[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8__PP88BCY&feature=channel[/youtube]
UPDATE: IGN has posted up their review of the Xbox 360 version, in written and video form (see above). They give the game an 8/10. /UPDATE END
The first batch of reviews are in for the iPhone and PS3 versions of Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 and they’re all pretty positive. We’ll focus on two of the reviews here and provide links to others at the bottom of this article.
AppTilt’s Dan Lee gave the iPhone version a 9/10, claiming SEGA has done well in bringing Sonic back to his roots, while still keeping him fresh.
Every level is bright, colourful, detailed and screams ‘Sonic’ at the top of its lungs. SEGA has done a fantastic job of bringing Sonic back to his roots, but also making him feel fresh and modern.
Lee says the game meets the classic Sonic level design of multiple routes, which encourage the various play styles of those who like to speed through a zone and those who like to be more adventurous and explore.
The good news is that the level design is classic Sonic. Each act has multiple routes depending on your play style – so those who enjoy the speed can simply put the hammer down and blast through, whilst the more adventurous can slow things down and eek out every ring there is on offer; just be wary of the ten minute level time limit!
The only complaint Lee had was with the controls. Lee didn’t find the touch or tilt controls to be as accurate as buttons and an analogue stick.
So now for the bad news – the iPod controls aren’t as slick as they could be, and occasionally ruin parts of a level. There are two ways to play the game – ‘Touch controls’ or ‘Tilt controls’. Touch gives you a faux analogue stick in the left hand corner, which controls movement, whilst a circle in the right corner simulates a jump button. This button is far too small and in the full flow of a level it’s very easy to miss – which usually results in death. Both the move and the jump buttons sometimes fail to register as well, which is beyond frustrating.
Tilt controls enables you to move left and right by tilting the iPod in that direction. Jumping is taken care of my tapping any part of the screen. I quite enjoyed the Tilt control as it removed the small jump button – however it lacked the precision of the analogue stick. Neither of these controls schemes are awful; they could have just done with a bit more tweaking. In terms of longevity Sonic 4 is as deep as you want it to be.
Lee finished up by highly recommending the game:
So there we have it – overall Sonics return is a rousing success. The occasional unresponsive controls are not enough to put a dampener on some top notch level design and good old fashioned fun. Highly recommended.
Full review here
GamesRadar’s Justin Towell reviewed the PS3 version of the game and also gave it a 9/10, stating that like most fans, he noticed the physics differences in early footage and had doubts the game would live up to its name, but after playing the full game he says that it surprisingly does live up to the title Sonic 4.
The physics are different, the art design is different… perhaps it was just too different to be worthy of the name ‘Sonic 4’. How could anything possibly live up to that name? To my utmost surprise, it does.
Towell also wasn’t overly bothered by another factor often complained about in the game, the homing attack.
You get the lock-on attack from Sonic Adventure, which threatens to change the game too much, but is actually used sparingly and works well almost all of the time. There are a couple of occasions where you want to use the air dash to power over a spiked enemy’s head, but the game thinks you want to attack it, resulting in a cascade of lost rings.
Towell explains there are new speed tactics not found in the previous Mega Drive classics that he enjoyed playing with and improve Sonic’s speed without having to wait for the next steep hill to come along.
Going back to Sonic 1 after spending hours with its new sibling feels very strange. Sonic 4 handles very differently. It’s more… bold. Clinical, even. Every movement seems more deliberate, and while the finer nuances of low-speed control have arguably been lost, it’s at high speed that it reveals its true depths.
I mentioned that lock on attack can be used as a simple air boost. When running at speed, this has a noticeable acceleration effect, allowing you to reach speeds on open stretches that old Sonic simply wouldn’t be able to do without a hill to help him. Jumps on hills still react as you’d expect, and landing a jump on a decline results in a welcome burst of speed, just like those loop-jumps of Sonic 2.
Towell then goes into the games replayability through various modes like Time Attack and brings good news that Super Sonic’s times will be ranked separately to Sonic’s.
So how much game is there for Sonic experts? I was able to beat the entire game, collected all the emeralds and beat the secret zone in one evening. After that, there are separate score and time attack modes to try for every stage, complete with online leaderboards. These are split into all/friends categories, and scores attained with Super Sonic are categorised separately from regular Sonic.
Add in the countless hidden routes through levels and it’s clear there’s a truck-load of replayability. Finding the fastest routes and mastering them is going to take weeks, maybe months. Maybe years.
