There’s good news tonight for Sonic fans going to this year’s Gamescom event, with the announcement that Takashi Iizuka will be attending. The Sonic Team head disclosed the news of his attendance just 4 hours ago on his Facebook page with the short message you see below.
これからGamescomに参加するため、ドイツに向けて出発します！それにしても今、朝の6時…眠い…。
I’m going to Germany for Gamescom!
Iizuka has been very busy attending events around the world all year celebrating Sonic the Hedgehog’s 20th Anniversary and it doesn’t look like he’s going to stop anytime soon. We told you last week that SEGA will be going to Gamescom and will be designing their booth in the style of Green Hill Zone from the first Sonic the Hedgehog game on Mega Drive/Genesis. Attendees will be able to go hands-on with both console and handheld versions of Sonic Generations and Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games at the event, too.
Now we have to wonder if Iizuka is attending just to help SEGA with the Sonic 20th Anniversary celebrations and to do the usual interview rounds, or does he have some Sonic announcements to make? I guess we’ll find out this week.
Gamescom will run from 17th-21st August at the Koelnmesse in Cologne, Germany.
Source: Takashi Iizuka’s Facebook page
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Following comments on Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 a few days ago, VG247 has posted up their full interview with SEGA West CEO Mike Hayes, and it features a couple more pieces of discussion about Sonic. When asked what his standout moment for the company is, Hayes expresses his pride for SEGA and Nintendo’s bringing together of both of their mascots for the Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games series.
“In my time at Sega, I’d come back to Chronicles, but I have to say Mario and Sonic simply because of many things,” said Hayes when asked for a standout moment.
“For me personally, doing that deal with Nintendo when we were such adversaries and bringing the two greatest icons together, for me, is a real sense of pride. Then the fact that its sold 20 million units so far on the two that we’ve released mean people like it, which is great.
That’s not the only standout moment for Hayes, though. The SEGA West boss also talks about his fondness for Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood, which he admires because it does something different with the Sonic the Hedgehog brand.
“But in terms of imagination, I actually thought what we did with Chronicles was pretty good, which was actually trying to do something with Sonic that wasn’t just about speed and getting from A to B as effectively as possible. And that, I thought, was a pretty good game. Sold reasonably well, didn’t break any record, but I enjoyed that because it was different.
With Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood in mind, Hayes thinks there are more chances ahead to arc Sonic out to do other things.
“And that gives us kind of a clue about mainly the future of Sonic. There are chances for him to sort of arc out to do different things, maybe.”
Hayes ends the interview by noting the success of Sonic Colours in sales, ratings and popularity.
I like [2010 Wii and DS title] Colours a lot because I think that’s the best main platform standalone Sonic that we’ve done in many years. And it was hugely popular and it did extremely well based in America and Europe. I just think that was an excellent game, I think [Team Sonic producer Takashi] Iizuka did a good job on that and it rated pretty well. But for me, from my time at Sega, I’d probably say M&S and Chronicles.”
Source: VG247
Would you like to see the Sonic the Hedgehog series explore other genres? If so, which ones? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
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In a recent interview with VG247, SEGA West CEO Mike Hayes revealed that digital download title Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 has sold over one million units across all platforms since its release in October last year.
“It did very well and it continues to do well,” Hayes told us in a phone interview this afternoon.
“Particularly when it gets a little shot in the arm with some promotion or some price activity, sales are quite phenomenal. Its downloaded clearly over a million units, so its sold particularly well and continues to sell.”
Hayes also told the website to expect information on Episode 2 “very soon”, but wouldn’t clarify how soon. Instead Mr.Hayes just said “look out for that one.”
Source: VG247 (via GoNintendo)
Thanks to SSMB member Emeraio at the SSMB for the heads up!
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SEGA has announced their lineup of playable titles for PAX Prime 2011 in Seattle, Washington. The event runs from August 26th-28th. There’s no sign of Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games, but the big game for Sonic fans this year Sonic Generations will be present, as well as six other titles, including the first opportunity for the public to get a look at Aliens: Colonial Marines. Unfortunately, Like other events, there’s no word on platforms.
SEGA fans will be happy to hear that the GameWorks community event the company held last year is returning this year after the show at 6pm on Saturday August 27th until 12am.
Check out the press release below for more details.
Play SEGA’s Blockbusters on the Show Floor and Hang Out with SEGA at the GameWorks Community Event!
August 12, 2011 – SEGA® of America, Inc. today announced their lineup of titles for PAX Prime 2011 in Seattle. Located at Booth 3625 on the show floor, the company will have a number of highly anticipated titles playable at the show, including Sonic Generations™, Rise of Nightmares™ and the first chance for fans to get a look at Aliens: Colonial Marines™. SEGA is also hosting an exclusive community event for its fans after the show on Saturday night!
The list of games playable at SEGA’s booth at PAX includes:
* Aliens: Colonial Marines™
* Binary Domain™
* Renegade Ops™
* Rise of Nightmares™
* Shinobi™
* Sonic Generations™
* The House of the Dead: OVERKILL™ – Extended Cut
SEGA is once again throwing an arcade event to celebrate its fans. Located at GameWorks near the convention center (1511 7th Avenue, Seattle), the event is open to the public and kicks off at 6pm on Saturday, August 27th and goes until 12am.
