Sonic Crackers: Exploring Crackers

Control Concepts

Within the levels of this prototype, there are some basic control concepts to be aware of if you've never played Knuckles Chaotix before.

The Link

This interesting glowing 'link' between Sonic and Tails is what really defines this ROM. It completely changes the way you have to think about controlling the game, and often ends up with Sonic and Tails wildly flying in unexpected directions.

For example, jumping will stretch the 'elastic' of the connection, and pull you back towards tails, sometimes flinging Tails in front of you.

Another interesting feature is this. By standing next to Tails and pressing A, B or C you can pick up and carry Tails around. When you've had enough, you can simply throw him away from you by releasing the button.

If you jump, and keep holding whichever button you used, Tails will stand still, allowing you to run and increase the tension in the link. This is a good way of building up speed.

Booting the ROM

	The SEGA screen. I personally find this unusual, it looks nothing like the SEGA screen in any other Sonic game.
	This title screen really defines the word 'prototype', it's purely functional, and features some very basic ASCII art. Also note the 1ST ROM and 19940401. From this we can assume this was the first binary that had been produced, and the data was either April (04) the 1st, or the 4th of January 1994.
	Hit Start and we see this distinctly unfinished Title card with no text. It's also unusual in that you have to press Start to get past it.
	The level itself. This level's bright purple colour is reminisant of Metallic Madness Good Future from Sonic CD. Also note that Sonic is using Sonic 1 sprites despite this being made in 1994, which is rather odd. The music is good though.
	The physics in the game are very unusual, you can stand still on fully vertical and horizantal surfaces without falling.
	Stand on the edge of a platform and you see ledge animations that are completely unique to Crackers.
	Even though there are no rings in the level, jumping on spikes makes you lose rings. The first time you hit them, you lose a lot of rings, the second time you lose a few rings, and the third time you lose no rings until the others have disappeared.
	By this point, you've probably got bored and decided to pause the game to have a cup of tea. But whats this? Pausing the game allows you to move your characters around the map directly, handy if you have to skip what might seem like an impossible section.
	The top of the level. You can tell I've cheated by the black bar to the left of the screenshot that using the "pause debug mode" leaves behind. So where is the end of the level?
	After flinging myself up to the top the game freezes and plays the Game over music from Sonic 1. If you don't reach here within 3minutes you also are given this treatment, wherever you are in the level.
	The Sonic 3D-esque field, but done in an odd oblique 3D style as opposed to isometric 3D.
	Hitting Start then any button takes us to the next level. This one feels very Sonic CD to me, sort of like a mix of collision chaos and stardust speedway.
	An odd glitch in Tails' tails.
	There are some really nice level design elements in this level. For example these 'loops' with a 3D effect.
	What?! But... but I hadn't finished! After one minute the game gives you a game over in this level.
	The second 'electric' 3D field. Pressing Start then A takes you to the next level.
	Sadly, this is the same as the first level but with a different palette. Nothing exciting here, except for the "metallic" mix of the first music. A possible connection to Sonic CD again there, changing the palette and music on levels was essentially how the Past and Future versions were made.