Fanboys Anonymous

Why do we love gaming? It's a medium wholly dependent upon our input. This gives games the power to impact us in completely unique ways. As a result of that, games become memorable to us for reasons completely different than the written word, or movies and television. This is dedicated to the most memorable moments in gaming.

When I was seven, for my birthday I received a Sega Genesis. Sega's landmark was a little franchise called Sonic the Hedgehog. But this isn't about the first game. This is about what would become a series staple, debuted in the sequel. Going Super Sonic. One of video game's MOST MEMORABLE MOMENTS!


Super Sonic was something special when it was first introduced. But what made Super Sonic special wasn't the fact that it was just a powerup. Everything that went into Super Sonic made it feel special. You needed to earn seven mystical gems called the Chaos Emeralds. Once you had all seven, and at least fifty rings, jumping into the air caused the blue hedgehog to turn golden. Super Sonic was like Mario's Starman blended with hookers and blow. While Starman had a time limit, Super Sonic lasted as long as Sonic had rings. It made the already speedy Sonic even faster, not to mention impervious.


Super Sonic was special because you had to EARN it. Well. Or cheat your balls off. But when Sonic 2 was new, cheats were much harder to come by. The internet wasn't really a thing. And while we're being honest, the minigames that you had to go through to collect the Chaos Emeralds in Sonic 2? Impossible. But the fact that it was so difficult to unlock just added to the mystique. Sega would eventually tone down the difficulty slightly by changing the minigame in Sonic 3, but gathering all the emeralds still felt like a special accomplishment.

The Chaos Emeralds were always a part of Sonic the Hedgehog, but were utilized best from Sonic 2 - Sonic & Knuckles. These games implemented the emeralds perfectly. In Sonic 1, the emeralds were still in the game, but their impact was incredibly minimal. The next three titles would introduce and sustain their use as a prerequisite for Super Sonic. Sonic Adventure would go on to add the Chaos Emeralds as a plot device. Making the gems part of the story took away some of the allure.

Back when they were useless there were only six.

The emeralds were the ultimate in game collectible at the time. You could play through any of the Sega Genesis era 2D Sonic games and not know they were there. We all DID know, of course. Even before the internet. We had to, sometimes literally, jump through hoops to obtain them. They were exclusive. They were illusive. Once you've had the taste of Super Sonic power, there is no going back. You always WILL jump through those hoops. And that's why Super Sonic is one of video game's most memorable moments.