For more details about PAX Prime 2011, head over to their website.
Source: SEGA Forums (via SEGA Twitter)
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[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCAkmjloTPA&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
Live in Australia and want to check out Sonic Generations and Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games before release like everyone else in the world? Well, you’re in luck, as EB Games Australia has announced that those two games and more will be present at this year’s EB Games Expo, with more games to be announced at a later date. Unfortunately, the company hasn’t announced what platforms the games will be on and say “Playability of game differs for each title”, but with both Sonic Generations and Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games playable at other events a month before, then it’s very likely attendees will be able to get hands-on time.
EB Games Expo Gold Coast 2011 will take place October 15th and 16th in Broadbeach on the Gold Coast of Australia at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre. Tickets are available to purchase from EB Games’ website.
Source: EB Expo Gold Coast 2011 website (via GoNintendo)
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Gameswelt.de reports that SEGA will be attending Gamescom in Cologne this year in full force. The publisher will be hosting more 20th Anniversary celebrations for their spiky blue mascot Sonic by recreating the hedgehog’s first stage Green Hill Zone in real life. Attendees will also find an 8 meter tall Sonic model/statue at their booth. As for games, SEGA has so far confirmed that both console and handheld versions of Sonic Generations and Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games will be at the event.
Gamescom will take place from 17th-21st August at the Koelnmesse in Cologne, Germany. Tickets are available to purchase from the event’s website.
In the UK, Eurogamer.net has announced that a bunch of SEGA’s games will be playable at their Eurogamer Expo. The games announced are as follows: Sonic Generations, Binary Domain, Anarchy Reigns, Renegade Ops and House of the Dead Overkill: Extended Edition. No word has been given regarding platforms.
The Eurogamer Expo will run from 22nd-25th September at London’s Earl’s Court One. Tickets are available to purchase from the event’s website.
Sources: Gameswelt.de and Eurogamer.net
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Following August 5th’s portion of an ONM interview with Sonic Team head Takashi Iizuksa regarding pleasing fans of the older Sonic titles, the magazine has posted up the full interview on their website. The interview is made up of questions from fans about the Nintendo 3DS version of Sonic Generations, but as is the norm so far for the portable edition, there are not really any new details about the game to share that we haven’t known for a while now. Outside of that, Takashi Iizuka expressed an interest in making titles for Nintendo’s new home console Wii U.
You can read the interview at ONM’s website.
Would you like to see a new Sonic game on Wii U? Let us know in the comments.
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Last night SEGA announced via their Twitter feed that Sonic Generations and Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games will be among the many games playable at the upcoming Simon Malls US GamePlay tour. The tour will make 26 stops beginning tomorrow in the Dadeland Mall in Miami, FL and ending November 13th at the Ontario Mills mall in Ontario, CA. SEGA says only the console version of Sonic Generations will be available on the tour, so those who want to try out the 3DS version are out of luck. There’s no word on platforms for Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Other publishers attending include THQ, Namco Bandai Games, Eidos, Sony with PS3 and PlayStation Move titles and Nintendo with Nintendo 3DS titles.
Will you be attending any of the tour stops? Let us know in the comments.
Sources: SEGA Twitter – Link 1, Link 2, Link 3, SEGA Flickr, Simon Malls Website
Thanks to Eternal X at the SSMB and Nuzamaki90 in our comments section for the heads up!
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[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsKwNWYowwY&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
German gaming website Gameswelt.de shared a new Sonic Generations gameplay video on Thursday, which until now has gone unnoticed by fans. The video is of the Xbox 360 version, and it gives us our first look at the Chemical Plant Zone in action in both Modern and Classic forms. Some new footage of the Modern and Classic City Escape stages is also available later on in the video.
What do you think about Chemical Plant Zone now you’ve seen it in motion? Share your thoughts in the comments section.
Source: Gameswelt
Thanks to Nuzamaki90 in our comments section for the heads up!
YouTube conversion courtesy of DranicTheLombaxProdu.
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GAME UK has today announced the titles SEGA will be bringing to their GAMEFest event in Birmingham UK next month, and Sonic fans will be happy to hear that Sonic Generations and Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games will both be available to try out. No information about platforms has been given. Other SEGA titles available to demo include House of the Dead: OVERKILL Extended Cut and Rise of Nightmares.
GAMFest will be held 16-18 September 2011 at the Birmingham NEC. If you’re interested in attending, you can purchase tickets from the GAMEFest website.
Source: Videogamer.com
Thanks to Woun at the SSMB for the heads up!
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In a portion of a soon to be published interview with ONM, Sonic Team head Takashi Iizuka has expressed difficulty to please old Sonic fans when creating new Sonic titles. Iizuka says the team are always making efforts to build new gameplay innovations, but they then find it hard to please the fans who prefer the gameplay found in the older games. With Sonic Generations, Iizuka thinks classic fans will find some enjoyment, though, and he says Sonic Team is looking into continuing the Sonic 4 series, too.
