Line #40 VideoGame/TailsAdventure


1	[[quoteright:256:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Tails_Adventure_Coverart.png]]
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3	''Tails Adventure'', also known as ''Tails Adventures'', is a {{Metroidvania}} game in the ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' franchise. It was released for the Creator/{{Sega}} Platform/GameGear in 1995. It is one of three spinoff games that Tails received, the other two being ''[[VideoGame/TailsSkyPatrol Tails' Skypatrol]]'', which was also on the Game Gear, and ''VideoGame/TailsAndTheMusicMaker'', which was for the Sega {{Edutainment}} System, the [[Platform/OtherSegaSystems Sega Pico]].
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5	While taking a nap outside his house, Tails is woken by an explosion, and finds the surrounding forest ablaze. The Battle Kukku Army has invaded the island in order to find the Chaos Emeralds, and it's up to Tails -- aided by a veritable laundry list of gadgets and inventions he can obtain along the way -- to retrieve the gems first and send the belligerent birds packing.
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7	This title is different from other games in the ''Sonic'' series in that the emphasis is on exploration, visiting and revisiting different stages in a similar vein to ''VideoGame/ClashAtDemonhead'', and making use of all kinds of different items that can be found (and made) to access new areas and solve puzzles within them. Also, unlike previous titles, Tails actually reaps benefits from collecting ''just one'' Chaos Emerald -- namely, an increase in HP and Flight stamina -- and collecting all six gives him the maximum 99 Rings and a 15-second Flight Timer.
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9	The Japanese manual says this game [[{{Prequel}} takes place on Cocoa Island before Tails first met Sonic]], while the Western manual says it takes place after [[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehogTripleTrouble Sonic and Tails' last adventure]] and Tails is on vacation on Tails Island. In recent years though, elements of the two different backstories have a tendency to overlap.
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11	It has a comic book tie-in in ''[[ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogArchieComics Sonic Universe]]'', though it took a few liberties with the plot (such as it is). The Battle Kukku Army, referred to as the Battle Bird Armada, has since taken on a role as one of the major villain groups in Archie's ''Sonic'' series.
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13	Not to be confused with ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure'' (although the game is an unlockable bonus in the [=GameCube=] re-release).
14	----
15	!! ''Tails Adventure'' features the following tropes:
16	* HundredPercentCompletion: You need to collect all Items and Emeralds.
17	* AbilityRequiredToProceed: Tails can only do five things on his own; walk, jump a short height, fly for a few seconds, grab ledges and throw bombs, and none of these alone will get you through most of the game's [[{{Railroading}} roadblocks]]. For example, in order to get past Volcanic Tunnel, you need to get the Remote Bomb item (and if your inventory is already full, you have to backtrack to Tails' house to add it to your inventory), and in order to get ''that'', you need to have the Remote Robot first ([[GuideDangIt and learn how to properly use it]]). Tails' moveset in general considerably expands as you go further through the game.
18	* AdaptationalWimp: To fit in with the slower paced gameplay, Tails' default flight ability and speed are extremely nerfed compared to how he plays in the standard ''Sonic'' games. While the Chaos Emeralds do beef up his flight considerably, the Sonic item doesn't make him move as fast. This is averted in the Japanese version, in which the story takes place before Tails met Sonic, [[JustifiedTrope so it makes sense that he's not very fast nor knows the Spin Dash yet]].
19	* AntiFrustrationFeatures:
20	** The game has a longer-than-usual length for a Game Gear game due to its slower pace and {{Metroidvania}} nature, so a PasswordSave is included. The newest password is also entered ahead of time for you if you get a GameOver and want to continue immediately.
21	** Items are kept permanently upon collecting. Even if you die right after getting it, it'll be saved to the newest password and you won't have to waste time backtracking to retrieve it.
22	** The Remote Robot has the ability to be teleported back to Tails at any time to save time on backtracking. Tails is also functionally invincible while using it, to prevent respawning enemies from getting cheap shots in.
23	** Certain items like the Chaos Emeralds act as permanent upgrades upon collecting, meaning you don't have to waste [[LimitedLoadout precious inventory space]] equipping them.
24	** Due to the small area of view, the screen lowers or rises when Tails crouches or looks up, respectively, to give a better view of offscreen obstacles ahead of time.
