UPDATE: Seems my reservations were fully justified. The abbreviations at the bottom stand for programming tools. Hopefully we are getting a game like this, but either way this job listing is not a sign of it. I still encourage you to click the SEGAbits link at the bottom to enter the wider world of SEGA!
Maybe, I don’t know. It’s what Go Nintendo seems to be implying at least. Sumo Digital has put out a job listing for a senior artist, and “SSR 3DS” appears to be listed as one of the projects. I am personally crossing my fingers on this one. ASR is one of those games I am hoping we’ll get a 3DS port of. Here’s the job listing in full:
Senior Artist
Location: INDIA – Pune, IND – Sumo Digital
Job Code: 785
# of openings: 5
Description
* Senior Artist (SA L1 to L3) with 4+ years of experience in Game art creations for AAA titles.
* Hands on experience in modelling and texturing in areas like Environment Assets & Characters, except VFX & Animation
* Ability of making Concept Art would be an added advantage
* Communication skills in English.
* Edit – 07 Oct 2010
* Artist will be assigned to Sumo Digital – ARS2, SSR 3DS, Crispins
Source: SEGAbits
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As part of our 5 year anniversary, we take a look back at the original Slingerland’s Corner. In this episode he tackles a big subject, Sonic fan characters. In fact he tackles one particular one, Evil The Hedgehog.
Slingerlands Corner may be a thing of the past, but you can now ask the ‘Answer Man’ you Sonic questions! He answers a few of them through the site, but the best ones get answered in his upcoming video episodes! If you want to ask the Answer Man something, go to formspring.me/thesonicshow.
Also Click below to download the awesome Evil the Hedgehog video game!
DOWNLOAD ME
This game was originally made in the Really Amateur Games Expo in either 2008 or 2009. Which I found lurking on my pc, if anyone knows who made it please comment as Id love to credit them, even though its a pile of crap (intentionally!)
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As of next month, Sonic comics will no longer carry the CCA seal. The CCA is a ratings authority which was established in the 1950s amid a witch hunt that targeted the comic book industry. Led by psychiatrist Frederick Werthem, the industry reacted by setting up the CCA to regulate itself and censor questionable content. This regulation nearly destroyed the industry and has since become more lax over the years. Archie Comics was one of the few companies that continued to use the CCA stamp on all of it’s publications.
So what does this mean for the Sonic comics? Not a whole lot, actually. Archie Comics Mike Pellerito tolds Newsarama “”The code never affected us editorially the way I think it did other companies,” he said. “You know, we aren’t about to start stuffing bodies into refrigerators or anything. We have to answer to Archie fans.”
So I guess you guys won’t have to look at that ugly stamp anymore!
For the full story, check out Newsarama. Special thanks goes to Illustrious Q for sending in the tip.
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Seems shipping problems caused the next issue of Sonic Universe #24 to be a week late. Nevertheless, it’s here and it’s the best (non shipper) fan service a Sonic fan could ask for! Everyone from Shadow the Hedgehog to Bean the Dynamite are battling it out in this issue, and boy is it fun. Omega fans may be displeased with the ending though, as Omega lets a bit of mushy side out…and there’s also a slightly odd shipping moment I’m not sure anyone saw coming. If I wanted to spoil it I’m not sure what I’d even call it. Nevertheless I’m sure there is at least one Sonic fan out there who supports it.
In any case, here is the preview!
SONIC UNIVERSE #24
“Treasure Team Tango” Part Four: The wild grand finale to our craziest story yet! Four teams vie for the precious Sol Emerald! Will Team Rose help Blaze save her world? Will Team Dark beat them into submission? Will Nack’s “Team Hooligan” cash it in, or will the Babylon Rogues beat them to it? You can’t miss this blockbuster conclusion!
SCRIPT: Ian Flynn
ART: Tracy Yardley!, Jim Amash, Phil Felix and Jason Jensen
COVER: Tracy Yardley!, Jim Amash & Ben Hunzeker
Shipping Date: 1/5/11
On Sale at Comic Shops: 1/12/11
Newstands: Week of 1/25/11
Comic, 32 pgs, 40 lb. glossy stock, Full-Color
$2.99 US
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For those of you who may not have noticed, this weekend saw the release of the first teaser trailer from Sonic 2 HD! It has been in the works in one form or another as far back as 2007, and like a lot of fan projects we do wonder whether it will ever truly be finished, but you can’t deny how good this trailer looks! Interested (you should be), then check out their developer blog, their official site, or join their facebook page!
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UPDATE: ArchangelUK of SEGA Europe and Sonic Wrecks has received European and Australian pricing and release date information from SCEE. The theme will be available Wednesday 19th January for free to PlayStation Plus members, and cost €1.99/£1.59/$AU3.45 for everyone else.