Check out the interview quotes below:
“Our team are always trying to present new gameplay innovations so it’s hard to please fans who like the gameplay from the older games,” said Iizuka.
“However, we have included the older gameplay as part of Sonic’s 20th Anniversary, so we think the fans of the older games will enjoy it [Generations] as well. We are also looking into continuing the Sonic 4 series which was released on WiiWare, and we’ll keep developing titles so more fans will enjoy the games.”
Source: ONM
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Is your Xbox Live Avatar feeling a bit left out of the Sonic 20th Anniversary celebrations? Well, today SEGA has released 2 Sonic Generations Avatar items on the Xbox Live Avatar Marketplace to help your Avatar join in the festivities. The first item is a 20th Anniversary Cake prop, and the second is a 20th Anniversary party hat. The cake will set you back 400 MSP, while the hat costs 160 MSP. Both items are available for a limited time only, so don’t hang about if you want to grab them.
Source: Xbox Live Marketplace (via Xbox Avatar Gear)
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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.
Reports are coming in from the SSMB that the special 20th Anniversary Jazwares Sonic figures we told you about back in February are now appearing in stores across the US. The figures are currently nowhere to be found online on GameStop’s, Toys R Us’ or Target’s websites, but have been spotted in store at Target and GameStop.
SSMB member dirupti reports that Modern Sonic, Classic Sonic, Modern Tails and Shadow figures can be found at various GameStop stores. These figures appear to be a ‘series 1’ set, with other characters following at a later date.
All right! I can confirm that about every gamestop in Colorado has a box of these.
Each box that the stores got in stock contains:
2 Modern Sonic
2 Classic Sonic
1 Modern Tails
1 Shadow
So, Classic Tails, Silver, Knux, and Eggman apparently are some sort of series 2.
I picked up one of each and the cashier gave me the box (made to hold 6 figures) they came in for buying the rest of that stores stock.
TheDanimator, also from the SSMB, found the Classic Sonic figure in stock at his local Target store and has recorded and shared the below video showing the figure out of its packaging.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRMLJjdFDWc&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
You can find pics of some of the currently available figures, as well as upcoming ones in the below eBay listings:
Sonic & Spinner
Shadow & Mono Beetle
Tails & Sandworm
Classic Sonic
Dr.Eggman With Egg Fighters
Classic Tails & Grabber
Silver & Iblis Biter
Knuckles & Egg Pawn
We’ve also heard from mikeblastdude at the SSMB that buying these figures from GameStop will get you an Avatar Award item for your Xbox 360 Avatar.
In other news, a company known as Good Smile Company has revealed a Sonic the Hedgehog Nendoroid figure. Like all Nendoroid figures, Sonic is around 4″ tall, poseable and appears to come with a checkpoint gate accessory. This figure will be available to purchase this Winter.
Check out some pics below:
Sources: SSMB, Video from SSMB member TheDanimator, eBay and Sonic Collectibles.com
Thanks to TheDanimator for the Classic Sonic figure video and to STrainer for the Classic Sonic & Motobug figures pic!
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SEGA has updated the Sonic Generations product page on their website and reaffirmed a November release month for the Nintendo 3DS edition of the game in Europe and Australia. This version of the game was scheduled for November in a press release when it was officially announced at the beginning of last month, but their website has only listed a “Late 2011” timetable until now. The 3DS version was also missing from a release schedule SEGA sent out to press early this month, suggesting it may have been delayed. Now it appears we can rest assured that Sonic Generations will hit Nintendo’s handheld the same month it hits consoles.
Sources: SEGA Europe’s Sonic Generations product page and SEGA Australia’s Sonic Generations product page
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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.
SEGA has today announced US and EU release dates for the Wii version of Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games. The game will hit the US first on November 15th and Europe 3 days later on November 18th. The 3DS version still has no clearer date than the month of February.
A couple of new screenshots for both versions of the game, together with yellow box artwork (yes, yellow) for the Wii version and a press release marking 365 days to go until the opening of the Olympic Games in London were also released today. All of that is available below. UK readers will be happy to see some London themed differences have been made to the UK box artwork.
Press release
SEGA Europe and SEGA America are celebrating exactly 365 days to go before the official opening of Olympic Games in London next year with new packaging, assets and the release date named!
Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games™ for the Wii™ will be available in a unique yellow casing, a first for the series and for third party games publishers.
New screenshots are also now available with Mario, Sonic and their friends on the starting line and ready to compete in the new enhanced 100m sprint for the Wii™ and, for the first time ever, the 110m hurdles for 3DS™. These are just two of the classic Olympic events that appear alongside a host of brand new Olympic and Dream events in Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games™.
Over 19 million people worldwide have bought video games from the Mario and Sonic series and the latest instalment, Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games™, will hit stores on 15th November in North America (18th November in Europe) for the Wii™ home video game system. The Nintendo 3DS™ platform will release in February 2012.
For more information please visit: www.olympicvideogames.com
Wii screenshots
3DS screenshots
UK
France and Europe
Australia
US
Sources: SEGA Press, SEGA’s website and SEGA’s Flickr
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SEGA has updated their Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games product page with some new information about the game. Most of it we already know on both platforms, but there’s an interesting new detail at the very bottom that reveals a new Story Mode for the Nintendo 3DS version of the game. Like in the Adventure Mode for the Nintendo DS version of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games, the game’s cast of characters will face off against Dr.Eggman and Bowser. Unfortunately, no other information about this mode is currently available.
