All-new 2D Sonic rolling out in 2010

[Radrappy]

If speed is supposed to be a reward, why are there dash pads?

[Esrever]

For the same reason there are horizontal springs?

[FlashTHD]

That shot looks suspiciously identical to this from the teaser, differing only in very slight ways (the HUD details are exactly the same save for three extra milliseconds). I'm leaning toward faked.

[Radrappy]

so it looks as if this game will have zero original badniks and bosses.

With Eggman finally defeated, Sonic runs off to explore new zones and uncharted lands. Dr. Eggman, furious at the destruction of the Death Egg and the failure of his plans, puts all of his most devious schemes into action. In an effort to finally rid himself of Sonic, he revisits – and improves – the very best of his creations. Get ready for the next chapter in an all new epic 2D saga built for old and new fans alike.

The footage we've seen involves no physics or rolling whatsoever, the zones are made out of cheap plastic, the animation looks terrible, and it's developed by Dimps.

What the flying fuck?

For the same reason there are horizontal springs?

so, as traps? Somehow I doubt it

[Zeta]

Yay, it's being made by DIMPS. I have some optimism once again. That and I think the plasticy art style fits really well.

[Blount]

he revisits – and improves – the very best of his creations

That's the best excuse to be lazy they could come up with? I would expect nothing but Metropolis badniks if that were true. I don't think Motora was ever that efficient in making anyone's rings spill.

Yes, I'm aware that having nothing but badniks from Metropolis Zone would be horrible. Just saying.

[Radrappy]

I think the plasticy art style fits really well.

man you're like, my aesthetic rival

[P.P.A.]

Why am I not surprised at all wwwwwww
Also that small shot of Casino Street Zone, at least from what can be made out, looks exactly like Casino Night Zone. Then again I never was expecting a hint of originality so w

Actually, even though it's never (as far as I know) had anything made of it in the games, all Sega's modern bios for Knuckles say he's a treasure hunter. Which makes no sense since he's lived on a single island his whole life, so even if there were any treasure left for him to find, where would he put it?

The OVA claimed him to be a treasure hunter, actually. Ad I'm willing to accept that just if he gets that awesome hat back.

[Kogen]

I think people are overacting to the footage a bit. The game is obviously only just started.

If anything, moaning should be directed towards the developer. This is going to be Sonic Advance 4 with shitty DIMPS art. Although I think we all knew that, anyway.

[James McGeachie]

I'm surprised anyone would complain about the art/visuals if they watched the gameplay. The layers of scrolling and overall look are actually pretty impressive. If anything it does look significantly better in my eyes than the Advance games/rush.

That's the only real positive I have. Other than that it looks like a very soulless attempt to mimic the old games far too closely. The model's movements are pretty awkward looking too and the part where Sonic is unable to enter the loop from the spring jump is embarassing because there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with the angle of the jump at all.

From what I could hear of the music it's pretty ass. Using samples of tracks from the Megadrive games and attempting to replicate the sound of the synths means nothing if the actual compositions are complete and utter crap.

[Kogen]

Well for me it is not so much the quality, it is the style. I just do not like how DIMPS does level art. Everything being flat and hollow with rounded blobs of colours is not the Genesis style at all and it is the same thing I have seen in all of their GBA/DS games. It gives the game a cheap plastic-like look.

They simply just should not have called this Sonic 4. It is a DIMPS series and it is clearly just trying to live off of Sonic 1 - not being a real sequel. Same badniks? Tails died of malaria suddenly? It just does not make sense as a sequel to Sonic 3/K.

And in their new description they mention how this game is supposed to please both old and new fans. I thought they specifically said they were going to stop that and this was the game to do it with?

[Crazy Penguin]

Sonic Rush was Sonic Advance 4. This would be Sonic Advance 6.

I'm with Esrever on Sonic Rush Adventure. It's the only DIMPS Sonic game I particularly care for (despite having a distinctly different flavour to the classic series), and a lot of that was down to it actually having new stage theme ideas instead of just recycling Sonic 2 again. How many other Sonic games have a pirate town or a haunted ghost ship or coral caves? How many other Sonic games have their finales under a volcano rather than a factory or outer space?

Sonic the Hedgehog 4's zones are disappointing but expected. Green Hill Redux? CHECK! Casino Night Rehash? CHECK! Can't make out the other two just yet, but Lost Labytrinth doesn't sound too promising.

The Zone structure is surprising, with 3 Acts followed by a separate boss round. Also surprising is that they appear to have brought back the Sonic 1 Special Stages.

So far "Sonic 4" has Zones recycled from Sonic 1 and 2, enemies recycled from Sonic 1, 2 and 3 and Special Stages recycled from Sonic 1. Where does the "4" come into it? If this is a sequel then where are the new locales, the new enemies, the new items and obstacles? Emerald Hill Zone aside Sonic 2 didn't recycle much from Sonic 1, and Sonic 3 & Knuckles didn't recycle much from 1 or 2. Sonic CD heavily recycled from Sonic 1, but did it with such flair and brought so much new to the table it can be forgiven. What will Sonic 4 bring to the table, if anything?

[Zeta]

Sonic the Hedgehog 4's zones are disappointing but expected. Green Hill Redux? CHECK! Casino Night Rehash? CHECK! Can't make out the other two just yet, but Lost Labytrinth doesn't sound too promising.