Towell finishes up the review with the following positive thoughts and verdict:
A friend on Facebook asked me to sum up the game in one word. It’s a tough thing to do. I wouldn’t say ‘magnificent’ – it’s still a little too unambitious for that. I certainly wouldn’t say ‘disappointing’, because Sonic Team and DIMPS have done the impossible and managed to make this most critical of Sonic fans love a new Sonic game.
So I’m going to plump for ‘deserving’. And I mean that in two ways. It’s deserving of your time and your money despite its length. But more importantly, it’s deserving of the name ‘Sonic The Hedgehog 4’. That was always going to be this game’s biggest challenge, but it’s succeeded with aplomb.
9/10
You’ll love
+ The purest Sonic game for ten years
+ Works on so many gameplay levels, like its predecessors
+ So much game to master, despite its diminutive size
+ You’ll hate
– Can be ‘completed’ in one evening
– Physics are different, not necessarily worse
– Visuals could have been even better
Full review here
GamesRadar also shared the completed map screen:
![](http://www.sonicstadium.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Sonic-4-complete-map-screen-300x168.jpg)
Other iPhone version reviews:
GameShard 9/10
AppAdvice 4/5
iLounge (B)
Pocket Gamer 7/10
TiPb 5/5
SEGABits (B)
AppSpy 4/5
What do you think of the game’s positive critical reception so far? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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![](http://www.sonicstadium.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Sonic-4-iPhone-screen-2-300x200.jpg)
SEGA’s Digital Brand Manager Ken Balough has just announced at the SEGA Forums that SEGA will be submitting a free update to Apple on October 15th for Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 on iPhone, which will add Game Center support.
Hi Everyone,
Hopefully you guys had a terrific 1st day enjoying Sonic The Hedgehog 4 Episode I on the iPhone!
That said – I’d like to let everyone know that on October 15th, we are submitting to Apple a free update for Sonic 4 that would give it Game Center.
So stay tuned as we add this new feature.
Cheers,
Ken
No exact details were given as to which Game Center features will be supported, but we expect the game will gain the online leaderboard and achievement features that other versions of the game have. We’ll update you when more details are made available.
Source: SEGA Forums
For more information about Game Center, head over to Apple’s website.
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[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nc_RYNGTbXc[/youtube]
After it’s earlier Australian and European release, Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 is now available to iPod Touch, iPhone and iPad users in the U.S. for $9.99. If you’re on the fence on wether to buy it or not, two gameplay videos giving a glimpse of all 4 zones are now available for you to view, courtesy of GameTrail and IPGN.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktvSMdkoffE[/youtube]
Thanks to Woun at the SSMB for the heads-up on the GameTrail video and to XD375 and Hazel at the SSMB for confirming the price.
U.S. iTunes link (Thanks Blayke LaRue)
Will you be purchasing the game? If so, let us and others know your thoughts about the game in the comments section.
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![](http://www.sonicstadium.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Sonic-4-iPhone-launch-screenshot-1.jpg)
The wait is officially over. Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 is now available on the iTunes App Store for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad users at the price of £5.99 in the UK, €7,99 in Europe and $13.99 in Australia and weighs in at 88.7MB. Sonic’s return to classic Sonic gameplay is now here and you can take the experience with you wherever you go. Four stages are available for you to speed through, with 3 Act’s each, of which 2 are exclusive to this version of the game. 7 Special Stages are also included, in which you can collect the 7 Chaos Emeralds and unlock the cliffhanger ending for Episode 2.
Official details and screenshots are below:
The sequel fans have waited 16 years for is finally here – Sonic The Hedgehog™ 4 Episode I!
Featuring enhanced gameplay elements, including the classic Sonic Spin Dash, and the versatile Homing Attack, Sonic 4 picks up right where Sonic and Knuckles™ left off.
_________________________________________
2 EXCLUSIVE LEVELS!!!
Two exclusive levels build specifically for the iPhone & iPod touch using the accelerometer.
NEW MOVES
All of Sonic’s classic moves are available, including the newer Homing Attack which will add a new level of control and excitement.
CLASSIC SONIC STAGES
Race through 4 unique zones containing 4 acts each as well as 7 special stages.
SPECIAL STAGES RETURN
A staple of the Genesis-era games, the special stages return allowing fans to collect the 7 Chaos Emeralds and unlock Super Sonic.
