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SEGA has this evening released a photo on the Sonic Facebook page of the Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II billboard in San Francisco that the company previously stated was in the works. Nothing much else to say except it’s great to see SEGA putting Sonic in the public eye.
Source: Official Sonic Facebook Page
Thanks to unknown for the heads up!
In January of this year, Jazwares released a rather awesome looking Sonic Generations statue. It was so awesome in fact that many collectors living outside of America decided to import it. The statue is a nice collectible… however, if one collector is right, it has a bit of a problem and depending how your statue is currently displayed you might want to take action.
Continue reading Merch Collector Claims “My Statue melted on a warm day”
Hey, you! Are you going to be in Los Angeles next week? Video Games Live, the awesome orchestral extravaganza dedicated to video game music, is going to be playing at the Nokia Theatre on June 6th – and thanks to our friends Tommy Tallarico and SEGA of America, The Sonic Stadium has five pairs of tickets to give away!
These tickets are extra-special, though. Not only do you get to see the show with a friend or loved one, but you get VIP backstage party passes which will also give you instant front-of-the-line access to the post-show meet and greet! Which will involve Sonic Team leader Takashi Iizuka among other “special guests” from SEGA. Continue reading WIN Tickets to Video Games Live in Los Angeles!
Xbox Live’s Major Nelson has just posted the latest Xbox Live Marketplace release schedule detailing all games and other items being released over the next couple of weeks. Among them are Sonic Adventure 2 Avatar items planned to be released June 5th, which, conveniently, is when E3 begins. Could SEGA be planning to unveil an Xbox Live Arcade port of Sonic Adventure 2 soon?
The Dreamcast classic was featured in a leaked list of XBLA games back in early April, and as you may recall, that list outed Harmonix’s Rock Band Blitz game before it was announced.
We’ll keep our eyes open for any further developments.
Source: Xbox Live’s Major Nelson’s Blog
Thanks to kmurphy91 on Twitter for the heads up!
TIME TO JAM!
…wait, wait, no! Not “slam jam“, you got me all wrong! What I mean is “Jellyfish Jam”!
That’s right, we’re going down to Bikini Bottom, to the absorbent, yellow and porous sponge living under the sea, for this week’s Mash-Up Monday! “Jellyfish Jam” from Spongebob Squarepants combines with Speed Highway Act 1 from Sonic Generations.
I hope this makes up for what I’ve put you all through on Friday… but who am I kidding? I love torturing you guys every once in a while!
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfYgyxoM8P0
Tune in for additional jams next week!
Found an interesting mash-up somewhere on the net? Mashed one together yourself? If you’ve answered yes to either of these questions, then send them over to vizardjeffhog@sonicstadium.org!
Earlier in the year, we reported on a number of mysterious listings for a selection of various Sonic themed board games being made by USAopoly. However, with no word from Sega and various toy and game websites not reporting it, you’d be forgiven for thinking it was a mistake… It wasn’t!
USAopoly recently posted the above teaser image on their Facebook page. No other images or information was given such as price, or even what zones would be on the board, but they did state…
Here is a sneak peek at a few Sonic The Hedgehog titles speeding their way to retail shelves in the near future, also be on the lookout for a new Sonic puzzle as well!
Here’s hoping we’ll get more information soon, stay tuned to TSS. Now… anyone wanna guess what the Old Kent Road space is going to be? I wanna play as the Bouncy Barrel play piece… Oh and, come stay at the Hotel Death Egg, if you dare.
Update: The segment is over, but recordings are available: Sonic 1, Sonic 2, Sonic Adventure DX
Speed Demos Archive‘s Summer Games Done Quick is running right now, a live stream speedrunning 70-some games in aid of the Organisation for Autism Research.
Their Sonic segment is set to start at around 9pm tonight (depending on how fast the preceding games are), and feature runs of the original Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic the Hedgehog 2 on Mega Drive, and Sonic Adventure DX Director’s Cut.
If you like seeing games played with speed, this should be your bag.
Spin-jumping on enemies,
Boosting right through baddies,
Gotta make my mind;
Whose path should I take?
It’s Friday, Friday, Gotta Freak Out on Friday!
Everybody’s escapin’ to the weekend, weekend!
It’s Friday, Friday, Gotta Freak Out on Friday!
Everybody’s escapin’ to the weekend!
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vgA9TtIVuk
Take my lead, take my lead, yeah!
I’ll set you free, set you free, yeah!
Run, run, run, run,
We’re escapin’ from the city!
Oh god, I’m so sorry, I’m so so sorry!!!
Over at the official Summer of Sonic website, organizer and founder Dreadknux announced that SOS 2012 will see the return of Sonic Team head, Takashi Iizuka!
