Sonic 4

[Kolzig]

So, it looks like Sega is finally getting it right with Sonic?

What are the Thumbs opinions on this? I know there's some die hard Sega fans here. I'm very excited about this project even though after NSMB it looks to be copying the 2d feel from there, but I don't care as long as the game finally feels like something classic that Sonic 1-3 and Sonic & Knuckles had.

I did not like Sonic Rush and the GBA Sonic games that much, I've always disliked the extra characters in the series that they created. Only Sonic, Robotnik, Tails and Knuckles have really worked in my opinion. Also the wrong turn was to make the characters talk, especially with the highly annoying voices. It just felt very cheap every time I heard the voices.

In addition Sonic & Knuckles is coming to European Virtual Console this friday so I'm quite hyped about that also.

It's nice that Sega decided to put Sonic 4 out on all consoles as the only one I have is the Wii, I was a bit afraid that it will only be made to Xbox Live Arcade and PSN.

The episode concept I haven't heard much about, but I would think that means price per each episode is max 10 euros/dollars/pounds. Of course full game would be nice, but I have to see how this episodes concept will work.

[Patters]

So, it looks like Sega is finally getting it right with Sonic?

Entirely reserving judgement until it's released, I am not going to read up on it prior to release.

[Cigol]

Just being 2D isn't enough and I'm a miserable cynic at the best of times, so I'm not hopeful.

[Tanukitsune]

Sonic "fans" have despised every Sonic games for the last 15 years, they find a reason to loath this even if it is awesome...

All the comments I've heard so far are already saying it's going to be terrible and nobody will give it a chance...

The only thing I don't like is the episodic part, they'd better price it just right because nobody will want to end up spending 60$ on a 2D Sonic...

Not to mention that ONLY Telltale Games has managed to end any episodic series they've started?

[syntheticgerbil]

I'm personally not giving it a chance. Every Sonic game has gotten increasingly worse after Adventure. I stopped at that awful Shadow game and reserved myself to only playing the classic Sonic games.

I firmly believe the only reason Sonic was ever good was because of Hirokazu Yasuhara's design, who gets the least credit out of any of the original guys, mostly because of a few insulting comments Yuja Naka made about him publicly. Naka doesn't deserve any praise in my opinion beyond the programming side (Since he didn't actually design anything), and Naoto Ohshima, while the true creator of Sonic as a character (and many of the original bad guys), didn't direct a Sonic game outside of Sonic CD, which looked great but had a horrible mess of level design.

None of this matters since none of the above people have been at Sega for years or decades even.

And another thing that's a pet peeve of mine. 3D characters running around in 2D environments hasn't been cool since Gex and Pandemonium. Now it just looks lazy, like no one actually wants to do some classic animation for this, much like the old style of the 2D games.

[JonCole]

I think Jeremy Parish had the pricing right when he talked about it on 4 Guys 1UP - if the release schedule is something like four episodes at $5 a piece, each with three or four levels, I'd be completely cool with it. $20 is the upper limit of spending on XBLA for me, so I hope they stay in that range.

[Sombre]

I forsee it being "Hold right till cool things happen"

[brkl]

Isn't Marek at Sega?

[miffy495]

I'm cautious, but will be buying it day one. Even if it's not that good, Sonic is fairly fondly remembered for me. The important factor here is that Sonic is the girl's favorite thing, Video game-wise, anyway. It'll be nice to have something else to play together that doesn't make her motion sick, even if it ends up mediocre.

[Jake]

I'm cautious, but will be buying it day one. Even if it's not that good, Sonic is fairly fondly remembered for me.

Same. I hope the game is good, and am giving it a chance because a proper 2D scrolling Sonic game on a mainline home console is what I've wanted Sega to make for years.

[Murdoc]

If they start the game with the classic "Segggaaa" that almost might be worth the purchase regardless of the quality of the game... but man I'm not a huge Sonic fan, but just seeing that trailer pulled some memory strings of how much my friends and I used to not sleep playing sonic.

[Kolzig]

Isn't Marek at Sega?

Yeah, he is the Sega of Europe's head of content I guess.