REVAMPED CLASSIC BOSS BATTLES
Dr. Eggman returns with new and improved mechas and will go berserk when he accumulates damage.
¬¬
GamePro – “…this looks and feels like a genuine Sonic game, deserving of the “4” attached to its title.”
IGN – “After an afternoon in its presence it’s become seared in our conscience just like the classic levels of the early Sonics – and surely that’s reason enough to have faith in Sonic the Hedgehog 4.”
![](http://www.sonicstadium.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Sonic-4-iPhone-launch-screenshot-5-100x100.jpg)
UK iTunes link
Will you be buying the game today? If so, share your experience with the game so far in the comments.
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![](http://www.sonicstadium.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Sonic-4-JP-Mad-Gear-Zone-Screenshots-4-300x168.jpg)
SEGA’s Aaron Webber aka RubyEclipse appeared in CNET’s latest episode of preGame yesterday, where he talks about Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1, as well as giving a demonstration of Casino Street Zone and Mad Gear Zone. Webber confirms what we all assumed, that the new playing card features in Casino Street Zone are from a refurbished Act 2 and that it will be an exclusive stage to the console versions. We can only guess that the iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad version will still contain the pinball score attack stage seen in the leaked version of the game. Both zones look to incorporate plenty of careful platforming and not just speed, which should make a lot of fans happy. The recently seen map screen is shown again here, but this time it has a warp-hole above the island, which we assume is the E.G.G. Station Zone, in which the final battle with Dr.Eggman takes place.
To view the video, head over to CNET.
Thanks to Woun at the SSMB for the heads-up!
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![](http://www.sonicstadium.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Sonic-4s-Casino-Street-Zone-screenshot-1-300x166.jpg)
Nintendo specialist website NintendoLife has posted up an interview they held with SEGA’s Digital Brand Manager Ken Balough to chat about Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1. Not much is revealed that we don’t already know, but there are plenty of teases made about Episode 2.
Balough reaffirms that the story for the whole series is already written and says we can probably expect details about Episode 2 in 2011:
I can tell you we’ve written the story for the whole saga, but we have not announced the amount of episodes yet. That said, you can probably expect to hear more about Episode II in 2011. (He smiles)
Those who would like to see the episodes lock-on in a similar fashion to Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and Sonic & Knuckles, may be in luck with Balough’s next vague teaser, but he can’t reveal what may be carried over right now:
The Episodes will definitely make up a larger game. After completing them all, you’ll have experienced a larger overall story arc that lives up to the epic nature of earlier Sonics. As for what carries over – you’ll have to wait and see!
Fans purchasing the game for Wii need not worry about the game being less of an experience due to the WiiWare file size limit. Balough explains that the game is near-enough the same:
It was definitely a challenge because there was less room to work with, but the team was super committed to bringing their full vision to the Wii.
Ultimately the content is identical. The Team was really committed to making sure everyone got a great Sonic 4 experience, so the graphics and the motion controls on the Special Stages are the only real differences on the Wii version.
When asked if there is anything he would like to say to gamers who have been waiting for Sonic’s return to classic 2D, Balough expresses the teams passion for this new entry to the series:
I’ll like to let everyone know that we at SEGA definitely understand the desire Sonic fans have had for return of a 2D game. The entire team are Genesis Sonic fans and we’re all proud to be bringing back Sonic with Sonic the Hedgehog 4. This is the game we’ve all wanted to play since we were kids, and we really hope everyone out there shares our passion and enjoys playing this game as much as we did making it!
Check out the full interview at NintendoLife.
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The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjogzh9NsMs[/youtube]
SEGA has released a trailer for the iPhone/iPod Touch version of Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1. The trailer has been posted exclusively at Yahoo Games’ Appolicious website and shows gameplay footage from Splash Hill Zone, Casino Street Zone and Mad Gear Zone. We get to officially hear music from Casino Street Zone and Mad Gear Zone for the first time in this trailer, too. Appolicious confirms that this version of the game will include online leaderboards, just like the console versions. Still no price confirmd for the U.S. and Europe, unfortunately. We’ll let you know when SEGA reveals details.
Source: Appolicious.
Thanks to Woun at the SSMB for the YouTube conversion.
The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.
The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ndzzIryqNo[/youtube]
Just minutes ago, SEGA released a new trailer for Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1‘s Mad Gear Zone, exclusively at GameSpot. As the zone’s name indicates, it is full of gears that Sonic can will need to run and ride on to get to new areas or to open doors with. The stage is very reminiscent of classic Sonic stages like Scrap Brain Zone and Metropolis Zone, full of elements that raised the difficulty for in those stages and look to do the same here too. The Shellcracker badniks also make a return. The trailer finishes with the U.S. release dates for all platforms, which match up with the ones IGN revealed the other day.