Source: Sonic Wrecks/UPDATE END
SEGA’s RubyEclipse has revealed that a Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 Dynamic Theme will soon be available on the PlayStation Store for PS3 owners thanks to a joint effort from SEGA and Sony. This theme is based on the game’s first stage Splash Hill Zone and features Sonic running and spin-dashing around, with an appearance from Dr. Eggman every now and then. Another cool feature is the ring sound effect we’ve all grown to know and love that will trigger when toggling around the XMB.
This Dynamic Theme will be a part of this coming Tuesday’s PlayStation Store update in the U.S. and will be released shortly after in Europe, so maybe Wednesday’s European PlayStation Store update, if we’re lucky? The theme will cost $2.99 in the U.S. and for a limited time will be available free to all PlayStation Plus members. No European prices were given.
If you missed the announcement, SEGA added exclusive Sonic 4 Avatar items to the Xbox Live Marketplace for Xbox 360 owners in December.
Source: SEGA of America Blog & Sonic City Blognik
Thanks to CobraRoll at the SSMB for the heads up!
Will you be downloading this theme? Let us know in the comments.
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SEGA has today officially announced the Dreamcast Collection, a title that was rumoured to be on the way in November last year and later confirmed in December by SEGA’s Alan Pritchard. The collection will include all Dreamcast games that have been released or are currently on the way to Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network, which are Sonic Adventure, Crazy Taxi, Space Channel 5: Part 2 and SEGA Bass Fishing. There’s currently no word on if the Sonic Adventure DX: Director’s Cut DLC will be included.
The Dreamcast Collection will be available for Xbox 360, PC and PC Download on February 25th 2011 in Europe and February 22nd in North America, February 24th in Australia and February 25th in New Zealand. It seems PS3 owners will have to stick to the individual releases on PlayStation Network.
The full press release sent out by SEGA is available below:
SEGA® Europe Ltd. and SEGA® of America, Inc. today announced that a packaged compilation of classic titles from SEGA’s popular Dreamcast™ console will hit retail shelves on the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, and the PC. The Dreamcast Collection will be available on February 25th 2011 in Europe and February 22nd in North America, February 24th in Australia and February 25th in New Zealand.
The Dreamcast Collection includes the fan favourites Sonic Adventure™, Crazy Taxi™, SEGA Bass Fishing™ and Space Channel 5™: Part 2. Players will get to enjoy four very different Dreamcast experiences, from hopping behind the steering wheel of Crazy Taxi, to taking things a little slower by luring in their fish before catching them hook, line and sinker with SEGA Bass Fishing. Alternatively, take over as intergalactic news reporter Ulala in Space Channel 5: Part 2 and dance your way past the evil Rhythm Rogues, or make it all about speed in Sonic’s first Dreamcast outing, Sonic Adventure!
SEGA’s Dreamcast Collection features enhanced graphics for both platforms versions, providing an even more engaging experience. In addition to this, achievements and online leader boards will be available for each game providing a competitive edge and allowing players to prove their skills!
“The Dreamcast console is still remembered as a pioneering console for online gaming,” commented Gary Knight, VP of Marketing at SEGA of America and SEGA Europe “We are delighted to be able to offer to our large community of dedicated fans a collection such as Dreamcast Collection for them to enjoy old favourites on this generation of consoles”.
Dreamcast Collection will be available in Europe in February 2011 for Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PC and PC digital download.
Source: iTWire
Will you be picking up this collection? Let us know in the comments.
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We have a new member of The Sonic Stadium team. His name is Answer Man. Coming straight from his Answer House in Answer Town, he’ll be answering your questions about anything Sonic related. For real.
We’ve been receiving feedback about what people want to see back on the show and my “Slingerland’s Corner” segment was the one that people wanted to see again. I don’t know why. People throw a big fit when I write articles full of truthiness, but I can lay into people in a video and people will like it. However, I’m a little tied up to respond to your questions, so the Answer Man will be taking over. He’s a cool dude. He’ll be keeping my format, but do it more efficiently and with flashy graphics.
For the first episode of “Ask the Answer Man,” we need some questions. Want to ask the Answer Man something? Then post a question on the link below and it might be answered next week. Keep your questions brief. Treat it like Twitter or something. Answer Man doesn’t want to read your rants. He’s too busy with his Answer Women.
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It was back in 2008, that Evil Doc teamed up with The Sonic Show to create a series of toons for our audience to enjoy. In this one they looked at some of the more odd memories the characters have.
EVILDOC is a collaboration between Roger Van Der Weide and Alexandra D. Fortin and has been active since September 2006. They mainly focus on Videogame parodies (Bowser’s Plan, Doomed Shadow Show) and made a few original series such as The Evildoc Show.
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It was back in 2006 that The Sonic Show started, and throughout the next few months we will be looking back at what The Sonic Show has been up to.
To start it off, we take a look back at every intro sequence along the years of the show.
2006 started with a basic sequence edited by myself, to the tune of the Sonic & Knuckles theme.
