The main objects of criticism were the two-player mode and the addition of Tails; reviewers disliked the image distortion brought about by the squeezed and flickering graphics, and Tails was considered to be "useless" and "irritating" due to his interference in boss battles. By contrast, "GamePro" described Tails as "about the cutest companion that any Sonic fan could ask for" and said the game's biggest problem is that it is too easy, to the point where even unskilled players would quickly breeze through it. However, the reviewer noted that finding each stage's secrets provides the game with challenge and longevity.