Sonic the Hedgehog (Sonic 1) to be realeased to GBA

Spazz · Post by **Spazz** » Fri Jun 23, 2006 2:32 pm

Yep, and it'll have new addistins like the Spindash and a save feature. All for $20
I like the spindash idea, but hope it's optional (otherwise just don't use it). The game seems a bit short for a save feature, but otherwise I'M TOTALLY PSYCHED.

http://news.teamxbox.com/xbox/11228/Son ... -15-Today/

Kishi · Post by **Kishi** » Fri Jun 23, 2006 2:59 pm

This is now the third thread to talk about this.

Just sayin'.

Saturnman · Post by **Saturnman** » Sat Jul 01, 2006 11:02 am

Kishi wrote:This is now the third thread to talk about this.

Just sayin'.

Any of those topics with pics of the game (GBA version)?

Post by **G.Silver** » Sat Jul 01, 2006 9:01 pm

I don't understand why they didn't release it for Sonic's birthday. Wouldn't that have made more sense? Plus the surprise birthday announcement, it's like a gift, except you pay for it! I was all set to run to the store as soon as I read it!

Mainly I just want it really bad. How sad is it that the idea of a perfect(?) port of Sonic 1 to GBA is probably the most exciting game I can imagine? I can play Sonic 1 forever, there's no question about that, and having it on the portable medium, which apparently I can pick up and play without any sort of guilt that I ought to be doing something else, well. That could be dangerous. I worry about the screen aspect ratio and the soundtrack, though.

Ngangbius · Post by **Ngangbius** » Sat Jul 01, 2006 9:29 pm

Still would have been more awesome if they released Sonic Jam on the PSP. =(

FlashTHD · Post by **FlashTHD** » Sun Jul 02, 2006 10:32 am

G.Silver wrote:I don't understand why they didn't release it for Sonic's birthday. Wouldn't that have made more sense? Plus the surprise birthday announcement, it's like a gift, except you pay for it! I was all set to run to the store as soon as I read it!

Mainly I just want it really bad. How sad is it that the idea of a perfect(?) port of Sonic 1 to GBA is probably the most exciting game I can imagine? I can play Sonic 1 forever, there's no question about that, and having it on the portable medium, which apparently I can pick up and play without any sort of guilt that I ought to be doing something else, well. That could be dangerous. I worry about the screen aspect ratio and the soundtrack, though.

Without the other games in the first trilogy with it, it's a waste of our time and a waste of Sega resources. How much are these GBA carts supposed to hold, again?

Post by **G.Silver** » Sun Jul 02, 2006 10:58 am

Probably the same amount as the ones that hold the individual NES titles that they ported to the GBA, if you want to talk about wasteful. This is par for the course, just like they'll never put Mario All Stars on GBA when they can sell 'em all seperately, there will probably never be a GBA Sonic compilation, just like all those new <a href="http://www.nintendo.co.jp/n08/bit_g/ind ... perimental" games</a> Nintendo and Skip will be putting out on the GBA in Japan for $20 a pop when they should probably all be sold together. A total rip-off, yet they are doing it anyway.

How is it a "waste of our time," exactly? (Or did you mean money?) I actually prefer the idea of Sonic 1 on GBA all by itself--it seems more "pure" than a collection.

Kishi · Post by **Kishi** » Sun Jul 02, 2006 11:24 am

The smallest ROM size for a GBA cartridge is 4MB. If I recall correctly, Sonic 1 is .5MB, so you could fit it on a GBA cart eight times.

NES games range from .5MB down to about a tenth of that.

FlashTHD · Post by **FlashTHD** » Sun Jul 02, 2006 2:01 pm

This is par for the course, just like they'll never put Mario All Stars on GBA when they can sell 'em all seperately, there will probably never be a GBA Sonic compilation

Exactly the problem. If they're going to do it, they have no reason not to include at least Sonic 2 and Spinball. They're such short games that they don't deserve falling victim the GBA's "one rehash at a time" curse. No matter how good Sonic 1 is, you're going to get sick of playing it so much eventually and it needs more replay value to back it up when it gets to that.

Edit: Wait, didn't they foul up Spinball on the GBA Sega Classics Collection big time?

Saturnman · Post by **Saturnman** » Sun Jul 02, 2006 3:26 pm

Kishi wrote:The smallest ROM size for a GBA cartridge is 4MB. If I recall correctly, Sonic 1 is .5MB, so you could fit it on a GBA cart eight times.