Here’s the full list of information:
Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games™
On your marks and get set for the world’s greatest sporting event as Mario & Sonic head to the London 2012 Olympic Games. Coming exclusively to Wii and for the first time on Nintendo 3DS, Mario & Sonic return in an all new celebration of the Olympic spirit. Hosted within the truly iconic setting of London, the games are back, bigger and better than ever before, bringing even more multiplayer fun and excitement to friends and families everywhere.
FEATURES
Exciting headline events – Wii
All new events including Football, Showjumping and Canoeing will debut alongside redefined favourites, such as 100m Sprint, Aquatics, Table Tennis and more. Combine these with a new roster of the much loved Dream Events and the players now have more choice than ever before.
Party in London – Wii
Take the fun of the Olympic Games to the streets of London as the city becomes the ultimate playground! Take part in a huge number of mini-games around a variety of famous landmarks with all your favourite characters in the London Party mode.
Dozens of ways to play – Nintendo 3DS
Bringing a whole new dimension to the Mario & Sonic universe, enjoy a huge range of over 50 Olympic-themed events in glorious 3D. Make the most out of the unique touch panel and Circle Pad controls as you tilt, blow, shout, tap and more to compete for the coveted gold medal.
Engaging depth – Nintendo 3DS
Play as the full cast of characters in a fully immersive single player Story Mode. Take on the team of Dr. Eggman and Bowser in an all new exciting adventure.
For more information about the game, please visit www.olympicvideogames.com
We’ll pass on more information when it’s made available.
Source: SEGA’s website
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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.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StD3g1WFcBo[/youtube]
SEGA has today launched a new official Sonic the Hedgehog website. The website features the above special retrospective video titled ‘Sonic Anniversary – Through the Ages’, a Games tab with links to recent and upcoming game websites, a 20th Anniversary section with a Birthday message, a community section with a feed from the official Sonic Facebook page and a Downloads section with some wallpapers from the Japanese official website Sonic Channel.
What do you think of the new website and the retrospective video? Share your thoughts in the comments.
Sources: SEGA Twitter and sonicthehedgehog.com
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SEGA has announced that they will be attending this year’s San Diego Comic-con. The publisher won’t have a booth at the convention center though, but instead a ‘pop-up arcade’ space nearby. The public will be able to go into the arcade and try out playable demos of many of SEGA’s upcoming games before they’re released, including Sonic Generations, the first public demo of Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games and more.
SEGA will also be unveiling a new unannounced game, which will likely be Aliens Infestation for the Nintendo DS. The game recently turned up on the ESRB’s website, meaning an official announcement could be on the way soon, and what better place could you lift the lid on an Aliens game than at San Diego Comic-con?
Thanks to R@qH1eL at the SSMB, we have some pics from the outside of the SEGA Arcade in its current state.
For more details, check out the ad at the top of this article and the press release below.
SEGA IS SETTING UP SHOP AT SAN DIEGO COMIC-CON 2011
Check out and Play SEGA’s Upcoming Blockbusters Before Anyone Else!
SEGA® of America, Inc. today announced that fans will get a chance to play SEGA’s upcoming fall and spring releases in SEGA’s limited-time-only pop-up arcade at the Comic-Con International 2011 in San Diego. The company is setting up its own SEGA Arcade space near the convention center and will have a number of its highly anticipated titles playable for all, including Sonic Generations™, Rise of Nightmares™, Captain America: Super Soldier™ and an all new unannounced game. Comic-Con marks the first time the public can get their hands on many of these games before their releases later this year.
The list of games playable at SEGA Arcade in San Diego includes:
Captain America™: Super Soldier
House of the Dead: OVERKILL™ – Extended Cut
Guardian Heroes™
Rise of Nightmares™
Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games™
Renegade Ops™
Shinobi™
Sonic Generations™
and more!
Location:
345 6th Avenue (between K Street and J Street) in San Diego, California
Hours:
Wednesday, July 20th from 7-pm-11pm
Thursday, July 21st through Saturday, July 23rd from 1pm – 9pm
Sunday, July 24th from 11am-7pm
Sources: SEGA of America’s Flickr and SEGA Addicts
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The amount of evidence for a PC version of Sonic Generations is getting beyond ridiculous now. This latest entry comes from fansite Sonic The Hedgehog Next News, who last week sent an e-mail to SEGA Spain to ask if Sonic Generations will be coming to PC, to which they responded with a list of platforms, and yes, that list included PC among the already confirmed PS3, Xbox 360 and 3DS platforms. It appears the PC version is all but officially confirmed.
For pics of the e-mails exchanged between Sonic The Hedgehog Next News and SEGA Spain, as well as a rough Google translation of SEGA Spain’s response, head over to Sonic The Hedgehog Next News (Google Translate).
