UPDATE 2: SEGA has released clean, hi-resolution versions of the Rocky Ridge screens CVG released earlier, as well as some old Dolphin Resort screens on the Sonic City Blognik. /UPDATE END
UPDATE: CVG has released three high quality, but watermarked screenshots of Rocky Ridge. They also claim Rouge, Shadow and Silver are in the game.
Characters announced so far include Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Rouge, Shadow and Silver. Sonic Free Riders will also support the use of Avatars.
/UPDATE END
Original article below:
Some photos of Sonic Free Riders‘ have hit the net courtesy of Andriasang, with two of them giving us a glimpse of ‘Rocky Ridge’, a track that SEGA Europe Community Manager ArchangelUK recenty hinted at in an entry at the Blognik and named at the SSMB. The photos were taken at Microsoft’s Media Briefing, which was held in Tokyo recently to promote Kinect and its software line-up in Japan.
One photo shows Knuckles riding a hoverboard through an environment surrounded by tall rocky hills. It’s no wonder where the track got its name eh? The other photo of ‘Rocky Ridge’ sees Tails in the minecart that ArchangelUK mentioned, a section where he said “you actually have to pull a lever left and right to change the points and avoid rockfalls. It looks quite slick actually.”
Andriasang also posted their brief impressions of the demo:
Next, I tried Sonic Free Riders by Sega, which also launches on the same day as the Kinect hardware. My menu experience didn’t go so well here. I was stuck on the menu screen, which appears to require that you make selections by holding your right arm out and sliding diagonally in a relaxed motion. The Sega representative had to step in and make the selection for me because I just wasn’t getting it right despite my efforts to try to imitate his movements.
Sonic Free Riders is a racing game featuring Sonic and his “wonderful” friends. Movement is automatic, just like Crossboard X, so you have to just wave your arms to each side to collect rings and power ups, and make the occasional jump to the next part of the stage.
Many of the elements one expects of a sonic game are in here. When you’re hit, your rings go flying out. You’ll have to shake your hands to get them back. Sonic also has a speed boost. When a power gauge on the lower right side of the screen fills up, you can make Sonic dash forward by moving your left leg forward then swiftly kicking back.
The demo required three laps around the course to reach the goal. I have to admit to being a bit tired after the three laps.
What do you think of the new track? Let us know in the comments.
Source: Andriasang
Kinect impressions
Photos
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Well, here’s something that will give you a shock. In a preview of the latest build of the iPhone version of Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1, IGN’s Levi Buchanan has stated that the controversial minecart Act in Lost Labyrinth Zone (that has been removed from console editions), “was actually more fun than the universal stages I tried.”
The reasoning behind Buchanan’s statement is that he feels Sonic runs too fast and he can’t progress through a stage without fear of falling or hitting spikes and losing all of his hard-earned rings.
Here’s why: Sonic has a tendency to get away from himself. Granted, that’s by design. Sonic is all about speed and you’re supposed to get going as fast as you can, blasting through stages with the constant fear that one false move will send your 112 rings into the gutter. But that doesn’t necessarily appeal to me anymore. In fact, I’m sure I groaned aloud many times at SEGA’s office when I was cruising toward the finish line only to fail a small jump and drop onto some spikes. My rings scattered and any hopes of enjoying a bonus stage (more on those in a moment) were dashed against the rocks.
Buchanan goes on to say that the minecart stage has less chance of death, so you can relax and enjoy the ride(pun intended).
But the mine cart stages are more measured than that. There is a sense of exploration as you tilt Sonic through the maze in his cart, looking for bumpers to blast you across chasms or finding the switch to open a sealed door. Death is not as ever-present here, which lets you relax and appreciate a few things. One, the tilt controls in the mine cart stages are well done. I felt like I had complete control over Sonic’s plight. Two, the art work in here is really nice.
As for the Sonic 1 inspired Special Stages, Buchanan finds the new control method of tilting the maze to move Sonic much better than manoeuvring Sonic himself in the Mega Drive/Genesis iteration.