Green Hill Zone, Spring Yard Zone, Labyrinth Zone, Scrap Brain Zone.

Hopefully episode 2's areas will be more original, considering that they've already run out of most of the stereotypical Sonic level types.

[K2J]

I'm rather optimistic, assuming this is a beta build and not supposed to be something too far along. Though I would prefer more Zones, I think some of the physics glitches they have will be worked out before release, but maybe I'm just being naive.

Also surprising is that they appear to have brought back the Sonic 1 Special Stages.

In the more recent trailer, you can sorta see it reflected in the text at the end.

And it seems the maze moves independent of Sonic touching any blocks, so... perhaps it'll be based on the motion controls of the Wii/SixAxis controllers? They mentioned something about incorporating motion control when discussing the cross-platform stuff.

[Segaholic2]

Does someone have a mirror for the video and screenshots? 1up took them down and I didn't get to see them.

[cjmcray]

What bugged me about the Advance series was how there was no story in any of the games whatsoever, it was just "Stop Eggman!" with a rehash of Genesis-levels and Sonic 2's ending recycled all over again.

I know Sonic was never Shakesphere or anything, and the last thing the series needs is a "epic" storyline like Sonic2k6, but at least the Genesis titles would try something new with each installment. Sonic 1 didn't tell us much, just that Eggman was turning animals into robots and to stop him. Sonic 2 gave us a bit more, with the Death Egg , the Tornado and Tails. Sonic 3 had an even bigger story than the first two, giving us a naive enemy who always had a trick up his sleeve and wasn't just a robot (Knuckles), Angel Island and all that Master Emerald nonsense.

I'd love for Sonic 4 to follow the style of Sonic 3 and have a big storyline told without dialogue, but instead, it looks to be the same as the Advance series. Eggman's up to no good again! Sonic needs to stop him! No elaboration on that premise. Nothing new at all about the game, from the story, to the baddies, to the level design. Ten bucks says it ends just like every title in the Advance series with a recycled Sonic 2 ending.

[Blank]

Quick search on youtube shows the leaked footage. Don't know about those screenshots.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNhRaGyI7ZU

[cjmcray]

...I just noticed Crazy Penguin's last post.

Er, what he said.

[K2J]

Does someone have a mirror for the video and screenshots? 1up took them down and I didn't get to see them.

If you can't find it on YouTube, it looks like TSSZ has the video, and the screenshots.

[Isuka]

Tails died of malaria suddenly?

I'm probably thinking too high of Dimps, but it would kinda tie in with the characters' descriptions in Adventure's manual.

Sonic's adventure begins just as he is returning from a long journey...

and

A long time friend and admirer of Sonic, Tails devoted himself to tinkering in his workshop while Sonic was away on his journey.

I even recall someone noticing the exact same thing before on this very thread, but I can't be arsed to look it up.

And this is just some kind of devalued wishful thinking or something, but the last (and only :/ ...) time Dimps developed a home console Sonic game, Sonic Team was up to something bigger (360/PS3 Unleashed), so... yeah, perhaps there is another big Sonic title coming our way?

[Kogen]

This game is pre-Adventure, is not it?

[Locit]

That video is, uh... pretty rough looking... but I guess it's not fair to judge a game by a leaked video of an alpha build.

Seriously people take some deep breaths or something. Cripes.

[gr4yJ4Y]

<-------- The hat clearly shows he's a treasure hunter.

This game is pre-Adventure, is not it?

Isuka was just saying a good explanation for why Tails isn't in this is Sonic went on a big adventure, as it's written about in Sonic Adventure's manual. So, Sonic 3&K happened, "big adventure", then Sonic Adventure. Sonic would would be his "big adventure" during Sonic 4. So there's no Tails or other characters, supposedly. I think they'll probably add more playable characters in later episodes.

So far "Sonic 4" has Zones recycled from Sonic 1 and 2, enemies recycled from Sonic 1, 2 and 3 and Special Stages recycled from Sonic 1. Where does the "4" come into it?

Episode 2.

No, really I don't know why they wouldn't make some adjustments between episodes if fans complain about certain things like that. Then again it's SEGA.

It looks like there's 4 levels in Episode 1, so I'm guessing 3 episodes to make a S3&K-sized game.

If that hotel room existed back in the 90s...

Well, there was always this! Whatever that was, anyway. (I didn't get to go, myself).

I went. All that is was was a chance to rent out a Gamegear with one or two Sonic games. I talked my parents into letting me do it. IIRC it cost $20 for a night and $100 deposit, which my dad wasn't too happy about. They also wouldn't let me leave the room with it, making its portability kind of useless.

[j-man]

It looks like Splash Hill Zone has different times of day, as the level select shows it at sunset. That's pretty cool! Lost Labyrinth Zone intrigues me. Gameplay seems a bit shoddy at the moment (unless the dude playing it is just shit at Sonic games) but I like the look of everything so far. Alpha footage, won't jump to conclusions, etc etc.

That screenie with the older-style Sonic in Splash Hill was yet another edit by someone at Sonic Retro, in case that hadn't been cleared up already.

[Opa-Opa]

Video's looking better. He still runs like ass though.