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In the preorder trailer that debuted two months ago, we caught a glimpse of another returning Zone to Sonic Mania in the familiar form of Stardust Speedway. The hallmark stage from Sonic CD where the Blue Blur finally confronts Metal Sonic became a fan-favourite for its differing yet memorable theme tunes between time zones and regional releases, courtesy of Naofumi Hataya and Spencer Nilsen.
Continue reading Turn it Up and Get Down to Stardust Speedway Act 1 from Sonic Mania
So if you’re planning on buying Sonic Forces on the very first day, it seems you might get some extra bonuses with your copy. According to retail listings on Xtralife.es and GameMania.br, a Day One edition of Sonic Forces will be released later this year.
The Day One Edition includes 6 pieces of DLC, which are various costume accessories for the Avatar character which allow it to resemble classic Sega characters.
These include…
Along with the digital bonus features, there are also a number of concept art cards included with the package.
Keep checking TSS, we’ll let you know if this appears elsewhere and if more editions pop up.
Source: Xtralife.es
On Thursday, July 20th in the Indigo Ballroom at the Hilton Bayfront, I witnessed a concert by Sonic fans, for Sonic fans. A rocking music extravaganza with trumpets, saxophones, guitars, drums a keyboard and a lot of passion. It’s obvious that Shoto Nakama wanted to create something special and he truly has.
It started off with the usual stuff. Sound tests, followed by a ton of trailers. There was a funny moment as I watched Jun Senoue hanging out on the side, head-banging to his own tune, “Infinite’s Theme”.
The first song off the bat is of course, “Green Hill Zone”. The saxophone and trumpets really added a jazzy vibe to this classic tune. The video screens off to the side were showing off the original classic along with a bit of the level from Generations. Next, we go from the first Sonic tune, to one of the newest, Studiopolis! It’s cool hearing an instrumental version of a tune almost entirely programmed digitally and it’s done really well.
Next up, the lead singer, Dave Ross came onto the stage along with Crush 40’s own Jun Senoue. Now this was a rock concert! “Live and Learn” was the first tune up and they really rocked it. Dave shows a strong passion in his singing and a great range as well. Especially since the next song up was “Believe in Myself”. A song originally done by female singer Karen Brake, was sung by Dave himself and he did a surprisingly faithful version.
I gotta say this about Dave. He really knew how to work the crowd and was full of energy. When he wasn’t rocking out onstage, he was constantly jumping off the stage and running around into the crowd, giving out high-fives and making damn sure that the audience was having a great time.
Next up was “Endless Possibility” which must have been a favorite for the band as it was also the encore of the night. Dave was incredibly into it and seem to really love the number. After that, it was “Reach
For The Stars”. It was great hearing a number normally done mostly in chiptune and tonebox done with full instruments and vocals. Another great highlight of the night. They followed that up with “Escape From The City” which Dave seem to take as something he wanted the audience to do as he jumped off the stage, running around the large crowd. After fooling around for a bit and having Jun do a VERY short guitar solo, they went into “It Doesn’t Matter”, a song that fit Dave’s vocal range very well. The concert wrapped up with another performance of “Endless Possibility”.
All in all, this was a fantastic concert. The people onstage were full of energy and passion for the music they were playing and that passion was absorbed by the crowd watching. Dave Ross had a great vocal range and the performance of a true rock star. They asked if they’d like to see this concert tour close to a town near you. Hell yes, I would! I’ve seen a lot of Sonic concert performances (mostly Crush 40) and this was by far the best one. If they turn this into a full tour, don’t miss it!
San Diego Comic-Con has come and gone for 2017, and this year’s gave attendees the world over a lot to look forward to in forthcoming entertainment. Superhero movie aficionados got an early peek at a number of highly anticipated films for the upcoming year (Black Panther, Justice League, and Avengers: Infinity War to name a few), bitesized previews were shown off for new seasons to Stranger Things and Steven Universe among other hit shows to whet eager fans’ appetites, and in Sonic’s case?
Well, whether you’ve fallen out of the loop or just enjoy a quick summary of last week’s events, allow me to bring you all back up to speed!
