What if one of the most ignored features of the Classic Sonic series not only became the spotlight of the game, but also became vital to your survival?

Sonic 1 - Score Rush is a ROM hack of the original Sonic the Hedgehog that aims to be an answer to the above question.

The main gimmick of this hack is that you must rack up the highest possible amount of points you can, with not much need to worry about how fast you clear each level. Take your time exploring the levels and figuring out the best ways to increase your score! There is one small catch. As time goes, you will gradually lose score. And you really don't want it to reach zero! Don't worry, though, you get 5000 free points to start your game with. Use them well!

Everything that gained you points in the original game still gains you points (Save for 10000 point bonuses, which have all been converted into 1000 point bonuses). Additionally, you can earn points by collecting rings, hitting checkpoints and destroying Sonic monitors. Beating a level grants you a fixed 1000 point bonus: score tallies are no more. Beating bosses still grants you 1000 points (although there may be one exception).

While you do not need to worry about your ring count, you will lose score if you get hit without a shield!

This is revision 02 of Sonic 1 - Score Rush, which expands significantly from the previous one by providing a lot of new features. You'll be able to see most of them in the brand new Main Menu, made to be as intuitive as possible. Here's a what to expect out of this new version of Sonic 1 - Score Rush:

Extensively customizable moveset!

Sonic's moveset can be customized, with many settings present so that you can create your ideal moveset. Up to test yourself? Try beating the game with the original moveset restored! Want to modernize your experience? Luckily for you, this ROM hack features...

New moves!

Here's the list of moves that you can make use of in Sonic 1 - Score Rush:

• Spin Dash: originally present in the previous version, this move makes a return, with the addition of Slow Ducking from Sonic 3, for those who may want it!
• (NEW) Super Peel-Out: straight from Sonic CD, this move grants another option for those looking for speed in a pinch!
• (NEW) Drop Dash: the Drop Dash from Sonic Mania is yet another addition to Sonic's moveset that will provide a lot of aid in quick exploration!

Leaderboards!

New to Sonic 1 - Score Rush are leaderboards, which will record the names of those who get the highest scores. And not just that! This version of Sonic 1 - Score Rush also includes...

New gamemodes!

This is not just a spruced up version of revision 01 of Sonic 1 - Score Rush. In fact, there are new challenges for returning players:

• Endless Rush: as the name suggests, this gamemode can last forever! Play through a randomized assortment of levels from Sonic 1, ever growing in difficulty as you beat level after level. The longer you go on, the faster will your score decrease. How long will you last? Here, it's the amount of levels beaten that counts for the leaderboards!
• Quick Rush: try beating individual levels starting from a score of 5000! The top scores for each difficulty will be recorded.

SRAM Support!

With leaderboards in for the best of feats, you'd want them to be remembered. All of the best scores you achieve, along with the settings you set, will be automatically saved in SRAM and remembered the next times you start the game! You can also reset everything in game by holding A, B and C at the same time during the SEGA logo. Got no SRAM? Don't worry, all of Sonic 1 - Score Rush can still be played as normal! Save for the whole saving thing, of course.

Reworked difficulty system!

Normal mode now ticks down at a much slower rate, and grants you more time to collect the hidden points at the end of each level. However, if you're a returning player, or you want to prove your might, try Hard mode! The score ticks down real fast, and you don't get to pick up hidden bonuses at all!

Additionally, both difficulties have their own leaderboards!

New death penalty system!

In the previous version, dying by getting crushed, by falling into a pit, or by drowning would result in immediate failure, regardless of score count. In this version, a harsh, but still fair penalty has been added. You will restart the level with the score you begun with, but with 5000 points deducted. Can't pay up? You lose! In Endless Rush, you also lose one level from your level count when you die!

Run's not going too well? Press C while the game is paused to die on the spot. Beware that this also triggers the penalty, so be mindful when using this combination!

Of course, if you liked the difficulty from the previous version, you can turn off the penalty system and enjoy the good old artificial difficulty increase!

Built-in instructions manual!

If one ever was to find this game without this giant script of text, it would be inconvenient, since the rules are quite different compared to your standard Sonic experience. Luckily, those who need instructions on how to get through the ROM hack can check out the enclosed Instructions screen, so that they can figure out how to play the game, without the need for, say, an entry description! :P

Interested? Then hit the download button! And if you get a really good score, feel free to boast it on social media!

Tips and tricks:

• Remember, your badnik chains stop when you land on the ground.
• The best approach may be taking more than one route! Experiment, explore, and figure out how to increase your score!
• It's more about the Score than it is about the Rush. Keep that in mind if you want the top spots on the leaderboards!
• You will never get the same level twice in a row in Endless Rush.
• Speedrunners! You can still use your many tricks! However, consider whether or not they will actually benefit you.
• There's a ring counter in Scrap Brain Zone 2, for those of you who want to take that one shortcut. Don't worry if you get hit without rings, though. You won't die as long as you have score!
• Additionally, while you do always drop the same amount of rings, only the ones you've actually lost add up to the above mentioned counter (e.g. if you drop 2 rings, but pick up 3 of the dropped rings, only the first two add up)
• Have plenty of points by Scrap Brain.