So, bonus stages – they’re back in Sonic 4. Remember the spinning labyrinths you had to guide Sonic through to capture the chaos emeralds? The bonus rounds in Sonic 4 are very similar, but now you tilt the device to rotate the maze rather than control Sonic. This is a big improvement and cuts down on frustration. Easing Sonic through the maze toward the chaos emerald is still tricky (there’s a time limit and plenty of opportunities to drop out of the stage), but at least you feel in control rather than swimming upstream through an auto-rotating screen.
What do you think of these statements? Discuss in the comments.
For the full preview, head over to IGN.
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According to a post made on SEGA’s Twitter account on Friday during a giveaway event, the PS3 version of Sonic Adventure will be hitting PlayStation Network the same day as the Xbox 360 version, which was announced a couple of weeks ago to be available for download from September 15th on Xbox Live Marketplace.
The post reads:
We are all out of shirts! Congrats to @evilslash13 and all our winners today! Reminder – Sonic Adventure on PSN / XBLA on 9/15/10!
Will you be downloading this Dreamcast classic? Let us know in the comments.
Source: SEGA’s Twitter
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According to the LinkedIn profile of Bioware’s Mitchell Fujino, the developer has a unnanounced handheld game in development. Fujino previously worked on Bioware’s last handheld title, the poorly received at retail Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood for Nintendo DS, which was Sonic’s first step into RPG gaming. The game’s ending left the story wide-open for a sequel, so could this be that sequel? With the Nintendo 3DS on the way, could the game (whatever it is) be headed to that system? Speculate away in the comments, but remember that Bioware are now linked with EA, so this could be anything at all.
Source: Mitchell Fujino’s LinkedIn profile via GoNintendo
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Electricpig has posted up a new preview of Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1, featuring thoughts on the whole of Splash Hill Zone and Act 1 of Lost Labyrinth Zone. The versions available were the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions, of which they played the former and glimpsed the latter. The previews author, Ben Illis found both to be visually identical, but control wise were very different. Illis seemed to struggle to play this game with the Xbox 360’s analogue stick and d-pad, and feels the controls on PS3 will be “preferable”.
What might set them apart is the controls: since Sonic The Hedgehog 4 Episode 1 is a 2D game, the Xbox 360’s analog stick is somewhat irritating, and the time it takes to pull from all the way left to all the way right when he’s hurtling along at speed is irksome, not helped by the awful D-pad on the controller. We have a feeling this one’s going to be preferable on the PS3, or with Microsoft’s new Xbox 360 gamepad (Though buying it just for this would probably be overkill).
The levels, Illis feels “trod a fine line between retro nostalgia and inventiveness” and “were a blast to play”, so much of a blast that Illis thinks this an ideal return to 2D gaming for Sonic.
“Tearing through the green loops and bouncing up the cliffs of Splash Hill while rescuing bunnies and bouncing off robot fish transported us back to our childhood, and seems like the ideal way to return to 2D Sonic gaming.”
The preview then moves on to the Lost Labyrinth Zone, where Illis says the game “ramps up the learning curve a tad.” At one point with the boulders, a graphical glitch is mentioned, but it’s good to hear it is the only one.
“Here, you’ll be dodging falling boulder, Indie style, or even rolling along on top of them (Which caused the only graphical glitch we saw), and as with older Sonic games, it becomes no longer possible to simply hold right and jump now and again.”
The preview ends by describing the games small amount of zones and stages, but Illis says that “SEGA fans of old will relish these morsels of pure fun.”
For the full preview, head over to Electricpig.
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‘The Takashi Iizuka Chronicles’ continue with another statement from the Sonic Team boss, who recently spoke to gaming website SPOnG in an interview that will be posted in full at a later date, but for now SPOnG has shared a portion to whet your appetite.
Some Sonic fans have felt that since the Sonic Adventure titles, the series has relied too heavily on story and character development, which is very different to the earlier games simple plots. Iizuka feels the same way and thinks Sonic should be headed in more of a fun and ‘pick up and play’ direction for Sonic Colours, similar to the Mario & Sonic Olympics games.
“What I felt was that the franchise had become too serious and the story had become very deep, whereas I see Sonic as more of a laid-back, enjoyable and fun experience. I kind of rediscovered that through Mario & Sonic in a way, because that game was very much a ‘pick up and play’ affair that everyone can jump in and enjoy.