2007 brought in a revamped version, using the Remix Project version of the tune and art drawn by Unny Gorey.
2008 saw a whole new era with art drawn by Professor J and music composed by Huepow.
2009 Finally brought us up to date with a new sequence animated by the very talented Legend 20x with music originally composed for the show too by Hunter Bridges
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UK Xbox 360 specialist magazine Xbox World 360 recently sent out e-mails to a variety of game developers to find out the secrets of the industry for a feature in their magazine, which has now been made available online on partner site CVG. One of the developers queried was Sonic Team head Takashi Iizuka, who was asked “What’s the secret to making 2D work?”, to which he replied with the below statement.
I think there are various kinds of 2D platformer and each one of them focuses on different game elements. In the case of Sonic games, I put a premium on the game tempo of the stage.
A game cannot be constructed with only speed elements and a game with only jump actions is not a Sonic. Though jump actions bring a feeling of tension and cause a lot of stress, it’s an element giving the player a great sense of achievement when completed.
In addition to that, maximizing the feeling of achievement and exhilaration in a game whilst still providing the speed is the basic concept – and also real pleasure – of Sonic games.
Takashi Iizuka has gotten a lot of flack from the fanbase for Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 due to physics being very different to the classic Mega Drive titles among other reasons, and those fans who didn’t enjoy Episode 1 are hopeful things will change in Episode 2. While this statement doesn’t mention physics, does it give you some hope for Episode 2 and any other future 2D Sonic games? Share your thoughts in the comments.
Source: Xbox World 360 @ CVG (via GoNintendo)
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After SEGA Japan’s New Year’s Day teaser/announcement, SEGA of America has today issued a similar press release regarding their plans to celebrate Sonic the Hedgehog‘s 20th Anniversary with events around the world. The publisher says we can expect details about these events throughout the year. Check the full press release out for yourself below.
SEGA® Corporation is proud to announce their company mascot will celebrate his 20th anniversary on June 23, 2011.
From the first day of the release of Sonic The Hedgehog™ back in 1991 on the SEGA Genesis™ console, Sonic the Hedgehog quickly became a popular gaming icon due to his super fast speed and his cool, edgy character. In the twenty years that the video games have been available, Sonic the Hedgehog has notched up over 70 million units sold worldwide.
As well as videogames, SEGA’s iconic blue hedgehog has enjoyed huge success in areas such as comics, apparel and toys and even starred in his own animated series.
SEGA Corporation will be celebrating this special year in style with events around the world, details of which will be released throughout the 20th anniversary year of 2011.
For more information on SEGA, please visit www.sega.com :
About SEGA® Corporation:
SEGA® Corporation is a worldwide leader in interactive entertainment both inside and outside the home, encompassing consumer business, amusement machine sales and amusement center operations. The company develops, publishes and distributes interactive entertainment software products for a variety of hardware platforms including PC, wireless devices, and those manufactured by Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. SEGA Corporation’s Web site is located at sega.jp : .
About SEGA® of America, Inc.:
SEGA® of America, Inc. is the American arm of Tokyo, Japan-based SEGA® Corporation, a worldwide leader in interactive entertainment both inside and outside the home. The company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive entertainment software products for a variety of hardware platforms including PC, wireless devices, and those manufactured by Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. SEGA of America’s web site is located at www.sega.com
Sources: PR-Inside.com and SEGA of America Blog
What kind of events would you like to see for Sonic’s 20th Anniversary? Share your ideas in the comments.
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This is a story that’s going to draw a lot of applause and skepticism, as it’s easily one of the most profound change Ian Flynn has introduced since he was brought on the book. Sonic is betrayed by a character who has his purpose and intentions completely changed from the day he was brought onto the book. I’m not sure what to make of it at the moment, and I personally intend to ride this one out and see where it goes before judging the move. This could very well be the beginning of some very nice stories, or could mean the sloppy permanent butchery of a character I appear to like more then many others.
Below is the preview and the solicit.
SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #220
“In Service to the King” Part Two.
Danger abounds in this pulse-pounding issue! Sonic is lost in a void with no chance of escape! One of his friends is about to make a terrible mistake! An old villain is poised to return, and a Chaos Emerald hangs in the balance! Then, discover the final fate of the villainess Lien-Da in “From the Inside Out.”
SCRIPT: Ian Flynn
ART: Jamal Peppers, Terry Austin, John Workman, and Matt Herms
COVER: Jamal Peppers, Terry Austin, and Matt Herms
Shipping Date: DEC 15, 2010
On Sale at Comic Shops: DEC 22, 2010
Newsstands: Week of JAN 4, 2011
Comic, 32 pgs, 40 lb glossy stock, Full-Color
$2.99 US
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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.
