Is This a Reference? Sonic 2 Trailer Edition

Did we notice something in here, or are we just trying too hard?

Continue reading Is This a Reference? Sonic 2 Trailer Edition
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Sonic Sounds: The Best of 30 Years of Sonic the Hedgehog Music

A defining element of the Sonic the Hedgehog series is the superb soundtrack that has accompanied our favourite characters across 30 year’s worth of adventures. Here’s the top 10 of what our resident music maniac T-Bird considers the best of three decades of music featured in the Sonic Universe!

10. Sonic R

Often dismissed as cheesy (but come on folks, Sonic is often super cheesy), the Sonic R soundtrack is the first entry on my list. While not everyone’s cup of tea, very few Sonic series soundtracks come close to being anywhere near as upbeat at this first foray by Sonic into a more contemporary sound, drawing from late 90s dance and Eurobeat. Authored by the one-and-only veteran composer Richard Jacques and embellished with vocals provided by TJ Davis (previously of D:Ream and Gary Numan) Sonic R is packed with plenty of guilty pleasures – not that there should be any guilt of course! We think Sonic R has a solid-gold track listing, and we will always sing Can You Feel The Sunshine at Karaoke, given the chance!

Highlights: Can You Feel the Sunshine?, Living In The City, Number One.

9. Sonic Heroes

Follow in on the coat tails of the Sonic Adventure series, the Sonic Heroes soundtrack continued the tradition of maintaining a thematic landscape, heavily drawing on the rock sound that worked so well for the last two titles. Sonic Sound Director Jun Senoue once again utilises his links to the world of melodic rock to recruit the vocal talents of Ted Poley (Danger Danger) and Tony Harnell (TNT) for We Can, in addition to two belting themes from Crush 40. Employing industrial electronic act Julien-K to provide an angsty theme to Shadow the Hedgehog’s team in the form of This Machine is perfect. There are far too many great stage themes to list in this game, but the fact that Wave Ocean and Bingo Highway have seen so many reworks and remixes since 2003 is testament to the enduring nature of this soundtrack!

Highlights: What I’m Made Of, This Machine, Wave Ocean

8. Sonic Rush

A unique entry to this list are the funky tones of the Sonic Rush soundtrack. Lead by the rather eccentric Hideki Naganuma (if you don’t believe me check out his Twitter), the genius behind the unforgettable Jet Set Radio soundtracks, provides an infusion of funk, soul, drum and bass, and a mountain of samples from every corner of the music industry. Naganuma’s approach delivers something that is seldom replicated anywhere else, and will leave anyone earworms for days to come. From the happy-go-lucky Back 2 Back to the darker tones of Wrapped in Black for the final boss, you won’t believe that something so powerful can output from a DS.

Highlights: What U Need, A New Day, Wrapped In Black

7. Sonic Unleashed / World Adventure

In a tonal shift from most other Sonic titles, sound director Tomoya Ohtani elected to take the soundtrack to Sonic Unleashed down a more orchestral avenue, to reflect the more cinematic qualities of the game, the environment, and the exploratory nature of the game’s hub worlds. What is delivered is a grandiose performance from the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, interjected with fast-paced and floaty drum and bass day tracks, and the cool jazz strings and flutes for night stages, more often than not arranged by an unsung hero of Sonic sounds, Fumie Kumatani. Although the Werehog battle theme finds itself being overused, its hard not to adore this soundtrack for its variety.

Highlights: Apotos Day, The World Adventure, Cool Edge

6. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Mega Drive / Genesis)

It doesn’t get much more definitive than the theme to Emerald Hill Zone (with the exception of Green Hill of course) and as such Sonic the Hedgehog 2’s soundtrack ranks high in this list. Composed by Dreams Come True superstar Masato Nakamura, the music collection featured on the title is one of the most definitive to have featured on the Mega Drive / Genesis, exploiting the full range of channels available to deliver a soundtrack with depth and character, with catchy hooks and brilliant basslines. The game concludes with a rendition of DCT’s Sweet Sweet Sweet, to bring the feels as you save the planet once again.

