![[Update] RUMOUR: Dutch Fansite ‘Leaks’ Needlemouse Details?](https://archive.sonicstadium.org/wp-content/themes/sonicstadium/substyles/global/generic-hero.png)
Earlier today, Dutch fansite SegaOnline posted information from an anonymous source claiming to have insider knowledge of Project Needlemouse’s development. The website ran the story as a rumour earlier today, before mysteriously disappearing from view.
Key details that were revealed to SegaOnline included the game’s name, ‘Sonic 4’; that the game will only be released on Xbox Live Arcade and the PlayStation Network; and that this will be the first in a series of similar games. The website’s source claims that the game will be titled “Sonic 4: Episode 1”, but says that despite the implications, each ‘Episode’ will be a full game in its own right.
On top of this, the anonymous source has said there will be 7 Chaos Emeralds, a return of the ‘Zone’ and ‘Acts’ level structure, and that the game will begin in ‘Splash Hill Zone’ and finish in ‘E.G.G. Station Zone’.
As you might expect, this could be either a hot leak from someone within Sega (or with close ties to the company) that’s about to have the hounds set on him, or it’s part of an elaborately hilarious trolling. Either way, the SegaOnline story has since disappeared. It was originally located here – now a 404 Error page sits in its place.
This is not the first time that SegaOnline has had supposedly ‘leaked’ material removed shortly after publication – earlier this month the website had posted images from the Xbox 360 ‘Partnernet’ developer service, which detailed information on a port of Sonic Adventure DX on Xbox Live Arcade. It was suggested that Sega had sent a request to shut down the page.
UPDATE: Perhaps an elaborate trolling is in fact afoot? The story was picked up by TSSZ News, who has just recently received a request to remove the information by SegaOnline, and not Sega, and now the authenticity of the story has been thrown up into the air. TSSZ News writer Tristan Bresnen posted on the Sonic Retro forums;
“There is anger. That’s all I feel comfortable saying publicly right now about the authenticity of the story…at least until I can dig a little deeper.”
If this is all part of a game on the Sonic community at large, we tip our collective hat to you, sir/madam. Well played. Doesn’t affect us at TSS either way, but still – well played. If not, then what to make of it all? Let us know in the comments box below. In the meantime, we’ll just sit here and eat some popcorn and watch the whole thing play out.
Alright, whereas I could see why the other rumour would be a bit true, this is just taking the piss XD
Ah well, if people are willing to make up rumours for a game, that means they care =)
Multiple episodes? I hope it’s true. =D
It’s real.
SEGAOnline doesn’t leak fake news. Anyone who thinks otherwise is just in denial.
Unless SEGAOnline got some fake news, but it sounds official since there is ‘anger’ heads are probably rolling at SEGA right now
CURSE U UNSOLVED MYSTERYS.
If its true that its only going to be on the 360 and PSN then missles will fly form those who dont have the system. I have a wii and 360 so I though ahead.
CALL BATMAN! He’ll get to the bottom of this!
@Fluffykat: Yeah, most likely. SegaOnline has had a pretty good track record with this sort of thing. When another site that reports it shits itself over validity though, that’s where things get shaky.
Either way, we’re hardly debunking the rumour. We’re simply taking a back seat, others can get involved in the situation for us and discover whether it’s all real or not. Saves us a job. 🙂
Sounds awesome if true I guess, <3. If not, I'm pretty sure that the "Act" and "Zone" structure is coming back, but probably with different names than that man said for the levels. The episodes sound like a cool idea, but I'd rather it just build up like Megaman does (Sonic 4, Sonic 5, etc). Just sounds kind of weird to have Sonic 1-3 and Knuckles, and then Sonic 4 with like 3 episodes or something.
-Blur
I hope to god at least some of that is true, cause sega needs to make a sonic 4.
It’s what sonic needs again to boost his popularity, a sonic adventure 3 would be nice too because sonic unlimited was not good enough to assume that name haha. Come on sega, give us sonic fans something we’ve been waiting for!!!!