It’s already 2011 in Japan and so SEGA Japan has seen fit to kick-start Sonic the Hedgehog and the Puyo Puyo series’ 20th Anniversary year off with the tease that they have a variety of projects in the works to celebrate this milestone for the blue blur and its popular puzzler. What these “projects” are is anyone’s guess for the time being, but we’ll keep an eye out for new info and media in the year ahead. For now, you can check out a teaser website for Sonic’s 20th that is now live, though there’s not much to see at the moment.
What would you like to see for Sonic’s big 20th Anniversary? Speak out in the comments.
Source: Andriasang
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For today only, you can grab Sonic’s various Xbox Live Arcade titles at a discounted price as part of Microsoft’s Countdown to 2011 deals.
The full list of games and prices are:
Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 Was: 1200 Now: 800 (33% off)
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Was: 400 Now: 200 (50% off)
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Was: 400 Now: 200 (50% off)
Sonic the Hedgehog Was: 400 Now: 200 (50% off)
Sonic Adventure Was: 800 Now: 400 (50% off)
Sonic & Knuckles Was: 240 Now: 120 (50% off)
Unfortunately, Sonic Adventure‘s DLC isn’t included in this sale like it is in the PSN discounts. If you’re interested in Avatar items, the Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing themed Sonic car prop has also received a 50% discount for today only from 240 Points to 120 Points.
Remember, these deals are available for today only, so grab them while they’re there.
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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.
Mad Catz aren’t the only ones giving Sonic the Hedgehog merchandise related Christmas announcements, oh no, because First 4 Figures has just announced the third entry in their Classic Sonic Collectible Statue line, Metal Sonic. No details about the statue itself have been given right now, but the teaser image gives the impression that Metal Sonic’s eyes will light up, much like the aura does with the more limited edition of their Super Sonic statue.
If you’re interested in buying the statue, pre-orders will begin from December 28th, so mark it on your calendars, as according to First 4 Figures’ website, orders for the statue will be on a first come, first served basis. If you’re a follower of the company’s Facebook page, they will be doing a live countdown there.
Sources:
First 4 Figures website
First 4 Figures Facebook page
Thanks to The-Master-Board at the SSMB for the heads up!
Will you be grabbing yourself one of these? Let us know in the comments.
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Gaming accessory company Mad Catz is celebrating Sonic’s 20th Anniversary a little early with a limited edition Sonic the Hedgehog Figure Inductive Charger for Nintendo Wii Remotes. As you can see in the above pictures, the figure has Sonic posing with a classic peace sign on a Green Hill Zone themed platform that holds and charges two Wii Remotes at a time, even when in their jackets. This piece of merchandise is very collectible, as according to the press release they are not only limited, but individually numbered, too. Mad Catz may have only announced the item today, but fans will be glad to hear that it is shipping out to retailers today and will cost $49.99 in the U.S. No word on if this will be released to the rest of the world, but we’ll keep our eyes open.
For more information, check out the press release below:
Mad Catz® Celebrates the 20th Anniversary of Sonic the Hedgehog with the Release of Limited Edition Inductive Charger for the Nintendo® Wii™ Video Game System
Individually Numbered 20th Anniversary Collectible, Speeds Onto Nintendo Wii in Time for the Holidays
San Diego, December 22. 2010
Mad Catz® Interactive, Inc. (“Mad Catz” or“the Company”) (AMEX/TSX: MCZ), a leading third-party interactive entertainment accessory provider, today announced the release of the limited edition Sonic the Hedgehog Figure Inductive Charger featuring a six inch tall Sonic and charge base for use with the Nintendo Wii video game system. Now shipping, the new Inductive Charger is released under the Company’s Mad Catz casual gaming brand.
Complementing the Mad Catz’ officially licensed Sonic the Hedgehog video game accessory range and just in time to celebrate Sonic’s 20 th Anniversary, the Inductive Charger is a limited edition, individually numbered, highly-collectible method for storing and charging up to two Wii remote controllers.
Sonic the Hedgehog is carefully sculpted, standing six inches tall, guardedly watching over gamers’ Wii remotes as they silently charge atop a green plateau representative of the classic‘Green Hill Zone’ that fans are sure to recognize and appreciate. Built-in magnets help ensure controllers and battery packs are aligned in the most efficient charging position while rechargeable NiMH battery packs rapidly energize to provide up to 15 hours of game play. With innovative electromagnetic induction technology providing the means to charge Wii remotes without the need to remove protective protective silicone covers or Wii MotionPlus™ add-ons, the Sonic the Hedgehog Figure Inductive Charger delivers a fun, hassle-free charging solution.
Darren Richardson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Mad Catz commented,“We are delighted to be a part of Sonic’s 20 th Anniversary with the new licensed Inductive Charger. Working alongside SEGA, we believe we have created a charging solution which will prove irresistible to Sonic fans and gamers alike and one which continues to illustrate our strategy of bringing premier licenses to market via products which evoke a passionate consumer response.”