To view the original high quality trailer, head over to GameSpot now and let us know what you think of it in the comments below.
Thanks to Mykonos at the SSMB for the YouTube conversion.
The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.
The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.
![](http://www.sonicstadium.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Sonic-4-hi-res-logo-300x239.jpg)
UPDATE: SEGA’s Ken Balough has informed via the SEGA Forums that the price of the game will also be announced next week. /UPDATE END
In a post at the SEGA Forums, SEGA of America’s RubyEclipse has announced that the release date for Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 will be announced next week.
Hi everyone,
Just a little heads up that we will be officially revealing the Sonic 4: Episode I release date next week.
Have an awesome weekend!
– The Sonic 4 Team
No more information than that was given, so whether or not the four platforms digital stores will receive it on different dates is currently unknown. We’ll update you when SEGA make their announcement. For now, speculate away in the comments.
Source: SEGA Forums
Thanks to speedduelist at the SSMB for the heads-up!
The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.
The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lsqcsz2sSH4&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
Joystiq has revealed a new trailer for Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1‘s Casino Street Zone. The trailer shows new sections that see Sonic platforming across playing cards and also running across paths of them that appear in front of him one by one. These sections are presumably from Act 2 and replace the old build’s version of the Act, which was solely about score attacking on a pinball table, something that a lot of fans who saw the leaked build didn’t react well to.
Joystiq also released a preview of the zone along with the trailer. In the preview, Joystiq’s David Hinkle explains that this stage won’t be accomplished by just charging straight through the zone, there is more involved than that.
Sure, there are some Badniks sprinkled throughout, but navigating through the neon-lit gambler’s paradise poses several threats to Sonic. Not every situation can be conquered through brute force; it’s navigating the terrain and calculating the next step on the fly that got me through all three acts.
SEGA’s Ken Balough was also on hand to introduce the zone and spoke to Joystiq about balancing the number of enemies with the traps already set throughout the stage.
“When it came to each of these levels, we toyed with the idea of how many enemies would be overwhelming to the player. The enemies that we do have in it work really well for the Zone — like the enemies with the shields that Sonic kinda pings off of. Considering that there are a lot of other traps in the environment, those kind of things can really set the player off and kill them, but the fact that you might be running incredibly fast and hit one of the Badniks with the shields and it springs you back, it may end up throwing you back into a trap that you thought you had escaped from. So those ideas, we definitely wanted to toy with, but we wanted to achieve a balance, where the environmental mechanics stood out as much as the enemies so I think we struck a good equilibrium here, but, obviously, it’s up to the players to tell us what they think.”
Hinkle also talks about the cannons, which return from Sonic 3 and explains how the new playing card gimmick works and the bonuses it offers:
The aforementioned cannons play the biggest role in Casino Streets Zone and are gradually introduced throughout the prior Acts. It’s simple: Sonic hops into a cannon; you aim the cannon; and Sonic is blasted out. Rings indicate the best trajectories, but later on the game leaves it to you to make that call.
The benefit to finding these alternate pathways is obviously collecting more stuff, but throughout the level there are cards that Sonic can touch and flip around. The quicker you flip them, and the more of them you flip, gives Sonic a chance to match up cards. Get three Sonic heads and you’ve got yourself another life, for example. It’s only a matter of finding these pockets of cards and touching them.
Five screenshots of the zone were released too, which you can check out below:
Thanks to Woun at the SSMB for the heads-up and YouTube conversion!
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[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhCNBQzxZS4&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
GameZone has posted up a couple of video interviews they held at PAX this year, in which they interviewed SEGA’s Ken Balough about Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 and another unidentified SEGA representative about Sonic Colours. Balough talks about how they incorporated fan feedback to Sonic 4, such as level tweaks to make the levels flow easier, reaching top speed quicker and a blurry effect on his quills to make it look like he’s “really hauling ass”.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BFeSTkL104&feature=player_embedded#![/youtube]
In the Sonic Colours video, the SEGA rep explains how feedback has been incorporated into the game and also tells us in-depth, what the story is about, what Eggman is up to and how the Wisps are involved.
