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Every year SEGA usually has some Sonic promotional material inside the E3 building. Usually it’s in the form of large decals along the escalators, but this year it’s something different. Sonic Boom’s got a banner at the LA Convention Center entrance. Take a look!
Though we’re at the show, we haven’t gotten our own photos of the banner yet. We’ll be sure to bring you some of our own photos of Sonic stuff at E3 over the coming days! This photo was posted on Twitter by NintenDaan!
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdaGYQIh0DE[/youtube]
That glorious sound! The gameplay footage recently released by SEGA of Sonic Boom for E3 has finally been released in its full glory. No voice overs or previews, just clean cut in-game audio in high definition. You can hear a little of the music available, and more importantly some of the quirky comments exchanged between our heroes whilst adventuring, some which genuinely gave me a little giggle. These also help to point out points of interest in the adventure field or how to progress. It’s a pretty effective (and entertaining) alternative to helping the player.
Be sure to check it out above and leave a comment below telling us what you think, and keep your eyes glued to TSS during E3 where we’ll have our own impressions to share with you regarding Sonic Boom, and who knows what else.
We get a lot of requests here at TSS for reviews and news on various different items. Today we finally review something that fans have requested for a long time… This LA Convention Centre Escalator.
The escalator makes travelling different floors a breeze, one just has to stand on the pannels and hold onto the handrail. The escalator will take you under it’s own power to the desired floor destination. Travel both up and down, no online pass required, multiplayer mode is supported with aproximately 20-30 people able to use the esculator at a time with a co-op mode for parents with small children.
The escalator has a built in safety cut off switch and emergency power off button. This is designed to prevent injury in case of emergency, such as a badnik attack. The views from the escalator are catered to the videogaming individual, with directions to various exhibits and demonstration booths, as well as merchandise and refreshments stalls.
Transportation takes under 30 seconds. This is recommended escalator for those attending E3.
And it looks awesome.
You’ll Love
You’ll Hate
Source: Gamekyo
Stick to TSS for more E3 news this week.
TouchGameplay recently uploaded a 13-minute long gameplay trailer for SEGA and Hardlight’s upcoming mobile game, Sonic Dash. So why am I telling you this again? Well, what’s interesting is the above comment made on the video by TouchGameplay. They claim to know that SEGA are currently working on a ‘new 2.5D Sonic game’ due to be released this year, which would fit nicely into the category of Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 3. Of course, it could be a completely different main-series game or it could be pure speculation. Who knows?
Excited? I’m sure you are! As always, we’ll keep you updated with all the latest as soon as we hear it!
Thanks to SweeCrue over at the SSMB for the heads-up!
SEGA has revealed their list of games they will be showcasing at E3 this year (not including any possible surprises). Among them is Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, so expect to see more media and information revealed when the show opens on Tuesday.
* Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed
* Aliens: Colonial Marines
* Super Monkey Ball Banana Splitz
* The Cave
* Hell Yeah! Wrath of the Dead Rabbit
* Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown
* Jet Set Radio
A currently unannounced digital download port of Sonic Adventure 2 is also expected to make an appearance.
Hey, you! Are you going to be in Los Angeles next week? Video Games Live, the awesome orchestral extravaganza dedicated to video game music, is going to be playing at the Nokia Theatre on June 6th – and thanks to our friends Tommy Tallarico and SEGA of America, The Sonic Stadium has five pairs of tickets to give away!
These tickets are extra-special, though. Not only do you get to see the show with a friend or loved one, but you get VIP backstage party passes which will also give you instant front-of-the-line access to the post-show meet and greet! Which will involve Sonic Team leader Takashi Iizuka among other “special guests” from SEGA. Continue reading WIN Tickets to Video Games Live in Los Angeles!
One of the most frequent questions we get asked every year is whether or not Summer of Sonic would ever be held in the United States, but due to many reasons “SoSUS” never come to fruition. Unsurprisingly though there has been a huge demand for a Sonic convention state-side, and it was really only a matter of time before one materialised.
With the Sonic’s 20th anniversary around the corner, SEGA of America spearheaded plans to create their own official convention, the appropriately named Sonic Boom. Aaron Webber, the newly appointed Sonic Brand Manager took on the role of chief coordinator for Sonic Boom and got in touch with Dreadknux and myself a few weeks back, and cordially invited us both to the event.
We didn’t need to be asked twice!
The convention had been carefully timed to coincide with the E3 Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles’ downtown convention centre venue. Sonic Boom was scheduled to take place in the moody and ambient environment of Club Nokia, a versatile bar come night club within walking distance of E3; a perfect site to celebrate twenty years of Sonic the Hedgehog.
I arrived at the venue early in the afternoon with Aaron, and before we’d even made our way upstairs we were greeted by fans queuing outside Club Nokia; some of them had been camped out since 6am that morning in order to score a place inside the venue as they had not been able to acquire a ticket. If that’s not dedication, I really don’t know what is! Kellie and Julian from the American community team (who you will know from the Free Stuff Friday videos!) were running around upstairs in the venue coordinating the setup of stands, pods and making sure everything was in place – a familiar scene to anyone who has been involved in the organisation of Summer of Sonic!
Even more familiar faces were up on stage as Jun Senoue, Johnny Gioeli and Alex Makhlouf (from Cash Cash, the band involved with the Sonic Colors soundtrack) were performing a dry run of the tracks they were going to be playing later on that evening. After a warm reunion with the guys I sat back to take some snaps and enjoy the privileged position of being an invited guest backstage at an event. I must have looked pretty dumb, but nevertheless I could not get rid of the huge grin on my face as the guys blistered through their fresh new set list, which included a brand new version of Sonic CD’s “Sonic Boom” and Sonic R’s “Super Sonic Racing”. What’s more, Alex’s accompaniment on synthesiser added another layer of ecstasy to the already monstrous set, and took the lead on the funky fresh new version of “Escape from the City” which will be gracing the in-game soundtrack for Sonic Generations!
I got an opportunity to briefly catch up with Johnny after rehearsals, and as always was up for a bit of laugh, as you can see from the picture (although I don’t think SEGA will be taking him on as their new mascot – stick to your day job, Johnny!). Another act rehearsing on stage before the doors opened was the cast of Needlemouse the musical. American fans will remember this bunch as the winners of the 19th anniversary competition last year, and were the lucky recipients of a trip to Japan to play Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode One. These guys were fantastic and incredibly animated on stage, so much so most of us assisting set up had to pause to watch and laugh at the jokes they were cracking. AJ and the bunch came to talk to me after their run-through, and were even kind enough to let me have my picture taken with them – an absolutely great bunch of guys and gals and well-deserving of the incredible ovation they received later in the evening (watch their performance here!).
