[UPDATE]Sonic Colours Co-Op Mode Revealed?

[UPDATE]Sonic Colours Co-Op Mode Revealed?

UPDATE:Amazon has removed the screenshot from the page. Did the retailer jump the gun on something SEGA weren’t ready to reveal yet? /UPDATE END

Amazon’s Japanese website has posted a new Sonic Colours screenshot on the game’s product page there, which reveals a co-op mode. In the screen. we see two Sonics, one blue and one pink (or red?). Two separate HUDs can also be seen on the left and right of the screenshot with no split down the middle, suggesting that this is indeed a co-op mode. What’s  odd about this picture is the environment. For a game titled ‘Sonic Colours’, there sure isn’t much colour in this stage.  Also odd are the antennas that both Sonics have on their heads. Could we be seeing Sonic robots, like the Shadow robots in Shadow the Hedgehog’s multiplayer modes?

What do you think about this interesting development? Speak out in the comments.

Thanks to Hero of Legend at the SSMB for the find!

The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.

91 Comments

  1. very interesting. Pink Sonic … definitely new. reminds me of that issue of the Sonic X comic where the scientist made all the colored Sonics. It’d be cool if instead they just used Knuckles or Shadow or something like that for the multi-player of the final product.

  2. Looks fake. This actually wouldn’t be too hard to photoshop. Though nothing has been mentioned yet and this is on amazon so I can’t really say anything yet…

  3. This is very intriguing actually as it’s rare to have co-op modes in Sonic games. i can imagine the problems in creating co-op modes for fast paced action platformers. Sonic Advance 3 only managed it due to each person having their own screen and the simple nature of 2D platformers.

    I’d really love to see how co-op will work for Sonic Colours. Here’s hoping it’s an enjoyable experiece.

  4. Are we sure this is co-op and not some kind of extra racing mode or something like most 3D Sonic games have.

  5. @sonictoast
    A racing mode would have split-screen. This screenshot has no split down the middle and the time and score counters are shared in the middle, so it’s definitely co-op. Also, you can see there is only one checkpoint.

  6. Antennas?
    TAILS DOLL TOOK OVER SONIC’S BODY AND DUPLICATED!! RUN!
    Well this certainly looks odd maybe the pink Sonic is a downloaded ghost data?

  7. I’m pretty sure it’s a racing level. I just don’t see why there would be a timer.

    Looks like a shitload of fun though.

  8. With the level being black and white and the game being Sonic Colours, my guess is that it’s a race to colour in the stage. I’m probably miles off but that’s the first thing that came to my head.

  9. @ Radioactive Puppy:
    They’re sharing the same score counter and timer, there’s also no split-screen. It’s definitely co-op.

  10. Hey, I’d be totally cool with a co-op, non-story mode that was just crazy running through these weird stages.

  11. How is it that this Sonic game keeps looking better and better with nothing that makes me worry?!! It’s insane!!

  12. Nooooo, not a real recolour¡¡¡
    Co-op its a good idea, but, why dont use one of all the universe of character of sonic instead put another Sonic, WTF to SEGA.

  13. @caca I suppose their argument was probably this- if we put anyone but Tails in, people will be upset. If we don’t design Tails with a flying mechanic, people will be upset. If we take time to design a flying mechanic for Tails it will take away from development time on the whole game.

  14. I’d have rather had Tails, Knuckles, Shadow, Blaze, hell, BIG. ANYTHING but Sonic recolors.

    Here’s hoping there’s a green one though!

  15. Maybe that stage is one of the last levels where Eggman finally stripped the colors.
    Or maybe the tutorial stage.

  16. Wait, Shadow The Hedgehog had co-op. But with that weird level design, a Sonic recolor and both having antennas, maybe it’s a test stage for Tails to help Sonic during gameplay like in the old days! (They almost did that in Sonic Adventure except Tails couldn’t carry Sonic)

    But this one has lives for both characters! That’s pretty awesome! 8D

  17. Oh I get it.

    They’re Sonicbots!