I think that’s a better direction for the Sonic brand, and that’s why Sonic Colours has a much more fun, enjoyable kind of setting.”
We’ll look out for the full interview and report back. Do you agree with Iizuka’s statement regarding Sonic Colours direction? Speak out in the comments.
Source: SPOnG
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SEGA has revealed on its Tokyo Game Show website that their upcoming Xbox 360 Kinect title, Sonic Free Riders will support 2-8 players in its online multiplayer mode. This is 4 players less than Xbox.com originally stated on their website, before the information was quickly removed, but it’s still a good total that most racers support. This is an exciting new feature for the Sonic Riders series, but with the game being restricted to Kinect, will the lobbies remain very busy for long? That will depend on the success of Kinect.
Has this feature gathered your interest in the game? Let us know in the comments.
Source: SEGA’s Tokyo Game Show website
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SEGA of America has just released a batch of screenshots and artwork for Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1‘s iPhone/iPod Touch release, as well as their other future iPhone releases in a new blog entry. The screens are taken from Splash Hill Zone, Lost Labyrinth Zone and a Special Stage, the latter being our first ‘official’ glimpse of any Special Stage at all. Details at SEGA’s blog confirm that the iPhone version will support HD visuals.
CLASSIC SONIC STAGES! Race through traditional Sonic Zones rendered in full HD visual quality.
NEW MOVES! All of Sonic’s classic moves are available, including the newer Homing Attack which will add a new level of control and excitement.
SPECIAL STAGES RETURN! A staple of the Genesis-era games, the special stages return allowing fans to collect the chaos emeralds and turn into Super Sonic.
REVAMPED CLASSIC BOSS BATTLES Dr. Eggman returns with new and improved mechas and will go berserk when he accumulates damage.
Even larger versions of the ‘box-art’ and logo are available at SEGA’s Flickr.
Source: SEGA of America Blog
Thanks to Doctor Eggman at the SSMB for the heads-up!
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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.
In a post at the Sonic City Blognik this morning, SEGA Europe Community Manager, ArchangelUK has revealed seven more facts about Sonic Colours and also unveiled official artwork for robot duo Orbot and Cubot, the latter who was revealed last week in a Sonic Colours manga book.
Here are the seven new bits of information:
1) Orbot’s compatriot is indeed called “Cubot” as some detectives have been able to deduce. He’s a cube shaped robot – ‘Cube-Bot’, much like Orbot is spherical, (quite literally ‘Orb-bot’ and also an anagram of robot if you hadn’t noticed) who is… er… a little defective shall we say.
2) Since you like Orbot so much, here is his character render in high quality PNG format. He has had a bit of a paint job by the looks of things.
3) FOXY FACT: Tails can read binary fluently.
4) Contrary to reports elsewhere, Amy Rose does NOT feature in the story of Sonic Colours Wii. Seriously, unless she’s become an invisible mute post-Unleashed I’ve seen nothing to indicate otherwise.
5) We will see the “consequences” of Sonic destroying a giant robot… in more than one sense. DUN DUN DUUUNNNN!
6) The curly haired Wisp is called Yacker, he is the Wisp Sonic and Tails communicate with to find out what is going on. A silent guide if you like to the world of Wisps.
I officially award kudos points to Umiyuri incidentally who identified the name first, as far as I can see.
7) Oh, okay then here’s Cubot’s character render too.
ArchangelUK also revealed at the SSMB today, the name of the new Sonic Free Riders track he spoke of in another update this morning. The track is called “Rocky Ridge“.
Source: Sonic City Blognik
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[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTId0VoKf1s[/youtube]
YouTube user, unikentaro has uploaded some new gameplay footage of Sonic Free Riders from a Press Briefing that Microsoft held in Tokyo yesterday to unveil Kinect’s release date and launch software in Japan, which Sonic Free Riders will be part of.
The track shown in this demo is the same old track we’ve seen since E3, but this appears to be a new build, because you’re now ranked after you (the player) jump and again when your character lands. Why this happens is unclear from the footage, but it is a very odd change. Your ranking now also appears at the top of the screen, instead of the bottom left. The controls look a little more responsive than in the E3 build of the game, but actions still seem to happen on-screen a second or 2 later.
Do you see any other changes? Let us know in the comments.
