Sonic Frontiers represents the biggest shake-up of the Sonic the Hedgehog game franchise for over twenty years. So naturally, there has been a lot of apprehension from fans about the project since its announcement – especially as Sonic Team has built up a reputation of switching focus with each of its mainline titles since 2001.
Everybody is desperate to finally get a series of Sonic titles that establish (and maintain) a consistent visual, gameplay and narrative design. Will Sonic Frontiers be the start of a brand new branch/generation of Sonic games? Sonic Team has gone on record to say that is their intention. After playing a brief demo of the game at Gamescom last month, I’m cautiously optimistic enough to agree. With some reservations.
Continue reading TSS PREVIEW: Sonic Frontiers Impressions – Cautiously One Ok Rock-timistic
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Ah, Sonic Colours. How we’ve missed you. When it arrived on Nintendo Wii in 2010, it offered a real breath of fresh air for the Sonic franchise; we were turning a corner from all the doom and gloom of previous games and were heading straight for a vibrant, punchy new platformer with environments, enemies, music and gimmicks that felt much closer to the spirit of the original Mega Drive titles than any 3D Sonic game that came before it.
Continue reading TSS Previews: Sonic Colours Ultimate Feels More Right Than Ever Before
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At the front of Sega’s booth at E3, there were two different lines; one queue was for Sonic Mania, while the other, about half the length, was Sonic Forces. The crowds definitely seemed more excited for one over the other. Have Sonic’s recent flops affected fan’s love for modern Sonic titles, or is there enough love for both the modern era and a fun romp through the golden age? More importantly, has Sonic Team learned from the mistakes of it’s past?
First off, it should be noted that this game doesn’t try to experiment with new game types – it’s a back-to-basics formula of what worked in Sonic Generations and Sonic Colors (the better received 3-D Sonic games since SA2) and building on that. For the first time in a long time, Sega is playing it safe. Do you want me to tell you how modern Sonic plays? He plays EXACTLY like modern Sonic. Do you want to hear how classic Sonic plays? He plays EXACTLY like classic Sonic. If there are any slight differences, I didn’t notice them myself.
The new game mode is played with the avatar, a character you create and referred to as “the rookie” throughout the game. You decide how the character looks and what species he/she is. I believe you buy extra gear for your character through both common gold and red star rings, thus giving a reason for you to replay levels and giving the game a whole “carrot on a stick” feel (although I’m guessing this seeing as how you can no longer regain any rings you lose). This makes some boss battles more challenging as me and Alex watched one poor soul who just couldn’t seem to beat Eggman during the classic Sonic boss fight.
During our play through of the demo, our avatar was generated completely at random; sometimes I’d get a purple cat, other times a black bunny, and there are videos on youtube of some playing as the red wolf from the trailer. Before you enter the level, you’re given the choice between two different “Wispons”, a wisp-powered weapon. A flamethrower Wispon allows you to use the burst wisps to project your character higher into the air, while the other weapon, a lightning whip, allows the player to execute the light speed dash and quickly follow a trail of rings. There were two different stages in the demo depending on the system: the Nintendo Switch got a level very similar to modern Sonic’s stage, in which you eventually travel a slightly different path, and I found this level to be the most fun level in the demo. He/she can use their grappling hook to swing up to higher paths or attack robots via a homing attack. Alternatively, you can also use your Wispon to bring down a whole group of robots all at once. The Switch level was fast, visceral and overall, fun. This was mainly due to going through the levels a breakneck speeds only stopping to attack your enemies, with no real emphasis on platforming.
…And that’s where the PS4 level comes in to play. Oh boy.
The level sees the player racing down the Green Hill zone as it appears to be undergoing industrialization, while being chased down by a giant robot crab while smaller robot crabs try to squash you along the way. This level is entire 2-D and requires precise platforming to get through – if you read Alex’s take on the avatar character, you’ll have some appreciation for why this is a bad thing. The physics while jumping with the avatar doesn’t feel right, and it is almost impossible to turn in mid air; small platforms throughout the stage make playing the level a bit of a chore rather than fun. However if this issue can be remedied for release, then the Avatar mode could be the best new gimmick yet avatar controls much like Sonic. Personally, I don’t want to fish, I don’t want to brawl, I don’t want to pilot a mech. I want my extra character to control like Sonic as I think that is what works best in a Sonic title! It seems that Sonic Team are really investing in the avatar stages, embellished with vocal songs that are only present in their stages. These stages have the potential to be the best stages on the Switch version of the game, and if they can nail the physics, this is looking like it could be a top-tier 3-D Sonic game.