You’ve been tuning in to either the radio, or maybe a few albums lying around the house. A person seated next to you might have her music on full volume from their iPods. There’s no denying that Adele is definitely one of the most popular artists in recent history, and it shows: it is almost foolhardy to escape or even drown out her music these days. Continue reading Mash-Up Monday: Rolling in the Depths of Hydrocity
Breaking news! SonicMerchandise.com, the official website for Sonic the Hedgehog merchandise that recently brought the absolutely brilliant Sonic Nendoroid figure to UK and European shores, has just announced via its Twitter account that it will also be opening its doors to the US and Canada!
You can check out the brand new website at http://www.sonicmerchandise.com/us but currently it only features a registration page where new customers from across the pond can sign up. If you’re interested, then be sure to fill out the form, as those who do register are promised to be the first to get updates in addition to “exclusive content, products, great prizes and loads, loads more…”
Sonic 4: Episode 2 has got a tough, uphill road to climb. While critics loved the first Sonic HD game in 2-D, many fans were outraged by its poor physics, unoriginal levels with cheesy gimmicks and uninspired boss fights. Add to that, the far superior gameplay of Sonic Generations and many gamers may already be dismissing this next chapter while critics who praised the first game are already looking at this second chapter with a more discerning eye. Continue reading TSS REVIEW: Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II
Due to the incredible demand for Summer of Sonic tickets this year, the entirity of wave 1 tickets (that’s 400 tickets!) sold out in less than three minutes. If you didn’t manage to grab a ticket the first time around, then here’s your next chance!
Continue reading Release Date of Wave 2 Summer of Sonic Tickets Announced
You might remember how we’ve previously brought you news about Meccano making toys based on All Stars Racing 2 (back before we knew it’s official title)? Well Meccano have finally released a number of images based on their newly acquired Sonic license… and my oh my they look lovely.
More after the break.
Continue reading Meccano Shows Off ASRT Toys & Confirms Green Hill Zone?
Update: No Sooner had we clicked the publish button on this, did SSMB member SonikkuForever discover that on Nike’s youtube page, there is a hidden Sonic game which is free to play.
Head over to this link, then at around two thirds of the way through the video, there will be an pitch advert with a shoe in the on it, click on the shoe to start “a rather polished Sonic 1 hack.”
Original Story: So over here in Europe, the Euro 2012 tournament will begin very soon, Euro 2012 is a football tournament involving most of the countries in Europe, typically it’s also a time when various sporting companies start advertising campaigns for various shoes and other football related products.
So you can imagine our surprise when one such advert pops up and Sonic happens to be in it! Video after the break.
Continue reading Update: Sonic Spotted in New Nike Shoes Advert & Hidden Game Found!
“Modern Sonic isn’t as good as the classics! and here is my fifty billion reasons explaining why!” We’ve all seen threads like this, we’ll all seen youtube videos like this. It’s an old argument and even when the dislike is aimed at classic Sonic, usually the best reply is to ignore the random person…
However when a one Yuji Naka allegedly agrees with a journalist who put it to him that ‘Modern Sonic games are not as fun as past Sonic games.’ Suddenly, you take an interest in that discussion again.
Continue reading Yuji Naka “[Modern Sonic] games have become much easier”
Gone live a few minutes ago, Sonic 4: Episode II is now available for purchase off the Xbox Live Marketplace. The game is priced at 1200 points and should be available worldwide.
Those who are away from their consoles at the moment can reserve a downloadable copy of the Sonic 4 saga’s second entry right off the game’s Xbox Live Marketplace product page and start the download immediately when they get home.
UPDATE!!: There is also a Sonic 4: Episode 2 Demo on the US PSN which can be downloaded by anyone with US PSN account for free! That means even if you do not live in the US, use a US Playstation 3 or have even said ‘how do you do’ to someone from the US, you can download the demo right now for free! All you need is a US PSN account and 3 min to make one. That’s it.
Original Story: I thought some of you might like to know that Sonic 4 Episode 2: Can now be downloaded from the US PSN, at the time of writing the store has not fully updated, but the game is there.To find it, use the ‘search bar’ and type ‘Sonic 4’ you will see the listing for ‘Sonic 4: Episode 2’ a few options down.
Continue reading UPDATE: Download Sonic 4: Episode 2 Full Game & Demo from the US PSN!
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fq-VFj6YpBA
[UPDATE] The main website has updated with Sky Fortress Zone and Episode Metal in accordance with S4EII‘s launch, including some new screenshots. Thanks to MilesKnightwing for the tip! Prices for the game are now included in the article as well. Original post below!
Showcasing the four main zones and bosses in action, the launch trailer to Sonic 4: Episode II was unveiled today in conjunction with the releases of the PSN and PC versions of the game. The new trailer also unveils the iOS release date: the game will be available off the iTunes App Store on the 17th, two days from now.