Highlights: Emerald Hill Zone, Chemical Plant Zone, Mystic Cave Zone


5. Team Sonic Racing

The most recent entry into this list is the soundtrack to Team Sonic Racing, another titled directed by Senoue-san. Not only is TSR packed with rearrangements and mash-up tracks from previous Sonic games, The SONIC ADVENTURE MUSIC EXPERIENCE, including long-time Crush 40 session bassist Takeshi Taneda and Crush 40 percussionist Akht, drive the heart of this assembly of octane-fuelled compositions, with a massive supporting cast including TORIENA, Hyper Potions, Tee Lopes, and Tyler Smyth (Dangerkids). As such, Senoue and company have delivered what is definitely one of the high-water marks in Sonic the Hedgehog music of the modern era.

Highlights: Ocean View Lap Music, Frozen Junkyard Lap Music, Boo’s House Lap Music

4. Sonic CD

I am going to have to cheat here in that this entry is a two-for-one and include both the American and Japanese soundtracks here (controversial, I know..and not the only time I will cheat either!) for quite different reasons. Naofumi Hataya and Masufumi Ogata’s masterful works are lined with J-Pop sounds, that while might sound a little contemporary and dated, are some of those associated most with Sonic games by the old guard. Spencer Nilsen’s soundtrack on the other hand delivers a much more ambient and darker tone to the game, completely changing the atmosphere; it really goes to show that a soundtrack can completely change the feel of a game. Regardless of which camp you fall into, you can’t deny that both games come armed with a great opening and closing vocal tracks.

Highlights: Sonic Boom, Tidal Tempest (US), Stardust Speedway – Bad Future (US), Comic Eternity (JP), Metallic Madness (JP), Boss!! (JP)

3. Sonic Mania

A modern classic. I probably don’t need to say much more than I have previously, in that Mania’s soundtrack is nothing short of a love letter to Sonic music through the ages. Fan-turned-professional musician Tee Lopes’s universal understanding of the DNA that comprises Sonic the Hedgehog soundscapes is nothing shy masterful, and has set a lofty standard for whatever follows in it’s wake in 2D Sonic titles. Lopes takes the best of the existing material and gives it a polish, breathing new life into well known tracks without detracting from what made them so brilliant in the first place. Additionally, Lopes demonstrates repeatedly throughout that his own compositions are just as phenomenal. Indeed, this is a soundtrack for the ages, and it feels criminal to select just three tracks as highlights!

Highlights: Prime Time – Studiopolis Zone Act 2, Blossom Haze – Studiopolis Act 2, Skyway Octane – Mirage Saloon act 1

2. Sonic 3 & Knuckles

A close call between this and the number 1 spot for sure, but many will hardly be surprised to see this game near the top of the listings. The songs of Sonic 3 & Knuckles are a culmination of tracks that are the very epitome of what makes Sonic soundtracks so good – a completely unique aural experience that has been much emulated but never replicated. Whether it’s the incredible “guitar” licks of Flying Battery, the “steel drums” of Angel Island, or the even the  driving basslines of Ice Cap, this game sounds incredible even to this day, and further augments this great game. The calibre of the soundtrack is hardly surprising given that it’s authors include the likes of Senoue-san, Michael Jackson music director Brad Buxer, and in all likelihood the King of Pop himself!

Highlights: Hydrocity Act 2, Flying Battery Zone Act 1, Sky Sanctuary Zone

1. Sonic Adventure 1 & 2

The crowning jewels of the music of Sonic the Hedgehog are the timeless masterpieces that are the soundtracks of the Sonic Adventure series – and yes, I couldn’t pick a favourite. Pulling out all of the stops, Senoue et al. pulled out of the collective minds not one, but TWO massive musical landscapes to embellish the plethora of game environments, with no constraint on musical genre. Songs like the pop-punky Escape from the City and the spectacular power anthem that is Open Your Heart are unmatched in their power, driven home with a triple threat of galloping guitar work, thunderous percussion, and soaring vocals.

Nearly every playable character across the two games have their own distinct theme tune and genre, so their really is something for everyone. This format extends to the stages but is never forced, in fact quite the opposite; breaking into a vault to a jazz soundtrack has never felt so sincere to a 1960’s secret agent film with I’m A Spy…For Security Hall, or the slow Hawaii-esque guitar twangs of sitars that rings throughout Azure Blue World as Sonic adventures across the beach of Emerald Coast. I’m sure many fans will have stopped in Station Square, Mystic Ruins, and even a Chao Garden or two, to just pause and take in the atmosphere delivered by this soundtrack.