By 5 o’clock the venue was taking shape, with the merchandise stands set up (each entrant received a Sonic hat, a special edition Sonic Generations T-Shirt and badge set) and nearly twenty gaming stations were primed and ready to give the throng of rabid Sonic fans outside a chance to play the demo of Sonic Generations. A number of photo booths had also been established to allow fans to record photographic postcards and video messages for Sonic’s birthday (you can check out Aaron and my postcard here, Dread’s postcard here and Yuji Naka’s here). Outside a huge queue of fans had formed, eagerly awaiting entry into the venue. Aaron and I went outside to rattle the crowd up a bit, and got to shake the hands of a few fans that had recognised Aaron and me.
At 6 o’clock sharp the doors opened and the mass of fans piled in. I took a brief trip upstairs to the VIP lounge, where the likes of Iizuka-san, Oshima-san and Naka-san were meeting other industry members at an exclusive VIP event. Unfortunately I was not introduced to Naka-san, but I was reintroduced to Iizuka-san, who smiled courteously as we had already met that week! Dreadknux appeared at the venue after his busy day at E3 (and was fashionably late as always!) and we proceeded downstairs to the main event floor.
A heap of guys came to greet Dread and I (there are far too many of you to mention!) and it really made our day – so if you came up and said hi, thanks loads; it really a pleasure to meet you all! TSS staffer, Sonic Retro writer and Sonic Show star Brad Flick was down on the time trial competition station hastily jotting down top scores on Green Hill Zone – you will have to keep an eye out for some hilarious pictures of Brad and Dreadknux in their bronik poses! Similarly to Summer of Sonic, there were a massive variety of cosplayers at the event too, including SSMB’s own mikeblastdude who came in an awesome Metal Sonic getup, and an excellent Charmy the Bee cosplayer. We also caught up with Scarred Sun from Retro and Shayne representing TSSZ news. I’ve never met either in reality before so we got to have a good chinwag and posed for a few photos for posterity – both are fantastic people and I certainly hope we get to all meet again in the near future.
Aaron appeared on stage to welcome all of the guests to Sonic Boom, and it wasn’t long before Jun, Johnny and Alex were on stage blowing the socks off all those in attendance. A lucky few spotted Naka-san on the event floor and managed to grab his autograph and a photo before he disappeared backstage once more. Jun, not one for passing up the opportunity to meet fans, came down off stage with the legendary Sonic guitar to sign autos and pose for pictures with a handful of fortunate fans.
Following Needlemouse: the Musical, the best of the cosplayers were invited on stage to participate in the cosplay contest, and Iizuka-san, Miyamoto-san and Senoue-san were all invited up to wish Sonic a happy birthday and to sing him a happy birthday song…and of course, Sonic was present too, along with his birthday cake! It wasn’t long before Dread and I found ourselves up on stage, telling the Los Angeles crowd all about Summer of Sonic. I had been really nervous beforehand about how the crowd would receive us on stage (especially considering the acts we were following!) but the audience were really receptive, and cheered us on – thank you all for letting us talk to you briefly, and hopefully we’ve enticed some of you to come to Summer of Sonic!
Naka-san and Miyamoto-san, along with Oshima-san joined the cast on stage at the end of the show once again and were presented with the graffiti artist’s drawing of classic and modern Sonic which had been created over the course of the evening. I’m sure most will agree the evening past all too quickly, and before long it was time to close up the evenings proceedings.
Dread and I pitched in to assist with the clean up, and ended up collapsing in the dressing room to have a chin-wag with Alex (who is also a massive Sonic nerd by the way!) After moving a precious cargo of guitars, we emerged on the street next to the Nokia theatre and ran into our good friend Richard Jacques, who was just as surprised to see us as we were to see him! Exhausted, we crashed for a few drinks at a local bar as well as a few last photographs of the day, and toasted the success of Sonic Boom.
I’d like to end by applauding the fantastic job Aaron and the team at SoA did putting together an event of this magnitude in such a short period of time, and all those involved in the stage entertainment over the course of the evening. America has now had a taste of a Sonic convention, and I’m sure this won’t be the last we hear of Sonic Boom. I’d also like to thank Aaron on behalf of Dread and myself for sponsoring our trip to Sonic Boom; I’m sure I also speak for both of us by saying we are both honoured and flattered to have been considered during the creation of this event to represent Summer of Sonic; we’ve had the time of our lives, and I’m sure I speak for hundreds of other fans when I say…
SONIC BOOM ROCKS!!!
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQuphp-hQGA[/youtube]
Nuckles87, the cooler than cool T-Bird and I have just finished a behind closed doors look at the City Escape level from Sonic Generations. Playing the game for everyone was producer Takashi Iizuka. There were a few surprises in store.
He first played through as classic Sonic who avoids the street almost entirely. Running and jumping around constructions areas and over rooftops. There’s a more classic version of “Escape from the City” playing with lyrics. (NOTE: Both versions have a brand new remix. Modern version has extra new lyrics.) Throughout the classic level, the GUN truck was chasing little classic Sonic both in and around backgrounds, giving the 2-D levels more of a 3-D look. This truck has a vendetta. He hates Sonic with a passion and want to run him down no matter what. Classic Sonic did ride on a board similar to the ice level from Sonic 3. Unfortunately, he quit the level before getting to the end.
The truck was very persistent, as he then was following Modern Sonic. His level plays very similar to the Dreamcast version as he rides the blade and follows a similar but different path than the original. Much like classic does in Green Hill Zone. The big difference is Unleashed-style gameplay coming into effect. Guess who makes a return to tell you what to do? That’s right. Just like in the original version, Omachao is back. The badniks in both levels are the same mechs from the original SA2 and you homing attack though them in the same way. Along the way, you can see missing posters. I noticed one had a picture of Ray and Mighty, while the other had Bean and Bark. At the end, the GUN truck is chasing you down, similarly to SA2, only this bad boy has friggin’ sawblades sticking out all over! Iizuka died when he ran too slow on the side of a wall and the truck hit him. A good producer, just not so good a player.
Sonic Generations is looking better and better. I don’t think there can be a better 20th anniversary homage to this little blue blur. Now I wonder when we are getting video of Spagonia?
Last year, Takashi Iizuka separated the Sonic fandom into classic fans and modern fans, claiming you couldn’t please both. A year later, one of Iizuka’s own creations looks like it will prove this statement false.
This is it. If Sonic Colors could qualify as a dessert, Sonic Generations is definitely looking to be the main course. The HD graphics are beautiful, better then Unleashed. The physics in the classic game play are nearly dead-on, with all the momentum of the classics intact. Modern Sonic’s levels are as fast as they were in Unleashed, without any pesky QTE sequences getting in the way. As awesome as Sonic Colors was, I can’t help but believe that any disillusioned Sonic fan who still believes Sonic is still down in the trash of the gaming industry will finally see this game as his redemption.
