On this episode of the SEGAbits Swingin’ Report Show, Barry & George chat with Tee Lopes, composer for Sonic Mania, who answers our burning questions about his career before working on a SEGA game, how he landed the Sonic Mania job, and how one goes about composing for video games. We also try to get some soundtrack secrets out of him, and we’ll let you be the judge on how well we did. If you loved the music of Sonic Mania and are a video game soundtrack aficionado, or if you just like an hour of video game chat, this episode is a must listen!
You can learn more about Tee Lopes and follow his work by checking out his website teelopesmusic.com, following him on Twitter, subscribing to his You Tube channel, and if you want the best possible aural experience of Sonic Mania make sure to check out the official vinyl (and included digital music download) from Data Discs.
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Boy, it’s been quite awhile since we’ve seen this project hasn’t it? You’ll recall Sonic 2 HD as one of the featured projects on this very website up until the project disbanded in 2012. When the project was dead in it’s tracks, it did give us PagodaWest Games who’s talent eventually led to the amazing Sonic Mania and the Sonic 2 HD team got some fresh talent in 2014 to resurface the project from it’s ashes. You can read a summary of the project’s troubled history from Guess Who’s editorial.
Now the project is back with a new trailer showcasing the smooth artwork, zones, remastered soundtrack and gameplay with new material not seen since it’s first public demo in 2012. Sonic and Tails are shown running together through the previously featured Emerald Hill Zone and the similarly colored Hill Top Zone that was originally hidden in the first demo. The bigger highlights include Chemical Plant Zone being shown off for the first time, new character artwork and the video’s closing teaser for the game’s second demo set to release later this month on the 30th. The team also relaunched their website simplified to feature screenshots, wallpaper and social media links.
The project continues it’s long trek but certainly shows a lot of promise. We can’t wait to see what’s in store in the project’s second demo after so long. Over time they have been showcasing new assets and even positions for those who want to put their talent up to honor the original 1992 game. Be sure to check out their website and social media links for more information.
Woah, hey, it’s been a bit, right?! We’ve got a couple quick updates regarding SAGE so let’s get right into it!
Just like last year, we’ll have another SAGE trailer to show off the exciting games coming this year! If you’d like your game featured, please send a 10 second clip of gameplay to [email protected] by 11:59 pm Central Time, September 14th. For examples of clips and what to expect, take a peek at last year’s trailer here!
Off-Site Booths are now optional. That’s right! Now that the new SFGHQ site is up and running in beta, instead of worrying about if you can make your own booth, or you lack the resources or what have you, then go ahead and create your booth using the site’s built in submission system! Awww yeah! It’s easy and gives you an better than ever method to get set up for SAGE! A lot of folks were, worried about creating their own site for their entry as well as archival of SAGE’s content. This will effectively accomplish both, while also wrapping everything up in an easy to use form set up!
Hit the jump to find out about on own hosting and how you can get yours up today!
By the fans, for the fans. Truer words have never been spoken when it comes to Sonic Mania, a game does the unthinkable in 2017: get everyone excited for Sonic the Hedgehog again. And by everyone, we’re not talking about just fans of series, but folks who have been withdrawn since the days of the Genesis, people who haven’t considered playing a Sonic game since 1995. And there’s good reason for that too, after a year of development, Christian Whitehead, Headcannon, PagodaWest, and a whole gaggle of friends, members, and family from Retro and beyond have created one of the series best entries ever.
In less than two weeks, Sonic Mania will finally be available to the world at large. Counting down the days has become painful, the question being if there’s a way to make August 15th come any faster. Since no one here at Sonic Retro HQ has the extra eighth Time Stone hiding in a cabinet, we must instead whet our appetites on the teasers SEGA has been releasing.
Yesterday, the official Sonic YouTube account put up a video showcasing, among other things, the brand new Special Stage for Mania. Yes, we get some blue spheres going on, but there’s a whole lot more to it than that.