    Also @Aquaslash

    If you don’t like recolors why would you want shadow then?

  18. Why the fxxx they use the copy of sonic in pink for co-op. They should’ve put at least knuckles, amy, or even cool sally acorn from sonic sat am.

  19. @Radioactive Puppy Actually, only Redly (or Barry, if you prefer) has those modifications.

  20. Don’t jump so quickly into thinking that this is only a Co-op mode just because there’s no splitscreen. The screen could easily split into a splitscreen whenever the players are separated so far from each other and be respective to what side they split on.

    The best example I can think of for this is LEGO Indiana Jones or Harry Potter: the designers of the game managed to solve the problem of two players only being able to go so far due to the action being restricted on one screen by designing a camera system that would follow the players and change to and fro from a splitscreen depending on where the players are at and how far apart from each other they are.

    Here’s a video from the Harry Potter version showing what I’m talking about in action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saHsUcfTv08 (fast-forward to 1:00)

    Other than that, 2 Player Sonic is something I was not expecting at all, and I’m quite surely looking forward to how this turns out.

  21. @Superstarsmasher Really… it looks a lot like Blue is rocking the same duds too…

  22. @ Piggybank:
    Aswell as no split-screen. they’re sharing the same timer and score and there is only 1 checkpoint there. It’s definitely co-op and not competitive.

  23. Has online play been denied for this game? Any kind of local multiplayer without split-screen in a modern Sonic game would be a bit awkward, don’t ya think?

  24. @ kjabr88
    The only online feature for both versions that has been revealed so far is online leaderboards. We’ll have to wait for official word to find out if the multiplayer will be online too. Would be cool to have online co-op and multiplayer.

  25. That red sonic looks to be exactly in line with blue sonic.
    Maybe its co-op in a way similar to mario galaxy 2, where 2 player doesn’t get any control and automatically runs around behind 1 player but can jump or help attack enemies or something.

  26. Remember what Miyamoto said about what would happen if Wario or Peach were playable in New Super Mario Bros. Wii? He said that if Wario were in it, he’d have to fly by farting. And Peach would float with her dress. Rather than work in new physics, they chose Yellow and Blue Toads. The same must apply to the Multiplayer. If Tails were playable, he’d have to fly with his tails. Knuckles would have to glide, and climb walls, Shadow would use Chaos Control to warp through walls, or something.

  27. @YoshiAngemon THIS IS EXACTLY what I was trying to say. I just don’t understand how you’re going to keep the other Sonic close to you… maybe there’s a tether system, where the one who is in front will pull the other along if they miss a jump or something. It’s going to be interesting.

  28. Maybe there’s nothing to worry about and it’s only a testing stage.
    “Red Sonic” could just be there as a stand in model while they make sure the multiplayer aspect works, after all it’s going to be hard to play a co-op game while running and platforming at high speed.
    It’ll be interesting to see how it works out in the final product, but I’m not fussed either way, no one i know actually likes Sonic v_v

    I can already see people photoshopping “Sonic Re-colours” onto the box art as we speak >_>

  29. Sorry, I don’t mean this in a bad way, but I have to say that thinking that this is actually an in-game screenshot is silly. This is obviously a screenshot from a program for testing the game. In the real game, all the objects in that screenshot would be textured and there would be a backdrop. Also, the red dots above the head of the two Sonics are not antennas; they have something to do with the program. They could be something like “hot spots” or “action dots”, which have to do something with how the characters move and behave. The two Sonics are not fully rendered either. This is why the socks don’t look like socks. These are not robots. The blue one is Sonic himself and the red one is Sonic with a different color.

    About co-op: This looks definitely like co-op, but I just can figure out how local co-op is supposed to work, because its almost impossible to keep both players always in the same screen. Maybe co-op in this game is only online, but I really don’t know.