Look everyone, as well as probably a lot of yall here I’ve been a sonic fan since Sonic 1 on the Megadrive/Genesis and those of us who were there when first 3 Megadrive/Genesis games came out, we know that its the only “true” Sonic the Hedgehog experience there is. Some of the latter games were ok but when you loop de looped like a trillion times in Sonic 2, you knew it was the most innovative thing you’ve ever seen in 1992. The thing is Sega hasn’t really done a good job on emulating that sensation of HOLY CRAP DID DAT JUST HAPPENED? At least, the sensation I’ve looked for when playing a Sonic game. At least in the communities that iI’ve been looking at, not all of them Sonic exclusive, people want a sonic version of Megaman 9/10. Simple as that. I’ve been waiting for that for almost 20 years now and Sega seems like they’re finally doing it for the most part. (based solely on first impressions of needlemouse) So we shouldn’t be suprised when they announce something like Sonic 4, or whatever they call it. In my humble opinion the series has hit almost rock bottom, and its time that Sega treated their baby like a baby and not a ragdoll.
I literally am sitting here eating popcorn.
HMMMM I wonder who Fluffykat is……
XD
I hope SOME of this is fake. Come on Needlemouse, be on the Wii!
” a return of the ‘Zone’ and ‘Acts’ level structure”
This is the part that makes me doubt its authenticity. After all, Zones and Acts have been used in the handheld Sonic games all this time. On the other hand, they wouldn’t be the first to ignore/forget the handhelds…
Interesting…
I’ve been saying Sonic 4 since I saw the trailer, but episodes? Godamn it Sega, why does everything have
to have a gimmick? This shit may have worked for Street Fighter, releasing 70 million new versions of the same game but come on. If it is indeed Sonic 4, let it be Sonic 4, throw all of your so-called episodes into one game and throw that shit up onto all of the internet networks.
I’m with BetPower. Wii definitely needs it. I mean, come on, SEGA gives the Wii all the crappy Sonic games (black knight, Zero Gravity, the downgraded Unleashed) and then they turn around and give the best to the 360 and PS3 only!? They’ve only gotten 1 crappy Sonic game, 06, give them more crap and let the Wii see some GOOD sonic. And besides, Sonic sells the best on the Nintendo’s systems anyway. Nintendo and Sega are close. And if it’s dlc then there shouldn’t be a problem, since dlc doesn’t have problems like costs to make the discs, boxes, etc. They can just edit the controller format, make it SD instead of HD, try to make it still look NICE in SD, and put it on the wii. simple. WII WII WII WII WII….WII!
And with what Role Martyr X said, i think they’re gonna use HD as some kind of gimmick, too.
Yeah, so the genesis sonic games sell well on the 360 and PS3, and there are a lot of hardcore Sonic fans on it. So? maybe its because all the hardcore Nintendo Sonic fans already have the genesis games in one form or other. Companies need to stop viewing the Wii as a casual system. The only reason its look at like that is because there aren’t very many hardcore games out there for it. And nobody is gonna step up and try to make some. D: either that, or Nintendo needs to do what I’ve been feeling they’re gonna do for a long time: buy Sega like Microsoft bought Rare.
And I’ve talked too much. o_O later
Im not to hype about the whole episodes thing sega please just focus on making one good game just one no extra crap added on
I kind of like the idea of a ‘Sonic 4’. It’ll be interesting to see if any of this comes true.
I had a feeling something like this would happen, I’m suprised it didn’t happen sooner, actually.
It does sound cool though, I will sit here and wait to see if it’s a big trolling stunt for us fans or the real thing!
Apart from simply calling it “Sonic 4” it sounds good to me, I got a 360 for my birthday last December. Goodbye Wii!
I wanted to buy a disk of it I hate dlc because its not like you even have it! Thats it when the game comes out i am going to print out a cover page for the game stick it in an empty dvd case and stick it in my game drawer. that way I can know I have it.
Can you pass the popcorn Dread? I forgot to bring some.
I like the idea of an “episodes” title for this game. It could be a whole new trilogy. Sonic 4 Episode 1 could be only Sonic and Dr. Robotnik, and the 2nd episode could feature Tails. Once the 2nd is out, maybe if you had purchased “episode 1” Tails could be playable in that? Also, episode 3 could feature Knuckles. This lock on mode could bring back a lot of memories of Sonic 3 and Knuckles. So hopefully a total of 3 episodes to make this a complete Sonic 4. And for those of you who want it on a disk, maybe the will have a pack in the future of all 3 episodes on a disk for those people that don’t have internet? We shall see.