I managed to play the demo on all 3 systems, and one thing I noticed was that PS4 version of the demon was playing on the PS4 Pro…and it showed. The 1080P graphics looked incredible, and were of similar caliber to Sonic Generations on the PC with ultra-high settings. The XBox One version looked to have been running at 720P as it seemed lower resolution; this might be due to anti-aliasing and as Alex mentioned in his article. The Switch version, while still very detailed, appeared to suffer the most graphically and seemed to be at 720 or sub-720P with jagged edges due to no anti-aliasing.
Physics aside, Sonic Forces is looking to be a solid, above average Sonic title. I think Sonic Team have made the right choice to stick to proven game styles, with the new gimmick being pretty much “Sonic with weapons”. I doubt it will beat Sonic Mania in reviews or sales, but still, it appears we are getting two great Sonic games in one year.
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I still can’t quite believe Sonic Mania is real. It’s certainly the kind of project many Sonic fans have dreamed of: a game by the fans, for the fans, that somehow manages to capture the nostalgia of yesteryear while simultaneously adding new fresh ideas to make it an all-together new experience. This is the video game equivalent of patting one’s head and rubbing one’s stomach at the same time: possible, but difficult to pull off. And yet somehow, Sonic Mania is doing just that, and appears to be doing it flawlessly if the E3 demo is any indication. Continue reading Sonic Mania E3 Impressions: Alex’s Take
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I’ve had one question in the back of my mind ever since the Nintendo Switch was unveiled: how the heck was Sonic Project 2017, which was going to be a full-on next generation Sonic title, going to run on this thing? Fairly well, as it turns out, albeit with some very noticeable compromises.
The most notable difference is that the game runs at 30 frames per second – half the rate of the competing systems. Texture and models are of lower quality, with certain effects either trimmed down or removed entirely. The lush, wavy grass from the PS4 version of Green Hill is less lush and wavy on the Switch, and far more jagged, with even shadows being effected. The shadows cast by Eggman’s Eggmobile were distinctly lower resolution, appearing jagged with inconsistent levels of darkness.
Most of these issues, outside of the frame rate, are borderline unnoticeable in portable mode. But in console mode, the flaws are very apparent.
My fellow Sonic Stadium staffer, Jason, also got to see the demo in action, and he had this to say:
Jason’s Take:
A few months back when the Switch version was announced, I’d guessed that the game would be at about half the frame rate of the HD versions and would probably suffer a little in the visual department as well – and I see this is the case.
That said, it’s not as bad as it sounds. There are still some nice effects in here that give it a next gen feel. The puddles of water are still reflective. There’s no real pop-in and you can see far out in the distance. The grass still waves around. The main difference is the lack of detail in some of the textures and the jaggy, 720P or possibly sub 720P resolution which may be due to no anti-aliasing. At least, it appears that way.
All of this is almost invisible in portable mode outside of the locked 30 fps. I’m still considering this version and the PC version as the ports I have preference over, with the Switch offering portability and the PC for it’s eventual modding. If the Switch is your only option, it’s still a solid port – just think of it as a PC game in medium to low settings vs. ultra-high settings for the PS4 version.
E3 demos are of course usually technically inferior to the final product – something we have seen in previous years with Generations and Colors, which both contained performance issues rectified for the final game. The Switch version was never going to be the version of choice for the graphically obsessed. But for those of you who’ve always wanted to take a 3D Sonic game on the go, this looks like it’ll be a great option when it launches alongside the console and PC versions later this year.
We took a bunch of off-screen images with an actual, high quality digital camera for this article. We’re including the ones that best captured the game, with minimal motion blur, in a gallery below. While off-screen still-images are never as accurate at representing a game’s visuals as direct capture footage, these should at least give you a firm idea of the level of graphical quality in this version of the game.