A perfect soundtrack for one of the most celebrated games of the series.

Highlights: Too many to list!

Honourable mentions:

Here’s a handful of soundtracks that just missed out on featuring in the top 10:

Sonic Triple Trouble (Game Gear) – there are lots of 8-bit gems that missed out here, but Sonic Triple Trouble is a real diamond in the rough; Sunset Park Act 3 is a real highlight, and Fang the Sniper’s theme exudes a Mexican standoff – perfect for this rootin’ tootin’ sharp shootin’ Wolf. Or Gerboa (who knows!)

Sonic Colors (Nintendo Wii) – A tonally different game once again, Colors deserves a mention here as it’s soundtrack perfectly complements the lighter tone of the game itself, and Tomoya Ohtani gladly provides this in his distinct fashion.

Sonic Forces – Controversial, but why not! Forces, while being one of the poorer outings of Sonic in recent years, has some crackers in the soundtrack, and a smattering of catchy drum and bass-centric vocal songs. Let’s also not forget the heavy hitting Theme of Infinite provided courtesy of the Dangerkids!

Sonic Generations – This has probably missed out on the top 10 for being more of a revisiting of old soundtracks, but is nonetheless brilliant, and there are some phenomenal reworkings of Sonic CD’s Sonic Boom, and a blistering version of Heavy Arm’s theme.

Shadow the Hedgehog – Not to everyone’s taste, but I adore this soundtrack, which is heavier than a heavy thing, and a firm favourite of metal fans for sure. The theme song, I Am…All Of Me, is one of the most powerful Crush 40 songs going, and never fails to get the blood pumping.

Sonic Song Sin Bin:

Sonic Underground soundtrack – Apologies to the Sonic Underground gang, but this falls firmly in the sin bin – and although I am often one for a bit of cheese, this is too difficult not cringe through. Sonic and his band should probably not give up their day jobs! I will make one exception here – and that is the theme song, performed powerfully by Michael Lanning. That rocks.

Wonderman by Right Said Fred – During the advertising campaign in the early 90s, SEGA teamed up with dance-pop act Right Said Fred to create the bizarre Wonderman, which while making tenuous mentions to spin attacking and power sneakers in the lyrics, has little else to do with Sonic. It peaks at number 55 in the British charts, which tells you everything you need to know. Watch the bizarre music video below:

Sonic Jam (Games.com) – Barely a soundtrack, this game features single-channel renditions of stages from earlier Sonic games, that are unrecognisable due to having their tempo reduced by an order of magnitude.

Agree with our list? Don’t agree with our list? Let us know your favourite Sonic songs and soundtracks in the comments!

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Replay The Classics That Started It All In “Sonic Origins” [UPDATED]

The Sonic Central broadcast confirmed the rumored collection of the Sonic collection of games. It is called Sonic Origins, and it is going to be releasing next year.

Continue reading Replay The Classics That Started It All In “Sonic Origins” [UPDATED]
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Who’s That Hedgehog? 85% of Millennials Can Identify Sonic

In a survey of millennials conducted by Casino.org, Sonic’s more recognizable than Donkey Kong, Yoshi, and LeBron James.

Continue reading Who’s That Hedgehog? 85% of Millennials Can Identify Sonic
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Get Ready For Sonic Game Speedruns At Summer Games Done Quick 2020 Online

It will be online-only for this year, but Summer Games Done Quick 2020 Online is almost upon us. With just a month ago until the speed-running charity marathon event begins, the schedule of games was unveiled recently. And yes, the schedule includes a block of Sonic games.

Continue reading Get Ready For Sonic Game Speedruns At Summer Games Done Quick 2020 Online

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Xbox Super Saver Sale Spotlights Significant Sonic Savings

Good things come in pairs, and following the Sonic sale on the U.S. Nintendo eShop, Microsoft joins in with intense 50% discounts on ten more Sonic games for multiple Xbox Marketplace regions, most of which aren’t part of the Nintendo sale. As a reminder, all these games are playable on the Xbox One, and will likely be playable on the Series X in the near future.

