All-new 2D Sonic rolling out in 2010

[Malchik]

CP, you took the words out of my mouth. From what little I've played of DKJB, I had more fun with that game than the first DKC, which I thought was pretty unimpressive. To be fair though, I haven't really played the second game which is supposedly the best one according to the fans. *shrugs*

It's the second best platformer on the SNES. I highly suggest you download the rom or find the cart. And I don't care much for either the first or third installments.

[CM August]

But then I did significantly prefer Donkey Kong Jungle Beat to any of Rare's offerings.

Are you sure? I don't think you've said it enough times.

The soundtracks of the Country games still hold up very well though - Jungle Hijinx never gets old.

For a song that's supposedly beloved, it's amazing how frequently half of it is snipped out. Naturally, it happens to be the moody, low-key half - that's what I miss about these games. I'm sick of loud, obnoxious Donkey Kong, but that's all they ever do now. The fact that they're apes doesn't mean everything has to be a wacky ADD-fest, as if the DKC series hadn't proved it already!

[Dr. BUGMAN]

Keniji's work, which I forgot mention encompasses every Metroid excepting 1*,2 & Other M, is plenty moody.

Anyway, knowing WHY Miyamoto named him Donkey in the first place, he was bound to revert once Rare took off. Not that I got any impression from the games that he was some kind of smooth operator.

*Was involved with the remake.

[CM August]

The character itself is another matter, but I'm talking about the series as a whole. If they'd rather intrepret DK however they want, they shouldn't be calling it a Country game! But of course, another name wouldn't have the same power of recognition. That in particular is what really bites about this.

[Rob-Bert]

The odd part is that the character himself has always been in tune with the type of game he starred in. Rare's games were ambient and atmospheric, so generally the official renders of the ape depicting as some sort of chill dude. Meanwhile, DKJB was a loud and zany combo-fest, so the renders and in-game animations depicted DK as a loud and obnoxious beast.

Personally I prefer Rare's depiction. It's actually more in-line with how real gorillas act.

[Crowbar]

S-'s

Okay, this is the most ridiculous pluralization I've ever seen. Good show, sir.

I was going to link to the Wikipedia article where I derived that from but then I realised that I'd apparently completely misunderstood it. How silly I must look.

[Radrappy]

Not to force this thing back on topic but:

I was watching some videos of this in action and looking at the badniks they have on the website today and have decided to change my status from appalled to cautiously optimistic. Sure, the uncurling is fucking terrible and the whole thing seems phoned in. But it kind of looks pretty alright. As in it looks, I dunno, fun. Charming even. Sonic's proportions in this trailer (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjzvaDda ... ion_384417) seem to be the closest they've ever been to the originals thus far.

[Gaz]

Looks like Sega are getting pretty desperate.

Now for something completely different - a little thank you to the many people who have already been posting that they plan to pick up two (or more) versions / copies of Sonic 4 when the game releases over the next week!

If you pick up two or more versions or copies of the game, we'd like you to let us know - we appreciate everyone who supports the game by doing so very much, but we'd also like to do a little more to raise the bar beyond what most other game companies do for their fans.

Starting next week on Monday, this thread will unlock and you'll be able to post pictures to confirm which versions you own. From there, here's what we plan to do:

* Anyone who picks up two or more versions of the game will be included in a special sticky thread to be posted here on the SEGA and Sonic 4 Forums. This will be a sort of MVP list that will document all of the fans out there who went above and beyond to help support the game. This list will also be posted on the SEGA Blogs and featured on the Sonic 4 website via the blogs feed.

* Those fans who have both the consoles and the determination to grab three versions of the game will receive placement on the forum list, a digital bucket of cute fluffy kittens*, a special call-out on the SEGA Blogs and the Sonic 4 website's news feed, and special placement in one very cool spot, to be revealed! (As soon as we finish unloading the kittens.)

* Finally, any die-hard collectors or supporters who have already decided that they plan to grab a copy of every version of the game will be featured in all of the above, and will also receive a special thank you shout-out, on video, from both Ken Balough and myself, which will be featured on the SEGA Youtube page and posted all across SEGA's realms here on the internets. (Rumor has it that interested parties may also request that Ken present his thank you in Spanish, and he will actually do so. Es loco!)

Really Sega? Do you really have so little faith in this game that you have to try and fool fanboys into multiple copies?

[Rob-Bert]

I honestly never thought it would get this pathetic.

