Earlier today, gaming website IGN posted online the latest trailer for Sonic Generations, and game that is now only a little more than a month away. Styled in a similar manner to the “Classic Era” trailer uploaded earlier this month, the hallmark Dreamcast titles Sonic Adventure, Sonic Adventure 2 and the multi-platform like-it-or-hate-it Sonic Heroes are showcased for those who first fell in love with the hedgehog in the land of three dimensions. And what music accompanies this trailer?
Disappearing as quickly as it arrived, German gaming site Giga.de posted up a video I’m guessing they weren’t supposed to – a 28 minute playthrough of the upcoming Sonic Generations, coming across the globe in the early days of November, 2011. Featuring Green Hill, Chemical Plant, Sky Sanctuary, and City Escape, the video also includes extensive footage of the hub world and the glorious Metal Sonic boss fight. Sure, everything they are saying is in German, and it was taken down probably because of an embargo (which means this video here might disappear later on), but in the words of Retro admin Cinossu, “boy is it a lovely 28 minutes.”
Although it should be obvious, this video is chock-full of spoilers. So if you want to stay completely in the dark, you’ll want to avoid the video and everything else below.
Achievements. The little things that pop up with a nice little sound effect that let you know you may or may not have done something really cool in a game and are awarded with Gamerscore or a Trophy. They’re also notorious for leaking some of the story elements of a game just from descriptions alone, causing some headaches for developers when the lists leak out a wee bit early.
It goes without saying that the 360 and PS3 versions of Generations were going to be packing these in some form, giving teasing glimpses at what challenges Sega is chucking at its players. Thanks to Xbox360Achievements, we now have a small peek at some of these and a surprise in that most of the achievements are completely hidden from viewing.
Well, almost completely. Above are the icons for the 27 secret achievements the game is packing, giving little glimpses to certain currently unrevealed bosses and stages. It even packs a small teaser or two regarding the status of two fan-favorite super powered golden hedgehogs.
While those will remain mysterious for now, we do have a small list, found below, of some of the more basic achievements players will be able to challenge.
With a supposed embargo on Generations information lifting today, we have the first trickle of information in the form of a three and a half minute video from German site GamePro showcasing some of the currently known stages from the console version of the game.
Those worried about Sky Sanctuary lacking the signature elements of the original stage, like bubbly bouncing clouds and the ominous launch of Death Egg through the clouds can breathe a sigh of relief. Although still a different take from the original stage with a more heavenly tropical feel, the soul of the original Sky Sanctuary is still there as Sonic bounds on the clouds. Check out all those alternate paths in the Classic version of the stage!
The video also features looks at Green Hill, Chemical Plant and City Escape. Green Hill now features collectible red rings, Omochao hint bubbles, and additional prompts on screen when Modern Sonic is performing tricks. We also get a view of the Chemical Plant “hub world”, featuring Modern Amy.
After the small bits and pieces of information that have trickled out over the last couple days concerning Sonic Generations, Sega today decided to be nice and show off even more new juicy tidbits, straight from the source. Put together in a trailer showcasing the world of Classic Sonic, we not only get to see the now-familiar footage of Green Hill and Chemical Plant, but the final stage connected the first era of Sonic the Hedgehog – Sky Sanctuary. And yes, you can hear the music.
Someone flipped the switch a little too soon again.
Some users are reporting quite a few new shots of Sonic Generations appearing on Xbox Live that probably shouldn’t have gone live yet. Yet others are reporting seeing the usual shots of Green Hill Zone. Either way, you all win. Aside from the above of Modern Sonic death racing Shadow on an unknown stage–the ARK?–echoing Classic Sonic death racing Metal Sonic, we also get to see the Death Egg Robot fight Classic Sonic will take part in, showing a newer spin on the boss.
Planet Wisp is also shown, looking just a tad crisper than how it appeared in last year’s Wii title Sonic Colours and a shot of Modern Sonic and Classic Sonic interacting in the timeless “mirrored reflection” pantomime.
Tokyo Game Show is about to go down in Japan, but Nintendo yesterday held a TGS Kickoff conference which brought with it a trailer of the 3DS version of Sonic Generations giving viewers a chance to see Green Hill, Mushroom Hill, and the Special Stage in motion. Listen to that Sonic Heroes Special Stage remix.
Pictures released also include glimpses of Casino Night Zone, additionally confirming that players will be challenged by Metal Sonic in a race to the death within the neon lit gambling city, a change from the console version which features the race in its famous Sonic CD setting, Stardust Speedway’s Bad Future.
For Americans, Sega confirmed that the tentative retail date of Nov. 1 is when the PS3 and 360 versions of the game will be arriving for consumption. The fate of the Nintendo 3DS title isn’t so clear, as it has been given a more ambiguous release of Late 2011.
With signs that the game isn’t quite complete in the trailer itself–Modern Sonic’s Mushroom Hill is still using a recording of the original zone’s music from Sonic & Knuckles and fans have noted that Classic Sonic brings up homing attack reticules–this isn’t terribly surprising, but a positive sign that Sega and DIMPS are working to make the portable version of the game more than just a quick cash in version.
Let’s start by raising the major spoiler flags. Unless you don’t care at all about the plot or seeing how the final boss of the game looks like or is named, turn back right now. Everyone else, let’s press on.
Considering the hodgepodge of characters celebrating the fact that Sonic is one year away from boozing it up in America, it’s natural that the series original the character with a darker, edgier tone joins Metal Sonic in crashing the festivities.
Sega officially revealed the long-known fact that Shadow will be out to thwart his goody blue counterpart, bringing with him a new slightly edgier look in small details, such as paint stripped off from his hover skates, and some more jagged lines across some of his red stripes. A subtle way to tell the player that he’s not here to emo up a party or play support character; he’s here to kill Sonic.
With Metal Sonic and Shadow now officially revealed, it’s only a matter of time before the time traveler with psychokinesis crashes the party and sends Sonic into space.
This announcement isn’t exactly out of the blue, what with the rumors of a collector’s edition for Sonic Generations floating out there for quite a while. There have been listings in various gaming retailers, but some thought it might be nothing more than the Casino Night DLC packaged from the get-go. For those who were fearing the worst, they have been more than pleasantly surprised to find that isn’t the case at all. Not since Sonic Adventure 2 has a Sonic the Hedgehog title received the royal treatment, and as many consider this game a return to form, can we blame Sega for being excited and doing this? Not at all!