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Those disappointed with SEGA’s earlier line-up for this years Tokyo Game Show will be glad to hear they have updated it with more titles, and its good news for Sonic fans. On top of already announced Sonic Colours (both Wii and DS), Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1, Sonic Free Riders and Sonic Adventure (XBLA) will now be available on the show floor. Other SEGA titles added include Crazy Taxi (XBLA) and Virtua Tennis 4 (PS3).
The full line-up is below:
PS3:
Vanquish
Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 (PSN)
Virtua Tennis 4
PSP:
Phantasy Star Portable 2 Infinity
Black Panther Yakuza New Chapter
Shining Hearts
K-On After School Live
Wii:
Sonic Colours
Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 (WiiWare)
DS:
Sonic Colours
Xbox 360:
Vanquish
Virtual-On Force 360
Sonic Free Riders (Kinect)
Sonic Adventure (XBLA)
Crazy Taxi (XBLA)
The Tokyo game Show will be open between September 16th and 17th for press and September 18th and 19th to the public.
Source:
SEGA-Mag
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SEGA of America’s Kellie has revealed via their Twitter account that SEGA will have a booth at this years New York Comic Con. A look at the conventions official website’s exhibitor list re-affirms this. Currently, no details have been announced as to what games SEGA will be bringing to the show, but if recent events the publisher has attended are anything to go by, then you can expect them to bring demos of their Christmas line-up. We’ll keep an eye open for more information.
There’s some interesting news for Sonic fans attending the convention, specifically the merchandise collectors. The ‘show exclusives’ guide at the conventions website reveals that Mythical Fair will be at the event selling their Chaos Emerald replicas for $50, with the optional stand costing just $2.
The Emeralds are made of solid crystal and measure 100mm across in their largest size. They will also be available in a variety of other sizes/colours. If you can’t attend the event and are interested in the Emeralds, you can order them online at Mythical Fair’s website for the same price.
New York Comic Con will be open from October 8th until October 10th at the below hours:
Professional Only Hours:
Friday, October 8, 2010 — 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Open to the Public:
Friday, October 8, 2010 — 1:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Saturday, October 9, 2010 — 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Sunday, October 10, 2010 — 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
You can buy your tickets here.
Will you be attending this years convention? Let us know in the comments.
Source:
SEGA’s Twitter
New York Comic Con Official Website
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Sonic fans have been very vocal within the last month, since an interview retailer GAME held with Takashi Iizuka hit the net. The reason being, because Iizuka stated that Sonic Colours is being targeted at the six-twelve age group, while Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 will cater to older fans. This comment worried and angered many fans, making them feel isolated and lead them to believe that this game will be too easy or won’t be any fun at all for them.
Well, now concerned fans can put their fears to rest. When asked by Destructoid about Sonic Colours‘ target audience, Sonic senior brand manager Judy Gilbertson said “Sonic Colors is for everyone! Let’s say that right out of the gate,”
Gilbertson then went on to say:
“But to clarify further, we definitely don’t want to isolate any of our fan base — we’re absolutely thrilled to see the positive reaction Sonic Colors has gotten from fans and the excitement in the community about its upcoming release on Wii and Nintendo DS.
“Obviously, everyone at SEGA has a deep-rooted love for the Sonic franchise, and we’re always working on bringing new and exciting Sonic experiences to our fans. This year, we have three very different but equally great Sonic titles coming out; each with their own unique design philosophies and approaches to gameplay and all of which are created for Sonic fans and gamers, both those new to the franchise as well as those who have followed these games from the very beginning.”
Gilbertson explains that the game is being developed to be accessible to younger gamers as well as ‘core’ fans, that their mission is to try to cater to existing fans and potential new fans.
“With Sonic Colors, we’re looking to deliver a fast and fun Sonic experience that blends both 2D and 3D game mechanics in a way that a lot of fans have desired for some time,” Gilbertson adds. “But we’re also looking to create a game that is accessible to younger gamers as well as our ‘core’ fans.