Prices in USD/GBP respectively.
Sonic the Hedgehog (Genesis) – $2.49/£1.69
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Genesis) – $2.49/£1.69
Sonic CD – $2.49/£1.69
Sonic the Fighters – $2.49/£1.69
Sonic Adventure – $2.49/£1.69
Sonic Adventure 2 – $4.99/£3.37
Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode I – $4.99/£3.37
Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode II – $7.49/£4.99
Sonic Unleashed – $7.49/£5.99
Sonic Generations – $9.99/£7.49

Via @videogamedeals and xbox.com

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Sonic Talk Episode 60: Super Smash Butts

On this latest episode of Sonic Talk, hosts Jason, Alex and GX talk about all the latest Sonic news, including the library of the SEGA Genesis Mini, the return of Mario & Sonic at the Olympics, the development materials for Sonic 2 released by game artist Tom Payne, and the last few issues of IDW’s Sonic comic. Continue reading Sonic Talk Episode 60: Super Smash Butts

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SEGA AGES Sonic 2 Could Include Originally-Cut Features

SEGA AGES developer M2 has expressed a desire to include originally-cut features in its upcoming re-release of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 on Nintendo Switch. Continue reading SEGA AGES Sonic 2 Could Include Originally-Cut Features

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Sega Genesis Classics announced for Switch

Just two days before the Sega Ages games start rolling out in Japan, Sega in the west have announced the d3t-developed Sega Genesis Classics (Sega Mega Drive Classics in EU) for Switch. This was released earlier this year for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. Continue reading Sega Genesis Classics announced for Switch

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Various Sonic games for Xbox 360 are on sale worldwide for up to 50% off

Microsoft just held their weekly sale and among the games on sale are a bunch of Sonic’s titles for Xbox 360 for up to 50% off. While the games below have their US prices listed, the sale should be available worldwide and presumably the same discounts should apply. The sales for these games below shouldn’t require XBL Gold as well. Continue reading Various Sonic games for Xbox 360 are on sale worldwide for up to 50% off

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This Sonic 2 Hack Adds Forces Physics, Works As Well As You’d Expect

We can all talk about the wonkiness of ‘My Saturday Morning Apocalypse’ adventure Sonic Forces all day long – perhaps never as concisely as our expert TSS Review, of course – but seeing its physics baked into another Sonic game really hammers home some of the gameplay issues that were prominent in the 2017 release. Continue reading This Sonic 2 Hack Adds Forces Physics, Works As Well As You’d Expect

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Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Joins SEGA Forever Lineup on its 25th Anniversary

Happy Sonic 2sDay, everyone!

Following the tease two days ago, a new classic SEGA title is joining the company’s SEGA Forever initiative on the 25th anniversary of its genesis.

Continue reading Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Joins SEGA Forever Lineup on its 25th Anniversary

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Mash-Up Monday: BotanicSage’s “16BIT Magic”

Chart-topper Bruno Mars has produced a great number of worldwide hits since his solo debut in 2010, including songs such as the beautiful “Just the Way You Are,” the way too relatable “The Lazy Song,” and the unreasonably catchy “Uptown Funk” with Mark Ronson. His music videos on YouTube alone continue to gather millions of views as a testament to his talent, and his recent “24K Magic” is yet another example of that.

Turns out that “24K Magic” also mashes incredibly well with the classic Chemical Plant Zone theme from Sonic the Hedgehog 2. Who knew? Mashup artist BotanicSage certainly caught on to it, and you can jam to this delicious combo in the video above!

Found any other interesting Sonic music mashups out there on the web? Maybe you have one of your own you’d like to share? If so, you can reach us via any of the following and see your choice on the next Mash-Up Monday:

  • Contact us via our social media outlets on Facebook and Twitter!
  • Send a message over to me via The Sonic Stadium Message Board – join today!
  • Send an email to me personally via vizardjeffhog@sonicstadium.org, or hit me up on Twitter with your findings @VizardJeffhog!
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Freak-Out Friday: “I thought this was Sonic 2” by Hat-Loving Gamer

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 was a perfect game back when it launched in 1992, pushing the known boundaries of blast processing even further with faster gameplay and more expansive Zones. The Genesis classic also introduced series mainstays Tails and Super Sonic, it marked the beginning of the Death Egg saga, and most importantly, it slices, dices, and makes thousands of julienne fries!

And to top it all off, who could possibly forget the climactic showdown between the fastest thing alive and the Death Egg Robot? Innumerable tributes to this fateful battle have been made already, but that of animator Hat-Loving Gamer—who previously worked on Sonic in the Mushroom Kingdom (1, 2) last year—puts a whole other unique spin on it! Eh? Ehhh?