Source: GameZone
Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 interview
Sonic Colours interview
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![](http://www.sonicstadium.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Iizuka-SPOnG-225x300.jpg)
CVG has published a new interview with Sonic Team head Takashi Iizuka today. In the interview we find out Iizuka’s thoughts on how Sonic Colours compares to past 3D titles and why this latest entry isn’t being released on Xbox 360 and PS3.
Iizuka explains that the comparison between past 3D Sonic games and Sonic Colours is the cast of characters. The older titles had a large playable cast, while Colours has Sonic alone, which he says is what the fans want.
If you look at previous 3D Sonic games, it began with Sonic Adventure and moved on to others. Those titles always had Sonic as the main characters but also had different rival characters. Those characters were like different action characters – Sonic was the speed character. This time around in Sonic Colours the team really wanted to focus on high-speed Sonic, which is what made the Sonic games special to begin with. The focus was always on the Sonic character itself, they wanted to make Sonic as the only playable character because fans only want to play as Sonic.
Instead of having other characters with different gameplay twists, Iizuka says this time they decided to implement the Wisp power-ups, so they could keep Sonic’s fast-paced gameplay and not break the tempo.
At the same time they also want a different twist to the gameplay and that is why we introduced the Colour powers. The focus is on high-speed Sonic and those colour powers are in more of a complimentary role. We wanted high-speed to be the main focus and didn’t really want to break up the tempo. It’s more like we tried to blend in those actions in a more efficient way, not really distracting the player from the core gameplay.
When asked if Sonic fits with the Xbox 360 and PS3 audiences, Iizuka details why they went with the Nintendo platforms for Sonic Colours and that Sonic still has an audience on the HD platforms.
It’s not that Sonic is for the Nintendo platform, it’s more like when we looked at the target audience for this particular title we wanted to expand the franchise more to newcomers. That is why we chose the Nintendo platforms.
This doesn’t mean that the PS3 and 360 don’t have an audience for Sonic any more, it’s just this title in particular is more tailor made for the Nintendo platform fans – more like fun, enjoyable and vibrant, which Nintendo platforms excel at. It’s more that this type of game is more tailored to those platforms.
Finally, Iizuka tells CVG how Sonic Team recognise there are different needs in the Sonic fanbase, how some want speed, others want platforming and the rest want something new. He says they are looking forward to developing more titles in the future that cater to these different groups of fans.
This year the reason the team is releasing Sonic 4 and Sonic Colours in the same release window is because we recognise there are different needs in terms of Sonic games and characters. There is the platforming, the high-speed and people looking for something new. This is the style that the team thinks works best, looking at the classic fans in one way and the new one in another.
It’s pretty hard for the team to satisfy those two very different fans with just one title. We probably look forward to developing titles which are made more towards the core and casual Sonic fans, that’s probably one of the ways the team thinks it can keep Sonic popular and expand fans for the future.
For the full interview, head over to CVG.
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[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkocJI1Kacw[/youtube]
SEGA attended this years J-Pop Summit Festival yesterday and brought along playable demos of some of their upcoming games for attendees to get some hands-on time with. Sonic fans were also treated to a presentation of Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 on the big screen in the Viz Cinema, where SEGA of America’s Aaron Webber aka RubyEclipse played through Act 1 of Splash Hill Zone in an attempt to beat a time record set at the event. Does he beat it? See for yourself. The demo shown appears to be from a new build, since it has the changes to it RubyEclipse has mentioned up until now at the SEGA Blogs, such as a new running animation, achieving ‘blurry’ feet’ quicker and the ability to run off screen at the end of an Act.
What do you think of this new build? Speak out in the comments.
Thanks to YouTube user JostheLynx for the footage.
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[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pqWEOM3KQA&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6Vlm–VdMc&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
SEGA Japan held a musical performance for Sonic fans at the Tokyo Game Show, including music from SEGA’s three upcoming Sonic titles, Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1, Sonic Free Riders and Sonic Colours. Among the performers is fan favourite Jun Senoue, who plays some of his tracks from Sonic 4, aswell as joining a band for performances of Sonic Free Riders theme music, Sonic Colours’ ‘Reach for the Stars’ and an all new song for the game too. You’ll also see plenty of new gameplay footage of Sonic 4’s new build, with Sonic’s new running animation and his faster time of achieving ‘blurry feet’. Also on show is new CGI cutscene footage from Sonic Colours.
Source: SEGA’s TGS USTREAM.
Thanks to Woun at the SSMB for the find, heads-up and YouTube conversions!