“In short, Sonic Colors is designed first and foremost to be fun; the emphasis is still on everything that makes Sonic great, so there will be things there that will please long time fans in addition to elements in the game designed to bring in new Sonic fans as well. We expect that all of these aspects of gameplay will result in an experience that gamers of all ages will truly enjoy. And the game is a great compliment to both Sonic 4, a title that focuses on that retro style of gameplay and is also being released later this year as the first true sequel to the SEGA Genesis line of games, and Sonic Free Riders, which is the first game of its kind on Kinect this fall.
“Sonic fans continue to be vocal and supportive of their favorite franchise and we’re very aware of, and appreciate, that loyalty and dedication. In short, there’s something for everyone in our Sonic line up this year.”
What do you think about this new development? Discuss in the comments.
Source: Destructoid
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Today, Microsoft has revealed at a press event in Tokyo that Kinect will be available for Xbox 360 in Japan November 20th of this year. Titles available at launch will include newly announced brain training game Lead: New Brain Training Where You Answer With Your Body, Kinect Sports, Dance Evolution, Crossboard 7 and SEGA’s first Kinect title, Sonic Free Riders. SEGA Japan has backed-up Sonic Free Riders November 20th release date in an update to the games official website this morning.
Sources: MCV and Bloomberg
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Some new screenshots for Sonic Free Riders appear to have slipped under the radar late last month, from InsideGamer.nl. The screens are taken from the same old track that we’re used to seeing since E3, but we do get a close-up look at Sonic’s in-game model and see how different it is to the past games in the Riders series. InsideGamer.nl also posted up a preview last month, but be warned, it doesn’t translate very well using Google Translate. Check out the rest of the screens below.
Source:
InsideGamer.nl
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It appears the UK will be getting the Sonic and Wisp figurine that is being packaged as part of a “Special Edition” with Sonic Colours in some parts of the world. UK retailer, Argos is now listing the figurine as a free gift with pre-orders of either version of the game.
Free Sonic wisps figurine when you pre-order at Argos! Get your figurine of Sonic and the whisps which appear in Sonic Colours, delivered free with your copy of the game of the day of release.
It is odd that the figurine is being given away free with pre-orders in the UK, since the “Special Edition” with the figurine is listed at a higher price than the game alone, so could there be more than just the figurine bundled with that edition? Argos is listing this as an “Online exclusive” offer, so it appears they won’t be stocking it in-store. No other UK retailers are currently listing the gift. Argos also appears to be SEGA’s retailer of choice for pre-orders of the game at their website.
If you’re interested in the figurine, you can pre-order the Wii version for £33.99 and the DS version for £25.99. Will you be pre-ordering at Argos for this bonus?
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ToyGlobe is now listing a Sonic Colours action figure. No picture of the figure is available, but the description says it is Sonic and measures in at 5 inches. The figure comes with a Wisp, but there’s no clarification on what kind of Wisp it is. According to the retailer, the figure will be released in November this year, which is the same month the Sonic Colours game is released on Wii and DS. The figure is available to pre-order for $14.95 on ToyGlobe’s website. Could this be the same figure being packaged with the “Special Edition” available for pre-order in some parts of the world?
Thanks to Seraphinprincess at the SSMB for the heads-up!
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Sonic Colours won’t be released in the UK until November 12th, but already you can grab a fantastic deal on both versions of the game. Online retailer Zavvi.com now has the Wii version of the game available for pre-order for just £24.95, with free delivery. At Coolshop.co.uk, you can pre-order the DS version of the game for the low price of £21.70, with free delivery. Great bargains for those trying to save some money or after a cheap Christmas present for a Sonic fan.
Links:
Zavvi.com: Sonic Colours Wii £24.95
Coolshop.co.uk: Sonic Colours DS £21.70
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You may remember that we reported a couple of weeks ago about Jazwares latest releases, but we didn’t have any pictures of the Super Pack, which contains action figures of Super Sonic, Super Shadow and Super Silver. Thanks to Jix Hedgehog and TheEGGOne, we now have pictures of this set for those of you who haven’t seen it or bought it yet. Those who have picked it up, let us and the other readers know what you think of it in the comments.