25	* AwesomeButImpractical: The Knuckles item. The concept of Tails punching his foes is awesome... [[PowerUpLetdown until you find out how terribly short-ranged it is]].
26	* BigBad: The Grand Battle Kukku XV, the leader of the armada.
27	* BunglingInventor: [[spoiler:Tails is shown in this light in the closing credits, when he attempts to build a bigger and better Remote Robot... only for it to immediately [[AshFace blow up in his face]] when he switches it on.]]
28	* BusmansHoliday: In the Western manual's story, this game takes place during Tails' vacation, hinted to take place after the events of ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehogTripleTrouble''; which explains his absence from ''VideoGame/SonicBlast''.
29	* TheCameo: While Sonic and Knuckles do not appear in person, two items, the Sonic Item and the Knuckles Item, have their faces adorned on them. Fang also has his own item as well.
30	* CarryABigStick: The (Pikkon) Hammer item, which allows Tails to smash barriers and enemies with an oversized mallet, much like [[Characters/SonicTheHedgehogMainCharacters a certain girl hedgehog]].
31	* ComicBookAdaptation: Issues #17-20 of Archie's ''Sonic Universe'' comic.
32	* ContinuitySnarl: The Japanese backstory has a minor one due to the presence of the Sonic, Knuckles and Fang items in a game that's supposed to take place before Tails met Sonic.
33	* ConvectionSchmonvection: Used in the Poloy Forest level. The entire forest has been set ablaze, but Tails strolls right through it without so much as breaking a sweat or running into a lick of the flames. The [[ChickenWalker chicken-legged]] flamethrower mecha at the end of the level is another story.
34	* CoolBoat: The Sea Fox. It also functions as a CoolPlane once you find the Rocket Parts.
35	* CountrySwitch: The game autodetects if it's played on a Japanese or Western Game Gear, and switches the language accordingly.
36	* ADayInTheLimelight: Tails is the main protagonist of this game.
37	* DeathThrows: For once in a ''Sonic'' game, averted. If Tails runs out of Rings, he gets knocked back and then keels over on the spot, which re-uses his "sleeping" sprites from the prologue.
38	* DubInducedPlothole: A lot of the supposed oddities in the gameplay pointed out by reviewers stem from this. Tails' inability to spin attack (unless he's using the Sonic item) and run fast are explained by the game being a prequel to ''Sonic 2'' in Japan, meaning that he hadn't met Sonic and learned to mimic his abilities yet. Then again, there's items based off of Sonic, Knuckles and Fang, who Tails isn't supposed to have met yet. This was LostInTranslation, as the localization set the game after previous games. In addition, since the previous games' localizations left out Tails' status as a GadgeteerGenius, the game's heavy focus on gadgets and machines in this game would have felt pretty random at the time.
39	* EarlyGameHell: Tails' default speed is as slow as molasses in January, has a weak (non-attacking) jump, low health and can only fly for a few seconds, and his bomb attack is slow and weak and suffers from erratic hit detection. [[MagikarpPower The game gets significantly easier as you acquire more power-ups]].
40	* ElectrifiedBathtub: The Spark item for the Sea Fox works this way, sending a powerful jolt of electricity through the water that immediately kills any nearby enemies.
41	* EndGameResultsScreen: Post-credits, the game shows you your item collection ratio.
42	* FinalBoss: The BigBad and leader of the Battle Kukku Army is fought on his ship as the second opponent in a double-boss fight immediately after his son Speedy is defeated.
43	* GadgeteerGenius: Tails as usual, who has his own workshop, make use of a full arsenal of gadgets, and is able to convert the Remote Robot [[TransformingMecha into the Sea Fox]]. Then later on, he converts ''that'' into an improvised jet fighter using the late-game Rocket Booster item.
44	* GaidenGame: A spinoff that features Tails as the main protagonist. Furthermore, this is one of the very few games in the series where both Sonic and Dr. Robotnik are completely absent. The Western backstory mentions Sonic in passing, but the Japanese backstory justifies this due to the game being a prequel that takes place before Tails met Sonic. There ''is'' an item in the game called Sonic with his face on it which lets do you a Spin Dash-like move, and he's also mentioned briefly in the manual bio (below) for the [[SprintShoes Speed Boots]], but that's it.