The Sonic the Hedgehog Figure Inductive Charger by Mad Catz is now shipping within the United States and is available on the Mad Catz web store (store.gameshark.com) for an MSRP of $49.99.
If you want a cheaper option at $39.99, there’s also the 3D Lenticular Inductive Charger.
Thanks to Blue Blood at the SSMB for the heads up on this particular item!
Also revealed with these items is the official 20th Anniversary emblem:
Sources:
Mad Catz via MCV
Pics via HiTechReview.com
Both items are available to purchase from GameShark.com:
Sonic the Hedgehog Figure Inductive Charger
3D Lenticular Inductive Charger
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As yesterday marked the release of the Sonic Colors official soundtrack CD Vivid Sound X Hybrid Colors, the SEGA of Japan Sonic the Hedgehog site Sonic Channel interviewed composer Kenichi Tokoi (who previously composed for Mario and Sonic at the Winter Olympic Games and Sonic and the Secret Rings) and producer Tomoya Ohtani (Who composed for soundtracks such as Sonic World Adventure and Sonic Rush Adventure) with regards to their involvement with the soundtrack.
Although the interview was conducted in Japanese, we’ve picked out some interesting topics discussed! Tokoi and Ohtani first discuss how the title of the album came about; vivid was deemed a lively term and reflected the nature of the game well, with the word hybrid uniting the liveliness of the game with the music. Because of the mix of synthesised music, autotuned vocals and orchestral music, the term hybrid was also thought to also reinforce the nature of the diversity of music on the soundtrack.
Tokoi and Ohtani also comment on differences to composing the soundtrack compared to Sonic World adventure (or Sonic Unleashed), whereby the music in the game did not change for the stage, where as now every act on the Wii version of the game has a different tune. Thetr is also discussion of the similarities and differences between the title track “Reach for the Stars” and that for Sonic World Adventure “Endless Possibilities”, and how they feel variation of lead singers for the title tracks is beneficial.
The pair go on to talk at great extent about the inspirations and vibes considered when composing for varying levels; for example the twangy guitar was thought to capture the subtle hilarity of Sweet Mountain being an armoury masquerading as a confectionary factory. Heavy guitars were employed for the fast pace of the Asteroid Coaster, and the darker themes were used to convey the feel for the Terminal Velocity stages. Both composers also enjoyed creating the 8-bit versions of the tracks used during the virtual stages!
They interestingly also discuss how they feel they have not deviated much from the framework of most sonic Sonic soundtracks, but hope fans appreciate the more pop-themed opening tunes rather than feeling betrayed by the decision to have Cash Cash perform.
You can check out the full interview with pictures on the Sonic Channel Page.
If you haven’t ordered your copy of Vivid Sounds X Hybrid Colors, you can purchase this now from CD-Japan for ¥4200 (about $47 USD or £32 GBP).
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[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CafgpUojSxw&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
Can’t get enough of the awesome dialogue in Sonic Colours? Well, our friends over at Sonic Retro have been busy digging, and Retro Tech Member Technokami has managed extract some unused one-liners from Sonic and Doctor Eggman that never managed to make it into the game itself. Admittedly some of these lines are pretty dire, but are most definitely in the vein of most cheesey Sonic vox pops.
As Sonic (apparently) would say…“You can’t be quality with quantity!”.
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Archie has been pushing the sale of their comics over digital services for awhile now. While initially the selection of Sonic comics over these digital services have been limited, they have gradually begun to improve.
Now, with the launch of the Sonic Comic app for iTunes, it seems they are finally beginning to offer more comics over the service, many of them only available exclusively through this app. This new app has over 50 issues from the Archie Sonic series and it’s spin offs. Most are selling for $.99, a third of the comic’s current retail price. These issues span from the first mini series released in the early 90s, all the way through to much more recent comics from Ian Flynn’s run. The app itself can be downloaded for free on the iPhone and iPad. It was created by iVerse, which sells a variety of comics digitally.
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UPDATE: SEGA of America has announced that the U.S. PS Store will also see discounts. Check the list below for items and prices. /UPDATE END
Sony’s PlayStation Store Team has announced this week’s European PlayStation Store update two days early, and in it we can see all sorts of festive goodies from not only Sony, but a variety of third-party publishers, including SEGA. Sonic fans who haven’t yet bought Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1, Sonic Adventure or its Sonic Adventure DX Add-On Pack are in for a treat, because SEGA will be dropping the price of all three items.