…check it out below.

Continue reading Freak-Out Friday: “I thought this was Sonic 2” by Hat-Loving Gamer

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Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice and SEGA 3D Archives 3: Final Stage Will Both Be at Tokyo Game Show 2016

This year’s Tokyo Game Show kicks off on September 15th, and with it will come plenty of big reveals from some of the industry’s biggest developers and publishing giants, as well as over 200,000 people expected to be on the show floor to try out upcoming titles.

SEGA will be attending the event with livestreams going on throughout the show, showing off the likes of Yakuza 6, Persona 5, and the new Puyo Puyo Chronicle among other wares. The latest SEGA 3D Classics compilation title from M2, SEGA 3D Fukkoku Archives 3: Final Stage, and Sanzaru Games’ Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice will also be present, complete with new gameplay footage and a live stage event featuring special guests like M2 President Naoki Horii and Sonic series director Takashi Iizuka respectively.

Check out SEGA’s complete TGS 2016 schedule below!

Continue reading Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice and SEGA 3D Archives 3: Final Stage Will Both Be at Tokyo Game Show 2016

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Smooth McGroove Releases a Lovely A-capella Rendition of Sonic 2’s Emerald Hill Zone

smoothmcgroove_emeraldhill

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 introduced a number of staples in the Sonic series since it first launched in 1992: the Spin Dash ability, a seventh Chaos Emerald and subsequent Super transformation, the two-tailed fox Miles “Tails” Prower as the Blue Blur. Aside from its prequel, Sonic 2 was the highest selling game on the Mega Drive/Genesis, having sold over 6 million copies on its initial run, and cementing SEGA’s status as a successful and legitimate threat to Nintendo and their plumber mascot.

Like Sonic 1, the sequel title was scored by Dreams Come True musician, Masato Nakamura, and a number of the game’s most memorable songs still resound with fans to this day.

Smooth McGroove, renowned on YouTube for his faithful a-capella covers of video game music, uploaded his mesmerizing rendition of the introductory stage of Sonic 2, Emerald Hill Zone.

McGroove previously covered Chemical Plant Zone from the same game, and Sonic 3‘s Ice Cap Zone Act 1, as well as Sonic 1‘s Green Hill Zone, Marble Zone, and Star Light Zone.

No Mash-Up Monday this week, but if you have any Sonic music mash-up suggestions for next week, you can either share your suggestions in the comments section below, or you can reach me via any of the following to see your choice next Monday:

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Tails Can’t Handle This 3D Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Credits Sequence

One of the things we’ve loved about the Nintendo 3DS SEGA re-releases is just how much time and care has been placed into every title. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is no exception, having recently landed on the Japanese eShop. It’s all down to developer M2, whose efforts clearly show that they care about the games they’re looking after. This is no more apparent than in this quirky credits sequence for Sonic 2. Continue reading Tails Can’t Handle This 3D Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Credits Sequence

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TSS REVIEW: Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (iOS)

I’m sure I am not alone when I say I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve purchased Sonic the Hedgehog 2 in various incarnations, be it through a port to a 7th gen console or a compilation release over the last decade. Yet, SEGA keep coming back to these classic titles in order to capitalise on those still reminiscing of a golden age, and indeed I keep coming back to these epitomes of gaming on the Megadrive. I might have been apprehensive in purchasing this game once more, had it not been for the involvement of the now legendary Taxman and Stealth in this port, and going off their incredible rebuilds of Sonic 1 and Sonic CD for iOS and Android I couldn’t resist. Continue reading TSS REVIEW: Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (iOS)

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“Not Enough Rings” Webcomic Holding Kickstarter for Physical Comic Release

We know video game webcomics are a dime a dozen. Especially Sonic ones! But in all our years on the internet, we never came across the comic we wanted. No sprite recolors, no tribal Echidna warriors, definitely no werehogs — just a real comic retelling of the remarkable games we grew up playing.
~Veronica Vera

And the Not Enough Rings webcomic (which you can read at your own leisure), spoofing the Genesis saga from Green Hill all the way up to the Doomsday Zone, is nothing short of the latter.

notenoughrings_s2special

Veronica Vera and Oliver Bareham, the duo behind the affectionate Sonic the Hedgehog parody webcomic, are hoping to bring their work into print form, with a Kickstarter page gone live since yesterday. Going for a minimum goal of $6,500, the Not Enough Rings Kickstarter has already reached $5,300, and is open for donations up until July 19th!