If Sega is making it episodic, it maybe to big to put out at once. You have to remember this is a digital game. Unofficially, but none the less. Look at Shantae: Risky’s revenge, it’s also episodic. For the fact that it’ll be to big a game. I say retail would be a better choice, and no we sounds shaky.
Not believing anything until SEGA says it themselves.
*Metalfury
That’s just nostalgia, maybe Sonic is “dead” for you old school fans but we “core” fans enjoy Sonic how he is now. I found Sonic through the Anime Sonic X 5 years ago and have been playing through almost every Sonic game since that, even the old school games. But i do enjoy the newer games more, Sonic Unleashed was fanastic (Even tho, it could have been better with the Warehog.).
There is no “true” Sonic, its about your personal preference.
If that’s true, screw SEGA. I’ve only got a Wii. What’s wrong with Wii Shop Channel?
C’mon guys! We can’t confirm ANYTHING unless Sega reveals the info. Let’s just leave this as a rumor.
not PC?
Wow, Nickno hit the bullet on the head. I agree with everything he just said.
Not having Project Needlemouse/Sonic 4 on the Wii is a betrayal to the HUGE Sonic fanbase there, regardless of how well the classic games have sold on the PS3/360.
It’s about time SEGA made the transition and put all of their Sonic games where they should be: exclusively on Nintendo systems. Spin-offs and sub-par versions of the main series games (see Unleashed) are not going to cut it.
*hit the NAIL on the head*
I don’t know where ‘bullet’ came from. 😛
@Blahblahblah3210
Yeahh i dont see that happening anytime time soon Sega is not going stick all future sonic games just on the wii since wii games dont sell as good as the Xbox360,PS3 and PC so it obvs Sega going stay on all systems to make shit loads of money off them
I have my thoughts and that is I think this is not necessary the truth. I believe this leaked information are well planed from SEGA´s side. They know this information will be spread through the internet and as long as SEGA have us speculate Project Needlemouse, SEGA have victory.
If SEGA had told us, “Ok guys, we are gonna release a Sonic game, it will be in 2D and it will be for XBLA/PSN and VC and the release date will be on 10/10/10 and by the way, here you have a trailer, enjoy.
There should not have been a space for speculation, drama, hopes and hype.
And to think I was going to save for a Wii… >.>
I should’ve just kept pestering for one earlier so then I could save for a PS360 now…
FUCK!!!
@SuperSonic92
Not necessarily. Sonic games almost always sell much better on Nintendo systems. Take Unleashed for example. On the Wii, the game sold approximately 1.43 million units. That’s more than the PS3 and 360 COMBINED (approximately 1.07 million units). I don’t know how you can possibly say that Sonic games don’t sell as well on the Wii as they do on other platforms despite these statistics, especially considering Sonic games’ long history of selling by far and away the best on Nintendo systems.
By wasting more money developing multiplatform games instead of choosing one console where they can focus all of their time and resources, SEGA is missing out on the opportunity to make games that could potentially both sell extremely well and play extremely well (assuming Sonic Team is still capable of doing so).
wow.
i didn’t know my post was that good…. hehe 😀
anyways…
I think SEGA has always had marketing problems….
the early release of the Saturn…
failure of the Dreamcast….
rushing Sonic 06…..
the fact that they couldn’t make a portable efficient handheld…..
how they’ve JUST realized that lots of people like the original 2D sonic o.o ….
they need to step it up. look at Nintendo. the # of BAD Mario games are small in comparison of Sonic…
… 😀 I realized it!!!! ITS NEW SONIC THE HEDGEHOG!!!!! lol Sega’s being a copycat…. 😛
wow….i’ve typed to many “…”‘s lol. … >.> That’s all i got for my second post.
Laterz
Oops… I forgot…WII WII WII WII WII WII WII WII WII WII WII WII
O.O aw no….I can’t believe i just noticed this….
Isn’t there a SIZE limit to Wiiware games? like only soo many mb/gbs? O~O Could that POSSIBLY be a cause of….why nintendo…WHY SET LIMITS!? but, in a VERY HOPEFUL CHANCE…i wish i am wrong about this…
plz let size not be a problem…plz….or HD….:( um….go with my first post….
404’D ?!Dang….Ah well.Maybe it’s for the best I don’t spoil things for myself.Again with XBOXlive,I gotta figure out how to get around WEP.I hate our router.
looks like This Person was Right… if you compare what was leaked to
the new coming sonic 4 you will see they tried to share the truth with us.