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![](http://www.sonicstadium.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/J-Pop-Summit-Festival-2010-logo-300x116.jpg)
In an entry to the SEGA of America Blog, Kellie announced today that SEGA will be attending annual pop culture themed street fair, the J-Pop Summit Festival this weekend. Plenty of SEGA’s latest games will be on show, including Vanquish, Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I, Sonic Colours, Sonic Adventure, Crazy Taxi, and Yakuza 4.
As a juicy bonus, from Noon until 2pm, SEGA will be showcasing Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 in playable form on the big screen in the movie theatre at VIZ Cinema. As if that isn’t enough, some goodies are going to be given away too.
Interested in attending? Check out the details from SEGA below:
Who: Team SEGA and you!
What: J-Pop Summit Festival 2010
Where: Post Street between Webster St. & Laguna St., Japantown, San Francisco, CA.
When: 11am – 6pm (Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode I in the cinema from 12noon until 2pm only)
Why: Because you like free swag, playing fun games, and hanging out with us!
You can take a look at/print off a guide and schedule for the event below:
![](http://www.sonicstadium.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/J-Pop-Summit-Festival-2010-Viz-Cinema-100x100.jpg)
For more information about the event, head over to the J-Pop Summit Festival’s website.
Source: SEGA of America Blog
Will you be attending the event? Let us know in the comments.
The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.
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![](http://www.sonicstadium.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Sonic-4-hi-res-logo-300x239.jpg)
At the SEGA of America Blog, RubyEclipse has revealed a few more minor pieces of information about Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 and the changes made during the games delay. Two of the changes in this latest update were already revealed yesterday by Gamespot and Sonic Stadium founder Svend Joscelyne aka Dreadknux. These changes include a World Map replacing the level select screen and the option at the end of an Act to progress to the next Act, without returning to the World Map (or level select screen as it used to be).
The final and all-new update is the removal of the invisible wall at the end of an Act. You’ll have seen in gameplay videos that when you run past the Act completion sign post and to the end of the screen, you will always hit an invisible wall and can’t run off-screen like you would in the classics. The wall has now been removed, so you can speed away off-screen to the next part of the adventure (or whatever is hiding there) in true nostalgic fashion.
RubyEclipse also gives a heads up on what to expect in the future:
That’s all for today’s mini-update, though we’ll be announcing Sonic 4’s release date, the pricing, and revealing another zone on the website soon. Update Blog Part 2.0 will also be arriving within the next few weeks, and with it, word on the second big level redesign within the final version.
Source: SEGA of America blog
What do you think about these latest changes? Speak out in the comments.
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![](http://www.sonicstadium.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/UK-Lost-Labyrinth-Zone-4-300x166.jpg)
Along with his impressions of Sonic Colours, Gamespot’s Mark Walton has also posted his impressions of Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1. Those of you sick of hearing about Splash Hill Zone will be glad to see the preview is focused entirely on Lost Labyrinth Zone.
Walton begins with Lost Labyrinth Zone Act 2, which is entirely dark apart from a small amount of light given off by a torch that Sonic carries through the Act. Not only does this torch aid you visually, but you’ll need it for puzzles. One puzzle sees Sonic in a room where he has to light lanterns in the correct order to release platforms, or else they disappear before Sonic can make his escape. Another couple of puzzles are based around lighting dynamite that Sonic will have to light to explode large blocks.
The lack of light was used for several puzzles in the zone. In one area, there were lanterns on the wall, which we could ignite using the torch. Each lantern extended a platform, which we needed to climb up to escape the room. However, the lanterns had to be lit in a certain order and at a particular time; otherwise, the platforms would disappear before we could make it all the way to the top.
Later in the level, we found another use for our fire torch: igniting dynamite. Some large stones blocked our path, which rather handily had dynamite attached to them, along with a fuse. By igniting the fuse, we could blow up the blocks and clear the path. Another area had several explosive blocks in it. We had to carefully choose which blocks to ignite and which to leave in place so we could jump up to a secret area at the top of the screen.
Other classic platform game traps are built around boulders, Walton explains. One point has you time jumps to avoid being hit by falling boulders, while in another you have to jump on a rolling boulder and move your analogue stick/press your d-pad left and right to maintain Sonic’s balance.
The dynamite section was swiftly followed by one involving boulders, which dropped down into a pit below. We had to time our jumps just right to make it across the pit without falling into it. Later, a boulder was released from behind us Indiana Jones-style. Rather than just run away, Sonic jumped on it and we had to maintain our balance by pressing left or right while it rolled down a long track.