Graphically, Generations is a veritable tour de force of color and style. The art style of Green Hill shines through vividly here. The flowers and rocks and green checkerboard grass are all how you remember them, except this time rendered in stunning fully 3D HD polygons. It’s great to see the classic style of the old games rendered so well here. On top of these beautiful graphics, Sonic Generations is also the first game to be rendered in eye popping 3D across all platforms! That’s right, the 3DS version isn’t the only one getting the 3D treatment. Both the PS3 and the Xbox versions will be capable of displaying in 3D. The 3D effects aren’t terribly noticeable during classic Sonic’s game play, but during the speedy sections of modern Sonic’s level the 3D really pops. Things aren’t all rosey with the visuals though. Much like the Sonic Colors E3 demo last year, this demo does have a rocky frame rate. The game can become really choppy at times. Hopefully this issue will be resolved by the time the game arrives in stores this holiday.
Despite the funky frame rate, the game is still incredibly fun to play. Classic Sonic’s game play is likely to be the biggest crowd pleaser. I’m happy to say I tried all the tricks Brad told me about for Sonic 4 last year, and the results were good. Unlike Sonic 4, Sonic Generations’ Sonic does not stop dead in his tracks or in mid air when the player stops pushing forward on the controller. Sonic cannot stroll up inclines, nor can he stand on walls or in loops. Gravity will push you down hard if you don’t gather enough momentum.
That being said, classic Sonic still moves way faster than he did in the Genesis games, and the level design itself is a bit different. There are still a lot of bumpers that bounce you around in some places, but there is not one booster pad in site. There were many diverse paths to try as well. It’s not an exact replica of the classic Genesis games, but it still acts as a nice, effective homage.
Modern Sonic game play is as you’d expect: really fast, very boost centric, and incredibly hectic. Modern Sonic’s version of Green Hill is a fun level, and it’s certainly well designed. Those disappointed with Sonic Colors being a mostly 2D game will be happy to know that at the very least the Green Hill stage is more 3D then it is 2D.
All in all, Sonic Generations is shaping up to be even better then Colors, and something that should finally please retro fans and modern fans alike. This game does indeed outdo Sonic 4, Sonic Unleashed, and Sonic Colors in on fell swoop, if this stage is any indication. Hopefully, this game won’t hit any pot holes along the way, such as the sudden revelation that classic Sonic is murdered and replaced by a jealous Bubsy the Bobcat half way through. Fingers crossed, people!
SEGA has just revealed their lineup of software they will be showcasing at E3 2011, which includes Sonic Generations and Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games among their various other franchises. Along with this news, SEGA’s also set rough release dates for both versions of Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games. The Nintendo Wii version will launch in November this year and the Nintendo 3DS version will be released in February 2012.
Check out SEGA’s press release with their full E3 2011 lineup below:
SAN FRANCISCO & LONDON (June 2, 2011) – SEGA® of America, Inc. and SEGA® Europe Ltd. today announced its roster of titles to be presented at the 2011 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3 2011). The company will present more than 13 new games across all major platforms, including several games in stunning stereoscopic 3D, support for PlayStation®Move for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, Kinect™ for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and Nintendo 3DS™. The lineup spans multiple genres and includes adaptations of blockbuster film franchises, an original squad-based shooter from the creative mind of some of SEGA’s most popular franchises, the first “M-rated” game on Kinect™ for Xbox360®, AAA digital titles, an all-new title from critically acclaimed developer PlatinumGames and many more!
To celebrate this year’s 20th birthday of Sonic the Hedgehog, one of gaming’s most iconic characters, SEGA will be hosting a celebratory community event featuring Sonic Generations™ on Wednesday, June 8th, 6PM PST at the Club NOKIA in Downtown Los Angeles.
The list of titles in display at SEGA’s E3 booth (South Exhibit Hall, Booth 2023) includes among others:
Aliens: Colonial Marines™ (Xbox 360®, PlayStation®3 system, PC) – Launch Date: Spring 2012
From the award-winning first-person shooter powerhouse Gearbox Software comes Aliens: Colonial Marines, the highly anticipated horror-based action FPS set in the Aliens™ universe with cooperative multiplayer at its core. Bringing new levels of bone-chilling suspense and adrenaline-filled action to the renowned franchise, the game pits players against the universe’s ultimate alien killing machines, the Xenomorphs, in claustrophobic environments guaranteed to produce horrifying shocks and surprises.ANARCHY REIGNS™ (Xbox 360®, PlayStation®3 system) – Launch Date: January 2012
ANARCHY REIGNS is the much anticipated next title from critically acclaimed developer PlatinumGames. With ANARCHY REIGNS, PlatinumGames will be using their hallmark creativity and technical excellence to challenge the boundaries of the conventional brawler genre by allowing multiple players to get involved in heavy-hitting action simultaneously. ANARCHY REIGNS incorporates a diverse range of multiplayer modes to provide players with different challenges, including a co-op survival mode and an all-out Battle Royal mode, where players can challenge others in a full-on fight for victory. Additionally, all modes will be available as offline single-player experiences as well. In the single player campaign mode, players can choose between Jack and Leo for different story experiences.Binary Domain™ (Xbox 360®, PlayStation®3 system) – Launch Date: Early 2012
Binary Domain is an original IP by Toshihiro Nagoshi, the creator behind some of SEGA’s most well-known video game franchises, including the critically acclaimed Yakuza series. The atmospheric squad-based shooter puts players in the middle of a fast-paced and intense battle against hordes of deadly robots, and a secret that could threaten all mankind. Fighting upward through the derelict lower levels of 2080 Tokyo into the beautiful upper city, players control an international Special Forces squad, specializing in covert ops, which sets out to battle to the heart of the crisis.Captain America™: Super Soldier (Xbox 360®, PlayStation®3 system, Wii™, Nintendo DS™, Nintendo 3DS™) – Launch Date: (US) July 19; (EU) July, 15, 2011; 3DS in Fall 2011
Become Captain America™, the ultimate Super-Soldier, in the darkest days of World War II as you face the Red Skull and his army in this epic third-person action adventure. Wield Captain America’s legendary shield to take out multiple enemies at once, deflect incoming fire back at your enemies, solve puzzles, and scale walls. Above all, hurl yourself shield-first into the fray, with the superior force of the world’s first Super-Soldier at your fingertips. Engage in devastating open combat and acrobatic platforming to infiltrate Hydra’s massive and mysterious castle complex and battle the infamous Iron Cross, the forces of Hydra, and a host of nefarious enemies serving the Red Skull in an all-new Captain America story and adventure.CRUSH3D™ (Nintendo 3DS™) – Launch Date: (US) September 6, (EU) September 9, 2011
