Ever since the Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu unveiled the look of the Chemical Plant Zone that will be featured in Sonic Generations, everyone has been hoping for clear shots straight from the source, something we’ve taken for granted in this Internet world of ours. Well, on Sega’s Flickr stream, we’ve finally got them. And yes. It look so very, very nice.
Look at that. Glowing purple water, the sometimes-named Mega Mack. You can’t get any better than that. Or can you?
So you’re busy playing Sonic Generations. You’ve only got twenty days before your demo runs out and you have to go back in time to today to play it all over again. But if you don’t put down that controller, you’re going to miss the other hidden hedgehog secrets that have been sneaking out. Gamestop, the game superstore that’s in nearly every mall in America, has put up yet another of their pre-order incentives, this time for Generations. And what is it? Why, Casino Night Zone from Sonic the Hedgehog 2. Though an earlier interview in Nintendo Power made it seem like the level was to be a 3DS exclusive, Gamestop has let the cat out of the bag, those willing to secure their order through the gaming emporium getting the level. Does this mean they get to play it early through some demo trickery? Does it mean the level is free DLC for players who buy the game through them? More then likely the latter, but if so that opens up a whole other can of worms, meaning that Xbox Live account you used to play through the Green Hill today could get you more then you were expecting. Who doesn’t love more Sonic? Well, more good Sonic, that is. Why, the possibilities are practically…not endless, but twenty years worth
Either way, the level looks to be quite enticing in the looks department. You even get “Miles” in big glowing letters, how can you not love that?
[Source: Gamestop.com]
I do believe I’m justified in my jadedness now.
It’s a story you’ve heard a million times before. How on June 23rd 1991, the gaming world was forever changed when Sonic the Hedgehog, the original 16-bit classic, was released. For the first time, Nintendo had competition. The 16-bit wars had truly begun. And a company that had been started in the aftermath of World War II whose only goal was to entertain had a bona fide hit on their hands. But no matter the impact Sonic had on the industry, he had a far greater impact on the childhood of millions of gamers. Starting with that first game, what child of the 90’s didn’t demand their own Mega Drive? Who didn’t want their own version of Sonic’s shoes, even though none would ever be sold? Who didn’t wake up early every Saturday just to catch a glimpse of Sonic and his awesome catch phrases? Save their pocket money to get the latest issue of whatever comic was released on their side of the world? Dare to read the junior novels? Fall asleep holding tightly onto that Sonic plushie?
Let’s be honest here. Anyone associated with this site, we stick around because of the impact Sonic had on our lives. Yes, we can admit that there are far more important things than talking about a speedy blue hedgehog. Sure, perhaps the games aren’t as big a part of our lives anymore. We’ve grown up just like anyone must, out of childhood, through those awkward teenage years and into our own 20’s. Even those of us who edit the wiki, write on the message board, or even the passive who just casually read the site or follow us on twitter feel some sort of attachment to “the fastest thing alive,” even if he is only a small part of our current world. Even so, who here can say that haven’t been inspired, even slightly, by the invention of three Japanese fellows who only wanted to make the best game they could?
Here’s to many more!
With the excitement for Sonic’s 20th anniversary building, it should be of no surprise that Archie Comics – the company that has been making the Sonic comic for the last 18 years – is gearing up to celebrate in the best way they know possible. The news of the Sonic Genesis arc has been featured on this page beforehand, but next week in the United States (6/29/2011 for those keeping score) the first issue of that arc is finally meant to come out at direct comic book shops. Though it has gotten into the hands of certain subscribers early, the first of the four part story begins with the most familiar location of all: the Green Hill Zone. With Sonic jumping right into the action and not being completely aware of the insanity that happened last issue, he immediately begins to free Flicky and the rest. Though it begins as Sonic the Hedgehog does, it soon takes a turn right into Archie territory.
So America got Sonic Boom during E3, and the U.K. is getting Summer of Sonic this weekend. But what about Japan, the country where the original Sonic the Hedgehog was conceptualized and produced? Well, this past weekend the Sega Joypolis arcade in Tokyo, Japan held their “Sonic the Hedgehog 20th Birthday Party Anniversary Exhibition.” While the Sonic display connected to it opened on the 11th of June, last Saturday was the big celebration, going full out for the 100 invited guests along with whoever else could fit through the door at the last minute. These diehard Japanese fans were not disappointed, able to see Naka, Ohshima and Iizuka live on stage. Sure, there wasn’t a 40 minute Crush 40 extravaganza, but Senoue was more then willing to show his smiling mug, and the Director of Sonic Generations was also on hand. After all, wasn’t the announcement of Sonic’s latest game that got this whole 20th celebration rolling?
The last time we heard anything from Sega about 20th Anniversary related dealings for Sonic, we got an allusion to the philosophical poem “The Hedgehog and The Fox”.
Now by way of social media networks Facebook and Twitter, we get two separate events that clearly coincide.
Yesterday, it was reported via the Twitter account @supererogatory that Sega registered two domain names in “sonicgenerations.com” and “sonic-generations.com”. What’s noteworthy about this? Aside from being registered by EuroDNS, which also handled the domain registrations for Sonic The Hedgehog 4 and Sonic Colors, it could be a hint at either the rumored Sonic game with remakes of classic levels “in a modern style” or yet another hodgepodge of games on a disc.
If that wasn’t enough, Sega updated their Sonic The Hedgehog fanpage on Facebook with a hint to visit the page on April 7, where they plan to kick off celebrations early.
You heard it here last, but we’ll definitely keep you up to date come Thursday.
