Sonic Spinball

Introduction: Sonic the Hedgehog Spinball is an official Sega Genesis / Mega Drive game released in 1993 and developed by Sega Technical Institute. It combines Sonic platforming with large pinball-table environments inside Dr. Robotnik's Veg-O-Fortress.

Gameplay & Mechanics: Sonic acts as the pinball through most of the game. Flippers launch him around each stage, while the D-pad can influence his movement in the air. When Sonic reaches solid ground he can also walk, jump, crouch, and perform a Super Spin Dash. The goal of each of the four main levels is to collect every Chaos Emerald in that stage; doing so opens the route to its boss.

Key Features:

• Four large pinball-style levels: Toxic Caves, Lava Powerhouse, The Machine, and Showdown.
• Three Chaos Emeralds in each of the first two stages and five in each of the final two.
• Bonus rounds after the first three stages, presented as more traditional pinball tables.

Rings mainly contribute to score rather than functioning as Sonic's normal damage protection. The primary danger is falling through drains or into lethal stage hazards, which costs a life.