Redesigned for Nintendo 3DS, CRUSH3D is the unique platform game that gives you the ability to change perspective from 2D to 3D as you try to solve brain-teasing puzzles. Built on the foundation of the award winning CRUSH™, CRUSH3D features a host of exciting new features specifically designed for the Nintendo 3DS system, including new locations, characters and an intuitive hint system. Navigate across the surreal platforms of Danny’s mind by ‘crushing’ your way from a 2-dimensional to a 3-dimensional world and back again whenever you need to.Guardian Heroes™ (Xbox LIVE® Arcade, PlayStation®Network & Steam) – Launch Date: Late Summer 2011
Coming exclusively to Xbox LIVE® Arcade, get ready for more swords and sorcery than you can shake your magical staff at. An ancient evil threatens the world after years of peace. Step into the shoes of one of five mighty heroes; each with their own unique attacks and customizable stats. As you fight through forests, graveyards, castles and volcanoes, your every decision will decide the ultimate fate of the world. Do you have what it takes to be a Guardian Hero? Due out this summer, Guardian Heroes features Co-Op and Online play for you and your friends, multiple game modes, optimized graphics, and brand new achievements for Xbox LIVE®.House of the Dead: OVERKILL™ Extended Cut (PlayStation® Move for PlayStation®3 system) – Launch Date: (US) October 25, (EU) October 28, 2011
The pulp-style reinvention of the classic light-gun shooter comes to the PlayStation®3 in this exclusive Extended Cut with an avalanche of new content including brand new levels, weapons, mutants and more. Experience the over-the-top, mutant blasting madness with your PlayStation®Move motion controller for PS3 all in stunning 3D and re-mastered HD graphics.Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games™ (Wii™, Nintendo 3DS™) – Launch Date: November 2011 (Wii™), February 2012 (Nintendo 3DS™)
Mario™ and Sonic™ will once again join forces on the Wii™ home video game system and, for the first time ever, on Nintendo 3DS™ as the much loved duo head to London to participate in the officially licensed Olympic-themed video game, Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games™. A host of exciting new headline events, including Football and Equestrian will debut on the Wii version appearing alongside classic Olympic disciplines, such as Athletics, Aquatics and Table Tennis. The new handheld system from Nintendo will bring a whole new dimension to the Mario & Sonic universe with glasses-free 3D visuals and around 50 original Olympic themed events playable using the unique control systems of the Nintendo 3DS.Renegade Ops™ (Xbox LIVE® Arcade, PlayStation®Network, PC digital download) – Launch Date: 2011
Created by Swedish developer Avalanche Studios, Renegade Ops will unleash unprecedented mayhem and exhilarating destruction. Players are sent behind enemy lines in a mobile commando unit to defeat Inferno, a madman intent on global domination. Defeat enemies across a range of stunning environments using a wide variety of vehicles and weapons, from dispersing electromagnetic shock waves to the deployment of a huge Gatling gun armed to the teeth. Players have the choice to fight alone in single-player mode, team up offline with two-player split screen or join the dynamic 4-player online co-op experience.Rise of Nightmares™ (Kinect™ for Xbox 360®) – Launch Date: TBA
Rise of Nightmares offers a spine-tingling horror experience unique to the massively successful Kinect. Using their whole body the player will experience fear and tension as never before in this first-person horror adventure. Fight off hordes of undead creatures and mad scientists in this uniquely horror themed adventure that sees players desperately searching for their kidnapped wife.SEGA Rally Online Arcade™ (Xbox 360®, PlayStation®3 system) – Launch Date: Out Now on Xbox LIVE® Arcade, Coming Soon on PlayStation®Network)
When was the last time you enjoyed getting dragged through the mud? Race through five different types of terrain in more rally-bred vehicles than a baker can shake his dozen at – including the Ford Focus RS, the classic Lancia Delta Integrale and the ferocious Bowler Nemesis. Play through a slew of modes including Time Trials, Single Races, and Championship Events. Cut to the chase and face off online in a variety of 6 Player multiplayer racing events – isn’t it about time you showed your friends who’s numero uno?Shinobi™ (Nintendo 3DS™) – Launch Date: September 2011
Shinobi for the Nintendo 3DS sees the eagerly anticipated return of the legendary Shinobi. We follow our hero, Jiro Musashi, through a wide variety of exotic locations as he battles his way past hordes of enemies using magical Ninja powers in this intense action-filled title. Shinobi will include some classic gameplay elements found in previous Shinobi titles, while introducing several exciting new features and experiences specifically designed to take advantage of the technology offered by the Nintendo 3DS system.Sonic Generations™ (Xbox 360®, PlayStation®3 system, Nintendo 3DS™) – Launch Date: Holiday 2011
Delivering the definitive gaming experience for Sonic fans old and new and part of the celebrations for Sonic the Hedgehog’s 20th Anniversary, Sonic Generations sees 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.SEGA will be located at BOOTH 2023 in the South Exhibit Hall of the Los Angeles Convention Center. To schedule an appointment with SEGA at E3 2011, please contact media@sega.com.
Source: SEGA Europe Blog
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIb7FVNKrCE&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
Courtesy of Game Plus Network we have the above new footage of Sonic Colours Wii from E3. The video is of Tropical Resort Zone which we’ve seen before but if you scroll to the 1:57 mark you’ll see the boss fight in action, which until now we’ve only really seen screenshots of. The boss fight is very short at just 3 hits but we’re told by Dusk the Alan Wake Keeper at the SSMB who attended E3 that a SEGA representative informed him that the hit total was kept short just for the E3 demo as a taster and associated cut scenes were also removed from the demo.
Since this is the first boss video it’s as good as time to say this, I was concerned about the boss only being 3 hits too, but a rep at E3 who I asked said the demo stage was edited for E3 to keep it a taste, including lowering the boss hit count (and the seen cut stages). So the final first boss likely won’t be just 3 hits, just they lowered it for the demo.
Thanks to Woun at the SSMB for the find!
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3A6a5EK5J0[/youtube]
NintendoDifference have posted up a new gameplay video of Sonic Colours on the Nintendo DS in which we get a look at the whole of Tropical Resort Zone Act 1 in it’s handheld form. Before the Act we also get a look a the DS version’s title screen, menu’s and stage select screens too. The act runs smoothly with plenty of speed and fun little gimmicks mixed into the stage to keep players on their toes. You’ll also notice the red Wisp’s fire and boost powers we’ve seen before are briefly used in this video to help get about in high places. A new sequence we’ve not seen yet in the form of a glider is shown in the video too where Sonic needs to move around the screen to avoid bombs while collecting rings much like the very similar sequence in the first Sonic Rush game.
One odd thing of note is at 1:57, Sonic gets a speed boost downhill coming on to level ground but falls straight into the water rather than running on it like he would in the two Sonic Rush games. Could Sonic not have the ability to run on water in this game?
Thanks to TheNintendoWiiPlayer at the SSMB for the find!