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Sonic Force’s decision to include a custom character with a very different game play style has been a decision that has polarised the fan base. It continues Sonic Team’s history to add new dimensions to bolster the established 2D and 3D platforming in order to produce a more broad appeal. Continue reading Sonic Forces: Custom Hero E3 Impressions
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I have a confession to make. I was never a huge fan of Sonic Retro. I’d lurk on their forums from time to time and I thought they tended to act a bit arrogant and cocky at times. They’d say that they could make a much better Sonic game than Sega. “Right!” I thought to myself. “A bunch of amateurs make a better game than veteran programmers? Bah!” However, Sonic Mania, lead by Christian “Taxman” Whitehead, is proof that it wasn’t arrogance, but the truth. Continue reading Sonic Mania E3 Impressions: Jason’s Take
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SEGA has been frustratingly quiet about Sonic Forces since they revealed it as Sonic Project 2017 last year. It’s only been in the lead up to E3 that the game’s identity has begun to take shape publicly. While the game features shades of Sonic Generations, to call it an outright sequel (or rehash) isn’t quite right. The Forces demo is both familiar and new, if not also a little awkward.
The modern Sonic game play is essentially just a polished form of what we’ve been getting since Sonic Unleashed. Visuals aside, this game would be right at home in Sonic Generations, and there is zero learning curve for anyone who’s already played that game. The same can also be said for classic Sonic’s boss battle, which starts out as a new (if not exactly inventive) take on Eggman’s swinging ball weapon, replacing the ball with a buzz saw that cuts through platforms.
After that (easy) fight, Eggman hops into his Egg Dragoon, which first appeared in Sonic Unleashed, and starts attacking from the background. He fires a giant chain gun and chucks rocks and metallic boulders, the latter of which can be hit back to damage him. This part takes longer and is more entertaining, though the boss fight on the whole is fairly easy. The first two parts of the demo are as fun and polished as Sonic has ever been, but they do nothing outstanding or new design-wise. If all you want is more Generations (like me) than you’ll be satisfied with what’s on display for these modes in the demo.
So that’s what’s familiar, but what about the new stuff? Well, the visuals of Forces are a nice upgrade from past Sonic games. While some have complained that the new Green Hill stage looks barren compared Generations, this game looks better than any past Sonic game at an objective, technical level. The demo runs at a near silky smooth 60 frames per second, the first non-PC Sonic game to do so (Dreamcast HD ports notwithstanding). Individual blades of grass in Green Hill now move back and forth individually. In terms of pure polygons, this game is clearly pushing way more than any past Sonic game. These are the highest fidelity Sonic models I’ve ever seen.
That said, as with any E3 demo, the visuals aren’t 100 percent polished. At the end of the avatar stage, during a chase scene, the frame rate does get a little janky. But given that E3 demos typically boast notable technical issues due to their incomplete state of development, what I saw in the demo bodes well for the visuals in the final product. And speaking of the avatar stage, this brings me to what will surely be the most controversial part of this game.
I have felt uneasy about the player-made hero character since it was unveiled. While my time with the character does allay those fears somewhat, I do still have some concerns.
First, the positives: the “wispons”, wisp fuelled weapons that can be used for both attacking and traversal, fit surprisingly well with the flow of game play. During my playthrough, I used what was effectively a lightning whip. It let my character lightspeed dash across trails of rings, reverse the direction of my jump in mid-air, briefly boost forward, and attack and destroy horizontal rows of enemies. Overall, the wispon actually positively benefited the flow of play, and didn’t feel nearly as awkward as it looked.
On the negative side, there’s a learning curve to controlling the character. The character cannot roll, jump dash, or perform any of Sonic’s other moves. The way the character jumps feels different, and potentially awkward. I was missing a lot of jumps in my initial play through as a result, but whether this was because I was used to Sonic’s jumping mechanics and need to simply get used to the custom-hero character, or if the character’s controls simply aren’t very good, I can’t say without spending more time with the game.
Sonic Forces doesn’t look like it’ll be a groundbreaking title, but it ought to be a very fun one. While the hero character is a potential chink in the armor, it doesn’t look like the disaster I thought it might be either.
There will be additional game play impressions later this week, as well as a more in-depth impression of how the hero character plays.
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March is looking to bring a whole plethora of new Sonic content!
The solicitations for March have been revealed, and there’s a slew of stuff to get through! First up, in Sonic the Hedgehog #293, Sonic is with Honey on the set of a strange parody of Sonic’s antics, ‘Sonic Man Heroes’.