I had some really nice feelings about the teaser trailer as it did have that oh so good classic "SEEEEEEGAAAAAA" logo and voice in the beginning.

[brkl]

It's not enough to just ape the first games though.

[DanJW]

It's not enough to just ape the first games though.

It's a good start. If they just ape the old games this time around, then they can start building on that with the one after. It really does feel like they need to learn the basics for themselves all over again.

I see what gerbil means with the character art and animation. It doesn't feel quite right. He has too many spikes! And is still too tall.

Sonic himself needs to be a few things:

1. cute

2. mute

3. fast

4. blue (mostly)

Very little else. Keep him chibi.

Still I approve of this move and am more hopeful for Sonic than I have been in ages.

Also is this the Project Needlerat game that everyone thought was going to be a Sonic 1-2-3 remake?

[Irishjohn]

If they start the game with the classic "Segggaaa" that almost might be worth the purchase regardless of the quality of the game... but man I'm not a huge Sonic fan, but just seeing that trailer pulled some memory strings of how much my friends and I used to not sleep playing sonic.

I'm with you all the way on this one.

I'm definitely getting the first episode. I'm not really sure why there is much negative commentary out there from "Sonic fans", although as has already been pointed out on this thread Sonic fans seem to hate Sonic games.

[Patters]

I'm with you all the way on this one.

I'm definitely getting the first episode. I'm not really sure why there is much negative commentary out there from "Sonic fans", although as has already been pointed out on this thread Sonic fans seem to hate Sonic games.

Sonic fans are almost as bad as CS players.

[Psych]

I know it's early, but this game looks like they took all the old Sonic art and passed it through the 'New Super Mario Bros' filter in Photoshop.

I see what gerbil means with the character art and animation. It doesn't feel quite right. He has too many spikes! And is still too tall.

Sonic himself needs to be a few things:

1. cute

2. mute

3. fast

4. blue (mostly)

Very little else. Keep him chibi.

If that's the way you feel then I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that there's an INTERNET PETITION to do just that.

[DanJW]

Signed

I also mentioned the muteness in the comment field.

[Kolzig]

Also is this the Project Needlerat game that everyone thought was going to be a Sonic 1-2-3 remake?

Yes, Sonic 4 is the previously known Project Needlemouse.

[twmac]

Well as the only one in the world who liked Sonic: Unleashed I'm always eager to see more Sonic games.

What I would love to see from this Sonic game is some kind of Sonic & Knuckles backwards compatibility.

It would great to finish Episode 1 and rescue Tails or Knuckles then when Episode 2 comes out it would patch episode 1 so that you could use that character in episode 1 and explore areas previously out of Sonic's reach (ala Sonic 3).

[Tanukitsune]

Sonic Unleashed? I even liked Sonic 2006! XP

[SoulChicken]

Even though the first thing my husband has done when coming home drunkevery evening for the past fifteen years is punch me in the face, I'm hoping tommorrow he will bring me flowers instead!

Dare to dream.

[twmac]

Sonic Unleashed? I even liked Sonic 2006! XP

Wow, even I prefer Shadow the hedgehog to that one. Okay I did like it sort of but it was just completely broken.

You must have been absent during the brief period I was trying to drum up enthusiasm for Unleashed then as all I was met with was the posting equivalent of blank stares.

[syntheticgerbil]

Even though the first thing my husband has done when coming home drunkevery evening for the past fifteen years is punch me in the face, I'm hoping tommorrow he will bring me flowers instead!

Dare to dream.

This is a good sum of things, I would say. Although I enjoyed the Saturn version of Sonic 3D Blast, as well as most of Adventure, so I wouldn't say 15 years.

Although I feel pretty sure it all has to do with Hirokazu Yasuhara still.

Edited February 12, 2010 by syntheticgerbil

[Gilgamesh]

I'm cautiously optimistic about the game. I'm trying not to fall prey to the Sonic cycle again, but it's hard. I wouldn't have a problem with this being a speed-based entry like the Advance or Rush series, but by naming it Sonic 4 they're only creating increased wariness from the traditionalist fans.