The Sonic Mania Comic Con panel has come and gone, with it we got news regarding lots of things Sonic Mania related (which will be covered in tomorrow’s video) but we also got to see a Sonic Mania’s instruction Introduction manual in the form of a promotional item that was given away at the event. On this episode of the SEGA News Bits we look through some of the pages of the Sonic Mania manual, talk about concept art for a never before seen Sonic Mania stage and cry that we didn’t get a manual for our personal collection. In the comments below let us know what you think of the Sonic Mania manual and should there be a physical release for this game already? Feels like Sonic Mania has everything released physically besides the actual game, right?
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Merchandise
New Sonic the Hedgehog books announced – coloring book, Mad Libs, junior novel and a handbook
I’ve always loved the Sonic the Hedgehog children’s books from the 90s, from the junior novelizations to the look and find books to the guide books filled with inaccuracies. The fine folks at Penguin Random House are reviving the world of Sonic the Hedgehog children’s books with three new titles, due out March 6, 2018, as well as an adult coloring book from Archie Sonic legend Patrick Spaziante (the coloring book releases earlier than the others, on October 17, 2017). Check out the covers below as well as full descriptions and pre-order links. “Sonic and the Tales of Deception” sounds especially interesting, as it tells three short stories and will feature full color illustrations from Ian McGinty.
While we are a bit late on talking about this due to the long weekend away from technology, we are covering the big news that Sonic the Hedgehog comics are back but this time with IDW as a publisher. If you guys didn’t hear, Archie’s Sonic the Hedgehog series ended less than a week ago and SEGA was quick to announce their new partnership with IDW! If you guys watched our previous SEGA News Bits episodes discussing all things Sonic the Hedgehog comics related, you’d know that we have wanted the Sonic the Hedgehog brand to end up at IDW for a long while. So on this episode of the SEGA News Bits we talk about Sonic joining IDW, the potential crossovers, and our hopes for how the transition is handled. There is still a lot of details to hash out on how IDW will be handling their own series, but what do you wanna see? Let us know in the comments below and will you be picking up the new IDW Sonic the Hedgehog series come 2018?
If you enjoy our SEGA News Bits segments and want to support us: Give us a sub and give this video a like so it shows up on more like minded fans YouTube recommendations. You know, how that YouTube algorithm is.
If there are two things I love, it’s weird food promotions and Sonic the Hedgehog. So when those two combine, I’m a very happy man (hey, I even made a YouTube series dedicated to such things). Jones Soda, creator of delicious and decidedly weird sodas, has teamed with SEGA to release Sonic, Tails and Knuckles inspired beverages to promote Sonic Mania. TheLimited Edition Sonic Mania Jones Soda bottles are currently exclusive to Comic Con, but comments on their Facebook demanding a wide release have been met with Jones Soda replying “stay tuned”. It is worth noting that Jones Soda has a robust online store, so perhaps an online exclusive is in the works? As for the flavors themselves, we have Sonic Blue Bubblegum Soda, Tails Orange Cream Soda and Knuckles Strawberry Lime Soda. If you are attending Comic Con, swing by the Futurism Pavilion at the Omni for a chance to win some.
Too bad Jones Soda didn’t release an Eggman Scrambled Eggs Soda. Hey, the company has already made Robin’s Egg Lemonade soda and Egg Nog soda!
An announcement has been made that the Sonic series is going in a new direction, with IDW publishing!
SEGA and IDW are thrilled to announce a partnership to bring Sonic Comics to fans new and old. The new series arrives 2018! pic.twitter.com/neT3oAMNUE
— Sonic the Hedgehog (@sonic_hedgehog) July 21, 2017
While this is great news, nothing has been mentioned as to whether the original Freedom Fighter gang will show up in this new beginning. Sega and DiC are the original copyright holders of the original Freedom Fighters, so it is very possible! Stay tuned for more information as it comes in!