Monthly Archives

May 2010

Game News

“Sonic Colors” Announced!

Sonic Colors for the Wii and DS has been announced today, along with a teaser trailer! It seems like this is Sega’s answer to Mario Galaxy.

Details from Sega of America’s Blog:

We’re excited to announce a brand-new game for Sonic the Hedgehog! Sonic Colors is a high speed action-adventure in which Sonic races through theme park-inspired worlds to rescue a colorful alien race from the clutches of Dr. Eggman. An extraordinary amusement park has been seen orbiting around the home planet of Sonic the Hedgehog, and rumors are spreading that an alien race of Wisps, who have a unique colorful energy, are being held captive there by the evil Dr. Eggman. Soon after arriving at the amusement park, Sonic discovers he is able to use these mysterious alien forces to help the Wisps escape!

Sonic Colors will be available on the Wii and the Nintendo DS around holiday 2010. Sonic Colors for the Wii seamlessly combines both 3D and classic 2D game play perspectives, while the Nintendo DS version takes full advantage of the console’s dual screen.

Sonic Colors sees Sonic accelerating to adrenaline-pumping super speeds and blasting through obstacles in ways never before seen in a Sonic game. The alien Wisps featured in the game each have a unique “Color Power” that, once freed, Sonic is able to absorb while speeding through the various theme park inspired planets. The Wisp energy enables Sonic to create new paths through the stages by drilling through the ground (Yellow Drill) for example, or speeding through the stage as a laser (Cyan Laser). Stringing the Wisp power-ups together creates a combo that increases Sonic’s boost gauge even more quickly. Exclusive Wisp power-ups will be available for both Wii and the Nintendo DS versions, ensuring a unique and super speedy gameplay experience for Sonic fans everywhere.

Game News

Sonic 4 Episode 1 Delayed to Q4 2010; iPhone Port Confirmed

Today Sega announced that the Episode 1 release of Sonic the Hedgehog 4 has been moved to late 2010, with the extra dev time being spent on “tuning and balancing” the game. Nothing more concrete than this window has been announced.

The press release that was released today officially confirms the iPhone & iPod Touch release of the platform that was discovered from the offcial website’s assets earlier in the year. A video is due to be released after tonight’s episode of GameSpot’s On The Spot feature, which will go up at 10pm UTC/GMT (i.e. just over half an hour from this post).

“SEGA is incredibly happy at the overwhelmingly positive response to Sonic The Hedgehog 4 Episode I  from both press and fans around the world, and wants to ensure that we’re delivering the best Sonic experience possible,” says the official press release on the Sonic Blognik blog. “With this dedication to quality and the Sonic experience in mind, SEGA has decided to extend the development of the game, and will now release Sonic The Hedgehog 4 Episode I in the latter half of 2010. The additional time will allow the Development Team to focus on ensuring overall high-quality throughout the game by continuing to tune, balance, and maintain the kind of polish that an important title like this demands, and ultimately providing fans with an unrivalled classic Sonic feel.”

In addition, a new Sonic 4 trailer has been released featuring footage from the first level in the game, Splash Hill Zone:

As you may recall, Retro & Stadium exclusively broke the news of this upcoming announcement 3 days ago. Stick with Sonic Retro for future developments on the Q4 2010 release of Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1.

UPDATE: According to Gamespot’s On the Spot, the iPhone release of Sonic 4 will sport two exclusive levels not present in any of the console releases! No specific details on that yet, but we’ll let you know.

Uncategorized

Update: Sonic 4 announcement imminent

Tonight at 4 p.m. Pacific time, we should be hearing from Sega concerning the Sonic 4 announcement we alluded to earlier in the week. From there, tune in to GameSpot’s On the Spot show at 5 p.m. Pacific for an interview with Sega representative and Retro poster RubyEclipse; there will be “something else” exclusively announced on the show.

Stay tuned to Sonic Retro for more news as it develops (and to our forums where a 40-page argument will inevitably break out. 😉 )

Uncategorized

Mercado Livre Roundup Part I: Go go pirated carts!