Continue reading Of Manias, Forces, and Serials: A Sonic at SDCC 2017 Recap
In addition to the three children’s Sonic books found earlier, another interesting entry has been added to Penguin Random House’s catalogue.
It appears SEGA are releasing a colouring book, this time based on SEGA in general as opposed to Sonic. SEGA: The Official Coloring Book isn’t a regular kids’ colouring book, but instead an adult colouring book meant to act as stress relief. To compound this, the illustrator is listed as Patrick Spaziente, who Archie fans may recognise for being a prominent artist on the Sonic the Hedgehog comic back when Archie ran the books. 
SEGA: The Official Coloring Book
By PATRICK SPAZIANTE
Adult Coloring Book
Oct 17, 2017 | 96 Pages
ABOUT SEGA: THE OFFICIAL COLORING BOOK
Relive your misspent youth with this classic Sega adult coloring book!
Altered Beast, Golden Axe, Streets of Rage, Sonic the Hedgehog, and more—all intricately illustrated in this adult coloring book packed with original Sega art. With stunning pages to color, plus all the best action from the classic gaming system, this retro-themed adult coloring book is perfect for any creative gaming fan. Filled with 96 pages of original designs, it will be like you’re playing Altered Beast for the very first time. Power up!
The book is due to be released on October 17th this year, so it may be ideal as a little Christmas present for someone you know!
Source: Penguin Random House
Penguin Random House have put up entries for three new Sonic books to come out in early 2018.
Welcome to the World of Sonic is an introductory handbook for kids unfamiliar with the series, as it covers the characters and some key moments from the series. It also appears to have a set of stickers with it, although it doesn’t appear to be a sticker book so it’s unknown how many it will have.
Welcome to the World of Sonic
By LLOYD CORDILL
Paperback
Mar 06, 2018 | 80 Pages | 7-10 years
ABOUT WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF SONIC
Get a crash course in all things Sonic the Hedgehog in this introductory handbook, featuring a sheet of shiny foil stickers!
Everyone knows that Sonic the Hedgehog is the fastest hero in the world! He has thwarted Dr. Eggman’s evil schemes time and time again with his supersonic speed and cool blue spikes. But what else should you know about the world of Sonic? Learn all about Tails, Amy, Knuckles, and the rest of Sonic’s gang, and get to know the stories behind some of Sonic’s greatest victories. This handbook is the perfect introduction to one of the most beloved video game characters of all time!
Sonic the Hedgehog Mad Libs is exactly what it says on the tin; a Sonic version of Mad Libs. The book gives you Sonic-themed stories with words removed, and you have to fill in the blanks.
Sonic the Hedgehog Mad Libs
By ROB VALOIS
Paperback
Mar 06, 2018 | 48 Pages | Middle Grade (8-12)
ABOUT SONIC THE HEDGEHOG MAD LIBS
Fans of Sonic the Hedgehog will love filling in the blanks of this Mad Libs, with stories all about one of the most iconic, spiky-haired animated characters of all time!
It doesn’t matter if you’re 8 or 38: there’s no denying that Sonic the Hedgehog is one of the coolest animated characters of all time! Our Mad Libs immortalizes Sonic with 21 fill-in-the-blank stories all about Sonic and his many thrilling adventures!
The final book listed is Sonic and the Tales of Deception. While there is currently no cover image for this book, we do know that it will contain three short stories about Sonic and his friends stopping Dr Eggman’s plans. What’s interesting about this book is that it actually has illustrations!
Sonic and the Tales of Deception
By JAKE BLACK
Illustrated by IAN MCGINTY
Paperback
Mar 06, 2018 | 64 Pages | 7-10 years
ABOUT SONIC AND THE TALES OF DECEPTION
Delight in new tales of adventure featuring the world’s fastest and most famous Hedgehog hero, Sonic!
Sonic may be the fastest hero in the world, but he’s got to keep moving to stay ahead of Dr. Eggman’s evil plots! In Sonic and The Tales of Deception, Sonic and his friends save the world from Dr. Eggman and his cronies in three original stories. This set of short stories with full color illustrations is the perfect introduction to one of the most beloved video game characters of all time and a must-have title for long-time fans eager for new content!
Squarely aimed for the older kid audience, they might actually be worth checking even as an adult collector, depending on what bits and pieces they decide to include.