45	-->''"While Tails is running, press Button 2 twice to make him fly at a speed even Sonic would blink at."''
46	* GoodLuckCharm: The Fang item functions like this. Just bringing it with you will increase the chances of enemies dropping rings, no activation necessary.
47	* GuideDangIt: The Remote Robot's helicopter function (Up+B while standing still), which is necessary to use in order to complete the game, is never once explained in-game, which can easily throw off new players.
48	* HeartContainer: The six Chaos Emeralds[[note]]Green, Red, Blue, Purple, Yellow and White[[/note]] function as these, with them each increasing Tails' LifeMeter by 10 Rings each time until he obtains the last one, which boosts it up all the way to the maximum 99 Rings. They also increase his flight timer by about 3 seconds each, maxing out at 15 seconds.
49	* HitboxDissonance:
50	** The enemies have much smaller hitboxes than their sprites, making it rather aggravating to hit them with the regular Bombs at times.
51	** Napalm Bombs, hornets, and hornet hives behave strangely together. Napalm Bombs will damage both of these things (including the big one that appears from destroying the hive) as long as they occupy the same vertical space. Even if it the sprite passes well under them, it'll damage them for no apparent reason.
52	* IdleAnimation: A rather odd one, which has Tails kneel down in place and take a sample of dirt off the ground with one fingertip, which he then tastes.
53	* InconsistentSpelling: In the ''[[VideoGame/SonicAdventure Sonic Adventure DX: Director's Cut]]'' summary, Cocoa Island and Great Battle Kukku were properly translated, but they were respectively mistranslated as "Kokko Island" and "Great Badoru Kukku" in the ''Sonic Gems Collection'' manual. Also, Kukku Island is similarly known as Coco Island when the game is set to English - which may mean that it was supposed to be "Cuckoo".
54	* InfiniteSupplies: Every one of Tails' projectile attacks have an infinite quantity, as does the Sea Fox.
55	* InvincibleMinorMinion: Oddly enough, ''you'' get one in the form of the Remote Robot. Spikes, enemies, lava... nothing can kill it. All any of those things will do at most is send it back to you.
56	* JokeItem:
57	** The Radio. All it does is [[SoundTest change the current level's soundtrack]].
58	** The Super Glove. Its sole function is [[MundaneUtility letting you pick up rocks or springs]]. At most, it's a mild timesaver that just wastes valuable inventory space.
59	** The Knuckles. Punching enemies just like the red echidna sure ''sounds'' good, but it's got a pitifully low range, isn't any more powerful than Tails' usual bombs and robs you of the ability to attack in mid-air. It mostly just serves to put you in danger, especially if you're not carrying any other weapon.
60	* KidHero: Tails, in one of [[VideoGame/TailsSkypatrol three]] [[VideoGame/TailsAndTheMusicMaker spin-off games]] he received. Of them, this is his biggest solo adventure by far.
61	* LastDiscMagic: The Teleport Device, an optional item that can be found on Coco Island. Its sole function is instantly teleporting Tails out of the level and back to his house, which the manual itself notes to be very useful for getting the fox out of danger when he's down to his last few rings.
62	* {{Leitmotif}}: The title screen music is woven into a couple of other tunes in the game, serving as a somewhat downplayed leitmotif for Tails.
63	* LimitedLoadout: Tails can only carry four items at any one time, often only using one at a time. In order to equip a new one, including one he ''just acquired'' if his inventory is full, he has to backtrack to his house.
64	* MadBomber: Grand Battle Kukku XV, the final boss of the game. His main form of attack -- besides a close-range one where [[NeckLift he grabs and shakes Tails by the neck]] before throwing him -- is to throw dozens upon dozens of bombs from every which way.
65	* MagikarpPower: Tails [[EarlyGameHell starts off the game incredibly weak]] -- only being able to walk, jump, push objects, throw basic bombs and briefly fly, all with very low health -- but gets increasingly stronger as he picks up more Chaos Emeralds and assorted gadgets and weapons, to the point where the game gets ''easier'' as it goes on.
66	* MarketBasedTitle: Titled ''Tails Adventures'' in Japan, the localizations changed it to singular, but as with ''VideoGame/KnucklesChaotix'', left the title screen untouched.