Continue reading Comic Previews: Sonic the Hedgehog #293, Sonic Universe #96, Sonic Mega Drive: Overdrive #1 and More!
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“A delayed game is eventually good. A bad game is bad forever.” – Shigeru Miyamoto
While these words aren’t necessarily true (just look at Duke Nukem Forever), a delayed game with the purpose of fixing it’s issues can only make a better game. Such seems to be the case with Sonic Boom: Fire and Ice. A game originally scheduled for November 2015 that looked like it might be just a slight improvement over the original, but nothing major. Fast forward 8 months later and lo and behold, we seem to have a pretty good game on our hands. Continue reading E3 2016: Sonic Boom Fire & Ice Preview, Jason’s Take
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I didn’t care for Shattered Crystal back at E3 2014. Between the maze-like level design and clunky character switching, the game left me frustrated by the end of my 20+ minute play through of a single level of the game. My opinion of the game improved somewhat when it was finally released, but many of the issues I had with it remained. If Fire & Ice’s E3 demo is any indication, Sanzaru has learned a lot from their last game’s mistakes. Continue reading E3 2016: Sonic Boom Fire & Ice Preview, Alex’s Take
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As a veteran of six (as of this year) E3s, I have begun to enter the show with a certain amount of confidence. “I’ve done this all before” I tell myself, “I’ve got this.” Every single year, this show finds some way to prove my confidence premature. For the first time since I started going to this show back in 2010, I had a lot of genuine difficulty logging time on a Sonic game. Or really, any game SEGA or Atlus had on display. Continue reading E3 Day One Summary + Fire & Ice First Impressions
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E3 2014 has come to a close, and what a week it was for our blue hedgehog. In case you missed anything, Sum-Up Sunday is here to catch you up on all the big headlines that you might have missed. Tons of new footage from Sonic Boom, plenty of interviews, a trio of new trailers, and even a movie announcement. Check it all out below:
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
And that’s all for this week – so much stuff happened! Phew. Tell us what you thought was the most exciting development of the week in the comments, and what you’re looking forward to most now you’ve seen more from Sonic Boom – the Wii U version, the 3DS version, or the TV show. Until next year and a new Sonic title, E3!
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Some new previews and interviews have appeared online following SEGA’s Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed news updates the other day. According to EverybodyPlays, SEGA held a press event in the UK for Transformed earlier this week where attendees were treated to some boat riding on the Thames. In their preview, EverybodyPlays reveals that the flying sections will have a ‘Flight Assist’ option that guides players with a line and helps them get to grips with the controls. The game will also include 132 mods, over 100 stickers, and will be fully playable in co-op in the Grand Prix and World Tour modes.
Hit the jump for more new details.
Continue reading S&ASRT Previews Reveal New Details, Roulette Road Returns, Billy Hatcher Track Confirmed
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[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjDJd6Ay5jw&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
It appears SEGA’s embargo that IGN mentioned before has now lifted, as gaming websites SPOnG, CVG, Videogamer.com and GamesRadar have all just unleashed new previews of a near-final build of Sonic Generations, which give us some new nuggets of information. CVG has also provided new gameplay footage of Classic Sonic’s Sky Sanctuary Zone stage.
SPOnG’s preview is written by this website’s very own Svend Joscelyne/Dreadknux and tells us more about the game’s missions. Two new Speed Highway screenshots are also included.
Inbetween these stages, you’ll get the opportunity to play optional missions. There are five missions for both Classic and Modern Sonic in each zone, and will mix up the core stage in some form. Other characters will take an active role in helping you out, but for now we only know of Tails’ involvement in these levels. A mission called ‘Way Past Fast’ sees you race against the Tornado plane, piloted by the two-tailed fox
Other missions include Doppelganger races, against another Sonic, and a mission called ‘Look Out Below’ which challenges you to complete a remixed Green Hill Zone stage with breakable platforms. In each of these, the main elements of the core stage remains the same, but enemy placements will change and you may even explore completely different looking areas than you would in the main level
In Videogamer.com’s preview, there is an example of what part Sonic’s friends play in gameplay:
You don’t actually play as, say, Knuckles, but in one mission you can take advantage of the red echidna’s fists, where a tap of the button sends him burrowing into the ground for rings. As well as this there are time attacks, high speed challenges and doppelgänger races, which has you racing against the ‘other’ Sonic. Considering modern Sonic has homing attacks and the such, the odds are always stacked against his older, squatter counterpart – which is half the fun.