Here’s a full list of content SEGA are discounting and their upcoming prices –
EU and U.S.:
* Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode One(was – £9.99/€12.99/$14.99 now – £5.49/€6.99/$9.99)
* Sonic Adventure (was – £6.29/€7.99/$10 now – £3.19/€3.99/$5)
* Sonic Adventure DX Add-on Pack (was – £3.19/€3.99/$4.99 now – £1.19/€1.49/$1.99)
* After Burner: Climax (was – £7.99/€9.99/$9.99 now – £3.99/€4.99/$4.99)
* Valkyria Chronicles 2 (PSP) (was – £27.99/€34.99/$39.99 now – £13.99/€17.99/$15.99)
* Phantasy Star Portable 2 (PSP) (was – £19.99/€34.99/$39.99 now – £13.99/€17.99/$15.99)
U.S. only:
Gunstar Heroes (PS3) (was – $4.99 now – $2.99)
SEGA Genesis Collection (PSP) (was – $15.99 now – $9.99)
Iron Man 2 (PSP) (was – $19.99 now – $15.99)
These discounts will only be available during Sony’s Christmas sale, which runs from December 22nd until January 5th, so grab them while they’re there.
Sources: EU PlayStation Blog
SEGA of America Blog
Will you be taking advantage of these great offers? Let us know in the comments.
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A new listing has appeared at a few online retailers such as Amazon that reveals Cookie Jar Entertainment will be releasing a DVD compilation on January 4th 2011 featuring episodes from Sonic’s original three cartoon series Sonic the Hedgehog (AKA SatAM), Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic Underground. The compilation is titled “Sonic Mega Mix“, and according to retailer Future Shop it will contain one disc with a running time of 155 minutes. Future Shop also says the DVD is region locked at Region 1, so fans outside of the U.S. looking to import this will need a multi-region DVD player to run it.
No information is available regarding which episodes or how many will feature on the DVD, but at 155 minutes you can expect about 6 episodes total. As for price, Amazon is listing it at $9.99, Barnes & Noble at $9.01 and Future Shop at $5.99 Canadian.
Sources:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Future Shop
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It’s been a long time in coming, but it seems Archie is finally collecting their old Knuckles spin off series into it’s own series of graphic novels! The advent of this series was heavily implied by new Archie Sonic editor Paul Kaminski in our exclusive interview back in July.
Very little is known about the series at the moment. It was confirmed in Sonic Archives #14, and a teaser image of the cover was posted in Sonic #220. We have a scan of that image posted below, alongside a teaser image of the upcoming Sonic storyline, “Sonic: Genesis”.
Special thanks goes to GMel for sending in these exclusive images to us.
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Every year, Ian Flynn gives fans a little Christmas present: vague details on what’s going to happen within the Sonic comic over the next year. This year, Ian Flynn hinted at some big things that are liable to get fans excited. Since I know many of you don’t visit Bumbleking, here is what he’s said, in full:
It’s that time of year again, folks. That festive time of year where I give you all tantalizing hints of what’s in store for the upcoming year, and you all delight me by going insane trying to figure things out. Fa-la-la-la-la-bwah-ha-ha-HA!
!!! REMEMBER !!!
All of these plans are not set in stone. Nothing is for certain until it’s actually published. Things may change as of this post.
MEGA MAN
The new kid on the block! I still can’t say anything about the series, except to say it’s about Mega Man and Spaz is at least doing cover art. Maybe more.
SONIC UNIVERSE
We’ve got three arcs lined up for the year, as per usual. The first one, as you all know by now, will be starring Silver to coincide with the book’s silver anniversary. This arc was inspired by editor Paul Kaminski’s desire to see Silver fight one of the coolest villains of the series. I found a nice little patch of continuity to explore in the process. The results will be glorious.
After that, we’re going to do an arc focusing on a character we haven’t seen in a while. We’ll also be delving into the backstories of some supporting cast members I’ve wanted to get to for a long time.
And then, as revealed by the man himself, Tracy Yardley will be returning to writing duties! I don’t want to steal any of his thunder, so I’m staying mum on this. Suffice to say, he showed me the story outline and I giggled like a fan boy. You guys are in for a major treat.
GRAPHIC NOVELS
Sonic Select vol. 3 and Sonic Archives vol. 14 are on the way. Keep your eyes on the blogs for a special contest announcement about the latter.
You’ll also want to check out Sonic Archives for a tease about the upcoming new graphic novel series. And that’s plural.
SONIC THE HEDGEHOG
Oh man, where to begin….
Okay, so, obviously we’re coming up on the big #225 anniversary issue. Which happens about the same time as SU#25. Which also syncs up with the franchise’s 20th anniversary. An alignment of the Sonic stars cannot go by without something big happening. That will be “Genesis.”
And even that is going to be a drop in the bucket compared to what we’ve got planned.
When I first came to the book, my agenda was measured in issues and arcs. Trim the fat here, organize characters there, get everything in order. Then I upgraded to sagas – “Enerjak: Reborn,” “Eggman Empire,” “Iron Dominion.” What we’ve got coming up, started by STH#219, is bigger than that. What’s coming isn’t an “arc” or “saga” so much as it is an “epic.” Events set into motion now will literally be playing out for years to come.