I completely, honestly, unironically love Mercado Livre so much. The site, which is Latin and South America’s answer to eBay, is available in several countries, but let’s be honest: when it comes to awesome merchandise, no one can top Brazil, the home of pão de queijo, Tec Toy and wonderful pirated things. This isn’t to say that we condone piracy, but really:

Who wouldn’t want to buy “Super 12 in 1”? I mean, c’mon! There’s Battletoads, Duck Tales, Pikachu and Sonic all on one Game Boy (surprisingly not “Game”) cart! In fact, most of the golden pirated Sonic games from Brazil aren’t from modern games (where the pirated material look s mostly identical to the real games) but from the Mega Drive era, where things just get downright silly.

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Game News

Joint-Exclusive: Sonic 4 Announcement This Week

So, after the leak issues that cropped up in April concerning Sonic the Hedgehog 4, Sega has been eerily quiet concerning the state of the game–no website updates, no badnik reveals, maybe five official screenshots. This sort of worried us internally, trying to figure out what exactly the course of action was concerning the game.

Then we received a message, cryptically enough, from Sega stating “the reason for the last couple month’s blackouts on Sonic 4 updates will also begin to make sense.”

And apparently they will on Thursday, May 20th. Keep posted here at Retro and The Sonic Stadium to find out what this development entails.

Humor, Sega Consoles, Sega Retro

Saturn Promo Video Makes No More Sense 15 Years Later

As of yesterday, it’s been fifteen years since we were introduced to the combination of technology, mismanagement, and gameplay that would make up the legendary Sega Saturn to us Americans. Remember the odd ads of the Saturn Girl and how our Rods and Cones were going to be blown away by the graphics and games? Let’s take the time to reflect on how much we were blown away.

We all remember the on-LSD marketing taken by SOA, featuring naked women representing game goddesses, bodybuilders using Saturn to underscore their success, our eyes reacting to the greatness. For the games, we were introduced to combinations of falling PS1s and A Clockwork Orange-esque crash test dummies demonstrating why you had to buy one. Of course no one did (Sony was on top of the invisible sphere that surrounds the Solar System) and  the American launch was famously botched: to beat Sony, Sega released the console weeks in advance, with only one game ready for the American market. It pissed off gamers and developers, but those who decided to stick on were ready for a bumpy ride.

With Bernie Stolar at the wheel, we were treated to the epitome of the 3D action platform genre in full force. It was a shame most of the shit on the Saturn was never brought over to America, though when we did get a unique gem (Shining Force 3 part 1 was a 3D RPG, Mega Man 8 was a 2D side scroller, Sonic Jam and the Ages boxes were compilations) we didn’t hesitate to buy.  But we still passed on the Saturn. So the question remains now: were we wrong? Was it the future of gaming?
Fuck no. Just get your barf bag and get on, because this 15th Anniversary is funded by Segata Sanshiro and Mr. Floating Old Head.

Humor

The Top Ten Worst (and Therefore Best) Sonic Underground Songs

How can anyone forget the magic that was 1999? After five long years, the western audience of Sonic the Hedgehog was finally going to get what they asked for. Through the turbulent Saturn years, there was only one thing anyone asked for – a new, proper Sonic game. And on 9/9/99 (9/14/99 for all you Europeans) the western world was able to get their hands on a game that had already received rave reviews when it was released in Japan…nine months previous. The wait was unbearable, but we had the Internet. We had the magazines. We had the previews. We had the faith that the glitches and bugs would be cleaned up for us.

And we had Sonic Underground.

Well, we didn’t exactly ask for Sonic Underground. Sure, the idea of a new Sonic cartoon was alluring, but hearing that it had nothing to do with the old shows? That Tails was missing? Sonic was a prince and had two siblings, and they were in a band with magical instruments? Dr. Robotnik was going to be a sheriff? That Jaleel White was going to voice all three, including the sister?! It had to be some cruel, sick joke DiC was playing on the fans.

One that ended up on UPN, that is.

Granted, they dropped the “Sheriff” title before they animated the series, but the rest of it was still a gigantic mess. Never knowing what it wanted to be, Sonic Underground was torn between the early 90’s ideal of Sonic and the modern sensibilities the Adventure games were about to introduce, dooming the show before the first episode aired. Having 40 episodes produced in all, it let the series squeak by into syndication. Just enough to give the world one “rockin'” soundtrack.

Which is why Sonic Retro is proud to present “The Top Ten Worst (and Therefore Best) Sonic Underground Songs!” Crank up those speakers, and prepare to “Peanut Butter and Jam” with the best of ’em!

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