Since it was taking me so long to get around to this, Jason offered to do the Sonic 4 preview first. Of course, then he ended up REDOING it, so be sure to check it out. But now, on the last day of the show, I think I’ve finally logged enough game play time on all versions of the game to tell you guys exactly what kind of game this is.
Sonic 4 is an evolution of the classics. For all the screaming of how this game was “Sonic Rush 3”, it really doesn’t feel like it. For one, this game is based around physics and momentum. There is no “press this button to go fast” mechanic here. If you don’t have enough speed to conquer a hill, you have to step back and try again. If you lose your momentum in the middle of a loop, you’ll find yourself rolling back the other way, if not coming to a complete halt. The spin dash will give you a lot of momentum, but will eventually peter out unless the level gives you additional momentum. There are booster pads in this game, but they are used sparingly, and don’t fill the levels like they do in the 3D games, kind of like they did in Sonic 2’s Chemical Plant Zone.
In short, Sonic 4 does a lot of what made the classics so great. But what about the new mechanics? Well, this is where the whole “evolution” aspect of the game comes in. This game isn’t like Megaman 9, which basically emulated the early NES titles in graphics, game play, and mechanics. Rather, this is a true sequel, with different mechanics that make for a different kind of game. The most pronounced and controversial additions in this game is the homing attack. How does that figure in?
I would like to get something out of the way right now: the homing attack, in and of itself, does not give Sonic any additional momentum. It doesn’t make him go “insta fast”. Rather, doing an un-targeted homing attack gives you the same amount of momentum that a normal jump would give you. Hitting enemies with a homing attack, meanwhile will completely kill your momentum. The homing attack feels like a natural addition in this game; many of the things you can use the homing attack to reach, such as springs or pulleys, you can access just as effectively without it. What the homing attack gives the game is a certain tempo, allowing you to quickly move from one object to another in quick succession in a way that wouldn’t really be possible without it. It doesn’t make the game any easier, though. It could prove to be an interesting exploit for speed runners as well.
Perhaps the only problem with the homing attack is that some of the enemy placement requires its usage. When Sonic rolls off of a ramp, Sonic does not remain in his spinball form, meaning you then after to use the homing attack on enemies. There are also enemies you will need to homing attack attack when bouncing off of a spring, in order to access higher areas.It is, of course, fully possible to beat the levels on the showfloor without using the move, but I would love to see a mode that removed the homing attack, and change the placement of the enemies somewhat to allow for some good old fashioned bouncing. Of course, some sort of move that allows Sonic to turn into a ball in mid air would have to be added, which wouldn’t be unheard of since such of a move was used in Sonic Adventure 2 and Triple Trouble. But really, this “problem” is something I only present in the interest of informing the old school fans who say they refuse to use it.
All that said, the homing attack is actually a surprisingly fun addition to the game. It’s been fairly well implemented, and while classic fans may cry foul, it did nothing to detract from my enjoyment of the demo.
In addition to the physics, the old school level design is also back. The levels are multilayered, with several paths possible throughout all three acts. The upper path is the most difficult to get to, and not one I was really able to reach in my playthroughs, so I can’t tell you much about it. But all of you begging for branching paths in Sonic games, well…here it is.
Honestly, as I played through this demo, I had to keep asking myself…what where people complaining about? If this was basically the final product, Sonic 4 probably would have been the best 2D Sonic game since Sonic Pocket Adventure on the Neo Geo Pocket. The level design is superb, the physics, while not dead on exact to the original games, where pretty close, and homing attack is more like a fun addition to the formula rather than “spam to win”. My only real complaint with this game is that Sonic starts off a little too slow. No, this isn’t what Sonic 4 would have been like on the Genesis. No, this isn’t like Megaman 9. Rather than copying the old games beat to beat, it took what made the old games great and forged its own path with the formula. This game is exactly what Sonic fans have been asking for for years. It’s just not quite what was expected from a Sonic the Hedgehog 4.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tbOX-qnKpY[/youtube]
NintendoDifference have managed to get a recording of the Sonic Colours title screen and more importantly the World Map where we can see 9 areas and Eggman’s rocket ship of which 8 have locks on including Eggman’s Rocket suggesting that will be a final 10th level with the inevitable last battle with Eggman. The planet’s all look like they have quite a variety of things going on and the top right one even looks a little like Metal Sonic, speculate away as to what you think each planet might hold in the comments.
Thanks to Woun at the SSMB for sending me the find and upscaled title screen and World Map pics!
In other news Gametrailers have uploaded 4 videos of Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1, 2 each covering a full Act from Splash Hill Zone and the final one showcasing the boss battle with Eggman where we also see Sonic’s looking up screen scrolling animation. A tidbit yes but cool nonetheless. You can view them all at the links below –
We’ve also come across another Sonic 4 video interview from The Review Crew with SEGA of America’s Ken Balough where he reveals there won’t be big lengths of time between releasing episodes. Check it out below –
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yok32EoJ5Q&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZbCPzlfZIM[/youtube]
IGN got to actually get inside Sonic Free Riders E3 greenhouse glass sealed area and get an extensive look at the games’ menu’s and first level aswell as hear details about the game, it’s development and it’s music and sound effects. Menu wise we see some of the Extreme Gears(the hover boards) in the game aswell as the characters seen in previous videos, the menu is very interactive with Microsoft’s Kinect for Xbox 360 device like the whole dashboard seen at Microsoft’s press conference.
Though they could film the SEGA rep and his actions, filming of the game still required IGN’s camera to be outside of the glass box but they still managed to a good view of the screen. SEGA’s rep reveals that character type specific short cuts are back as standard such as Knuckles’ punching ability to get through walls, the level-up system is in the E3 demo but the developers are still discussing wether that will stay in the game or not. The rep makes a point that nothing in the game at this stage of development is set in stone so we could still see alot of things change as we build up to release which SEGA has set as Late 2010.
IGN eyes-on impressions link
IGN video demonstration direct link
Thanks to Yong at the SSMB for the find and thanks to Woun also at the SSMB for the YouTube video conversion!
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODE45Y3hpiM[/youtube]
We’ve also come aross another gameplay video of Wave the Swallow in action by SBARTSTV which you can view above.
Thanks to Sweet Mountain Zone at the SSMB for the heads up on the second video!
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiV3MRD9djA&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
GameStop (that’s not a typo, I do mean GameStop not GameSpot) are at E3 and have managed to grab the above interview with SEGA of America Community Manager Aaron Webber or RubyEclipse as alot of you will know him. Aaron is asked about Valkyria Chronicles 2 on PSP and Vanquish on Xbox 360/PS3 but if you skip to the 3:13 mark he speaks about Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1. Aaron reiterates the announcement a short while back regarding the games extra development time that’s been added to implement fan feedback to the game while also reaffirming the fact that the E3 demo contains just a few changes with more to come. As soon as we hear about the further edits we’ll let you know.