I’m especially excited for what’s coming because, up to this point, it’s mostly been about building and organizing. There will still be some of that, but from here on out, nothing is sacred. It’s time to shake things up – hard. And it’s not going to tie itself up in a neat little bow any time soon. You guys are at the start of a far reaching adventure. I can’t wait for you all to see it!
Happy Holidays,
Ian
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This was a really fun issue, and a nice turn around in quality for this arc. Here we have obscure and not so obscure Sonic characters of all shapes and sizes, tripping over themselves to get Blaze’s coveted Sol emerald! As usual, the preview and solicit is posted below. The new Sonic Universe can be found in comic shops now, and can be found on newstands next week.
SONIC UNIVERSE #23
“Treasure Team Tango,” Part Three.
The race for the Sol Emerald continues, and things are getting heated! Can Team Rose and Team Dark settle down long enough to track down a thieving trio of hooligans? And when a surprise FOURTH team joins the fray, will it make things better– or worse?!
SCRIPT: Ian Flynn
ART: Tracy Yardley, Jim Amash, Phil Felix, and Jason Jensen
COVER: Tracy Yardley and Ben Hunzeker
Shipping Date: DEC 1, 2010
On Sale at Comic Shops: DEC 8, 2010
Newsstands: Week of DEC 21, 2010
Comic, 32 pgs, 40 lb glossy stock, Full-Color
$2.99 US
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SEGA has today re-released Sonic’s Mega Drive/Genesis pinball outing Sonic Spinball on the iTunes App Store for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. Sonic Spinball features four levels, three bonus stages and is played using touch screen button controls like all other classic Sonic games available for the devices. The game is priced at $2.99 in the U.S. and £1.79 here in the UK and weighs in at 4MB to download. One new feature in this release is the option to play both the U.S. version and the Japanese version, but the only notable difference is a couple of different music tracks.
Check out some screenshots of the game below:
Source: iTunes App Store
Thanks to SSR DJ JayZeach for the heads up!
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SEGA has today released a bunch of new items for Sonic fans to purchase and dress their Xbox 360 Avatar’s with on the Xbox Live Marketplace. The items range from clothing and props themed around Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1, which was released on Xbox Live Arcade in October.
The items and prices are as follows:
Chaos Emeralds: 240 MS Points
Sonic Plushie: 160 MS Points
Chopper Toy: 240 MS Points
Sonic 4 Ep. I Tee (Women): 80 MS Points
Sonic 4 Ep. I Tee (Men): 80 MS Points
Moto Bug Toy: 240 MS Points
Sonic 4 Cartridge: 160 MS Points
Will you be buying any of the items? Which one’s your favourite? Let us know in the comments.
Sources:
Xbox Live Marketplace
SEGA of America Blog
Thanks to Merry Swissmas at the SSMB for the heads up!
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The quote below is from SEGA’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Alan Pritchard…
“[Colours] is our pure Sonic gaming experience. That’s had some high scores. It’s also the highest pre-selling pure Sonic title we’ve had ever. That’s a good indication. With the quality of the game, we’re confident of that. That’s our pure platforming Sonic.”
“We have some announcements in the early part of next year that will further support and add to this strategy. There will be two of three big Sonic announcements in the early part of next calendar year.”
Needless to say, we all hope Colors did rather well for itself. Hopefully SEGA will release some hard numbers on it eventually. Here’s hoping that these future games continue what was started this year with the likes of Colors and All Stars Racing. Any guesses on what these three titles may be?
In the same interview, Pritchard also mentioned that there will be four to five 3DS titles based one existing franchises released in the coming calender and financial year.
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Many new pieces of Sonic merchandise are now available at retail, so if you have a friend or family member who is a big Sonic fan, you’ll find plenty of items to choose from to buy for them this Christmas, or to just plain treat yourself with. First up are Sonic the Hedgehog and Jet the Hawk figures based on SEGA’s first Kinect title Sonic Free Riders, which was released last month. Each figure comes with the respective character’s eye wear and their hoverboard Extreme Gear. Both figures are available in-store at Toys R Us.
Next up is another Jazwares Sonic the Hedgehog figure based off of another of his recent games Sonic Colours for Wii & DS. The figure is pretty much the same as previous Jazwares Sonic figures, except this one comes with a White Wisp and a Red Wisp. You can grab it now online and in-store at Toys R Us. It’s also available to order at ToyGlobe.com.
For Sonic fans who like something softer, there are two new plush toys available in the forms of Silver the Hedgehog and Miles “Tails” Prower. Both are made by Jazwares and are available exclusively in-store and online at Toys R Us.
Silver the Hedgehog
Miles “Tails” Prower
Finally, two new Sonic themed accessory gift sets have been released by Bioworld Merchandising. One set contains a belt buckle and wrist band, while the other contains a wallet with a different wrist band. Both are available in-store and online at Toys R Us.
Belt buckle and wrist band
Wallet and wrist band
Thanks to Woun, chaoscontrol14, Barry the Nomad and Jix Hedgehog at the SSMB for the heads-up!