GamesRadar gives a bit more information about the opening of the game’s story:
The game’s plot is told through deliciously self-referential cut-scenes. Sonic eats chilli dogs while holding Amy at arms length literally with his whole hand over her face as she runs on the spot trying to get to him. But just as it’s getting all cosy, a vortex opens up in the space/time continuum and all of Sonic’s buddies (which include some Chaotix members) get sucked into it. Some cynics would likely be happy to leave the game there, having solved the most irksome problem of the past 19 years, but they’d be missing out on some gorgeous gameplay, so let’s carry on.
GamesRadar also previews the 3DS version and praises the 3D effect:
The 3DS version of Sonic Generations is very different compared to the ‘big’ game, but at the same time very similar in that the more platform-centric Classic Sonic levels are countered by faster, more dazzling Modern Sonic levels. But they all look great in 3D. I played for a long while with the 3D slider up full and it didn’t feel strained on my eyes, which was good. It can look a little simplistic in the over-the-shoulder Modern sections, but that’s to keep the speed and fluidity up, which is obviously vitally important.
All four previews are extremely positive, which is very good to see this close to release when reviews will soon be due. Will Sonic Generations be critically acclaimed? We’ll have to wait and see…
To read the full previews, head over to the links below.
Sources: SPOnG, CVG, Videogamer.com and GamesRadar [PS3/Xbox 360 & 3DS]
Thanks to SSMB member ForgeCircuit for the heads up!
Got a news tip? Send it in to thesonicstadium@googlemail.com, shadzter@sonicstadium.org or via Twitter at @Shadzter and we’ll credit you for the find.
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Some new previews of Sonic Colours on Wii have hit the net and they’re all very positive, making a change to the usual reception 3D Sonic titles receive from critics.
Spanish gaming website Meristation believes that SEGA has listened to the fans requests and taken on board past mistakes:
An interesting proposal
Though still several weeks for the release of Sonic Colours in our country (not arrive until Nov. 19), and although it has largely remained quite hidden from your ad on arrival to the store just half a year passes , the truth is that things are looking very well. Sega’s blue hedgehog is showing signs of taking good note of all that its supporters claim on his adventures, and this new release is getting to attract more attention than Sonic 4, becoming the focus of all international fairs in the past months.
The very attractive story mode, which offers similar gameplay to the stage of Sonic Unleashed day but with the addition of the powers of the Wisp, there is also an interesting cooperative multiplayer that not only lengthens the life of the title but challenges and complexity also promises enough to have users who enjoy the challenges demanding. All with what promises to be a very worthy technical finish, both Wii and DS, and in the case of the first without having much to envy of its own productions in high definition consoles. Sonic and Sega are willing to redeem the mistakes of the past, and if things go wrong at the last minute, it seems that going in the right way to do this.
Full 2 page preview in Google Translator
In their preview, Dealspwn saw a clear emphasis on speed as well as platforming and thinks Sonic Team are truly trying to bring Sonic back to gaming fame once again and are “going the right way about it”, they add.
It’s telling that when pressed on what his favourite title of the series, Iisuka leans towards Sonic Adventure, and equally important when he notes that the great desire for Colours is to ‘introduce Sonic to a whole new audience, building on the success and publicity garnered by the Mario and Sonic titles. Hopefully, with the emphasis set on speed and core platforming, along with the new Wisp elements, it will be a game for old fans and newcomers alike.’ Colours is absolutely a statement of intent, to propel Sonic back into the big leagues and, on this evidence, he’s going the right way about it.
Full preview
NowGamer notes that the game has been given a lot of love to it’s production and is a very enjoyable experience, but they remain cautious in case any Werehog type gimmicks are added before release.
That Sega is releasing Sonic Colours solely on the Wii and DS, without making any promises about quality or appeal, is admirable but perhaps slightly misjudged. Although the build we played featured three of the available planets, we felt content that Sonic Colours is a solid, enjoyable experience with strong production values and a refreshing lack of fluff. Then again, we haven’t seen the whole game yet, and much like Sonic Unleashed’s Werehog debacle, there’s still time for Sega to spring some unexpected gimmick on us. We remain cautiously content for now.
Final Summary
We’re surprised Sega isn’t making a bigger song and dance about this surprisingly polished, charming Sonic title.