Well, like I promised you guys, I hunted down the person in charge of the Sonic Adventure booth, and asked him a few questions. Here are the details.
Sonic Adventure will not have widescreen OR the Game Gear games. He was not able to tell me what the DLC will be.
UPDATE:
Screwattack’s Ben has added a short video preview of the DS version revealing Sonic’s Slide technique seen in the Wii version is in the DS version which is activated by sliding your finger on the touch screen.
Check it out here.
Thanks to chaoscontrol14 at the SSMB for the heads up!
/UPDATE END
Screwattack’s resident Sonic fan Ben has posted up a video preview of the Wii version of Sonic Colours including his very positive impressions of the game, the only problem that he seemed to have was with drifting which is controlled with the Nunchuk. Another of Sonic’s techniques from Sonic Unleashed have been brought over to this game, the Quick Step which allows you to quickly move left or right to avoid obstacles.
Check it out here.
Thanks to Hedgehog Unleashed at the SSMB for the Screwattack find!
Gametrailers have posted up an HD quality on screen recording of the Wii version in play which gives us an extensive look at the alternate paths you can take in the Tropical Resort Zone aswell as some of the treasures you can find digging around with the Yellow Wisp’s drill powers. We also get a better look at how the Cyan Wisp’s powers at work which involve you charging up a spin dash, aiming and then blasting off temporarily in a flash, ricocheting off of walls and taking out any enemies in your path. You can also hear the music of the stage, sound effects, Eggman’s commentary and some announcer guys voice that pops up when Sonic does an action such as when activating the Yellow Drill Wisp it shouts “Spin it!”.
Check the footage out here.
Thanks to Woun at the SSMB for the Gametrailers find!
The game looks to be shaping up quite well, what do you guys think? Speak out in the comments.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEGpGDAwzK0&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-b0CJByiSLI&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
Courtesy of shigamodo and VGPTGS we have some new gameplay footage of both Wii and DS versions of Sonic Colours. The DS video gives us a much clearer look than previous videos since the gameplay is being fed through a specially designed monitor (or monitors should we say?) and in the footage we can exactly how the Red Wisp’s fire abilities benefit Sonic by giving an air dash type of attack similar to that of Sonic 3’s, only now he can boost in any direction.
The Wii footage shows more of Sweet Mountain Zone where we see there are some simple puzzles in place to open sections of the act before you can continue and we also see the double jump we saw in previous footage, but now it’s use is more clearly revealed. Double jump hasn’t been seen in a 3D Sonic game since Sonic R, are you glad to see it’s return? Let us know in the comments.
Thanks to Dabnikz at the SSMB for the heads up on both videos!
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9SCBDcDK74[/youtube]
Thanks to PunchJump we now have the above video of two player split-screen action in Sonic Free Riders. We see more of Jet the Hawk and get our first look at Tails being played in the game by the second player. Microsoft’s Kinect for Xbox 360 device doesn’t appear to have any problems detecting both players movement even with all of the waving going on so controls aren’t a big issue thus far and no doubt improvements will be made in the run up to release Late 2010.
Thanks to Woun at the SSMB for the heads up!
Really, what is there to say about Sonic Adventure? A lot of people love it. Some people hate it. A lot of people seem to forget just how good it was and call it crappy because a successor released in 2006 was utter tripe. This game will hopefully remind them of just how good the original was.
But, more than that, this game has actually made some technical improvements over the original as well. The game itself feels a bit tighter; it’s more difficult to get caught on environments, and I have yet to fall through the floor. The overall collision detection is noticeably better, and I was only able to push myself through one of the white picket fences once. That isn’t to say the game’s collision detection is completely FLAWLESS, of course, but the bugs remaining at this point don’t seem so consequential. I’m not even able to take my short cut near the end of the level, where I shoot myself up the white ramp, move over to the right, and fling myself over to the next island. The frame no longer misses a beat either. I threw myself at enemies a couple times when I was loaded with rings, and the frame rate remained smooth, unlike in past incarnations of the game, where it would often stutter.
The game’s visuals have also seen a noticeable HD upgrade. The colors are more vibrant then they were before, and the Sonic model definitely looks like it has more polys then it does in the Gamecube version.
Overall, SA plays like the original, with minor improvements. I (stupidly) forgot to ask about wide screen, but that’s something I’ll rectify tomorrow. I don’t really think this is worth the purchase for anyone who has already experienced, at least from what I’ve seen. The changes are there, but aside from the minor HD upgrades, they may be hard to notice. We’ll see if there is anything about this game that’ll make it worth a repurchase when it comes out later this year.
Let’s face It, Unleashed was not a perfect game, even in its daytime segments. It had annoying QTEs, which became huge, overbearing insta-death button mashing sessions in the later stages. It was easy to send yourself careening off an edge by doing a mid air boost by accident, because a homing attack was slightly out of reach. The game play was linear, with very little in the way of hidden secrets or multiple paths.
In Sonic Colors, Sonic’s latest outing, this has all changed. It takes the best of Unleashed, such as the fast paced game play, and huge, twisting levels, and adds layers to it. The QTEs are now gone, replaced with simple “press the A button to gain altitude”, and the mid air, target-less homing attack is gone, replaced with a simple double jump that you’ll need to get wisps that are slightly out of reach of the normal jump. The linear level design is gone, replaced with large, multilayered levels that, according Takashi Iizuka “doesn’t have one or two paths, but several”. During my hands on preview I saw people accessing areas of the level that I still have not seen, so there is most definitely some truth to that.
Control wise, the game controls much more closely to next gen version of unleashed, except you now have more control over Sonic while he was boosting. You drift with the nunchuck, which works surprisingly well.
The first level of Colors, the entrance to the Egg Park, is fairly barren, with a few enemies here and there. The main focus of the level is to ease you into the game. The first level is most definitely more easy then a lot of past “first levels” in Sonic games. There were lots of secrets to explore, the yellow wisp drill especially opens up a lot of alternate paths. The second level is where things get fun, though! The second level features a lot more platforming, and there are even more areas to explore. There are more enemies (my personal favorite being one with an Egg Beater…get it? XD).
The wisps, so far, are fun and unobtrusive. There are three available in the demo: one simply fills up your boost gauge, another, the laser, acts as both a super fast boost and a spin dash of sorts. The third one, the yellow drill, is by far my favorite. Yes, it lets you dig through levels. But it’s used far better then it was in Super Mario Galaxy 2. This level is your key to a lot of this game’s exploration. You can use it to not only find hidden items, but whole new LEVELS. I found several paths through this method alone, and it REALLY opens up the game’s levels.