SEGA Blog also listed the prices for the different versions of the game: $14.99/€12.99/£9.99/AUD$18.25 off the PlayStation Network and Steam, 1200 points from the Xbox Live Marketplace, and $6.99/€5.49/£4.99/AUD$7.49 for the iOS and Android versions.
Check out the True Blue Initiative and the new screenshots after the jump!
Continue reading Sonic 4: Episode II Launch Trailer, True Blue Initiative Episode II!
If you’ve ever wanted a Sonic themed sled or water gun, Tech4Kids has answered your prayers! Later this year, the toy company will be debuting four unique Sonic themed toys, including a sled, a “Project-A-Sketch” projector, a flash light that projects Sonic sketch images, and finally a water gun.
Images and descriptions are posted below for all products except the flash light, which is apparently just the Project-A-Sketch without the stand. All of these products will be available for US and Canadian residents at Toys ‘R Us, Costco, Wal-Mart, Dick’s, Zellers, Canadian Tire, Home Hardware, and Mastermind Toys.
So, now that it seems like Sonic is going through another merchandising boom, might we see the return of Sonic Shampoo? Please, SEGA?
Continue reading Tech4Kids Making New Sonic Toys for North America!
SEGA Digital Brand Manager Ken Balough has revealed at the SEGA Forums that Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I sold best on the PlayStation 3 platform on consoles. Xbox 360 came second and Wii last. The news is quite a twist when compared to retail Sonic titles, where Nintendo’s consoles usually come out on top. No information was given as to where PC and mobile platforms ranked.
Will the same happen for Episode II? Time will tell. Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II is out now on Steam in the UK, and will be released later today in other territories. The PSN version will also be released later today in the US, then Europe tomorrow. The Xbox Live Arcade version is due out worldwide tomorrow.
Source: SEGA Forums
I told you there’d be more colours!
I told you so!
Just as on Saturday, we have a Sonic Colours-centric Mash-Up Monday as we bring you a very special guest, providing us a very special mash-up!
Some of you might recall the name DJ EAR. Whether it is for his musical contributions to The Sonic Stadium Music Album or the brawler fan game Super Sonic Knockout, this artist has a massive talent for music. One such display of his prowess is a mash-up compiling various tracks of Sonic Colours, highlighting every zone and then some, appropriately titled “Every Colour Has A Sound”.
You won’t have to guess which tracks in specific have been used; the songs used are listed on screen as they play. Very cool!
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FXUsyRBS00
Found an interesting mash-up? Made one of your own? If you’ve answered yes to either question, then send them over to vizardjeffhog@sonicstadium.org!
“…wow.”
One word alone is enough to summarize anyone’s reaction toward this, as Wave 1 of Summer of Sonic 2012 tickets went and gone by in under three minutes; the 400 free tickets being distributed have been sold out only mere moments after the wave went up, lasting from 12:30 to 12:33 BST.
To those who haven’t managed to get their tickets, you’re too slow! a second wave will be announced this weekend with all needed details including the distribution date, so brace yourselves: like the first wave, it’s on a “first come, first serve” basis!
In comparison, last year’s convention, which brought special guests such as Yuji Naka and Takashi Iizuka to celebrate Sonic’s 20th anniversary, took almost ten hours to give out 700 tickets! This, in conjunction with the surprisingly brief giveaway and the recent announcement of Crush 40 attending this year’s convention, is a sure sign of exponentially rising demand and anticipation for SOS 2012!
For inquiries concerning ticket reservations and other issues, you may direct yourselves to the full report on the Summer of Sonic webpage.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwPU96Wzcww
The video above contains what at first appears to be a normal run through of Windmill Isle, but when you look closer you discover that it’s not Windmill Isle… at least not from Sonic Unleashed. That is a re-creation of Windmill Isle running in Sonic Generations!
Continue reading What If: Sonic Generations had a Windmill Isle stage?
For this week’s Sound Test Saturday, we will be taking a look at a couple of remixes dedicated to Sonic Colours, a Nintendo exclusive entry that breathed new life into the franchise with some of the most zaniest yet colourful stages, gameplay mechanics, and of course, music, in the entire series.
Let’s start with something unique: a House mix of the Green Hover Wisp theme by Stylez-T!
Update: The video has been removed. Thanks to Darksonic20 for the notice.
As if the Hover theme wasn’t relaxing enough. Stylez here somehow managed to make a blissfully happy and sleep-inducing track even more sleep-inducing and happy. Of course, what’s most impressive is how Stylez turned a short, soft, situational loop into a full fledged 4 minute track! Definitely the last sort of thing I expecting! His “Hover House” mix at least deserves that credit.
And now, we dive into a unique remix, combining Aquarium Park with… Mystic Mansion from Sonic Heroes!
