The August edition of British games publication issue 6 of the new format Nintendo Official Magazine and issue 175 of Games Master both contain large features dedicated to SEGA’s spiky blue messiah. These publications come in the wake and aftermath of little boy blues 15th birthday bash, which portrayed a rather sombre affair, but scratch the surface and you’ll find that the boys and girls at Sonic Team were busy beavering away at interviews for Sonic Channel and both of these magazines.
Issue 5 of NOM (Nintendo Official Magazine) promised Wild Fire new and exclusive content in their next instalment, but in typical NOM fashion the magazine couldn’t deliver on its promise, instead what readers got was an article based on already well know and widely available information with a handful of poorly conceived deductions.
The articles only saving grace was its colourful imagery and an interview with Ogawa Yojiro, director of the Wild Fire project, who was figuratively bound and gagged by SEGA and Sonic Team.
The magazines detective work concluded that the Chaos Emeralds would play a vital role in unlocking new chapters of the Arabian Nights novel, while its journalists hands on experience with the game revealed that Wild Fire abilities will be upgradeable, Ring pings are played through the Wii remote, and apparently the ball of fire which emanates from Sonics chest is known as the Wild Fire Heart.
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Disco inferno: Fire emanates from Sonics’ heart.
When the Wild Fire gauge is full and active it would appear
that Sonic can travel fast enough to bend reality, occupying
multiple points in space and time, hence the distortion effect.
Games Masters’ magazine honoured Sonics’ 15th anniversary with a large feature covering the forthcoming Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic Wild Fire, Sonic Rivals, and conducting interviews with Masahiro Kumono (Sonic 2006 director), and Akinori Nishayama (Sonic Rush producer).
The magazines Sonic 2006 interview with Kumono reveals that whilst in the Town Stages Sonic can complete nonessential missions (perhaps taking inspiration from the Mission Mode in Sonic Adventure DX) and will be able to upgrade his abilities through purchases made in shops. In Sonic Rivals players will be able to slow their opponent using puddles of ice, and the more rings a player collects the faster their character will be able to travel, ala Sonic Riders.
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(Above left) The magazine also features a new piece of Silver the Hedgehog Rivals artwork.
(Above right) The same image cleaned up by Kieran R (Phr0zen).