I’ve often heard that “Sonic is back” or “this is the big return!”, but I will forgo these oft used phrases. Instead, all I’ve got to say is this: Sonic Colors is a genuinely FUN game. It’s got loads of high speed hijinks, and no excess gimmicks to slow it down. It’s like Unleashed in a lot of ways, but with more thoughtful design; the speed isn’t quite as fast, but it allows for better control. The homing attack is limited to targeted enemies and items, but this prevents you from throwing yourself off the edge. The wisps add an all new dimension to the game play, without slowing it down (unless, of course, the purple one turns you into Big). The levels are multilayered, offering more optional exploration than any other Sonic game I have ever played, 3D or 2D. Simply put, it’s the Sonic game I’ve wanted since Sonic Adventure 2. Whether it’s the Sonic game you want or not, that’s up for you to decide, but if you ever liked any of Sonic’s past 3D games, be excited; because this is one of the good ones.
This isn’t all of our Colors stuff. We also got to meet and briefly interview Takashi Iizuka after he demonstrated the game to us. You can expect a transcript and audio of the interview (which includes music from the Sweets level and menu music) which outlines some nice game play details I didn’t detail here, off screen movies, and a more in depth, analytic “second take” preview later in the week, after I’ve logged more time on it.
SEGA of America have posted up some photo’s on their blog of the innards of their E3 booth aswell as a few details about the games being showcased, the blog confirms Sonic Free Riders is at the booth but not in playable form so anyone interested in the game will have to watch a member of SEGA’s team play the game through a clear glass box.
The game is being demoed in a semi see-through room, so you can watch the player twist, jump, throw, and lean to interact with the game.
Looking at the screen in the photo you can see the player is controlling Storm and all of the usual Riders series HUD is back including a gauge but there is nothing to show if this will control air or a gravity mechanism yet. Sonic’s other upcoming 2010 titles Sonic Colours(both Wii and DS versions) and Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 are also present at the booth in playable form.
For pictures of SEGA’s booth outside of the Sonic departments visit SEGA of America’s blog.
Thanks to Stasis Colours at the SSMB for the heads-up!
Nintendo’s E3 press conference is over and among the 3rd party publishers confirmed to be creating titles for Nintendo’s new 3DS device SEGA’s name was shown. After the conference a document hit the net(displayed above) showing a list of titles confirmed to to be in the works by various publishers reveals both Sonic and the Super Monkey Ball franchises will be hitting 3DS. Nothing apart from the tentative titles is shown but we’ll keep an eye out for anything substantial.
Thanks to remy at the SSMB for the document and Gnasher for the heads up!
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oobVTAz_0U[/youtube]
E3 2010 is getting closer and some of the media are already kicking off their coverage including Gamespot who yesterday posted up the above Sonic 4 interview with Ken Balough who’s role is Associate Digital Brand Manager at SEGA. Ken reveals all 3 Act’s of Splash Hill Zone will be playable at E3 including the boss battle, he says they’ve taken the Special Stages(where motion control’s will now be optional) out of the demo to keep the queue moving so everyone can get to play the game.
Alot of the info gained from the interview we already know from past interviews but the footage shown is new in the sense that we can just barely see some of the changes already implemented such as a fix to Sonic’s speed momentum and accelleration meaning Spin Dash is more useful, tweaks to the jump appear to have also been made so it’s less floaty. Ken says you won’t see all of the changes made in the E3 demo so we’ll have to wait until a later date to see those. Judge for yourself from the footage and see if you notice any changes then let us know your thoughts in the comments.
Source: Gamespot
Thanks to Sykotech at the SSMB for the heads up and thanks to Phos there for the YouTube coversion of the video.
TSS Staffer nuckles87 and new member of the team Jason the Jackass will be attending E3 to bring readers of The Sonic Stadium exclusive coverage of all things Sonic aswell as bringing SEGA Bits exclusive coverage of SEGA’s other titles on the show floor so stick with us for all of your E3 Sonic needs.
Well, if the leaked Sony documents, various ratings from the different ratings boards, and leaked photos from Xbox Live’s BETA service weren’t proof enough, SEGA has finally announced that Sonic Adventure, along with Crazy Taxi, will be coming to Xbox Live and PSN. These games will be the first in a slew of Dreamcast games that will be hitting the service in the future. Continue reading Sonic Adventure Officially Announced for XBLA and PSN With Enhancements
Well, we’ve seen Sonic Adventure rated by South Korea, and Australia’s OFLC…but now we’ve finally got a confirmation from America’s ESRB.
Interesting thing to note here: both Sonic Adventure AND Sonic Adventure DX have been rated, individually. Perhaps both versions will be available in some way? Hopefully, we’ll find out at E3.
Source: SegaBITS
According to a report from Joystiq a new Project Natal compatible entry in the Sonic Riders series will be announced for Xbox 360’s Xbox Live Arcade at this years E3 giving you the ability to play as your Avatar on one of the games Extreme Gears using the Natal’s motion controls. Microsoft will be holding a seperate show to their Press Conference specifically for Project Natal and it’s software so we’ll keep an eye out there for this title(if it’s real). Would you like a new entry in the Sonic Riders series? Let us know in the comments.
Thanks to Tirann0 at the SSMB for the heads up!
The Official Japanese Sonic Channel Blog has today confirmed in a new entry Sonic Colours will be present and playable at this years E3, an earlier entry posted 21st May confirms Sonic 4 will also be present and playable too. No other info is given as to what builds to expect or any new trailers or other assets so we’ll have to just wait and see. Be sure to check back with us during the show as we’ll be relaying all info and media that hits the net back to you here.
Thanks to HunterTSF at the SSMB for the heads up!
According to a report from IGN an iPad version of Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 has been confirmed by SEGA and will be appearing in playable form at E3 alongside the other versions. With the iPhone and iPod Touch versions recently confirmed it would make sense to add support for Apple’s new device during the extra time acquired by the delay of the game to Late 2010, the more the merrier as they say. Since iPad can load iPod Touch and iPhone games could this be a specific version for iPad, perhaps in HD?
In other news SEGA of America Community staff member RubyEclipse has been doing a little Q&A at SEGA’s official forums with forum member Yeow95, here are quotes from the conversation –
3 Questions, Ruby….
1. We know that Sonic 4 will be available on the App Store, for the iPod Touch and iPhone….but does that include THE iPAD?!
I don’t even HAVE an iPad, but I know that Sonic 4 with it’s high-def, colorful graphics and gameplay would look GORGEOUS on that thing.
2. Will you guys start updating the website weekly again? We want to see new timers, and see them reveal new badniks, new concept art, new zones, and new sections of the website again! BTW the Splash Hill page still says new video coming soon, may want to fix that! And I know we DO NOT want to wait ALMOST 3 MONTHS for “big” info again!
3. So what have we covered here?
a. 4th platform revealed – App Store for iPod Touch and iPhone
b. Sonic 4 delayed for extra development time to “enchance” the game.
c. JUST ADDED: Project needlemouse T-Shirt.That’s not really big news. Is there anything else than that? I mean any footage of the other zones, announcements of DLC, playable characters, future episodes, a new Sonic game, etc.? Because I bet I can speak for the whole fanbase that at least some or one of these most of us were expecting.