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UK retailer GAME is now taking pre-orders on their website for a Sonic Generations Special Edition for PS3 and Xbox 360. This edition of the game is priced at £37.99 for Xbox 360 and an higher price of £39.99 for PS3, which is £5 and £7 higher respectively than the game alone. What’s weird is that the Special Edition is said to contain the content GAME has recently been advertising as a pre-order bonus for the game in-store. The same content is also advertised as a pre-order bonus at US retailer GameStop. Hopefully SEGA will clear this up and announce official details about the Sonic Generations Special Edition soon.
Sonic Paradise last week reported that Spanish retailer Xtralife is taking pre-orders for the Sonic Generations Special Edition in that territory. The website also heard from SEGA Spain that the company hasn’t yet decided who will be doing the voice dubbing for the Spanish version of the game.
Source: GAME UK
Thanks to Major Ziggy at the SSMB for the heads up on the GAME UK listing!
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[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtD7hMTcqMA&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
SEGA’s released a Japanese version of the E3 City Escape trailer for Sonic Generations. Visually it’s the exact same trailer, but you’ll get to hear something new. Yes, the video gives us our first taste of the Modern remix for City Escape.
If you missed it before, here’s the Classic remix played at Summer of Sonic 2011:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPnZYYD8W_w[/youtube]
Source: Famitsu (via The Daily DL)
Which version of City Escape’s music do you prefer? Speak out in the comments.
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In today’s ‘‘Heads-Up’ Game Store Update’, the EU PS Blog has revealed that three new Sonic Generations themes will be made available free of charge today on the EU PS Store for you to decorate your PS3’s XMB with. The themes are listed under the Dynamic Themes section, so they should be more than just background wallpapers.
Sonic Generations
* Sonic 20Th Anniversary (free)
* Sonic 20Th Anniversary Modern Theme (free)
* Sonic 20Th Anniversary Poster Theme (free)
The Sonic Generations E3 City Escape trailer is also now available on the Xbox Live Marketplace and US PS Store. EU PS3 users will be able to download it later today when the EU PS Store updates.
Sources: EU PS Blog, US PS Blog and the Xbox Live Marketplace
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We have more details about GAME UK’s Sonic Generations DLC pre-order bonus in the above photo I snapped today of the reverse-side of their instore advertisement that we reported about on Friday, courtesy of Emerald Coast. We can confirm that it is definitely the same DLC pack GameStop is offering in the US and that the Super Sonic avatar costume is Xbox 360 exclusive (sorry, PS3 Home users).
For those who haven’t been following, the pack contains:
* Casino Night’ Pinball Stage: Play through this all-new mini-game inspired by Casino Night’ from Sonic The Hedgehog 2′, and relive some of your favorite gaming memories in stunning HD.
* Super Sonic Costume: Give your avatar the ultimate make-over with the iconic super transformation’ character.
* Theme: Give your console the ultimate Sonic experience with a theme created exclusively for this pack.
GAME is still yet to offer the bonus on their website, but we expect they will sooner or later.
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SEGA has updated their Sonic Generations product page and added some more details, most notably in the ‘Key Features’ sections for both the PS3 & Xbox 360 versions and the Nintendo 3DS version. Those who have been tracking all of the information leaked from the PS3 and Xbox 360 demo in various forums will find the details for that version very familiar, but for those who haven’t, the page reveals that throughout the story players will free Sonic’s friends, fight some of his rivals and revisit big boss battles. After saving each of Sonic’s friends, you’ll then be able to have them join you in some of the game’s other missions.
For the Nintendo 3DS version, SEGA’s website reveals both Classic Sonic and Modern Sonic will each have a track in the game’s unlockable special stages and 2 player versus mode is said to feature ‘status points’ you earn through playing with your friends. The game’s Street Pass feature gives you the ability to collect new content and unlock bonus material, which SEGA says increases “variety, interaction and replayability”.
Sonic Generations™
The ultimate celebration of 20 Years of Sonic gaming, Sonic Generations delivers the definitive gaming experience for Sonic fans new and old.
Sonic’s universe is thrown into chaos when a mysterious new power comes into force, creating ‘time holes’ which take Sonic and his friends back in time. Whilst there, Sonic runs into some very familiar characters from his past including a younger version of himself! Now they must team up to defeat their enemies, save their friends, and find out who is behind this diabolical deed.
Key Features
Twice the Fun
Play as both Classic Sonic and Modern Sonic in the ultimate Sonic experience. Master the moves of each character as they race through each environment on their own specially designed track.
The Best Bits Just Got Better
Iconic environments from gaming history come to life in beautiful HD for the ultimate Sonic adventure, each revisited, recreated and re-imagined with stunning results.
All New Experience
Play some of your gaming’s most iconic environments in a whole new way with famous Sonic stages presented in stunning new stereoscopic 3D.
Unlock New Adventures
Once you complete each level and ‘free’ Sonic’s captured friends, you’ll get to go back and take on more challenges with them at your side.
Infamous Bosses and Rivals
Take on some of the most notorious characters from Sonic’s past as you fight for ultimate supremacy.
Master Your Moves
Master Classic Sonics famous spin-dash attack and utilise Modern Sonic ‘s ‘Sonic Boost’ as you complete the all new tracks.
