Tails' Skypatrol is a 1995 video game for the Game Gear, officially released on April 28th, 1995. It is a prequel to the other Sonic games, following the adventures of Miles "Tails" Prower.
Plot[]
Tails deciding to go on an adventure and visit somewhere new, decides to go off without Sonic for a little while. Whilst flying over a nearby solitary island, he notices a large large steel railroad. Concerned that Dr. Eggman could be building another base and enslaving the island's animals, he decides to investigate.
When Tails arrives, he senses vibrations from the railroad as something approaches. He jumps into the bushes to hide. A witch riding in the cart, appropriately named Witchcart, cackles to herself that she has taken over the island, and anyone that opposes her will be transformed into crystals. She commands her henchmen Bearanger, Hocke-Wulf and Carrotia to round up the animals who are resisting her as they take off in their flying machines and she speeds off in her cart.
Tails, determined to rescue the island's populace, takes to the skies and prepares to liberate the island from Witchcart and her cronies.
Gameplay[]
The gameplay is that of an autoscroller. Unlike in other games featuring Tails, he constantly flies without fatigue.
In the top corner there is a flight meter. When this meter empties Tails will fall to the ground and lose a life. The meter can be replenished by picking up Mint Candies.
Touching the ground or colliding with walls will cause Tails to die. Being hit by enemies will cause Tails to start plummeting towards the ground. If knocked out the air, players can regain control by proactively pressing buttons before touching the ground.
Tails attacks using a ring known as a "boomering" that constantly rotates around him as he flies. This ring can be shot directionally to combat enemies, block projectiles, to activate levers or to be used to spin on poles. As it spins around Tails, when the button presses it will launch in the direction it's in when the button is pressed. It also can be used to latch on to balloons that will allow Tails to rapidly rise in altitude, or heavy weights that can be used to let him rapidly descend. In boss battles Tails can also up the bosses with the boomering and throw them into walls.
Tails' ring is also what grabs hold of items, meaning the ring, not Tails, must touch the item in order to pick it up or interact with it, as the items will simply phase through Tails' body. However, Tails' body is will be whether Tails takes damage or not.
Players can cause the ring to spin around Tails' body which will allow him to avoid accidentally grabbing onto unwanted items or interactable obstacles. This does not block projectiles, nor protect Tails from damage however.
Characters[]
- Miles "Tails" Prower
- Witchcart (Debut)
- Bearanger (Debut)
- Hocke-Wulf (Debut)
- Carrotia (Debut)
Trivia[]
- Tails' Skypatrol went through several different iterations through development, originally not even being intended to be a Sonic game. It was instead intended to be a launch title for an unreleased Game Boy alternative, featuring a different character in the lead role.
- Interestingly, this game also has connections with Disney properties, as the April 1995 Sega Video Magazine edition[1] shows Tails combating Pete, perhaps hinting the game was once intended as a Mickey Mouse outing. Pete was replaced by the similar looking Bearanger in the final release.
- The replenishment item, Mint Candies, are Tails' favourite food.
- Witchcart, Bearanger, Hocke-Wulf and Carrotia returned for the first time since this game in Tails' 30th anniversary comic where they come to Flicky island. The events of this game are explained by Tails to explain who they are.
- This game was a Japanese exclusive, but was released with Sonic Adventure DX: Director's Cut in the west, allowing western players their first chance to play the title through legal means.
- Whilst not appearing in the game, both Sonic and Dr. Eggman are mentioned in the manual.
Gallery[]
References[]
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