67	* {{Metroidvania}}: While the game's levels are not all conjoined with one another, collecting upgrades and revising previous areas with said upgrades will open up new paths and even more upgrades.
68	* MiniMecha: The bosses of Poloy Forest, Volcanic Tunnel and Cavern Island are these.
69	* MonsterOfTheWeek: The Battle Kukku Army, in one of the very rare occasions where Dr. Robotnik is not the villain of a ''Sonic'' game and is completely absent from one.
70	* NightVisionGoggles: A pair of infrared goggles are an item you can get, and are required to be able to traverse the dark caves of [[BlackoutBasement Polly Mountain 2]].
71	* OddballInTheSeries: A ''Sonic'' game that not only isn't centered around running and spinning, but is a slow-paced, exploration-based Metroidvania sandwiched in instead of a linear arcade-like platformer. To say the least, it's a drastic change of pace for the series.
72	* OverlordJr: Speedy is said to be the son of the leader of the Battle Kukku Army, making him Grand Battle Kukku XVI. Appropriately, he's the first opponent in a SequentialBoss fight before you meet [[FinalBoss his father]].
73	* PowerUpLetdown: The Speed Shoes, which can be acquired in Poloy Forest as soon as you have the Remote Robot. While it ''does'' increase Tails' default walking speed, it has to be equipped as a separate ability, meaning Tails can't even ''attack'' while using it, and its momentum only carries into your jumps while holding down the run button beforehand, not from a standstill. On top of that, the method of using it is rather counter-intuitive; you have to tap the action button twice while moving to activate it.
74	* {{Prequel}}: According to the Japanese manual, this game takes place before Tails met Sonic, which explains why he cannot run or Spin Dash on his own yet.
75	* TheRival: Speedy (Grand Battle Kukku XVI), who Tails has to outmanoeuvre early in the game. Speedy returns as the penultimate boss of the game -- equipped with mechanical arm extensions that let him fire off electrical and fiery bursts -- and the first opponent in a double-boss fight to end the game.
76	* RobotBuddy: The Remote Robot, which Tails can not only use to scout the nearby area, explore narrow passageways and retrieve items from inaccessible areas, but it also [[TransformingMecha turns into the Sea Fox submarine]].
77	* RobotMe: Again, the Remote Robot. Its name is even "Mecha Tails" when playing on a Japanese Game Gear.
78	* SoundTest: The Radio item acts as a portable Sound Test that you can use during gameplay.
79	* SprintShoes: The Speed Boots -- found in Poloy Forest -- do exactly what you'd expect them to. By equipping them and holding down the Action Button, Tails runs faster and can go up steep inclines more easily, but cannot attack while doing so. By tapping Jump twice while running, Tails can also fly at a faster speed.
80	* StuffBlowingUp: Tails uses bombs that he can throw or drop as his main weapons, and has several variations, such as the Regular Bomb[[note]]The very first item you start off with. Explodes on contact to blow up enemies and basic barriers.[[/note]], Large Bomb,[[note]]One big bomb that has a set detonation time, but can destroy reinforced barriers and wipe out all on-screen enemies.[[/note]] Napalm Bomb,[[note]]Explodes into flames and can burn through long grass and flying enemies easily.[[/note]] Remote Bomb[[note]]Slides along the ground until it stops, and can enter narrow gaps and be detonated at any time by pressing the button again.[[/note]] and Triple Bomb.[[note]]Stronger version of the Regular Bomb that has a wider blast radius.[[/note]]
81	* ThisIsADrill: The Sea Fox's bow-mounted drill bit, that can break through rock barriers underwater.
82	* TitleConfusion: The game is known as ''Tails Adventure'' in English-speaking regions, but its original Japanese title, ''Tails Adventures'', appears in the game proper instead.
83	* TransformingMecha: In several areas, the Remote Robot can transform into the Sea Fox to explore underwater.
84	* TheUnfought: In the Archie comic adaptation, Tails doesn't even ''meet'' [[BigBad Grand Battle Kukku XV]].
85	* VillainRespect: During the first battle with Speedy, if Tails makes it to the top of the stage in spite of Speedy's constant divebombing, he'll hand over the purple Chaos Emerald and leave.

Context VideoGame / TailsAdventure