Additional Key Features for 3DS
All New Content
With new and exclusive environments for the Nintendo 3DS, including an un-lockable ‘special stage’. Each includes two tracks – one for Classic Sonic and one for Modern Sonic – designed to showcase each Sonics’ unique features.
2 Player Versus mode
Take on your friends and earn valuable status points.
Street Pass
Collect new content and unlock bonus material, increasing variety, interaction and replayability.
Source: SEGA’s Sonic Generations product page
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The evidence for a PC version of Sonic Generations is really mounting up. SEGA Europe has issued a schedule for their upcoming game releases through 2011 and into 2012. Sonic Generations is down for the already known release month of November for PS3, Xbox 360 and…PC? It appears SEGA may have let the cat out of the bag again for the PC version of the game, surprising no one. What IS surprising though is the absence of the Nintendo 3DS version. SEGA Europe’s website also has no month scheduled for the portable version and instead lists it for a Late 2011 release, even though it was previously given a November release month. Could the 3DS version of Sonic Generations be getting released slightly later than the home console (and possible PC) versions?
Here’s SEGA Europe’s full release schedule:
* Virtua Tennis 4 – 8th July 2011 (PC)
* Captain America: Super Soldier – 15th July 2011 (Multi)
* CRUSH3D – 9th September 2011 (3DS)
* Rise of Nightmares (Kinect) – September 2011 (X360)
* Shinobi – September 2011 (3DS)
* House of the Dead: Overkill – Extended Cut – 28th October 2011 (PS3)
* Sonic Generations – November 2011 (PS3, X360, PC)
* Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games – November 2011 (Wii)
* Anarchy Reigns – January 2012 (PS3, X360)
* Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games – February 2012 (3DS)
* Binary Domain Shooter – Early 2012 (PS3)
* Aliens: Colonial Marines – Spring 2012 (PS3, X360, PC)
* London 2012 – The Official Video Game of the Olympic Games – 2012 (PS3, X360, PC)
* Thor Action Adventure – TBC (3DS)
* Virtua Tennis 4 – TBC (PSVita)
We’ll pass along any further details regarding both stories when they’re made available.
Sources: CVG and Eurogamer Portugal
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GAME will be the exclusive carrier of the Sonic Generations Casino Night pre-order bonus DLC previously revealed by U.S. retailer GameStop. Emerald Coast founder Vger spotted the above display in his local GAME store today, which reads “Sonic Generations Exclusive Stage Pack when you pre-order and purchase”. The Casino Night Zone pinball mini-game image shown on GameStop’s website is also on display, so this will likely be the exact same package.
The full contents of the pack offered by GameStop includes:
* Casino Night’ Pinball Stage: Play through this all-new mini-game inspired by Casino Night’ from Sonic The Hedgehog 2′, and relive some of your favorite gaming memories in stunning HD.
* Super Sonic Costume: Give your avatar the ultimate make-over with the iconic super transformation’ character.
* Theme: Give your console the ultimate Sonic experience with a theme created exclusively for this pack.
Source: Emerald Coast
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UPDATE: HMV has now raised the price of the PS3 & Xbox 360 versions back up from £29.99 to £39.99. All orders places at the £29.99 price should remain at the cheaper price. The Game Collection is now the cheapest price for the PS3 & Xbox 360 versions at £31.99./UPDATE END
Live in the UK and fancy yourself a copy of Sonic Generations at a low price? Well, you’ll be pleased to know that some online retailers out there are already offering big discounts on pre-orders. The Game Collection has the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions available for pre-order at just £31.99; an £8 saving. An even bigger discount on the portable edition can be found at Send It, where the Nintendo 3DS version is available to pre-order now for just £27.89; a saving of £12.10.
Here are the current offers available in order of the cheapest:
PS3 & Xbox 360:
The Game Collection: £31.99 (PS3/Xbox 360)
Game Seek: £32.97 (PS3/Xbox 360)
GAME: £32.99 (PS3/Xbox 360)
Gamestation: £32.99 (PS3/Xbox 360)
Amazon: £32.99 (PS3/Xbox 360)
Play: £32.99 (PS3/Xbox 360)
DVD: £34.99 (PS3/Xbox 360)
Base: £34.99 (PS3/Xbox 360)
ShopTo: £36.85 (PS3/Xbox 360)
365 Games: £37.49 (PS3/Xbox 360)
Send It: £37.89 (PS3/Xbox 360)
Gameplay: £37.99 (PS3/Xbox 360)
The Hut: £39.85 (PS3/Xbox 360)
Zavvi: £39.85 (PS3/Xbox 360)
ASDA: £39.91 (PS3/Xbox 360)
WH Smith: £39.93 (PS3/Xbox 360)
Woolworths: £39.97 (PS3/Xbox 360)
Best Buy: £39.97 (PS3/Xbox 360)
HMV: £39.99 (PS3/Xbox 360)
Tesco: £43.97 (PS3/Xbox 360)
Nintendo 3DS:
Send It: £27.89
The Hut: £29.85
Zavvi: £29.85
ASDA: £29.91
WH Smith: £29.93
Woolworths: £29.97
Best Buy: £29.97
GAME: £39.99
Amazon: £39.99
Gameplay: £39.99
HMV: £39.99
Have you pre-ordered a copy of the game yet? Found any cheaper offers? Let us know in the comments.
