According to a report from IGN an iPad version of Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 has been confirmed by SEGA and will be appearing in playable form at E3 alongside the other versions. With the iPhone and iPod Touch versions recently confirmed it would make sense to add support for Apple’s new device during the extra time acquired by the delay of the game to Late 2010, the more the merrier as they say. Since iPad can load iPod Touch and iPhone games could this be a specific version for iPad, perhaps in HD?
In other news SEGA of America Community staff member RubyEclipse has been doing a little Q&A at SEGA’s official forums with forum member Yeow95, here are quotes from the conversation –
3 Questions, Ruby….
1. We know that Sonic 4 will be available on the App Store, for the iPod Touch and iPhone….but does that include THE iPAD?!
I don’t even HAVE an iPad, but I know that Sonic 4 with it’s high-def, colorful graphics and gameplay would look GORGEOUS on that thing.
2. Will you guys start updating the website weekly again? We want to see new timers, and see them reveal new badniks, new concept art, new zones, and new sections of the website again! BTW the Splash Hill page still says new video coming soon, may want to fix that! And I know we DO NOT want to wait ALMOST 3 MONTHS for “big” info again!
3. So what have we covered here?
a. 4th platform revealed – App Store for iPod Touch and iPhone
b. Sonic 4 delayed for extra development time to “enchance” the game.
c. JUST ADDED: Project needlemouse T-Shirt.That’s not really big news. Is there anything else than that? I mean any footage of the other zones, announcements of DLC, playable characters, future episodes, a new Sonic game, etc.? Because I bet I can speak for the whole fanbase that at least some or one of these most of us were expecting.
I’m a bit late to the party here, sorry, but I’ll go ahead and answer the questions I can speak to.
2 – Yes, the website will be updated again soon, though it may not be weekly. Instead, since the wait will probably be just a little longer, the updates themselves may be slightly larger than before. We’ll be able to confirm the time between updates soon.
3 – I think point B is huge news, personally. Part of that might be because I’ve seen some of the specific things that are being changed, as opposed to the somewhat vague statements that have gone out, but regardless I really do think the action itself speaks volumes.
There won’t be any announcements of “new characters”, as we confirmed Sonic being the exclusive playable character there long ago. The other Zones, however – those we will be talking about more in the near future.
But what about the iPad thing? I don’t get Clumsyorhard’s “iPad nano” joke.
Sorry about putting the new characters, my mistake, but this:
We confirmed Sonic being the exclusive playable character there long ago.So does that mean Tails and Knuckles WON’T BE IN SONIC 4?!
I can’t speak in detail on your iPad question, so I’ll have to wait on that one until I have a definitive answer for you.
No worries on the new characters part! You’re partly correct though, Sonic will be the only playable character in Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I.
Note how RubyEclipse bolds the title, perhaps a hint at playable characters in future episodes?
Sometimes, even the smallest of changes can make really big (and positive) impacts.
I’m not able to tell you guys specifically what is being changed just yet, but from the small stuff to the fairly big stuff, I think it will all play a part in making the final experience for the fans worthwhile.
So we could possibly be seeing playable characters in future episodes and Sonic 4’s official website could be seeing more larger updates but in smaller doses than the weekly entries we were once used to. RubyEclipse also gives the impression that changes to the game during the extra development time will be quite significant and a vast improvement on what the leaks have shown us. Hopefully we’ll see some of these changes at E3, we’ll keep an eye out for new info and media during the show then keep you posted on everything that surfaces.
And still ignoring PC users for Steve Jobs at the back of the street.
Interesting, Looks like the Ipad might get Sonic 4 if we couldn’t get a definite yes or no answer, but none the less, I’m getting the xbox live version.
Ipad. Lol.
I do concur, Sonic 4 would look freakin’ beautiful on the iPad. The character sentiment however… That’s far from new. Several people have asked about the characters feature and the constant appears to be the insinuation that there will be a couple more appreances in the very least beyond Episode I, but definately Sonic only for the first. Which… Kinda makes sense, I suppose that’s largely down to the way it’s presented.