[Wombatwarlord777]

My sentiments exactly.

[Ngangbius]

Though not as bad, that is a few steps close to Acclaim-level advertising.

Really Sega? Do you really have so little faith in this game that you have to try and fool fanboys into multiple copies?

The sad and predictable thing is that it will actually work.

[Kogen]

Whoa ho ho ho!

What a lark!

[j-man]

Christ, you guys are miserable.

[Dr. BUGMAN]

So how many copies are you buying, j-man?

[j-man]

One's enough, I think.

[Malchik]

One's enough, I think.

It's ok, j-man. Here, you can buy my copy. I'll let you keep it, too. I have an allergy to half-assed drivel.

[(...)]

Just played it for a few minutes on iPhone...

- It only cost £6.
- I'm only about two acts in, and I know my opinion is immediately invalid because I'm a fanboy, but it was actually fun to play.
- The level layout is a step up from Rush/Advance. You don't have to memorise the level design just to not die, and there didn't seem to be any cheap deaths. There are routes for exploration, but there is a main path where you can pretty much let the springs and dash pads throw you around.
- I tried recreating the physics bugs from the E3 build. Sonic doesn't have the floaty jump anymore, and I can't get him to stand on vertical surfaces. His standing position has a limit of around 45 degrees.
- The uncurling remains in the final build.
- iPhone Sonic is a 3D model rather than a sprite. The model itself is a bit DS-looking, and he animates the same way as the sprite version.
- There's this thing when you enter a loop, where you stay still and the world spins around. Looks ass on video, but is surprisingly effective in game.
- The special zones work really well with the tilt controls. Basically it's the Sonic 1 special stage (they even lifted the music from the original), but the goal barriers have been removed. Instead, you're on a time limit, and there are pinball bumpers to get in the way, and barriers that you have to hit a certain number of times to get past them.

Anyway, have to go to work. Will write again when I get to the minecart level.

[Radrappy]

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/41217/Sub-sta ... -de-listed

this is a pretty damn gutsy decision. Especially since they're effectively removing 90% of sonic games from shelves. And for once, It's a decision I agree with.

Now here's hoping that Colors and Sonic 4 actually are decently received. It'd be a shame to see them make hypocrites out of themselves so fast. At least they're confident in their new products!

[Shadow Hog]

Christ, you guys are miserable.

Hey, at least I want to play this. :<

...but you have to admit, the marketing for this title has been pretty much the pits, and this latest stunt is beyond ludicrous.

[Kogen]

They are dumping the garbage they have been making for years, only to put up games that are barely any different?

They just want to charge full price for their games to make more money. Playing Unleashed versus playing Colours is marginally different and in no way a rebranding (that would be actually changing the franchise).

Also loliphone.

[(...)]

Played it some more...

- That minecart stage wasn't bad at all. I could imagine it being annoying on Xbox, but with tilt controls it works. I beat the level in less than 2 minutes and didn't get stuck on anything.
- The pinball level in Casino Street act 2 is horrible. It's like the Collision Chaos boss stage in Sonic CD, but with an element of chance thrown in. If you don't get a jackpot from the fruit machine, you'll be stuck in the same area for a long time.
- Some of the level design gets really cheap as the game progresses. That bit in Casino Street act 3 with the cannons will frustrate A LOT of people.

[Ngangbius]

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/41217/Sub-sta ... -de-listed

this is a pretty damn gutsy decision. Especially since they're effectively removing 90% of sonic games from shelves. And for once, It's a decision I agree with.

So basically, not including the All-Star or other cross-over games, the only Sonic games that will be safe from this culling will be Sonic Rush and Sonic Rush Adventure?

Works for me!

[Dr. BUGMAN]

How far back does this extend? A quick search shows the 360 port of Sonic and Knuckles with an aggregate score of 69 (lol). Uh-oh.

[Malchik]

Huh, Sega practicing eugenics. If it were any other franchise I'd be against it.

[Kogen]

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/41217/Sub-sta ... -de-listed

this is a pretty damn gutsy decision. Especially since they're effectively removing 90% of sonic games from shelves. And for once, It's a decision I agree with.

So basically, not including the All-Star or other cross-over games, the only Sonic games that will be safe from this culling will be Sonic Rush and Sonic Rush Adventure?

Works for me!

The SEGA fellow specifically said no Rush or Rush Adventure.