Supporters can nab themselves a copy of the 106-page comic for as little as $25, but shipping will cost extra for those outside of the United States. Extra rewards include a signed copy of the book, a TIME OVER t-shirt featuring the Carnival Night barrel, a framed strip from the comic of your choice, advance copies of the Upstage card game for Bittersweet Candy Bowl (the duo’s main project), and if you’re downright insane, a Not Enough Rings-esque strip of any stage of any Sonic game of your choosing!

The only stretch goal to this project is to cover the funds to upgrade the books themselves into hardcover copies, the goal itself being a now realistic $10,500. Perks of supporting this project also include reading the already completed webcomic before it’s been fully uploaded online, as well as strips dedicated to the Sonic 3 Competition stages – BOOK EXCLUSIVE. Now THAT is a good deal.

That being said, head on over to the Kickstarter page and help this labour of love come to fruition!

notenoughrings_kickstarter

notenoughrings_kickstarter1notenoughrings_kickstarter2notenoughrings_kickstarter3notenoughrings_kickstarter4

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Sonic Master Collection On PSN For a Limited Time Only

Sonic CD PS3 Theme Good Future

Have you ever wanted to own every digitally released Sonic game on the PlayStation Network? Well now is your chance! For a limited time only, PSN will be selling the “Sonic Master Collection” for a paltry $29.99. This collection contains the following:

1. Sonic Adventure

2. Sonic Adventure DX Upgrade

3. Sonic Adventure 2

4. Sonic Adventure 2 DLC

5. Sonic CD

6. Sonic The Hedgehog

7. Sonic The Hedgehog 2

8. Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1

9. Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 2

This content usually goes for $61 collectively, so you will be saving a little over 50% in this deal. That is, if you haven’t bought these games already!

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Sonic Lost World, Mario & Sonic at the Sochi Winter Olympics, Additional Game Gear eShop Titles Unveiled via Nintendo Direct

Woah nelly, Sonic fans were in for a freaking treat this morning! First up, as you may recall, the name Sonic Lost World was trademarked by SEGA yesterday, prompting a large amount of buzz within the community as a reveal seemed to be right around the corner. This morning, Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata unexpectedly began today’s scheduled Nintendo Direct with news pertaining to Sonic the Hedgehog. Continue reading Sonic Lost World, Mario & Sonic at the Sochi Winter Olympics, Additional Game Gear eShop Titles Unveiled via Nintendo Direct

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Freak-Out Friday: Forgetting Something?

The most unexpected thing happened at the Metropolis Zone, and the victim? None other than CelestOrion, with the folks from Sonic Paradox’s ParadoxPowerPlays roaring at his expense.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abY5jprIF3E

I couldn’t believe it either at first, but holy crap!

Continue reading Freak-Out Friday: Forgetting Something?

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Mash-Up Monday: Dilapidated Sky High

Nothing like kicking off the week with PUNCHING and KICKING and such! Feel like the world’s turning against you for some reason? Then RAGE!

This quaint little music mash-up was put together by foreversonic from RadioSEGA! Featuring something that most SEGA fans would enjoy, especially those of this Genesis classic, is always welcome!

Dilapidated Town from Streets of Rage with Sky High Zone from the 8-bit Sonic the Hedgehog 2!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7ouZ4M8Zqc

Found an interesting mash-up somewhere on the web? Have one of your own that you’d like to see get featured on The Sonic Stadium? Then what’s the hold up? Send what you got over to vizardjeffhog@sonicstadium.org!

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Mash-Up Monday: Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger

As the title says, we’re going Daft Punk for this week’s Mash-Up Monday!

We have a pair of really cool mashups combining Daft Punk’s Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger with Sonic music! I hope all of our fans and readers around the world will enjoy this to the point where they’d just keep listening to each track one more time!

First one up is the Chemical Plant Zone mix, with Stardust Speedway Bad Future after the jump!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myRXryJ7yjU

Continue reading Mash-Up Monday: Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger

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Mash-Up Monday: Bartman’s Casino

Everybody, if you can, do the Bartman!
Shake your body, turn it out, if you can, man!
Move your butt to the side, yes, you can, can!
Everybody in the house, do the Bartman!