…wait, what?
Happy Mother’s Day everyone!
Now, we know Sonic is not exactly you’d relate to on Mother’s Day. After all, the only official mother in the Sonic games is Cream’s mom, Vanilla. But in the land of Sonic cartoons and comics, anything goes and just about every character you can think of has a mom and dad. So, the questions remains, which Mobius mama is the top pick of all time? Read on to see who my five favorites are.
Earlier this year, First4Figures teased a new Modern Sonic statue, today F4F have announced that pre-orders for this statue will go live on May 15th 2012… LIKE OMG THAT’S NEXT TUESDAY! Ahem…
Continue reading F4F: Modern Sonic Pre-Orders Go Live May 15th!
Less than a week ahead of its release on XBLA and PSN, SEGA of Japan have released a small avalanche of new screenshots showcasing White Park Zone in action. See Sonic and Tails facing Metal Sonic, traversing the cold, slushy waters and more big boss action!
Chill out and hit the jump to feast your ice on all the new screenshots!
Continue reading Episode 2: See More of White Park Zone in Action
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5j-kflfKy8[/youtube]
In the above interview (at 03:53) with Rev3Games, Sumo Digital’s Gareth Wilson has revealed that Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed will support split-screen multiplayer online. This means that you and up to three friends at home can play together with others online, even in Grand Prix mode. Pretty cool stuff.
Source: Rev3Games
P.S. See if you can spot a certain TSS writer in the video.
Go Saunich! Stop the evil Dr. Contingency and save the day!
I will dedicatedly chronicle your journey in full on Der Saunich Shtehdyum as a dedicated fan… but first… I’m hungry.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfUhO1KFjso
I’m… I’m still hungry.
Made by NAveryW!
EDITOR’S NOTE: Sorry for not having reviews for the last few issues. My work schedule keeps changing and makes it a bit hard to have enough free time for a large article. That, and I’m fairly lazy at times XP. I will have a full review of the Eggman arc from Sonic Universe in two weeks. Anyway, onto the review.
Things are finally starting to turn around for Sonic. After losing both Sally to robotization and having Antoine in a coma due to Metal Sonic exploding on him, Sonic finally has managed to get back on his feet and create a new team. In the meantime, two other new teams are forming for different reasons. With 3 teams of Freedom Fighters instead of one, things are really getting interesting. But is it enough to turn the tide against Eggman?
Following the release of Sonic the Hedgehog: Triple Trouble a while ago, SEGA will be releasing bizarre Game Gear title Sonic Labyrinth on the European Nintendo 3DS eShop today for £4.50. The game sees Sonic forced to slow down and instead spin dash around isometric grids to hunt down keys, destroy enemies and make his way to the goal before time runs out.
Will you be downloading Sonic Labyrinth? Let us know in the comments.
Source: Official Nintendo Magazine UK
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjrW1e4dsrE
TitansCreed continues to showcase the cream of the Sonic Community crop by interviewing Lewis Clark, also known as SonicYoda, the webmaster behind general SEGA fansite SEGADriven (and also the one man who disappears whenever Sonic is seen at Summer of Sonic conventions…). Continue reading TitansCreed Community Spotlights SEGADriven
Three months ago, the community team down at SEGA gathered questions for the musical talents behind the 20th Anniversary title Sonic Generations. As many as 300 questions were submitted by eager fans, spanning from the composers and arrangers’ personal favourite tracks as well as what other songs from Sonic’s history they would’ve liked to tackle.
Today, these questions have been answered by a majority of the Generations sound team. To see what questions Jun Senoue, Tomoya Ohtani, Kenichi Tokoi, and Alex Makhlouf have answered, their replies are available in full at the SEGA Blog, as well as Original Sound Version.
…or, alternatively, Sonic the Hedgehog meets Skrillex for the weekly Mash-Up Monday! Sonic 2‘s Chemical Plant Zone clashes with the famed dubstep artist’s “Disco Rangers” and “Lazy Eye” tracks. Quite the piece of ear-candy!
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCxUZsVZ2pQ
Special thanks to Jack Roletter for the find!
It’s been a whirlwind ride of sorts for the Sonic Nendoroid figure here in the UK. Made by the Good Smile Company, this limited edition piece of merch was originally only going to available in Japan – but thanks to the surprise announcement that SonicMerchandise.com would be stocking it, fans on the other side of the world had the chance to their hands on it too (well, if they were quick enough to get a pre-order in before they sold out, anyway). Now, at last, the Nendoroids have arrived… but have they been worth the hype?
Continue reading TSS Review: Sonic the Hedgehog Nendoroid Figure
![Yuji Naka “[Modern Sonic] games have become much easier”](https://archive.sonicstadium.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/177359-yuji-620x200.jpg)
