It finally came out. Sonic Generations, the game that has been hyped beyond belief since its initial reveal in April of this year is now in the hands of the masses of the western gaming public. Containing the hopes and dreams of three generations of Sonic fans within, the title is perhaps the most fitting way one could celebrate 20 years of the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. Starting with the first game that lit up homes the world over and wrapping up with last year’s Sonic Colo(u)rs, Sonic’s entire gaming career is chronicled in some fashion inside Generations. With everything that has been said about the game on message boards and game sites across the globe, how much more can be said? How much can one review dictate whether or not someone should go out and buy it? Or at the very least, ask to get it for Christmas? Seeing as the game is a retrospective on Sonic’s greatest gaming moments (and a few of his misses), it only makes sense that the game is not perfect. But I want to make something absolutely clear: just because the game is not perfect doesn’t mean that it is not fun. On the contrary, I’ve had a blast going through it. Of course, if you’re reading this review in the first place, more than likely you’ve already at least played the demo, if not outright own and unlocked everything within. Which is perfectly fine, since this website is called Sonic Retro. Sonic the Hedgehog is our figurative bread and butter. You’re not coming here to read our reviews on the latest Final Fantasy game. So with that said, there isn’t much more to do than jump right into things. If you can curl, now’s the time to do so.
Monthly Archives
November 2011
…though perhaps not the type of scoring you were thinking.
When it comes to Sonic games both new and old, the music has delivered a consistently impressive, enjoyable and pleasurable sensation to our ears (and perhaps some other senses as well, if you catch my drift). But what happens when you decide to apply more advanced scoring principles to composing music for a Sonic game and get college credit for it? Forum member Falk takes the plunge.
More information after the break.
A few days after Gamesutra talked to Takashi Iizuka, GamereactorTV has posted their own interview with the current head of Sonic Team. While most of the interview is the usual PR speak and things we already know, the answer to the last question is the most interesting:
So the final question, how do you see the next twenty years for Sonic?
Sonic started as an action game twenty years ago and we will continue to focus on creating the best possible action game. But we want to reach the widest possible audience. So, you know, we will probably see Sonic going into other genres of games and also seeing Sonic in different media. So we will hopefully be able to have as many people as possible enjoy Sonic.
We have already seen Sonic race in karts, take place in the olympics and play tennis among other things. Next thing you know he’ll have his own Dance Dance Revolution game. Either way, it looks like there won’t be a shortage of spin-offs in the future of the Sonic franchise, both in games and other media. You can watch the full interview here:
With Sonic Generations recently released and Sonic CD getting an enhanced new version next month, one could forget that there’s a new Mario and Sonic game coming out next week. To remind you, SEGA has released a couple of new TV commercials. The ads are mostly the same, but have slightly different gameplay bits and different endings so they are both worth a watch:
Besides the Wii version, there’s also the 3DS version coming out early next year. Amazon has recently updated the store page with the box-art of this, which has as much promotional art crammed on it as the designers could get away with:
In 1993, Sonic appeared at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. This was considered a special occasion because of two reasons: it was the first time a video game character appeared at the parade and it was the first time Sonic miserably failed to get past a lamppost.
Now, it’s been 18 years since then and the blue blur will finally appear again at the event later this month. This info has been known since last June, but yesterday we got our first glimpse of what he looks like (see the photo above) along with the other new balloons this year when they appeared at Macy’s Balloonfest. You can see the giant inflatable bags in action in this video.
I don’t know how many people were aware that Gamestop was making their own gaming tablet until someone noticed that Sonic the Hedgehog CD was being included for free on it. I know I certainly didn’t, but then again I don’t really pay all that much attention to the tablet scene. Well, the tablets were meant to be released today, and already the demo units are up and running. Soon enough all the juicy details of this port will be up on YouTube. And by soon enough, I mean starting right now.