“Do the Bartman”, the 1990 song from The Simpsons, with a cover of Casino Night Zone 2P from Sonic the Hedgehog 2 on my Mash-Up Monday? Yes please!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvJ2VOc1WCc

There was originally a version with the actual music video, but it unfortunately got Foxblocked. D’oh!!

Found an interesting combination you would like to see on Mash-Up Monday? Have a mash-up of your own you would want featured on the Stadium? If your answer is yes, then send your wares and findings over to vizardjeffhog@sonicstadium.org!

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Freak-Out Friday: A Scheming Session with Dr. Robotnik

Throw silliness and whimsy out the window, everyone: it’s time to get serious.

Today, we join Eggman as he pitches some new Eggmobile attachment ideas to his Badniks during a brainstorming session.

His ideas just don’t seem to work for some reason or another…

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzDzzga6JSM

Video game boss logic is best logic.

Made by Burtzman20!

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Mash-Up Monday: The Final Showdown! Bowser vs Robotnik!

Yes, yes, oh my god yes.

Likely the Mash-Up Monday to end all Mash-Up Mondays (METAPHOR. Do not take this seriously!), we’ve got a real sexy piece of ear candy for you all!

Possibly one of the greatest RPGs available on the Nintendo DS, Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story brought about one of the most chaotic final showdowns ever experienced in the Mario series. In fact, it shares quite a few similarities with that of Sonic the Hedgehog 2‘s Death Egg Robot.

For one, both battles take place in an isolated area on top of the world: one being on a tower atop Peach’s Castle, another being in the colossal Death Egg orbiting the planet.

Secondly, being final showdowns, the fate of the world rests on the heroes’ shoulders. Sonic chases Eggman through emerald hills and metropolises to thwart his dastardly efforts of taking over the world for the second time, without the bare essentials to keep him alive for longs (rings); Bowser, with the intention of ruling the Mushroom Kingdom in the future, takes on a Dark Star-created, destruction craving clone of himself in a battle of the titans, while Mario and Luigi destroy Fawful and the Dark Star Core from inside Bowser’s body. All sorts of chaos is happening in both scenarios.

And three, with final bosses comes FANTASTIC BACKGROUND MUSIC.

Hence, I am happy to share with you all the most glorious mash-up to hit TSS. Combining the final boss themes from Bowser’s Inside Story and Sonic 2 (with a little bit of Super Mario Galaxy on the side), we present to you:

“Bowser vs Robotnik”!

“SHOWTIME!”

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fd4r6vBx1NA

Mashed up by Hauntershadow! Special thanks to PC the Hedgehog for the find!

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Summer Games Done Quick set to Speedrun Sonic Games

Update: The segment is over, but recordings are available: Sonic 1, Sonic 2, Sonic Adventure DX

 

Speed Demos Archive‘s Summer Games Done Quick is running right now, a live stream speedrunning 70-some games in aid of the Organisation for Autism Research.

Their Sonic segment is set to start at around 9pm tonight (depending on how fast the preceding games are), and feature runs of the original Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic the Hedgehog 2 on Mega Drive, and Sonic Adventure DX Director’s Cut.

If you like seeing games played with speed, this should be your bag.

Summer Games Done Quick (full schedule)

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S2HD Keylogger No Longer the Case, Safe to Download Again

Those who have downloaded and promptly deleted the alpha demo of Sonic 2 HD no longer need to fear of alleged keylogging, GeneHF of Sonic Retro shares, saying that the game demo is safe of said malicious software. This announcement follows that of LOst being booted from the S2HD team. Read the full story after the jump.

Continue reading S2HD Keylogger No Longer the Case, Safe to Download Again

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Keylogger Discovered in Sonic 2 HD, LOst no Longer in Team

[UPDATE] Earlier today, S2HD Project Manager Canned Karma announced that LOst, Sonic 2 HD‘s programmer who needlessly added DRM protection to the long anticipated fan game, is no longer part of the project, as stated in the Sonic Retro forum.

All of us had the exact same reaction everyone here did, and we’re actively looking into it to the best of our abilities. That said, we’ve heard just as much from LOst as anyone here has lately, so I’m not sure what, if anything, we’ll be able to find that corroborated or refutes what’s been brought to light. I will say this though. LOst is no longer a part of S2HD. I’ll have a more in depth response soon. We’re just as pissed off about this as the community is.