@ Syaming Li
I don’t own an iPad but if they make an HD version on there it would look pretty good for people who would want that version. The character thing I thought I’d take note of since it’s a more recent mention from a SEGA staff member, the new info part of the title wasn’t to cover just that but the larger website updates and talk of the significance in the games editing that’s discussed Found it all pretty relevant myself.
I’m getting it for PS3 and Wii
No thanks to an iPad version for me. I know there are plenty of people out there, but it’s just one of those apps you wish you actually had buttons for.
I believe it may be better for the iPad (as much as I don’t like the big iPod touch), I mean, the screen is bigger so if it will be anything like how Sonic 1 and 2 are, with the small square box for a screen and then the whole area around with the buttons laid out. So obviously, the game could have a bigger view, plus the ‘buttons’ could be bigger, of course, I’d rather be able to take it with me on my iPad nano, er, iPod touch
I’m pretty sure they’re using the extra time to make Sonic and Eggman look classic, thus being “huge news”.
http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/Various/Sonic+The+Hedgehog+4/news.asp?c=20984
This is from a few days ago. I was wondering then why Sonic Stadium didn’t cover it. XP
Already it’s acting like its Mega Drive fathers, it’s being released on everything. XD
@Stasis: …You all honestly believe they’re gonna do the Genesis makeover on the game, don’t you.
Even when it’s already been explained that they’re not going to do that.
@Umiyuri he didnt said anything about a genesis makeover he said that they might add optional classic sonic and robotnik now shut up
BUUU.. I want my DS version X(((
We all know Tails and knuckles are in ep 2 from leaked info
I hope the delay isn’t just to satisfy the anti-green-eyes mob.
@Matt Same here..-_-
Not really big news. I’d be more surprised if they weren’t making an iPad version. I’m still waiting for a PC version.
Something of interest: I was reading EGM at the store yesterday, and they were speaking with someone at Sega (sorry, I forget who it was) about Sonic 4, and they promised the return of a character “whom has not been seen since the Genesis days” and who fans have been asking for.
Perhaps it’s a good thing that video got leaked, since that’s probably what caused the developers to want to improve the game before release.
I just played with an iPad at my best buy today. That was the worst 30 minutes I’ve spent since I watched Paranormal Activity.
iPad? Far too expensive for me.
Also Tails and Knuckles are definetly in later episodes.
RE just made it more clear.
pssssh, heres my reply for the ipad, and I’m truly sorry sonic but the ipad can blow me *spits* >: apple trying to take over the world, I don’t want sonic in any part of it
It will be cool if Tails comes in episode 2 and Knuckles in Episode 3, but then you can go back and play episode 1 with those characters too.
@matt i think most of us have gotten over the model and they specifically said the will delay the game to fix the physics and level designs(and hopefully the will hire other composers aside Jun Seonoue like Howard Drossin,Richar Jacques etc) and who knows if the game turns succesful they might make Classic Sonic,Robotnik,Tails etc DLC
@sonictoast most probably they will just do that
Awesome Shadzter! It sounds like the Sonic 4 series really will be having a little fox and echidna fun as well!
Sega putting Sonic 4 on iPhone OS is the best decision they could make. iPhone OS does get less game sales revenue than the DS according to few market share reports I’ve read. But if I’m not mistaken, the iPhone platform has just as much – if not more – games sales as the DS. Making Sonic the Mario of the iPhone – and the iPhone does lack a game series to fill the Mario spectrum – could spell big success for Sega.
It’s a small playing field in the side scroller platformer realm here on the iPhone, and it’s just waiting to filled by a certain hedgehog. And that’s nothing to blink past, for sure. Let the Mario and Pokemon franchises rock out on the DS, and let Sonic rack in the dough on the iPhone with the little competition there is on there.
At any rate, there is also some solace in Sonic breaking out big on the iPhone. At least then I would not have to stare at a sadly enormous list of B-games on the App Store home page.