Sonic CD

3 cert, Sega, PlayStation Network (also Xbox 360, iOS, Android, PC) ***

What a strange time to reissue this. True, it is Sonic CD's 20th birthday but the snazzy Sonic Generationswas released only weeks ago. Barely touched, let alone remastered, Sonic CD is from a simpler time in gaming, when point-accumulation trumped story. Playing a spiky- haired woodland animal with Jack Nicholson hair (like you didn't know), Sonic CDis a side-scrolling, very speedy platform game. Unlike its predecessors, time travel plays a part in the sparse narrative. This affects nothing more than background design. The gameplay is endearingly simple and has aged well. There is genuine imagination in the colourful, surreal landscapes and energised music. In this packed market, Sonic CDmight only sell to completists, but it's not bad for the price of a pint.