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[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMdwLrry2MM[/youtube]
UPDATE: SSMB member Hero of Legend has re-uploaded his video with all 3 clips in, thanks dude! Also, thanks to SSMB member Woun, we have all 3 clips in HD at the below links:
Game Land 1: Act 2
Dig Underground
Teamwork
/UPDATE END
Footage of Sonic Colours‘ co-op mode has been revealed, courtesy of IGN, who recently got some hands-on time with this feature. Do you remember that robotic head on the games map screen that looked a little like Metal Sonic? Well, it isn’t Sonic’s robotic rival. It’s a planet called Game Land where all of the co-op levels are staged.
As described in IGN’s preview, two players take control of a robot Sonic each and advance through the level by working together, while also trying to compete for the most rings. In the footage we can see some of the various Wisp combos that IGN mentioned, such as the Spike Wisp combo that has both players tethered together in a similar fashion to the old Mega Drive 32X title, Knuckles’ Chaotix. A Lazer Wisp combo is also shown, where both players combine together to form a stronger and larger double lazer attack on a string of enemies.
The levels look as odd as in the original screenshot, but the stage design seems to fit the speed and co-op play to a button. No split-screen is shown, so it appears both players have to keep up with each other on the one screen, but since co-op actions are required to advance through stages then this shouldn’t be a problem.
Source: IGN:
Dig Underground
Teamwork
Game Land 1: Act 2
Thanks to speedduelist and Diogenes at the SSMB for the heads-up!
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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.
After some hands-on time with Sonic Colours, SEGA Europe Community Manager ArchangelUK has revealed 7 new pieces of Sonic Colours information via the Sonic City Blognik today. The information focuses on story, characters and call-backs to Sonic Unleashed. Some teases are also made to news coming in next week, which we’ll be sure to report on as soon as it is revealed.
Here’s the full list of information below:
1) Dr. Eggman has built his park after developing a sense of remorse for his past “indiscretions”. Hmm… a likely story.
2) At one point in an early cutscene Sonic “breaks the fourth wall” and talks directly to the gamer.
3) SA-55, the round red robot also known as “Ergo” by fans who appeared in Sonic Unleashed will return, but slightly more jaded than before. Oh and by the way SA-55 ISN’T his name… his name is actually “Orbot”
4) Orbot also has a counterpart this game… who we’ll be revealing next week.
5) Tails’ “Miles Electric” handheld device that appeared in Sonic Unleashed makes a re-appearance.
6) The boss you have already likely seen from Tropical Resort Dr. Eggman refers to as the “Big Boy”.
7) The curly haired white Wisp is important to the Colours story and its name is…. something you’ll have to tune in next week to find out!
Source: ArchangelUK at the Sonic City Blognik
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In a new preview, IGN has revealed details behind Sonic Colours’ multiplayer mode, which was recently leaked via a screenshot at Amazon JP. As suspected, multiplayer will be a co-op experience with various coloured Sonic robots. Players will need to use techniques and the Wisp powers to progress through stages.
Wisp powers can be combined in a number of ways, which IGN are told “throughout a total of 6 tiers of three levels each.” The red special rings seen in the single player stages now have a purpose revealed. These rings are collected to unlock all of the multiplayer stages, so you won’t be able to play multiplayer co-op right away.
Check out the full preview at IGN.
Thanks to speedduelist at the SSMB and Woun at the SEGA Forums for the heads-up!
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[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFNIgxtLBho&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
A new trailer for Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 has just been released by IGN. The trailer shows us gameplay footage of the recently revealed Lost Labyrinth Zone and the updates made to the game in action, such as the torch mechanic, faster acceleration and running animation. No solid release date yet (just a change from Late 2010 to Fall 2010), but downloadable games don’t usually get a release date until about two weeks before release. SEGA, in their last Sonic 4 update said we could expect more updates “early September,” and with this new trailer released, we expect they will be speaking more about the game sooner than expected. To accompany the trailer, IGN also posted a preview of the latest build.
Source: IGN:
Trailer
Preview
Thanks to Woun at the SSMB for the heads-up and the YouTube HD upload of the video!
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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 of America has just revealed the U.S. box artwork (seen above) for SEGA’s first Xbox 360 Kinect title, Sonic Free Riders. SEGA also revealed that the game will go on sale for $49.99, which is $10 cheaper than normal Xbox 360 titles retail for. No information is given as to when the game will be released, but the game has been said in the past to be a launch title for the device, which will be launching in the U.S. November 4th and November 10th in Europe. We’ll keep an eye out for more information.