Walton then talks about the infamous minecart, which if you’ve been keeping up to date, you’ll know has been revised in the console versions of the game. The minecart is now limited to a small portion of the stage and is no longer motion controlled, it instead rolls along while you make a few jumps to avoid hazards and falls.
The final section of the level featured a mine cart sequence, which required some quick reflexes. After jumping into a cart, we sped off down a long track where we had to jump over obstacles and avoid falling down bottomless pits. The lack of light made it difficult to see upcoming hazards, so we had to be especially alert to make it out alive.
Walton says that fans should rest assured that while these are new mechanics, you’ll still find plenty of familiar classic elements in the stage.
While these sections added something new to the series, we found there was still plenty of classic Sonic action. All the loops, springs, and insane speed from the original games were there, along with plenty of tricky water hazards and spikes to avoid.
At the end of the preview, Walton reveals the game now incorporates a world map instead of a basic stage select screen.
Though we weren’t able to try it out, we spotted a casino-themed level on the world map screen, which indicates there is still plenty more to be revealed about Sonic’s HD outing.
TSS founder Svend Joscelyne aka Dreadknux, who also played the game at SEGA’s press event last week has confirmed this world map screen in a post at the SSMB.
It’s a proper map. 🙂
Joscelyne then revealed that classic progression is an option, so you don’t have to return to the world map if you don’t want to.
I forgot to mention. There’s a choice, actually, of whether you want classic progression or not. Once you pass that Act Clear marker, and the score counts down, a button will appear at the bottom of the screen (I think it was Triangle on the PS3 preview version or something), that says “Jump to Next Act.” If you don’t do this before the fadeout, you go back to the World Map screen.
Note I said World Map – as in “awesome, detailed static world view,” and not “shitty, confusing 3D world hub.” =P
For the full preview, head over to Gamespot
What do you think of the preview? Are you happy with the change to a world map? Discuss in the comments.
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![](http://www.sonicstadium.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/UK-Lost-Labyrinth-Zone-6-300x166.jpg)
Videogamer.com’s Jamin Smith has posted up a preview of his play test of Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 at SEGA’s recent press event in London. While some fans in the Sonic community have found a lot to complain about in Sonic 4‘s mechanics, Jamin Smith thinks the homing attack is the only real change.
This is the only fundamental change to the core mechanics of the game; everything else is pretty much how you’d remember it.
Smith has taken note of other new elements in the game though, such as Lost Labyrinth Zone’s torch mechanic and feels new ideas like this make the game live up to it’s title.
Of course there are new features to make it worthy of the number four in its title, and the few I saw were fairly well sewn into the experience. The second act of the Lost Labyrinth Zone, for example, is completely bathed in darkness. Thankfully Sonic is sensible enough to have brought a torch with him, which illuminates the area immediately around him. It’s also used to light candles, which open doors and raise platforms around the level.
An interesting puzzle with the torch is mentioned about that same Act of Lost Labyrinth too, one that Smith seemed to have some trouble with.
There was a particular puzzle late in the level that involved lighting candles in the right sequence so that the correct platforms are raised in the correct order to progress. This stumped me for some time, however, and I actually managed to reach the ten minute time limit that each level has in place. I’ve never quite understood why this would kill Sonic, but it does, and I died.
Overall, Smith thinks the game is a good platformer and looks great, but had much more fun with Sonic Colours.
I’m slightly concerned that with Sonic 4, my judgment has been clouded somewhat by the mists of nostalgia. If I’m honest with myself, I think I enjoyed Sonic: Colours more than Sonic 4, which isn’t at all what I would have predicted a few weeks back. Don’t get me wrong, Sonic 4 is a very competent platformer, paying homage to the originals whilst bringing something new to the series at the same time. It looks great too, with gorgeous 2.5D visuals and slick new animations. Still, I couldn’t help thinking it should have offered something slightly more, but quite what that ‘more’ might entail I have no idea. The only thing that will prove or soothe these worries is playing the full game, and despite a few reservations, I’m very much looking forward to doing so.
Do you agree with Jamin Smith’s thoughts on Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1? Discuss in the comments.