Full preview
The Sonic Stadium founder Svend “Dreadknux” Joscelyne has put out a new preview over at SPOnG, a gaming website where he works. It’s a good read and very in-depth, since Svend clocked-in 25 hours of play before writing it out. We won’t spoil it here for you, so head over to SPOnG to check it out.
Svend also responded to questions about the game at the SSMB today, with the below list of information:
* You can HA some badniks, note I said ‘you can’t HA most badniks’ in the preview Buzzbombers in Sweet Mountain and Crabmeats in Aquatic Park are two examples of classic badniks that can be HA’d.
* Spiny’s and Motobugs can’t be HA’d. Neither can underwater badniks. You only encounter Burrobots while drilling, so you obviously can’t HA those either.
* 3D underwater areas don’t equal ‘sudden death,’ mostly because there are no real 3D underwater areas to speak of. All underwater activity is done in 2D.
* [In response to a question about instant water deaths in 3D Sonic games] To the above point, if you mean like in Unleashed where Sonic will instantly die if he touches a foot of water during the 3D segments, you don’t need to worry. Bottomless hazards are always identified as bottomless pits, there are no watery quagmires that will suck you in. In Aquatic Park, when you come up to an area of water in 3D, the camera automatically pans back round to 2D view. You can boost along like Jesus, or fall and plunge into the water.
* There are ways of getting around the uncurling – the easiest (and probably most fun) is to stomp. But it can be a pain in the arse when underwater and you want to bop a Chopper, and you uncurl just before you land on it.
* No side-missions, no mini-games. The only thing you’ll be playing are Acts within worlds, or the Game Land/Sonic Simulator (which is essentially the same as the 1-player Story levels anyway). There are no other gameplay mechanics besides bosses.
* You can play Sonic Simulator on your own. Pressing the 1 or 2 button (in the Wii Remote + Nunchuk configuration) will allow you to switch between ‘RoboSonic Player 1’ and ‘RoboSonic Player 2’ (not official names). That’s what the red ball is, following you around – it’s the other ‘RoboSonic’.
* Although you can get pushed off the screen in multiplayer mode, you can escape death and the loss of a life by pressing the 1 or 2 button (Wiimote+Nunchuk config) – you’ll turn back into a spinning ball and follow the remaining player around the level, until you press something and jump back into the action.
Two more quotes from the game have also been revealed today at Sonic Wrecks and the official SonicGames Twitter:
“Ouch! I think I gloated so hard I pulled a muscle!” – Dr. Eggman, Sonic Colours
“Hasta la bye-bye, suckers!” – Dr. Eggman, Sonic Colours
What do you think of such positivity for the game from the critics? Let us know in the comments.
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We were kinda hoping that nothing big would go down while TSS was under, but a whole heap of new screens have been revealed over the past months, a release date has been set, and several new features have been added to what was Sonic’s biggest and best groundbreaking 3D game ever!
Continue reading Sonic Adventure DX Preview: Director’s eXtras
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There usually comes a problem within the video game industry. Those little things called ‘ports’ that the Nintendo Gamecube seems to have too many of these days. It wouldn’t be half as bad if the developers actually made any decent overhauls – take an example like 007 NightFire. Now, the Gamecube version seemed to have the same graphics as the PS2 version, when in reality the GC could have easily had the same performance as Xbox. A shame, that.
Continue reading Sonic Adventure DX Preview: The Problem With Ports
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Pinball. Ah, that craze during 1980s/1990s. How fun it was slotting in some coins (oi, easy!), shooting that last ball into the table and frantically trying to flip that bastard up to get that high score. Of course, when video game developers caught onto the coolness of this, they decided the inevitable. And hence, pinball video games were never really… well, any good really.
Continue reading Sonic Pinball Party Preview: Mind My Balls
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It’s almost here! Sonic Advance 2 is just about a week away in Japan, and The Sonic Stadium is here to let you in on yet MORE exclusive information on the game. After we stumbled across a video promoting the game for this year’s TGS a month or so ago, you’d wonder why we never covered it beforehand. Well, we could say that we were waiting for the right moment… erm? Either way, we’re the first to tell you about it! Watch the trailer in full after the jump!
Continue reading Sonic Advance 2: We’ve Seen It In Action!