  30. Sorry, in my previous post, when I said “just can figure out”, I meant “can’t”. 😛

  31. Doesn’t look like co-op to me… it looks like a Wi-fi race mode.

    There’s no way that even co-op would work without a split screen in a game like this. That’s why it’s so frustrating for Tails players in Sonic 2 & 3. He constantly gets left behind. It’d be twice as bad as that in 3D.

    It’s also entirely possible that it’s only showing the score for the local player, so that if the winner is decided by score rather than time, you won’t know if you’re winning until the end. And of course they’re sharing time. We ALL share time.

  32. Seems like SEGA saw that hack of blue Knuckles and said “Hey let’s reverse it and pretend nothing happened”

  33. Edited the article until official confirmation comes in. I’m still pretty positive that the screen is of a co-op mode though. The players are sharing the same timer and score. Guess we’ll wait and see what SEGA says.

  34. We want a VS. NOT CO-OP!

    And WHY NOT TAILS,SHADOW OR KNUX!

    …nah it’s just a build so i’ll wait…

  35. Probably a work-in-progress (though that should be oblious :P), which is most likely why the image was taken down. Hopefully the pink Sonic is just a sort of placeholder until they finish work on another character model. Hopefully Metal Sonic or Shadow (as they can easily match Sonic’s abilities). *crosses fingers*

  36. @rhonddaboy: They probably have their reasons. They might not be very good ones (since the chances of that are very, very small, what with this being SEGA and all), but they’ll exist.

    @kalion: No, it’s probably that way in the game (since the thing comes out in only a few months from now). A co-op mode with two Sonics. So yes, you are officially allowed to keep complaining.

    Of course, it’s still logical to play the co-op mode /before/ you call the Sonic Cycle on this.

    @just4lolzz: They’re Sonic Dolls. Kinda like a Tails Doll.

  37. I’m fine with other Sonics in a co-op mode, as long as it’s not like Brawl where all the alternate colors were STILL BLUE.

    I’m excited to see more about this, hopefully. *crosses fingers*

  38. Hm…that’s interesting. Very interesting. How would a co-op mode work in a game so fast, though? It’ll be like Sonic 2/3, when poor 2P is always off-screen. x D

    and how much do you wanna bet some kid somewhere is freaking out over how his ‘character’ finally made it into a real sonic game? damn recolours….

  39. Sock fox@:
    I don’t know but why would they have only 3 lives in a racing mode I mean they shouldn’t have any life if they are racing.

  40. Now that I think about it, this could end up being something really fun! We don’t know WHAT they’re doing with this! So it’s hard not to speculate. Perhaps it’ll be a “some like it, some don’t” think again. Even so, this looks like it’s going to be optional anyways, meaning if you don’t like it you can’t hate the game for it! xD (what? No game is PERFECT. lol.. though Sonic Colors does sem to be so far. O_O)

  41. Co-Op?

    You sure you have the correct definition of Co-Op? It looks like a 2 player race mode.

  42. I think a co-op mode should have split screen, otherwise it will be hard to keep both characters on there at once. So I’m thinking it’s an online mulitplayer 🙂

  43. @Sonic & Tails: Sonic 2’s multiplayer was racing and had lives. This just screams Sonic 2-style multiplayer to me.

  44. @Sock fox: Yeah but Sonic 2 is old, in Sonic adventure 2, Heroes, Advance and Rush series we didn’t have any lives, and beside even if it is racing it’s still needs split-screen.

  45. Why doesn’t everyone stop bitching until we actually learn what this or if it’s still even in the game. Maybe this is why the Sonic fanbase has such a shitty rep, u guys complain and bitch about every little thing. Let the developers does their job and if you don’t like their games don’t buy them it’s as simple s that.