Source: Penguin Random House
Check out the Sonic Mania panel at 2017 to get all the details we couldn’t cover! Join host Aaron Webber with guests, Takashi Iizuka, Christian Whitehead, Tee Lopes, Tom Fry, and Simon Thomley as we get more details on what went into this game.Get the full scoop on the game, check out some wacky glitches and the fan Q&A it’s all here! Continue reading Sonic Mania: Behind the Scenes Panel from San Diego Comic Con
San Diego Comic-Con 2017 is wrapping up today, and so does our coverage for the yearly star-studded convention. For one last hurrah, and as promised in last night’s Sonic Mania developer panel, the theme for the game’s Special Stages has been uploaded on the Sonic social channels today after being previewed to attendees.
Have a listen to Tee Lopes’ “Dimension Heist” below!
Continue reading Have a Listen to Sonic Mania’s Special Stage Music, “Dimension Heist”
San Diego Comic Con played host to the Sonic Mania Development team yesterday, in a panel that included Takashi Iizuka, programmers Christian Whitehead and Simon Thomley, alongside lead artist Tom Fry, composer Tee Lopes and SEGA community manager Aaron Webber. Our man in the field Jason Berry was at the panel, and captured the events as they happened via The Sonic Stadium Twitter. Continue reading SDCC Sonic Mania Panel Roundup & Special Stage Reveal
While IDW’s new Sonic comic is still many months away, it already has an editor: Joe Hughes. As the editor, Hughes will effectively run the entire book. IDW is still on the hunt for writers and artists, and is reportedly considering both veteran Sonic talent and new faces.
Joe Hughes used to be the manager of a New York City comic book store called Forbidden Planet, before getting a job at DC Comics. Starting as a direct sales representative, he eventually became an assistant editor on DC’s Vertigo imprint. He left DC in 2012 to become the Editor-in-Chief at ComicsAlliance, a major comic book news site that closed earlier this year. He joined IDW just a month ago.
IDW’s Sonic comic is scheduled to launch at some undetermined date next year.
Source: IDW Publishing
Promotional items, they can be strange, they can be wonderful, they can sometimes be eaten, or in this case, drunk! Jones Soda has partnered with Sega to produce a limited range of Sonic Mania branded Soda. Currently a comic con exclusive but comments on Facebook point to a possibly future release, the soda comes in three flavours. Continue reading Sonic Mania Soda Exists!
SEGA and IDW Publishing have today announced a partnership to continue Sonic the Hedgehog comics in a new series in 2018. The news comes a day after SEGA officially announced the end of a 24-year partnership with Archie Comics.
According to SEGA, creative teams are still being formed at IDW, with more news to come later. The news shot also hints that the writers and artists are involved in the news comics, stating they are in talks with “Sonic fan-favourite creators and new creators alike”.
SEGA and IDW are thrilled to announce a partnership to bring Sonic Comics to fans new and old. The new series arrives 2018! pic.twitter.com/neT3oAMNUE
— Sonic the Hedgehog (@sonic_hedgehog) July 21, 2017
As always, TSS will keep you up to date as news comes!
Among the familiar faces fighting under Eggman’s name in Sonic Forces comes a brand new villain by the name “Infinite.” SEGA dropped some new music for the occasion with a dedicated theme song featuring vocals and lyrics by Dangerkids band members earlier today (and sounding so deliciously Shadow the Hedgehog-like, I might add), and now we have a trailer dedicated to this dangerous new evil as well.
Give it a watch above, and share your thoughts with us on Infinite in the comments below!
It’s only been two days since we were introduced to Tee Lopes’ “Hi Spec Robo Go!” for Sonic Mania‘s Hard Boiled Heavies, and today SEGA has come around with another new song just in time for San Diego Comic-Con, this time for the new villain starring in Sonic Forces.
Composed and arranged by Tomoya Ohtani, as well as guitar by the legendary Jun Senoue, the new track features vocals and lyrics by Tyler Smyth and Andy Bane from Dangerkids, aptly titled “Infinite.” Those who enjoyed the edgier and darker theme songs from Shadow the Hedgehog are bound to get a kick out of this tune, as well as better insight into the character of Infinite himself.