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Video game retailer GAME will be returning to Madrid in Spain to hold their GAMEfest event and will also be hosting it in the UK for the first time in Birmingham’s NEC this year. SEGA is on the list of exhibitor’s for both events, so could we be seeing demos of Sonic Generations and Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games? That is unclear right now.
Sonic Paradise has confirmed they will be attending GAMEfest 2011 in Spain and you may recall that a SEGA rep at last year’s event slipped out the first details of what we now know as Sonic Generations. I will be attending the UK GAMEfest 2011 on September 18th and I’ll be sure to bring you coverage here at The Sonic Stadium of any Sonic titles that may be there.
GAMEfest is a public event where you can play upcoming video games before they’re released. If you’re interested in attending, tickets are on sale now, for the UK event at least. Tickets are priced at £10 for adults and £5 for children. A GAME Reward Card is required to purchase tickets. The UK event will take place between September 16th and 18th at Birmingham’s NEC, while the Spain event will take place between September 29 and October 2 in Madrid.
The list of publishers attending the events so far are below.
UK
Sony
Microsoft
Nintendo
SEGA
THQ
Disney
Bethesda
Activision
EA
Spain
SEGA
Koch Media
Microsoft
Namco Bandai
Konami
THQ
Nintendo
Take 2
EA
Ubisoft
Warner
Sony
Sources: GAMEfest 2011 UK website, GAMEfest 2011 Spain website and Sonic Paradise
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[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWEzxtIAm98[/youtube]
SEGA of America announced on Sonic’s 20th Birthday last week that their blue hedgehog will be making his inflatable return to the Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade this year in celebration of his 20th Anniversary. Sonic the Hedgehog was the first video game character to ever appear in the parade way back in 1993. This year Sonic will again be appearing in balloon form measuring approximately 48-feet tall, 60-feet long, and 26-feet wide.
The 85th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade® takes place on Thursday November 24th and airs live in the U.S. nationwide on NBC-TV, from 9:00 am – Noon, in all time zones.
Check out the press release below:
SAN FRANCISCO, CA and NEW YORK, NY – June 23, 2011–A beloved blue blur is set to return to the skies of New York City, as SEGA® of America, Inc. today announces that Sonic the Hedgehog will fly once again at the 85th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade®. On Thursday, November 24th, Sonic will defy gravity and soar as a giant helium balloon in the famed spectacular in celebration of his 20th Anniversary. A trailblazer from the start, Sonic in 1993, made his debut as the first-ever video game character to appear in the heralded march down the streets of Manhattan. Over the past 20 years, Sonic has evolved as one of gaming’s greatest icons, with his blue body and unforgettable spikes being recognized worldwide as a symbol of speed, adventure and fun.
On Thanksgiving, the Sonic balloon will sky rocket into the atmosphere with massive blue spikes, his signature white gloves and red shoes, shining in the sun. For his parade return, Sonic will measure approximately 48-feet tall, 60-feet long, and 26-feet wide, solidifying his presence, once again, as a historic character in the 2011 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade line-up.
“Sonic the Hedgehog was a Macy’s Parade trailblazer when he burst into the line-up, becoming the first-ever video game character to fly in our annual march,” said Amy Kule, executive producer of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. “Sonic continues to be a worldwide phenomenon and we are thrilled that this Thanksgiving his distinctive blue spikes will be seen zooming down the route once more, as part of his 20th birthday celebrations.”
“The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is a celebration of the most famous faces and characters in our culture, so it was a simple decision to bring Sonic back to the parade to celebrate his 20th anniversary in great company,” says Judy Gilbertson, Senior Brand Manager, SEGA of America. “It will be a thrill for Sonic fans young and old to see the balloon this Thanksgiving.”
Alongside his parade return, Sonic’s highly anticipated new title, Sonic Generations, will be released this holiday season,commemorating Sonic the Hedgehog’s 20thanniversary.
Sonic Generations features Sonic the Hedgehog playable as both the much loved classic 1991 character and the modern day video game hero he has become. In this exciting new fast paced adventure set across three defining eras from 20 years of Sonic the Hedgehog, you can now speed through some of the most iconic environments, playing as Classic Sonic in re-imagined 2D side scrolling levels and as Modern Sonic in all new, stunning 3D levels.Sonic Generations will be available this holiday season for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and Nintendo 3DS™.
The 85th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade airs nationwide on NBC-TV, Thursday, November 24, 2011 from 9:00 am – Noon, in all time zones.
Source: SEGA of America’s website
Thanks to SSMB member XD375 for the heads up!
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This news post contains spoilers, so if you don’t want to be spoiled, then click your back button now.
The Sonic Generations demo released June 23rd on Sonic’s 20th Birthday was hacked on that very day by various community members, including those at Sonic Retro. Found within the unusually very large file was the game’s entire level list, boss list, mission list, characters, badniks, items, some music files (though nothing past Green Hill Zone) and the presence of the Chaos Emeralds and super forms for both Sonic’s.
