History VideoGame / TailsSkyPatrol

''Tails' Skypatrol'' is a game released for the UsefulNotes/{{Sega}} UsefulNotes/GameGear in 1995, developed by SIMS co. Ltd and JSH, and [[NoExportForYou only in Japan]] (prior to being ported to compilations). It features [[Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog Sonic's]] pal Miles "Tails" Prower, in the first of three SpinOff games the lovable fox cub received. In this game, Tails shoots a ring to grab things, and must save an island from the evil Witchcart, a witch who rides in a mine cart and turns trespassers into crystals.

[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tails_skypatrol.png]]

''Tails' Skypatrol'' is a game released for the UsefulNotes/GameGear in 1995, developed by SIMS co. Ltd and JSH, and [[NoExportForYou only in Japan]] (prior to being ported to compilations). It features [[Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog Sonic's]] pal Miles "Tails" Prower, in the first of three SpinOff games the lovable fox cub received. In this game, Tails shoots a ring to grab things, and must save an island from the evil Witchcart, a witch who rides in a mine cart and turns trespassers into crystals.

[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tails_skypatrol.png]]

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/sky_patrol_4143.jpg]]

* {{Expy}}: Focke-Wulf is quite similar to Fang the Sniper.

* AmbiguouslyHuman: Witchcart, who certainly looks like a cartoon human, which would make her the only character in the pre-''SonicAdventure'' Sonic games (besides Eggman) to be a human.

''Tails' Sky Patrol'' is a game released for the UsefulNotes/GameGear in 1995, developed by SIMS co. Ltd and JSH, and [[NoExportForYou only in Japan]] (prior to being ported to compilations). It features [[Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog Sonic's]] pal Miles "Tails" Prower, in the first of three SpinOff games the lovable fox cub received. In this game, Tails shoots a ring to grab things, and must save an island from the evil Witchcart, a witch who rides in a mine cart and turns trespassers into crystals.

A 2003 UsefulNotes/McDonalds Happy Meal LCD game was also released under the name of Tails Skypatrol, and keeps the flight based gameplay, but simplifies it into a high score endurance game where you grab rings.

* OutsideGenreFoe: Witchcart is more like a villain out of a fairy tale than the supervillain level threat Eggman posed; she was the first antagonist in the series to directly use magic instead of just robots to accomplish her goals, predating the more significant use of this kind of threat with Chaos in Sonic Adventure. Most notable is that unlike Chaos, her magic does not involve the use of the Chaos Emeralds, which are completely absent from Tails Skypatrol.

* BeneathTheEarth: The first part of Ruin Wood Area is set in a cavern (which is suspiciously similar in appearance to Mystic Cave Zone from ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2.'')

* {{Expy}}: Focke-Wulf is quite similar to Fang / Nack.

* HauntedCastle: Witchcart's lair, Dark Castle Area.

* LevelsTakeFlight: Metal Island Area, which, despite its name, takes place entirely in the sky.
* TheLostWoods: The second half of Level 3, Ruin Wood Area.

* OddballInTheSeries: Even more than TailsAdventure, since this is one of the few games in the classic series with absolutely no platforming at all, and it has little in the way of speed elements; it's a rail shooter with puzzle elements, with the only regular character appearing being Tails--even Sonic and Eggman took a very rare leave of absence. The other characters, including the one shot villain Witchcart, are exclusive to this game. There are no Rings to collect or protect you with (and the ring Tails carries works as a boomerang) and there are no Chaos Emeralds or special stages.

* TokenHuman: Prior to VideoGame/SonicAdventure, Witchcart was the only human (or human like character) besides Eggman to appear in the classic Sonic games.

* VillainOfTheWeek: Witchcart, who only appeared in this game and was never heard from again in the video games, although she was later reimagined as a minor villain named Wendy Naugus (with her henchmen being heavily redesigned and renamed the Witchcarters [[MythologyGag as an ode to her old name]]) for the [[ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehog Archie Sonic Comics]]. Curiously, this game is one of the very few games in the Sonic franchise where Eggman is completely absent in favor of another villain.

* OutsideContextVillain: Witchcart is more like a villain out of a fairy tale than the supervillain level threat Eggman posed; she was the first antagonist in the series to directly use magic instead of just robots to accomplish her goals, predating the more significant use of this kind of threat with Chaos in Sonic Adventure. Most notable is that unlike Chaos, her magic does not involve the use of the Chaos Emeralds, which are completely absent from Tails Skypatrol.