  46. Why does it have to be robot Sonics? Why can’t it be Tails ,Amy, or even Shadow?

  47. Oops, apparently we got a leaked screen from the sequel, Sonic REColors. omg jk.

    This looks new and exciting. I’m gonna ride on the new-and-exciting feeling I’m getting right now, rather than scream about how some other character isn’t in the picture. I wonder where this is? All the blocks have little circles on them, like toy building blocks. Maybe this is some kind of subspace that helps keep all the different zones tied together in the park? It makes me think of some kind of warehouse with all the boxes. Speaking of weird spaces, I wonder what the special stages look like in Colors… if there are any. Never heard any mention of what sacred artifacts you have to collect.

  48. @Sonic&Tails: Old =/= bad. I don’t remember anyone complaining about it.

    And a split screen isn’t needed in online multiplayer. Each player has their own full television.

  49. Their shoe buckle things are on the right side.
    And why does the red one have these metal bracelet things to replace the gloves/socks?

    The only thing about this image that doesn’t seem real to me are those antennas… maybe it’s a little arcade game to suit the theme park?

  50. This is really unorginal but:
    PINK SONIC Y NOT TAILZZZ
    But seriously, it’s about time they gave Tails his running role back again. There’s a reason why Sonic 2 was so highly regarded…
    If not Tails why not Shadow or Metal Sonic? It’s not like the characters in 2P have to be in the story – look at SA2B! Recolours just looks messy and boring. It also eliminates the idea of any special attacks.

  51. @Ludoshaman Hah, Sonic Recolours! xD

    The shared score thing really makes it seem like Co-op. Why would the score be shared in a competitive mode?

  52. @Wordy because that would mean creating a special attack for a game whose Co-op is NOT the main focus. If we haven’t heard about it before that means it’s not the central focus of the game. I’d rather they focus on making the gameplay the absolute best for SONIC than have them fuck it up on Shadow, Tails, etc.

  53. @Radioactive Puppy

    That’s true, but why can’t they make the best gameplay for Sonic AND other characters? (not that I’m complaining about this, just wishing we could play at least Tails, Knuckles and Shadow again as well. xD After all.. just Sonic is getting old. I miss the variety. :3 But I have faith it’ll be back someday.)

  54. No one’s mentioned the fact that it’s quite a bit of work to create new models for other characters in a co-op mode, not to mention giving them distinctive animations for each of the Wisp powers. It’d be cool to have Tails or Knuckles, but that would cost a lot of time *coughmoneycough* to create them. And then people would be complaining about why they aren’t playable in 1P mode. It’s just simpler to have multiple Sonics.

  55. Sorry, I don’t mean this in a bad way, but I have to say that thinking that this is actually an in-game screenshot is silly. This is obviously a screenshot from a program for testing the game. In the real game, all the objects in that screenshot would be textured and there would be a backdrop. Also, the red dots above the head of the two Sonics are not antennas; they have something to do with the program. They could be something like “hot spots” or “action dots”, which have to do something with how the characters move and behave. The two Sonics are not fully rendered either. This is why the socks don’t look like socks. These are not robots. The blue one is Sonic himself and the red one is Sonic with a different color.

    About co-op: This looks definitely like co-op, but I just can’t figure out how local co-op is supposed to work, because its almost impossible to keep both players always in the same screen. Maybe co-op in this game is only online, but I really don’t know.

  56. Red hedgehog?.. I smell a meme in the making…

    Seriously though… why not just Shadow, Metal Sonic, or some other recolor?

  57. Why coudn’t they have a actual Charecter like Metal, Shad, Tails, Knux I would of even accepted Amy!

  58. I do think it’s a wi-fi race mode, though I have to admit, I would prefer Tails, Shadow, or Knuckles. Not that it makes the game any worse. If I don’t like it, I can ignore it. I usually do that, unless it makes a game unplayable for me or insanely hard or annoying. For example, my ONE complaint about Sonic Unleashed 360 is the Medal system. I can live with it, though, seeing as it’s still one of my favorite games.

Comments are closed.