NES games range from .5MB down to about a tenth of that.

The way it was explained to me once by a developer, GBA games are stored on ROM in a different manner than 8 and 16-bit games were. Much less effecient so even a perfect replica of Sonic 1 would be significantly bigger than .5 MB.

Shadow Hog · Post by **Shadow Hog** » Sat Aug 12, 2006 3:47 pm

<a href="http://image.com.com/gamespot/images/bi ... t.jpg">Box art.</a>

This is seriously as major as news <i>can</i> get for this title. I mean, sure, screens would be nice, but I doubt we'll see anything we haven't already seen.

Post by **G.Silver** » Sat Aug 12, 2006 7:28 pm

Does this make the proper title of this version "Sonic the Hedgehog: Genesis?" That's badass.

I wish they would just up and release it already.

Post by **Esrever** » Sat Aug 12, 2006 7:51 pm

Saturnman wrote:
Kishi wrote:The smallest ROM size for a GBA cartridge is 4MB. If I recall correctly, Sonic 1 is .5MB, so you could fit it on a GBA cart eight times.

NES games range from .5MB down to about a tenth of that.
The way it was explained to me once by a developer, GBA games are stored on ROM in a different manner than 8 and 16-bit games were. Much less effecient so even a perfect replica of Sonic 1 would be significantly bigger than .5 MB.

And even if this WASN'T true, the GBA is not powerful enough to emulate a Genesis or SNES at full speed. That means that re-releasing Sonic 1 for the GBA is considerably more work than releasing it for a home console, where they can just toss a bunch of roms on a disc with an emulator. The game itself has to be recoded. And because the screen res is lower, adjustments usually need to be made here and there to the level design to accomodate the smaller viewing area.

It's still cheaper to re-release Sonic 1 for the GBA than it is to actually make a new one of equal production value, but it's not the evil cash grab that some people thinking it is. If it was easier to do, I'm certain you'd see other games being packed onto the same cart, just like Sega is doing with its PSP Genesis collection.

Post by **Popcorn** » Sat Aug 12, 2006 7:58 pm

G.Silver wrote:Does this make the proper title of this version "Sonic the Hedgehog: Genesis?" That's badass.

I hope Sega is taking into account all the tedious renaming and localisation they're going to have to do when they bring this and the Genesis Collection out in Europe.

Gaz · Post by **Gaz** » Sun Aug 13, 2006 3:31 am

Well, Sega Genesis Collection is called Sega Mega Drive Collection in Europe. No idea about the GBA Sonic port though.

smiths32 · Post by **smiths32** » Sun Aug 13, 2006 6:41 am

"Sonic the Hedgehog: Mega" perhaps?

Chaos Chao · Post by **Chaos Chao** » Mon Aug 14, 2006 7:36 pm

Sonic The Hedgehog: Direct port even though there is Gametap and Sonic mega collection?

now THAT is a good title,

anyway I wonder what version will be in it (version one or version two)?

Senbei · Post by **Senbei** » Mon Aug 14, 2006 7:55 pm

Eh, not everyone owns a Gamecube or other "big" consoles, or an internet. I know a few years ago I'd have been ecstatic to be able to play Sonic on my lonely little GBA.

jenkins · Post by **jenkins** » Wed Aug 16, 2006 9:20 am

Very true.

Which makes this the best game on the GBA since Advance Wars 2. BUY!

Opa-Opa · Post by **Opa-Opa** » Wed Aug 16, 2006 10:12 pm

Actually, I think the Megaman Zero games were pretty good. So maybe it's the best game since Megaman Zero 4. BUY!

j-man · Post by **j-man** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 12:16 pm

Cynical as I usually am, the idea of a portable Sonic 1 tickles me in the best of ways. Let's hope there's unlockable artwork lulz!!!

Omni Hunter · Post by **Omni Hunter** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 12:25 pm

I'm just hoping the game turns out as accurate as possible. It'll be great to play a portable version of the old-school Sonic physics, something about the Advance controls just didn't seem right.

Post by **Esrever** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 1:42 pm

I'm not sure how it will work with the smaller viewing area. A lot of the screen gets chopped out, just compare a screenshot of Yoshi's Island with Yoshi's Island GBA.

Omni Hunter · Post by **Omni Hunter** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 5:15 pm

Yeah, a good portion of the gameplay for the Master System to Game Gear ports were changed, for example, especially the boss battles.

Isambard · Post by **Isambard** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 11:50 am

Sonic DS...? Anyone? No? Okay.