Source: SEGA of America’s Blog
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SEGA has revealed their line-up of games that they will be bringing to this years Tokyo Game Show, which will be open between September 16th and 17th for press and September 18th and 19th to the public. Sonic fans will be pleased to know that both Wii and DS versions of Sonic Colours will be at SEGA’s booth, but Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 and Sonic Free Riders won’t be making appearances.
The full list of games and formats are as follows:
PS3:
Vanquish
PSP:
Phantasy Star Portable 2 Infinity
Black Panther Yakuza New Chapter
Shining Hearts
K-On After School Live
Wii:
Sonic Colours
DS:
Sonic Colours
Xbox 360:
Vanquish
Virtual-On Force 360
Source:
SEGA’s Tokyo Game Show Official Site
Thanks to Michael Myers at the SSMB for the heads-up!
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The German branch of online retailer Amazon is now listing a “Special Edition” for both versions of Sonic Colours. No information is given as to what is packaged with this edition of the game, but both versions are €10 higher than the standard versions, so we can expect at least a little something extra to justify the higher price. We’ll keep an eye open for any updates.
What would you like to see in these Special Editions? Let us know in the comments.
Source: Amazon.de via Spindash.de
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In the previous issue of Nintendo Power, various game developers opinions on Nintendo 3DS were gathered and among them was Takashi Iizuka, producer at Sonic Team.
Takashi Izuka – Producer, Sonic Team:
“At Sonic Team, we’re already studying the Nintendo 3DS. We’re very interested in the platform. We think the depth of 3D could really help the sense of speed, especially when you’re playing Sonic from behind-the-back perspective.”
Fans may recall a document that hit the net, confirming SEGA’s planned Super Monkey Ball and Sonic the Hedgehog titles for the handheld, but SEGA has yet to announce or show anything officially. Iizuka’s comment is only based on concepts, but would you like a handheld Sonic game with a “behind-the-back perspective” like Sonic Unleashed and Sonic Colours? Discuss in the comments.
Source: GoNintendo
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[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeJZM8p4JIQ[/youtube]
Rawiioli.de has released the above footage of Sonic Colours on Wii from Gamescom 2010. Previous footage recorded only let us see so far into this act of the Planet Wisp stage, but now we get to see the final part. In this last section, we see more use of the Quick Step and the return of a launcher contraption from Sonic Unleashed, which displays a button on your controller. By tapping the button displayed, you will be launched in the best direction for you to continue on. There are also stairways, which you’ll need to collapse by having Sonic hit a nearby switch.
Previous footage can be seen here, here and here with music.
Now you’ve seen the whole of the Planet Wisp Act in the Gamescom demo, what do you think of it? Speak out in the comments.
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Jazwares, the company behind a lot of Sonic merchandise in recent years, has released more goodies for you to spend your hard-earned cash on. An update at their Facebook page states that Metal Sonic and Eggman figures should now be in stores, along with The Super Pack and the large Racers Pack(seen in the photo above). Big and Froggy figures are said to be coming later this year and Vector and Espio will be packaged together in the latest Comic Book Pack.
***SONIC UPDATE***
Hey guys, so I know you all have been asking what the deal is with Sonic and I wanted to give you a clear layout of what to expect for the coming months!
Metal Sonic and Eggman should be hitting the stores
now.
…So should the The Super pack and the large Racers Pack.
Big
and Froggy are later this year, no images yet.
Vector and Espio will
be together in the latest Comic Book pack.
Some fans will be interested to know that Jazwares are hearing your calls for Mighty the Armadillo, Rouge the Bat and Omega figures. In a second Sonic update to their Facebook page, they say they have passed these requests on to the design team and will keep everyone posted. If we hear more, we’ll let you know.
As soon as we have images I will post them! Also, I
know a lot of you have requested Mighty the Armadillo, Rouge the Bat,
and Omega. I have put all your requests in with the design team, and
will keep you posted! Thanks!!