[ORIGINAL] Scarred Sun of Sonic Retro advises everyone who has downloaded the Alpha Demo of Sonic 2 HD to delete the entire software in light of a recent keylogger discovery, the cause behind triggered antivirus alerts. Read the full statement after the jump.

Continue reading Keylogger Discovered in Sonic 2 HD, LOst no Longer in Team

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Sonic 2 HD Alpha Demo Now Available

After a tech demo over three-and-a-half years ago and a teaser trailer last year, the team behind Sonic 2 HD has now made a playable alpha demo available to the community. Eager players can experience the entirety of Emerald Hill Zone in high definition, complete with Sonic 3 & Knuckles-style act transitions and upgraded music.

As of now, the demo can only run on Windows operating systems ranging between Windows XP and Windows 7. Download links are available on the Sonic 2 HD homepage, as well as 1080p screenshots and beautiful desktop wallpapers. Further project details are available on Sonic Retro.

Check out some footage after the jump!

Continue reading Sonic 2 HD Alpha Demo Now Available

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Awesome Games Done Quick Running Sonic Games (Again)

It’s that time again. For the last three years, the guys at Speed Demos Archive have been doing speedrunning marathons for charities, and at 8PM GMT, their latest Awesome Games Done Quick begins in aid of the Prevent Cancer Foundation.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8G9CmPiGLk

That they’ll spend over 5 days beating who-knows-how-many games is a given. What isn’t, however, is Sonic representation. This year, though, four classics from the series are going to get ruined over the course of a 3-hour segment.

The whole schedule is here, but starting at about 9pm on Thursday, the original Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic 2, Sonic 3 & Knuckles (does that count as two games?) and Sonic Adventure 2 (with a 2-man race) are up.

Continue reading Awesome Games Done Quick Running Sonic Games (Again)

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Sonic Titles on 60% Off Sale Today Only on Xbox Live Marketplace

As part of the Xbox 12 Days of Deals, you can grab a range of Sonic the Hedgehog titles at a whopping 60% off on the Xbox 360 Xbox Live Marketplace for today only. Almost all of Sonic’s Xbox Live Arcade releases are included in the offer, with the exceptions being Sonic & Knuckles and Sonic CD.

Here’s the list of games and discounts:
Sonic 4, Episode 1 Was: 800 Now: 320
Sonic Adventure Was: 800 Now: 320
Sonic Adventure Upgrade Was: 400 Now: 160
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Was: 400 Now: 160
Sonic the Hedgehog Was: 400 Now: 160
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Was: 400 Now: 160

Source: Xbox Live’s Major Nelson Blog

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Sonic 2 Now Available for Free to EU PS Plus Subscribers Until December 3rd

Sony’s got a Christmas treat for European PlayStation Plus subscribers with its ‘The 12 Gifts of Christmas’ promotion. Starting today, PlayStation Plus members will be able to download one free game, every two days, and you will be able to keep them for as long as you’re a subscriber. SEGA’s Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is the first game, with seven more PSN titles, two minis and two PSone Classics to come. The next game will be available December 3rd, so be sure to grab Sonic 2 before then.

Source: EU PlayStation Blog

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Sonic the Hedgehog 1 & 2 Soundtrack Available for Preorder

Although news on it’s release has been pretty sketchy, it now finally looks like the Sonic the Hedgehog 1 & 2 soundtrack will be seeing the light of day this October.

With distribution through the Universal Music (the record label of Japanese super group Dreams Come True to which the original composer Masato Nakamura belongs), the soundtrack is set to contain the full workings from the Megadrive / Genesis titles, along with unheard demo material all reworked.

You can preorder this soundtrack now through Play-Asia for $36.49 (about £27) and CDJapan for ¥3000 (about £26), and you will be pleased to know they will ship to most countries worldwide. The soundtrack is set to be released on 19th of October 2011.

Although no announcement of track listings or box art has been confirmed, the price would indicate that this may be a double-CD soundtrack [EDIT – Sonic Retro claim it comes on a massive 3 CDs with 88 tracks -T] , although again this is speculative; we will keep you informed as always through the Sonic Stadium as more information comes to light.

PREORDER: Play-Asia, CDJapan

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