Overview
Sonic The Hedgehog Robo-Blast! emerges as a deeply divisive fan-made entry in the Sonic franchise, with player experiences ranging from nostalgic appreciation to outright frustration. While a small contingent praises its core gameplay and challenge, the overwhelming consensus highlights crippling technical flaws, baffling design choices, and presentation issues that undermine its potential. This 2D platformer struggles to justify its existence when compared to its acclaimed sequel, leaving most players questioning why they bothered in the first place.
The sprites are horrid, and the level designs are probably, no, are in fact the worst thing ever.
Mr. Encyclopedia
Technical Turmoil and Glitches
The most consistent complaint across reviews centers on the game's broken technical execution. Players report constant collision detection failures where Sonic gets inexplicably stuck in walls, floors, and ceilings during routine platforming. The infamous "killing dead" bug triggers random deaths without apparent cause, while other progression-halting glitches make boss fights unbeatable. Even movement mechanics misfire, with Sonic sometimes transforming into an undersized ball mid-run and becoming permanently lodged in terrain. These aren't occasional hiccups but fundamental flaws that corrupt basic functionality, turning every level into a minefield of unpredictable soft-locks.
Visual and Audio Assaults
Presentation quality draws near-universal scorn, with the sprite work becoming a particular target. Sonic himself appears as a poorly defined "strange blue blob thing with eyes" according to one baffled player, while environments feature crude, confusing geometry that obscures platforms and hazards. The visual clutter combines with a garish color palette to create stages that feel actively hostile to navigation. Sound design fares no better, with repetitive, grating music tracks that multiple reviewers describe as "annoying." These elements don't just lack polish—they actively sabotage gameplay clarity and player patience.
Gameplay: Occasional Sparks in a Dumpster Fire
Beneath the technical carnage lies a divisive gameplay core. A minority of players find redeeming qualities in the challenging level design and classic Sonic mechanics when they function properly. The inclusion of extensive cheat codes provides some experimental fun, letting players bypass the worst sections. However, these bright spots drown in a sea of baffling design choices. Most egregious is Sonic's inexplicable "tippy-toes" running animation that drains all sense of speed from the famously quick hedgehog. Movement feels sluggish and unresponsive, with momentum-based platforming replaced by cautious tip-toeing. When combined with enemy hit detection that sometimes steals rings on successful attacks, the experience becomes a masterclass in player frustration.
You can sometimes hit an enemy and still lose all your rings! You can get stuck in walls and there is a glitch where you can’t beat the boss.
Liljoe DX
The Unavoidable Sequel Shadow
Nearly every review—positive or negative—references Sonic Robo Blast 2 as this game's superior successor. The 3D sequel not only fixes the original's technical sins but delivers the speed and polish expected from a Sonic experience. This constant comparison highlights Robo-Blast!'s greatest flaw: it exists primarily as a historical curiosity rather than a playable game. Players universally recommend skipping this prototype entirely in favor of its vastly improved descendant, making the original feel like an unnecessary stepping stone. Even defenders concede its only value lies as a "first attempt" that paved the way for better things.
Verdict
"Broken mess overshadowed by its superior sequel"