Stages:
Green Hill (Sonic The Hedgehog)
Chemical Plant (Sonic The Hedgehog 2)
Sky Sanctuary (Sonic The Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles)
Speed Highway (Sonic Adventure)
City Escape (Sonic Adventure 2)
Seaside Hill (Sonic Heroes)
Crisis City (SONIC The Hedgehog/Sonic 06)
Rooftop Run (Sonic Unleashed)
Planet Wisp (Sonic Colours)
Casino Night – DLC Only
Bosses:
Metal Sonic
Shadow The Hedgehog
Silver The Hedgehog
Death Egg
Perfect Chaos
Egg Dragoon
“Time Eater” – Said to be the final boss.
Characters:
Tails
Knuckles
Amy Rose
Cream
Rouge
Blaze
Vector
Espio
Charmy
The items revealed include the return of elemental shields from Sonic 3 and Sonic & Knuckles. The lightning shield, fire shield and bubble shield item boxes were both found in the demo assets, along with images of how they look in-game. The Spike Wisp and Rocket Wisp powers from Sonic Colours also make a comeback. As for the Chaos Emeralds, they too appear to be an item, which suggests Classic and Modern Sonic’s Super forms will be playable in the game’s various stages.
Update: Images removed at SEGA’s request.
Sources: Sonic Retro, Sonic Wrecks and various Sonic forums, including our very own SSMB.
What do you think of the level list? Did your favourite stage make it in? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHAjkSw_u0Q[/youtube]
In celebration of Sonic the Hedgehog’s 20th Anniversary, SEGA’s offering discounts on digital Sonic titles for a limited time only on the Xbox Live Marketplace, PlayStation Network and the company’s own PC Download service.
Here’s the full lineup, prices and dates of availability:
Xbox®LIVE Arcade
Available from 23 – 28 June
Sonic the Hedgehog™ – Was 400 points Now 240 points
Sonic the Hedgehog™ 2 – Was 400 points Now 240 points
Sonic the Hedgehog™ 3 – Was 400 points Now 240 points
SONIC THE HEDGEHOG™ 4 Episode 1 – Was 1,200 points Now 800 points
Sonic & Knuckles™ – Was 240 points Now 120 points
Sonic Adventure™ – Was 800 points Now 400 points
Sonic Adventure™ DX upgrade (add on) – Was 400 Now 240
Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing™ add-on offers:
Metal Sonic & Death Egg Zone (add on) – Was 560 points Now 320 points
Ryo Hazuki / Forklift Truck (add on) – Was 320 points Now 240 points
Unlock All Characters & Tracks (add on) – Was 400 points Now 240 points
PlayStation®Network
Sonic 20th Anniversary bundle only £13.99/$19.99 /€17.99
Available from 23 June to 12 July
Sonic the Hedgehog™
Sonic the Hedgehog™ 2
SONIC THE HEDGEHOG™ 4 Episode 1
Sonic Adventure™
Sonic Adventure DX Upgrade
Dynamic Theme for SONIC THE HEDGEHOG™ 4 Episode 1
PC Download
Sonic 20th Anniversary bundle only £11.97/$14.97/€13.47
Available from 23 – 30 June
Bundle includes:
Sonic 3D Blast™
Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine™
Sonic Spinball™
Sonic the Hedgehog™
Sonic the Hedgehog™ 2
Sonic 3 & Knuckles™
UK Store
U.S. Store
France Store
Germany Store
Spain Store
Sources: SEGA of America’s website and the official Sonic Facebook page
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Planning on picking up the PS3 or Xbox 360 versions of Sonic Generations? Well, if you’re in the U.S. you can bag yourself an exclusive DLC pack by pre-ordering a copy of the game at GameStop.
Here’s what you can get:
* Casino Night’ Pinball Stage: Play through this all-new mini-game inspired by Casino Night’ from Sonic The Hedgehog 2′, and relive some of your favorite gaming memories in stunning HD.
* Super Sonic Costume: Give your avatar the ultimate make-over with the iconic super transformation’ character.
* Theme: Give your console the ultimate Sonic experience with a theme created exclusively for this pack.
Source: GameStop
Thanks to SSMB member Eternal Awesomeness for the heads up!
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The Sonic Generations demo has been made available for Xbox 360 and PS3 users today on Xbox Live Marketplace and PlayStation Store. As reported yesterday, just Classic Sonic is playable and only in one Act of Green Hill Zone, but with plenty of routes to explore, it will keep you busy for a few replays. Don’t forget, the demo will only be available for 20 days and all downloaded copies will expire after 20 days too. As with all retail game demos, Xbox 360 users will need an Xbox Live Gold Membership to download the demo for the first week. Free Members will get the demo next week.
The Sonic 20th Anniversary bundle has also been made available for purchase on the PlayStation Store today. An Xbox 360 equivalent is nowhere to be seen, so it appears this is a PS3 exclusive. The bundle includes Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1, Sonic Adventure (and DX add-on), and the Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 dynamic theme. The bundle will be available for 20 days at the reduced price of (£13.99/€17.99/$19.99).
Have you tried out the demo? Share your thoughts on it in the comments.
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