Sonic CD Breakout

What is Sonic CD Breakout?

Sonic CD Breakout is a PC Sonic fangame created by EagleSoft Ltd. Development began during the pre-EagleSoft Ltd days during August of 2010, and development is still ongoing sporadically (at the time of this writing). It is both a level set for the PC version of an old Breakout game called BreakGOLD, by Kjell Anderson, as well as a total-conversion of the game engine, utilizing my BreakGOLD Editor modification utility. Most, if not all, of the game's internal RAW image files have been modified to fit the Sonic CD theme. (For more information about the aseembly-like scripting language Virtual Machine used in the game, see KJell's article here.) The game's levels are compiled using an x86 or Motorola 68k-like assembly language scripts within the game, which utilizes a form of a virtual machine. (The scripting assembly language will hereby be called Break assembly.) The level set is obviously themed around Sega's Sonic CD, a Sonic game originally made for an awesome add-on for the Sega Genesis known as the Sega CD.

Metal Sonic race, from Sonic CD

(Stardust Speedway Bad Future,

Act 3)

BreakGOLD!

Sega Genesis CD32x

(The "sidecar" machine is the Sega CD addon)

Submitted to SAGE 2015

(but the event never happened)

Resubmitted for SAGE 2016

How to play:

The goal of the game is simple: to clear all of the levels. In order to clear a level, the player will need to complete an objective

  • Defeat some/all enemies and/or collect all rings

  • Defeat a boss

  • Find the exit

  • Get the Time Stone (in special stage levels)


In order to clear levels, the player will have to move between the past, present, and future time zones by time travel. Like in the original game, time travel is done by hitting a past or future sign, and then waiting ten seconds. Time travel can be cancelled by moving the paddle over the "Time Cancel" brick on the bottom right corner of each level. A timer for time travel is shown, and a sign icon shows the relative time to travel to (past/future).


The current time zone is indicted by:

  • Time zone icon

    • Past

      • "P" icon

    • Present

      • Sonic's head icon

    • Future

      • "F" icon

  • Changing level art

    • Level's background

    • Gameplay area border

    • Level art


Due to sound slot space limitations in the original BreakGOLD engine (only 100 sfx slots), all zones use the US present mix of the zone's music, "streamed" in 14.20s wave file chunks. By going into the past time zone, and by destroying the electric cage, Sonic can create a "Good Future" time zone; otherwise, by not hitting the cages, Sonic will have a "Bad Future" time zone. Boss levels only have a Good or Bad Future time zone.

Also similarly to the original Sonic CD, rings, which you can collect throughout the levels, act as health. Hitting painful objects, such as spikes and some enemies, will reduce 5 to 10 rings per hit, while some objects insta-kill Sonic. Hitting an object with a shield powerup will prevent getting hit for one collision, while invincibility removes all pain effects. Getting hit with zero rings decrements a life. Gathering 100 rings rolls back the counter down to 0, and gives the player an extra life.

The game also contains the BreakGOLD engine's original powerups, as well as Sonic monitor powerups, too. The original, built-in powerup bricks may fall upon being hit, and letting them collide with the paddle awards the powerup.

Built-in Powerups:

Monitor Powerups:

Special Stages

Furthermore, the game consists of special stages, which are a combination of Sonic 1 (similar brick graphics, but no level rotation), Knuckles' Chaotix Bonus Stages (psuedo-3D layers), and Sonic CD's scrapped Bonus Stage concept. These special stages are for Act 4 for each Round, and can only be accessed if the player hit a Special Stage monitor in the Round.

The player's goal is to traverse between the multiple level layers in order to get the Time Stone. The player can see up to 3 layers forward from the current layer, since further layers are semi-transparent and are shown smaller. Traversing the layers is done by hitting up/down arrow bricks. Getting all of the time stones will allow the player (in the finished build of the game), to goto Final Fever Zone and to defeat Dr. Robotnik for the final time! In the special stages, the player is given 4 special stage lives and given 90 rings. These rings will decrement to zero, in which a special stage life will be deducted. If all 4 special stages lives are lost, the player is kicked out of the special stage, fails, and can't get the Time Stone!


The Special Stage zones consists of various brick types and special game mechanics:

  • Solid bricks

  • Breakable bricks

  • Bumpers

  • Spike balls

    • Cause Sonic to lose 5 rings upon collision

  • Elevator platform

    • Follows the X-coordinate of the main paddle

    • Y-coordinate

      • Alterable by letting the paddle collide with up/down bricks

  • 1 Big UFO object in each level

    • Gives the player 75 rings upon destruction

  • Slot machine

    • Can be played by hitting the slot bricks

    • Gives various rewards if each slot has 3 of the same icons (see below)

  • Time Stone

    • The objective of the Special Stages

    • Collect 7 to unlock the game's True Ending in Sonic CD Breakout Part 2 (Final Fever Zone)

Slot Machine rewards:

Special Stage Zone setup

Do you have what it takes to create a good future and defeat Dr. Robotnik?

Play Sonic CD Breakout today!

Latest Download:

Demo #3, Christmas/SAGE 2015 & SAGE 2016

READ THE MANUAL on how to install!

Legal Info:

Original Sonic CD game and assets ©Sega 1993

BreakGold ©KJell Anderson/Dual Heights 2006-2021

Sonic CD Breakout fangame ©EagleSoft Ltd. 2010-2021

This fangame is NOT licensed, sponsored, or endorsed by Sega.

Testimonials:

"Amazing! I found this fan mod of Break GOLD and I must say that I'm impressed that you actually learnt how to make levels in my obscure level editor for the game. I can see that you have heavily modded the entire game out of recognition of what it once was, and I love it! Keep up your experimental spirit!

/ Kjell [Andersson]"

- Coder of Break GOLD