I’m a bit late to the party here, sorry, but I’ll go ahead and answer the questions I can speak to.
2 – Yes, the website will be updated again soon, though it may not be weekly. Instead, since the wait will probably be just a little longer, the updates themselves may be slightly larger than before. We’ll be able to confirm the time between updates soon.
3 – I think point B is huge news, personally. Part of that might be because I’ve seen some of the specific things that are being changed, as opposed to the somewhat vague statements that have gone out, but regardless I really do think the action itself speaks volumes.
There won’t be any announcements of “new characters”, as we confirmed Sonic being the exclusive playable character there long ago. The other Zones, however – those we will be talking about more in the near future.
But what about the iPad thing? I don’t get Clumsyorhard’s “iPad nano” joke.
Sorry about putting the new characters, my mistake, but this:
We confirmed Sonic being the exclusive playable character there long ago.So does that mean Tails and Knuckles WON’T BE IN SONIC 4?!
I can’t speak in detail on your iPad question, so I’ll have to wait on that one until I have a definitive answer for you.
No worries on the new characters part! You’re partly correct though, Sonic will be the only playable character in Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I.
Note how RubyEclipse bolds the title, perhaps a hint at playable characters in future episodes?
Sometimes, even the smallest of changes can make really big (and positive) impacts.
I’m not able to tell you guys specifically what is being changed just yet, but from the small stuff to the fairly big stuff, I think it will all play a part in making the final experience for the fans worthwhile.
So we could possibly be seeing playable characters in future episodes and Sonic 4’s official website could be seeing more larger updates but in smaller doses than the weekly entries we were once used to. RubyEclipse also gives the impression that changes to the game during the extra development time will be quite significant and a vast improvement on what the leaks have shown us. Hopefully we’ll see some of these changes at E3, we’ll keep an eye out for new info and media during the show then keep you posted on everything that surfaces.
YouTube user ojdon has come across 2 clips from an unknown French source of some of SEGA’s booths at E3 1996 including the Sonic Xtreme booth, the NiGHTS into Dreams booth(with some nice rings from the game around it) and the Bug Too! booth. Correct me if I’m wrong but as far as I’m aware footage of these booths has never been seen until now so it’s pretty cool to get a look at them at long last.
Check them out!
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZzUGZ9l0Fw[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ga0zttflicI[/youtube]
SEGA have unveiled some new screenshots via GameWatch for upcoming Wii and DS title Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games. Included are some skiing and hockey screens for Wii, some bobsledding, skiing and snowboarding screens for DS together with a couple of screens of the DS’s exclusive Adventure Mode. One of the Adventure Mode screenshots displays the new character interaction with Toad talking to Sonic while the other shows some top down style gameplay with a typical RPG type HUD. It looks like you can switch between playing as Mario and Sonic by tapping the X button.
We’ll keep an eye out for any future media and info released for the game, in the meantime check out Mario & Sonic showing off at this years E3
Those crazy guys
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhIAJmwuPXQ[/youtube]
Things to note:
Enjoy this video of Sonic and Sega All-SonicStars Sonic Racing featuring Sonic.
… EPIC WIN ETC, E3 trailer ahoy!
SEGA have confirmed via their Twitter feed that Mario & Sonic At The Olympic Winter Games will be appearing at E3, no version(s) was mentioned but I think we can assume that both versions will be present.
SEGA will also be showcasing these upcoming games –
* Alpha Protocol
* Bayonetta
* Planet 51
* The Conduit
* Vancouver 2010
E3 is also a place to announce the unnanounced so no doubt SEGA will have some more great titles appear at the event, maybe the next Sonic? Here’s hoping!
Sonic the Hedgehog related merchandise seems to permeate everything these days; it wasn’t too long ago that you couldn’t get moved for the overwhelming amount of very mediocre Sonic X gear that was lying around to pick up for next to nothing. There are however some absolute gems out there – the joy of collecting Sonic stuff is that you also collect a little piece of Hedgehog history along with them. I think a lot of the collectors amongst the Sonic community would be agreed that some pieces are truly works of art.
Over the next few weeks I’d like to focus on some of the best bits of nearly 18 years of collecting, from generally going about finding yourself a nice addition to your Sonic the Hedgehog merchandise collection, to some of the more elusive and exclusive things that have been produced in the past.
This first article takes a look at some of the most desirable items that there are going; the 10th and 15th Anniversary Merchandise. A lot of the community will remember the 10th birthday of Sonic, as it was the launch date of Sonic Adventure 2, which is still held in high regards amongst the 3D Sonic titles. If you were a resident in Europe Japan or the US, and fast enough off the mark, you had a chance to grab yourself a box set with the pre-order of the game, which contained a rather nifty CD of some of the best Sonic tunes, along with a Gold coin and a booklet full of interesting Sonic facts, pictures, and a rather odd little story. These were however produced in rather large numbers, so aren’t as collectible as initially intended; on the plus side, you can easily pick one up on ebay for £25 ($35USD)! Those lucky enough to attend E3 that year would have also had a chance to scoop up a 10th anniversary badge, which do occasionally appear for purchase.
The main contenders for collector’s money thesedays are the trio of anniversary gifts produced by the Sonic Factory (Which closed soon after), being the 10th Anniversary statue, the Crystal Cube, and the Sterling silver ring. Each object was made to extremely high standards; the statue (on an engraved marble base!) was hand-painted, and the crystal cubes were carefully laser-etched to create a wire frame Sonic inside the glass. Each item was limited to 500 units worldwide; some where given away as prizes at a SEGA sports event in Japan, with the remainder being quickly snapped up from the Sonic Factory. In the highly unlikely case you see one on sale online, you’d better get your cheque book ready and phone your bank manager – you are most likely going to be in a bidding war that will go into hundreds of dollars!
Fast forwarding 5 years, the 15th anniversary churned out a number of nice little items. We were treated to two different statues, one was again on sale through SEGA Direct, but was later released as a freebie in the US with the pre-order of Sonic the Hedgehog on the Xbox and PS3. The other statue was produced in a limited run of 2,500 pieces – each was stamped on the base and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. A number of T-Shirts were also produced to commemorate the occasion, two of which depicted a running sonic in his pixelated form á la Sonic 1, with the 15th birthday logo on the back. Again, E3 goers in 2006 were treated to a nice distressed shirt, the number ‘91 (the year of Sonic’s launch) emblazoned on the back. The keen-eyed ebayer can still pick the odd one of these items up on ebay, albeit at a slightly higher price.
So, did you manage to get any of these items? Which are your favourite? Are there any items you managed to pick up that we’ve missed off our list? Let us know, and keep an eye out for the next feature!
