The Score

Sonic the Hedgehog was Sega’s attempt to make a mascot game that could easily go up against Nintendo’s Mario. Solid gameplay, novelty of speed, and attitude made Sonic the Hedgehog a worth mascot to join the ranks of the Italian plumber. In many ways, Billy Hatcher feels like Sega’s attempt to do a Mario Sunshine on the GameCube. Even though the two games play very differently, we can’t help but see similarities in structure. Billy travels from world to world, each with its own theme and set of stages to clear. After clearing a stage, the reward is a red emblem. Collecting emblems and clearing stages opens up new worlds to play through. Clearing all the stages aren’t required to advance in the game, but you’ll have to finish those if you want to catch ‘em all!

Highly original

Although there are parallels to Mario Sunshine, Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg is a highly original game. It could be classified as a 3D platformer, but it’s one that’s unlike any other. The whole concept of eggs is more than just a gimmick – it’s an integral part of the gameplay that makes Billy Hatcher unique. The bizarre story and cheery atmosphere are all trademarks of Sonic Team. The trademark razor-sharp controls, unfortunately, did not make its way into Billy Hatcher.

While it’s a decent platformer, Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg doesn’t have the same impact as Sonic the Hedgehog. Still, Sonic Team is one of the best developers for one of the most original publishers in the gaming industry. We’re happy to see that Sonic Team is back doing more than just ports. Perhaps we’ll get a new NiGHTS?