Changes from the Master System Version

This is a sub-page of Sonic Chaos (Game Gear).

Sonic Chaos was the last Sonic game to be developed simultaneously for the Master System and Game Gear, yet despite this has a surprising amount of changes between versions.

General Differences#

MS SONIC¥CHAOS  
  < Ver1.20 > 
1993/08/03 @SEGA
/Aspect Co.,Ltd 

GG SONIC CHAOS  
  < Ver1.00 >   
1993/09/01 @SEGA
/Aspect Co.,Ltd 

According to the header information, the Game Gear version was completed a month after the Master System release.

Gameplay Differences#

All the bosses take different amounts of hits to kill depending on the version.

• Dangerous Balltower shoots a harmful ball upon his death in the Master System version; in addition, he is four balls high at max on the Master System, while the Game Gear version has him grow to a maximum of three to compensate for the smaller screen.

Master System	Game Gear

• Kamado MAX's arena is different in the Game Gear version; instead of a small pit with some spikes, he instead is placed on the same ground as Sonic, making it slightly easier.

Zone Differences#

• The second loop in Turquoise Hill 2 is higher up in the Game Gear version.
• Acts 3 of Turquoise Hill and Gigalopolis lack any rings in the international Game Gear version.
• Act 3 of Sleeping Egg Zone in the international Game Gear version only has a single ring monitor, while the Japanese Game Gear version uses the Master System layout with said ring monitor added.
• The Game Gear version of Mecha Green Hill 3 has a completely different layout compared to the Master System version; the Japanese Game Gear version also adds additional rings.
• The layout for Aqua Planet 3 was altered slightly in the Game Gear version, removing the small breakable block section; like with the other Act 3s, rings are added in the Japanese Game Gear version.
• The Game Gear version of Electric Egg 3 alters the hidden monitor area, requiring the player to hold down in the pipe to enter it, and reducing the ring monitor count from 4 to 1.
• Ring formations in the first Special Stage are larger in the Master System version; other than that, the Special Stage layouts are identical between either version.

Graphical Differences#

Title Screen#

Master System	International Game Gear

The title screen was updated for the Game Gear version, adding a checkerboard background, altering the artwork of Sonic and Tails to use their Japanese designs and making the ring smaller, as well as adding "™ &" to the international copyright.

Player Select Screen#

Master System	International Game Gear

The player select screen was near completely overhauled for the Game Gear version, getting rid of the unique text fonts but also giving Sonic/Tails dedicated portraits, while the Master System version simply has them in their running animations. The checkerboard background was changed to replace the magenta color with black, and the ring is smaller in the Game Gear version.

Level Differences#

• Turquoise Hill Zone's ground has a more vibrant orange color in the Game Gear version.
• The background color for Mecha Green Hill Zone is green in the Master System version, and a light tan in the Game Gear version.

Bad Ending#

The bad ending was revised for the Game Gear version. In the Master System release, Sonic rolls after Eggman before slowing to a stop when he flies away. In the Game Gear version, he instead starts in his walking animation and attempts to speed up, only to trip and give up. Like with other instances, for the "Try Again" screen, the Master System uses the generic "large font" while the Game Gear version uses the results font.

• Miles Prower's name is incorrectly listed as "Miles Power" in the Master System version; the Game Gear version correctly lists him as "Miles Prower".
• As are the score cards, although the lack of space means "Continue" is reduced to "Conti'" and multiplier info is cut in the Game Gear version. Collected Chaos Emeralds are displayed on all score cards in the Master System version, whereas the Game Gear version relegates them to Special Stage score cards. The maximum number of Continues the game can display is also halved from eight to four.
• The continue and game overs screen has an exclamation point in the Game Gear version; the stars beside the timer were also removed.

Audio Differences#

Aside from the usual upgrade to Stereo audio, the Game Gear version has a few music changes:

• Character Select: Has a pitch shift down in the second part of the melody in the Game Gear version, as well as a faster tempo and the backing being given a more unique timing. The Master System version is identical in melody to part of "Lift" by 808 State, which is most likely why this was changed.
• Turquoise Hill: The introduction is given a more unique structure in the Game Gear version.
• Gigalopolis: Completely different between the Master System and Game Gear versions; the Master System version has some melody similarities to the demo track "Oh Yes!1" from the KORG M1 synthesizer, suggesting it was used to compose the tracks for Chaos. The Game Gear version, on the other hand, uses a unique melody; interestingly, the Master System song is still in the Game Gear version in the sound test under 083H, albeit in a different key.
• Sleeping Egg: The section between the intro and loop is different; the Master System version simply lowers the pitch down, while the Game Gear has an arpeggio-like effect; the same change is added for the bridge section.
• Aqua Planet: The Master System version has much less staccato compared to the Game Gear version.

The Game Gear version also adds several new tracks:

• The introduction uses the Electric Egg Zone 3 theme in the Master System version, while the Game Gear version has a unique piece.
• All Special Stages use the same music track in the Master System version; the Game Gear version adds a secondary theme for outdoors Special Stages (i.e. ones not taking place in the crystal areas).
• The Master System version has a unique jingle on the Chaos Emerald collection screen, which is oddly absent in the Game Gear version despite still existing in the sound test as 086H.
• The Game Gear version has a unique theme for the speed shoes powerup, whereas the Master System plays nothing.
• The Game Gear version fixed a bug where getting invincibility in Aqua Planet Zone 3 (the only time it appears during a boss act in the entire game) and entering the boss would, upon the invincibility running out, play the Aqua Planet theme instead of the boss theme.