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Mj2 has revealed exclusively to us new details about his latest Fan Game, titled ‘Chaos Control’. The project’s director sent us some juicy information and awesome-looking screenshots earlier today, revealing all about this interesting Sonic-commando action adventure. Read on for more details!
Continue reading Chaos Control: A Fan Game That Promises High-Speed Tactical Military Action
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Sonic Team finally reveals to the world the Official Sonic Advance 2 Website. Packed with new information on the game, The Sonic Stadium’s Dreadknux set eyes on it the very moment it was released. We loosely translated the information on the website to give you a rough idea of what to expect in new sections of the game.
Continue reading Sonic Advance 2 Preview: Cream the Rabbit’s Moveset, Trick Actions, Special Stages and More!
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No sooner had Dimps accomplished the very nice Sonic Advance for the GBA, that Sonic Team announce that a sequel was in the works, and is nearly ready for release. This must have meant that Sonic Team has been working on this game for some considerable time if this’ll be released by Christmas, which is what the development company are indeed promising.
Continue reading Sonic Advance 2 Preview: What We Know So Far
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One of the most ambitious titles on show at SAGE, this. Promising a 2D version world of Shenmue, but with Sonic at the forefront rather than Ryo Hazuki. It’s certainly an interesting project, and the Sonic Fan Club checks on its progress… Continue reading SAGE 2002 Preview: ShenSonic
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SAGE 2002 saw the debut of a triple threat from Gameplay Studio – a development outfit formed by Matt the Yak. The first of the bunch, called Beyond Sonic, naturally does not include Sonic as a playable character in the demo. Makes total sense. Yep. Continue reading SAGE 2002 Preview: Beyond Sonic
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The latest in the line of Chao Breeding come from the depths of the beautiful Sonic Advance. It comes in the form of ‘Tiny Chao Garden’, and is a much more sophisticated version of the Chao Adventure game found on the VMUs we all knew and loved (but wasn’t very good). Along with Sonic Adventure 2 Battle on the GameCube, Sonic Advance will take the place of the VMU, and rightly so. Prepare for the greatest Chao breeding in the palm of your hand… Continue reading A Guide to Sonic Advance’s Tiny Chao Garden
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The demo for Diablo’s upcoming fan game is now out in the wild, and I must say, it plays very well. Only Sonic is playable right now, but in the finished game you’ll be able to play as one of three other heroes too – Diablo, Blaze and Hez Hedgehog (with a secret fifth character hinted at by Diablo). All four characters have different jump and speed attributes, meaning that completing some levels may prove more difficult for some characters. Continue reading Fan Game Preview: Sonic S-V2
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Sonic Robo Blast 2 is by far the most ambitious, graphically impressive Sonic the Hedgehog fan game to date, and shows a massive step up from Sonic Team Junior’s last title, Sonic Robo Blast. The story here centres on a ‘Black Rock’ floating through space, which Eggman decides to use as the perfect base with which to refocus his efforts to attack the planet. Continue reading Fan Game Preview: Sonic Robo Blast 2
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Oh my God! Just when you think Sonic Team can’t do any better, they spill more details on the biggest game of the year – Sonic Adventure 2! Get ready to wipe your chins, people, ‘cos you’re gonna be drooling for a long time! Continue reading SA2 PREVIEW: Meet the Characters!
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Mwahahahahahaaaaaa!!! All you Sonic fanatics prepare yourselves, because Dreadknux has played the SA2 DEMO! Right when Phantasy Star Online was released a week before official release (19th February instead of the 27th or something…) your favourite echidna has found the holy disc at the back of the box. This is the FIRST OFFICIAL UK Review (not including in the magazines, they got theirs early) of the sacred demo, and guess what? You’re all invited to see how it truly plays like! Continue reading TSS Preview: Sonic Adventure 2 (Demo Version)
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Sonic Adventure 2, eh? Probably the most anticipated Sonic game to date. And you know why? If you don’t, you’ll find out right about now! Details on the story and the plot itself are rather scarce, but what we do know at the moment is exciting everyone, especially the old ‘Dreadknuxster’ here! Least of all because Sonic’s 10th Anniversary is drawing nigh, and Sonic Team are beavering away to ensure a worldwide release date and to make this the BEST Sonic game to date!!! Continue reading The Road to Sonic Adventure 2: What We Know So Far
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