Adventure.
 * All three titles released in Japan in 1995, although this one launched in North America a year earlier
 * This and Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine are the only Sonic titles to use the western artstyle of their titular characters.
 * Strangely whilst both Tails and Sonic both use the art style from The Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, Dr. Eggman sticks with his more traditional game design.
 * Tails' shoes are miscolored throughout this title as purple and white despite being the correct color, red and white, on the cover.