What are your thoughts on Infinite’s theme music, and how do you think the Sonic Forces OST is shaping up? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
After six months without any release and and vast amounts of speculation of it’s fate, SEGA of America have finally announced that it is ending their partnership with Archie Comics, effectively cancelling it. The tweet sent out by the official Sonic the Hedgehog account is below;
An important update from SEGA regarding Sonic comics: pic.twitter.com/qy9BKkmIvA
— Sonic the Hedgehog (@sonic_hedgehog) July 19, 2017
As the tweet also says, this doesn’t mean that SEGA won’t foray into comics in the future. But it is the end of an era, and what a legacy it left;
We are sure many fans, including ourselves are sad to see this chapter of Hedgehog history come to an end. We will keep on top of any future updates on what SEGA does in the comic industry next.
Source: Sonic the Hedgehog (Twitter)
Perhaps this mystery will finally be solved.
Today, it was announced that there would be news this week on the Sonic comics. During the usual fortnightly stream that Aaron Webber hosts, he finally addressed the question that had been asked session after session. While he had no news right then and there, he had this to say about the future;
Continue reading Sonic Comic News to be Announced at SDCC, and The Story So Far
Sonic fans and soundtrack collectors alike will want to mark this weekend in their calendars! Data Discs have announced that pre-orders for the Sonic Mania soundtrack, the first Sonic the Hedgehog soundtrack to see a full release on vinyl, will go live this coming weekend. Continue reading [UPDATED] New Sonic Mania Track Preview, Vinyl LP Available For Pre-Order
SEGA have announced today a wealth of events to be held at the San Diego Comic-Con! To complement the already announced “Behind the Scenes” Sonic Mania panel, the five day convention will also play host to the “Sounds of Sonic” music extravaganza, which will take place at the San Diego Hilton Bayfront, and include a suite of music performed by Shota Nakama, creator of the Video Game Orchestra, and Sonic Team composer and Crush 40 guitarist Jun Senoue. Continue reading Sounds of Sonic Music Event Set For San Diego Comic Con
More comic con goodness for you lucky people who can go to it. Sega are to host a Sonic Mania panel which will go behind the scenes into the games development Continue reading Sonic Mania: Behind the Scenes Panel At Comic Con
Hidden away on the official San Diego Comic Con website, there is some really exciting news if you are lucky enough to be in San Diego during comic con.
Away from the actual event, in the Omni San Diego Hotel Grand Ballroom you can find Sega hosting a Sonic the Hedgehog Augmented Reality Experience. There will also be a concert with Shota Nakama held on the Tuesday evening but no details on that were given.
The event opens to developers and the public as a preview on the 19th of July, but it fully opens up on Thursday 20th and runs until Sunday 23rd.
Sega is presenting an AR Sonic experience and a special concert with the awesome Shota Nakama on Thursday evening, and dome takeover on Friday!
WHERE: Omni San Diego Hotel, Grand Ballroom, 4th Floor
WHEN: Wed., 7/19: Developer & Public Preview, 6:00–9:00 PM • Thu.–Sat., 7/20-7/22: 9:30 AM–7:00 PM • Sun., 7/23: 9:30 AM–5:00 PM
Absolutely no details as to what this experience will be were revealed, or if it will ever be released in any way so those who are not there can see or experience it. If you happen to be in the neighbourhood at that time, lets us know what it was like.
More information as we get it.
Source: Comic Con
If you’ve been paying attention to Sonic Merchandise recently, this news probably won’t come as too much of a surprise, Sonic Merchandise is to close within the next few days.
SonicMerchandise.com was the billed as Sega’s official Sonic store for the west and promised western buyers access to Sonic Merchandise which at the time was a little bit tricky.
However, the store has had a few… problems(?) since the start of 2017, many products have been sold out for months and not replaced, their huge March sale was launched and… never ended as well as many of the promised exclusive products never making it to the store.
Well yesterday the store owners posted on their Facebook page that after 5 years the company would be closing within the next few days.
All of us at TSS wish the staff the very best in the future.
![[UPDATED] New Sonic Mania Track Preview, Vinyl LP Available For Pre-Order](https://archive.sonicstadium.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Cover_and_Splatter_Record-895x375.jpg)