* AbsenteeActor: This is one of a handful games in the franchise where both Sonic and Eggman are completely absent. Tails is the only regular appearing, and all of the other characters are unique to this game. Sonic and Eggman are only mentioned in passing in the manual (and Tails uncovered Witchcart's plot in the first place because he assumed the islands rail like system was a new scheme being set up by Eggman).

* NintendoHard: Even though the game is surprisingly short (only five levels), you will have a hard time beating it. Among the factors that make it hard include the claustrophobic stage design, the constantly moving screen, and Tails' floaty controls, which leaves very little room for error, and not to mention that if you touch ANY surface beyond an item or some enemy attacks, you will die. The lack of a save or password function in the non ''Gems Collection'' versions make this game only beatable by the most dedicated gamers, and with this in mind, it's no surprise why this game didn't get released outside of Japan.

* OddballInTheSeries: Even more than TailsAdventure, since this is one of the few games in the classic series with absolutely no platforming at all, and it has little in the way of speed elements; it's a rail shooter with puzzle elements, with the only regular character appearing being Tails. The other characters, including the one shot villain Witchcart, are exclusive to this game. There are no Rings to collect or protect you with (and the ring Tails carries works as a boomerang) and there are no Chaos Emeralds or special stages.

* OddballInTheSeries: Even more than TailsAdventure, since this is of the few games in the classic series with absolutely no platforming at all, and it has little in the way of speed elements; it's a rail shooter with puzzle elements, with the only regular character appearing being Tails. The other characters, including the one shot villain Witchcart, are exclusive to this game. There are no Rings to collect or protect you with (and the ring Tails carries works as a boomerang) and there are no Chaos Emeralds or special stages.

* OddballInTheSeries: Even more than TailsAdventure, since this is of the few games in the classic series with absolutely no platforming at all; it's a rail shooter with puzzle elements, with the only regular character appearing being Tails. The other characters, including the one shot villain Witchcart, are exclusive to this game. There are no Rings to collect or protect you with (and the ring Tails carries works as a boomerang) and there are no Chaos Emeralds or special stages.

* TakenForGranite: Tails is threatened with this, as Witchcart will turn him into crystals.

* AbsenteeActor: This is one of the very few games in the franchise where Sonic and Eggman are completely absent. Tails is the only regular appearing, and all of the other characters are unique to this game. Sonic and Eggman are only mentioned in passing in the manual (and Tails uncovered Witchcart's plot in the first place because he assumed the islands rail like system was a new scheme being set up by Eggman).

* TheLostWoods: Level 3, Ruin Wood Area.

* OutsideContextVillain: Witchcart is more like a villain out of a fairy tale than the supervillain level threat Eggman posed; she was the first antagonist in the series to directly use magic instead of just robots to accomplish her goals, predating the more significant use of this kind of threat with Chaos in Sonic Adventure. Most notable is that her use of magic does not involve the use of the Chaos Emeralds, which are completely absent from Tails Skypatrol.

* VillainOfTheWeek: Witchcart, who only appeared in this game and was never heard from again in the video games, although she and her henchmen were later reimagined as a minor villain named Wendy Naugus (with her henchmen being renamed the Witchcarters [[MythologyGag as an ode to her old name]]) for the [[ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehog Archie Sonic Comics]]. Curiously, this game is one of the very few games in the Sonic franchise where Eggman is completely absent in favor of another villain.

* FlatCharacter / GenericDoomsdayVillain: Witchcart. She is given no characterization at all beyond "Evil witch who turns people into crystals."

''Tails' Sky Patrol'' is a game released for the UsefulNotes/GameGear in 1995, and [[NoExportForYou only in Japan]] (prior to being ported to compilations). It features [[Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog Sonic's]] pal Miles "Tails" Prower, in the first of three SpinOff games the lovable fox cub received. In this game, Tails shoots a ring to grab things, and must save an island from the evil Witchcart, a witch who rides in a mine cart and turns trespassers into crystals.

* GreenHillZone: The aptly named Training Area, the first level in the game.

* BeneathTheEarth: The first part of the third stage is set in a cavern (which is suspiciously similar in appearance to Mystic Cave Zone from ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2.'')