YouTube user Spindash54 woke up bright and early, deciding to record footage from his nearest GameStop with his trusty cell phone. While there is the same footage of Palmtree Panic we’ve all seen, we get our first look at the snazzy new menus within the release. Pausing has never looked so good, my friends. And the main menu, along with an extras list? Yes, you can make out the return of D.A. Garden and the Visual Mode on there, but two more remain with the illustrious question mark. One is assuredly Miles “Tails” Prower, but the other? Well, we’ll just have to wait and see.
All I do know is that Christian Whitehead certainly isn’t unlockable. Look at his name scroll by. You certainly deserve it, Tax ol’ boy.
Oh man is that Brand-new World in your credits sequence oh man that is fancy.
It’s November 4th, which means that if you live in Europe, you’re not reading anything about Sonic Generations – you’re now living it, experiencing each reimagined level yourself. Of course, we all seem to forget that if you speak Japanese, you’re still out of luck. In one more move that celebrates the month delay of the original Sonic the Hedgehog, Japanese gamers still have to wait until December 1st to get their hands on this Sonic celebration. Will that month be spent including extra moving clouds? Who knows. But until then, the Japanese get to watch commercials for it.
It’s a bit of a shame that they didn’t decide to take the marketing all the way, and do classic/modern versions of their old ads, but it is fairly straightforward. And it does reveal the final level for the Nintendo 3DS version of the game – Apotos, aka Windmill Isle. Of course, regardless of where you live, you still have to wait until you can get your hands on that 3DS cartridge, so the party isn’t over until SEGA says so.
[Source: WounChannel, via YouTube]
Now that Sonic Generations has arrived for most of the world, the inevitable questions are popping up: what’s next for the Sonic series? We’ve heard already that there are “no plans” for classic Sonic post-Generations (and our inevitable reaction was no doubt heard ’round the Internet), but beyond the upcoming Sonic 4: Episode 2 release next year, there hasn’t been much indication of where Sonic’s going next.
In an interview with Gamasutra, Sonic Team producer Takashi Iizuka sat down to explain his views on moving the series forward, stating that “Generations is about taking the past 20 years of history and rolling it into one really fun product. I think, as a result, I would like to make a new standard Sonic, a modern Sonic if you will, in 2012 and beyond.“
Also, the obligatory fanbase question and answer:
The Sonic series has a lot of really passionate fans. When you’re charting a course for the series, how much do you have to listen to that fanbase? How much of the decision is based on where you think it should go?
Well, the fact that Sonic has kept going for the past 20 years is because it’s received all that support from fans over the years. I try to preserve the image of Sonic that these fans are looking for, and I try my best to participate in the assorted fan events that take place.
So I treat those voices seriously, but on the other hand, I think it’s also necessary to surprise them, to turn against their expectations — in a good way. I want to introduce new aspects that don’t shake what the fans want, but also provide something new to the package.
You can check out the entire interview (along with the “I feel old” realization of both parents and children enjoying Sonic games) over at Gamasutra.
So the big day is finally here, and at long last after months of waiting, Sonic Generations is finally here for us all to enjoy – so long as you live in North America, that is. Us poor sods in the Old World have to wait another 3 whole days before we can open our shiny new disk boxes; listening meanwhile in tormented agony to our crowing friends across the pond, blasting their way though Sky Sanctuary and Planet Wisp in glorious HD.
Clearly, we need to find something that only we in Europe (if I’m honest, more specifically the UK, but work with me here) really had, in order to sustain us until Friday finally rolls around (pun totally intended). Ladies and gentlemen, I present the first part of Sonic the Comic‘s finest hour: the adaptation of Sonic the Hedgehog 3.
As reported earlier and officially revealed on the Sega Blogs, Sonic CD is making it’s way to a host of tablets as part of Gamestop’s move toward the tablet market. Consumers who purchase Samsung Galaxy, Acer 100 and ASUS Transformer at participating Gamestop retailers receive Sonic CD for free early. Offer begins this Friday. The remaining versions will be releasing in December.
In addition, Sega revealed an exclusive feature to the new revision of the game: Tails as a playable character for the entirety of the game! Complete with his ability to fly. Tails becomes playable after completing the game once as Sonic. Check out the gallery below of more screens from the Android version and Tails in action.