Thanks to fellow TSS Staff member Jason the Jackass for the pic of the large Racers Pack and to Jix Hedgehog for the pic of the Dr.Eggman & Metal Sonic pack. Vector and Espio pic courtesy of eBay seller tbhouse(thanks to SSMB member Aquaslash for the link). We’ll keep an eye out for a pic of the Super Pack figures and update when we get it. If you have the figures and could take a picture of them, please send them in to shadzter@sonicstadium.org and we’ll credit you in this post.
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The latest issue of Nintendo Power magazine is now available on newsstands in the U.S. and inside is a preview of Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1. The demo they got to play was of a new build, one which contains all acts and boss battles in Lost Labyrinth Zone and Mad Gear Zone. Nintendo Power says Lost Labyrinth Zone is heavily inspired by Sonic 1’s Labyrinth Zone with familiar elements, such as “endlessly looping waterfall mazes, pulley-based moving platforms, retracting spikes, and underwater segments that require you to grab air bubbles before you run out of oxygen.” Reaffirmed is the removal of the infamous mine cart stage and the torch mechanic put in its place, though nothing more is revealed than what’s is obvious in the screenshots, like lighting sconces to take down obstacles which block your path.
Nintendo Power also details two new features seen in the recent screenshots, including the orb that Sonic is standing on and a boulder that Sonic is running from. Sonic must keep his balance while the orb follows a specially designed track and other sections will see him be chased by giant boulders that fall out of the sky, requiring quick reactions. Nintendo Power also inform us that players will also have to escape a giant wall that threatens to crush you, while the stage fills with water.
In their playthrough of Mad Gear Zone, Nintendo Power compares the stage to most end of game stages in the Sonic series, “hard edged industrial stages full of steampunk-style machinery that practically screams you’re on the bad guys’ home turf.” The stage is said to not only contain stage mechanics that you’ll recognise such as pneumatic transportation tubes, steam geysers and giant pistons, but also some new ones. Sonic will have to run on top of cogs, some will help move Sonic to new areas, while other cogs will open heavy metal doors.
Nintendo Power states the difficulty increases significantly for the third Act of Mad Gear Zone, where an enormous drill machine chases Sonic in a similar fashion to the giant wall from Lost Labyrinth Zone. While the machine pursues Sonic, Nintendo Power says “you must leap spikes, hit switches, and dodge momentum-reversing blasts.” Sounds like it’s quite the challenge. Nintendo Power also reveals that players can choose to play the game’s four zones in any order they like.
The preview doesn’t mention anything in terms of any of the tweaks to physics, running animation, acceleration etc that SEGA of America’s Ruby Eclipse spoke of recently, but it does come with five new screenshots of the Lost Labyrinth Zone. To check out the screenshots and the full preview, pick up a copy of Nintendo Power issue 259 at your local newsstand.
Thanks to SSMB member Doctor Eggman for the info!
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UPDATE:Amazon has removed the screenshot from the page. Did the retailer jump the gun on something SEGA weren’t ready to reveal yet? /UPDATE END
Amazon’s Japanese website has posted a new Sonic Colours screenshot on the game’s product page there, which reveals a co-op mode. In the screen. we see two Sonics, one blue and one pink (or red?). Two separate HUDs can also be seen on the left and right of the screenshot with no split down the middle, suggesting that this is indeed a co-op mode. What’s odd about this picture is the environment. For a game titled ‘Sonic Colours’, there sure isn’t much colour in this stage. Also odd are the antennas that both Sonics have on their heads. Could we be seeing Sonic robots, like the Shadow robots in Shadow the Hedgehog’s multiplayer modes?
What do you think about this interesting development? Speak out in the comments.
Thanks to Hero of Legend at the SSMB for the find!
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[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwFOweNuVBg&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
UPDATE: Updated with HD video. Thanks to Woun for sharing this at the SSMB! /UPDATE END
IGN got their hands on the Wii version of Sonic Colours at Gamescom and recorded a short video of their time with the game. What makes this different to other videos we’ve seen is that this time, we get to hear the stage’s music. The track sounds like it’s straight out of a game in SEGA’s NiGHTS series and is a good fit for the alien planet theme of the level. We also get to hear grunts of Roger Craig Smith’s Sonic voice.
What do you think of Planet Wisp’s music? Discuss in the comments.
Source: IGN
Thanks to Torcano at the SSMB for the heads up!
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