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SEGA has announced permanent price drops on most of their iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad games, including Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1. All three games have been jumping up and down in price in recent months, but now you can grab them pretty cheap without worrying about special sale time limits (and just in time for Christmas, too). The two classic Mega Drive/Genesis titles Sonic the Hedgehog & Sonic the Hedgehog 2 have been reduced to £2.99/$4.99 each and Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1, which is barely 2 months old, has been dropped to just £3.99/$6.99.
Check out the full list of games and prices at the SEGA of America Blog (via SEGA Bits)
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UPDATE: It appears AtGames is a company that develops Plug & Play consoles with built-in games. The company has released a Mega Drive/Genesis system before and a portable Master System with 20 games in other countries, so this new listing is likely a new portable Master System for Australia. /UPDATE END
Original article below:
A new listing has appeared at the Australian OFLC website that indicates SEGA are planning to re-release many of their Master System and Game Gear games. A variety of titles were all rated together in the listing with a PG rating, but no details beyond that such as platform and developer are given. Among the games listed are four Sonic titles including Sonic Chaos, Sonic Drift 2, Sonic Spinball and an unnamed 4th game simply labelled “Sonic“.
The full list of games includes:
Alex Kidd in High Tech World
Alex Kidd in Miracle World
Alex Kidd: The Lost Stars
Assault City
Astro Warrior
Aztec Adventure
Baku Baku Animal
Bomber Raid
Columns
Dr Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine
Dragon Crystal
Ecco: The Tides of Time
Fantasy Zone
Fantasy Zone II
Gain Ground
Global Defense
Golden Axe
Kung Fu Kid
Penguin Land
Putt and Putter
Quartet
Ristar
Snail Maze
Sonic Drift 2
Sonic Chaos
Sonic Spinball
Sonic
Some of the Master System titles have already been released on the Wii Virtual Console, so if they’re coming to a downloadable platform it’s more possible that these games could either be coming to PC Download, the App Store, Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network or even SEGA’s online Play SEGA service. On the other hand, since the titles have all been rated together, then they’re very likely to be released on a disc collection, much like SEGA’s various Mega Drive/Genesis collections on PS2, PSP, Xbox 360, PS3 and recently on PC.
We’ll keep an eye out for any further info/media that may come to light and pass it on. Meanwhile, share your thoughts in the comments.
Source: Australia OFLC
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JunSenoue.com, for a limited time will be taking pre-orders for copies of the Sonic Free Riders Original Soundtrack “-Break Free-“, containing twelve tracks including the Crush 40 version of “Free”. Similarly to the offers last year, you can have your copy of the CD signed by Jun Senoue himself, by pre-ordering through the official shop for the bargain price of $23 plus shipping.
If you’ve already spent your money on Christmas this year…then don’t worry! Tune in to Project 24 on SEGASonic:Radio this Sunday (5th of December 2010) for an opportunity to win a copy for yourself!
Link to JunSenoue.com Official Shop
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I’m sure you all remember Ken Penders’ attempt to copyright everything he did while working for Archie’s Sonic the Hedgehog comic this summer. Since his initial announcement, there has been very little visible legal movement between Penders and Archie, aside from Archie’s claims Penders’ suit didn’t make it past the first phone call from Archie’s lawyers, and Penders’ claims to the contrary.
Now, for the first time in a while, we have some genuine legal activity between the two parties: Archie is now taking Penders to court. Filed on November 23rd, the case is challenging the constitutionality of state statutes. That means this case will be challenging the laws that allowed Penders to file his copyrights. This case will be done in Federal Court and can, conceivably, go all the way up to the Supreme Court should either party want to take it that far.
We’ve contacted Archie for comment on this law suit, and we’ll let you know if Penders comments on this via his forums. Until then, you can see the case details of Archie Comic Publications, Inc v Penders.
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Sonic Team bossman Takashi Iizuka is a lovable chap in person, but gosh does he say the darndest things. He’s like an adorable grandpa that sometimes spouts politically incorrect slurs that would only be acceptable in the 1970s.
Recently, he demonstrated this again in an interview with Nintendo Power, where he was asked to elaborate on the rather wonky physics of Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1. Take it away, Papa Iizuka:
NP: We enjoyed [Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1], but the physics felt a bit off compared to the Genesis games. Is that something you’ll look to tweak in future episodes?
TI: In this title, we have not done a straight port of the gameplay [from the Genesis games], but rather updated it with actions which could not be done in the previous titles, like ceiling-running. These changes probably made for a different feel to the longtime Sonic fans. We’re happy for feedback like this, and we’ll make sure we can improve the quality even further in upcoming titles.
Make of that what you will – all I’ll say is “Keep on shinin’, Iizuka. Keep on shinin’.”
Source: Nintendo Power (via Aeropause) / Image Credit
Discuss on the SSMB Forums
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