For the full preview, head over to Videogamer.com
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![](http://www.sonicstadium.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/CVG-Sonic-4-Lost-Labyrinth-Screen-4-300x168.jpg)
CVG has released some new screenshots of Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1, three old and three new. While three of them are new to the eye, they actually appear to be from an older build, because Sonic is running in his old animation rather than the recent blurred one SEGA changed it to.
You can check out the rest of the screens below.
New:
![](http://www.sonicstadium.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/CVG-Sonic-4-Lost-Labyrinth-Screen-6-100x100.jpg)
Old:
![](http://www.sonicstadium.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/CVG-Sonic-4-Lost-Labyrinth-Screen-3-100x100.jpg)
Source: CVG
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![](http://www.sonicstadium.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Sonic-4-iPhone-screen-4.jpg)
Well, here’s something that will give you a shock. In a preview of the latest build of the iPhone version of Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1, IGN’s Levi Buchanan has stated that the controversial minecart Act in Lost Labyrinth Zone (that has been removed from console editions), “was actually more fun than the universal stages I tried.”
The reasoning behind Buchanan’s statement is that he feels Sonic runs too fast and he can’t progress through a stage without fear of falling or hitting spikes and losing all of his hard-earned rings.
Here’s why: Sonic has a tendency to get away from himself. Granted, that’s by design. Sonic is all about speed and you’re supposed to get going as fast as you can, blasting through stages with the constant fear that one false move will send your 112 rings into the gutter. But that doesn’t necessarily appeal to me anymore. In fact, I’m sure I groaned aloud many times at SEGA’s office when I was cruising toward the finish line only to fail a small jump and drop onto some spikes. My rings scattered and any hopes of enjoying a bonus stage (more on those in a moment) were dashed against the rocks.
Buchanan goes on to say that the minecart stage has less chance of death, so you can relax and enjoy the ride(pun intended).
But the mine cart stages are more measured than that. There is a sense of exploration as you tilt Sonic through the maze in his cart, looking for bumpers to blast you across chasms or finding the switch to open a sealed door. Death is not as ever-present here, which lets you relax and appreciate a few things. One, the tilt controls in the mine cart stages are well done. I felt like I had complete control over Sonic’s plight. Two, the art work in here is really nice.
As for the Sonic 1 inspired Special Stages, Buchanan finds the new control method of tilting the maze to move Sonic much better than manoeuvring Sonic himself in the Mega Drive/Genesis iteration.
So, bonus stages – they’re back in Sonic 4. Remember the spinning labyrinths you had to guide Sonic through to capture the chaos emeralds? The bonus rounds in Sonic 4 are very similar, but now you tilt the device to rotate the maze rather than control Sonic. This is a big improvement and cuts down on frustration. Easing Sonic through the maze toward the chaos emerald is still tricky (there’s a time limit and plenty of opportunities to drop out of the stage), but at least you feel in control rather than swimming upstream through an auto-rotating screen.
What do you think of these statements? Discuss in the comments.
For the full preview, head over to IGN.
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![](http://www.sonicstadium.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/UK-Lost-Labyrinth-Zone-9-300x166.jpg)
Electricpig has posted up a new preview of Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1, featuring thoughts on the whole of Splash Hill Zone and Act 1 of Lost Labyrinth Zone. The versions available were the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions, of which they played the former and glimpsed the latter. The previews author, Ben Illis found both to be visually identical, but control wise were very different. Illis seemed to struggle to play this game with the Xbox 360’s analogue stick and d-pad, and feels the controls on PS3 will be “preferable”.
What might set them apart is the controls: since Sonic The Hedgehog 4 Episode 1 is a 2D game, the Xbox 360’s analog stick is somewhat irritating, and the time it takes to pull from all the way left to all the way right when he’s hurtling along at speed is irksome, not helped by the awful D-pad on the controller. We have a feeling this one’s going to be preferable on the PS3, or with Microsoft’s new Xbox 360 gamepad (Though buying it just for this would probably be overkill).
The levels, Illis feels “trod a fine line between retro nostalgia and inventiveness” and “were a blast to play”, so much of a blast that Illis thinks this an ideal return to 2D gaming for Sonic.
“Tearing through the green loops and bouncing up the cliffs of Splash Hill while rescuing bunnies and bouncing off robot fish transported us back to our childhood, and seems like the ideal way to return to 2D Sonic gaming.”
The preview then moves on to the Lost Labyrinth Zone, where Illis says the game “ramps up the learning curve a tad.” At one point with the boulders, a graphical glitch is mentioned, but it’s good to hear it is the only one.
“Here, you’ll be dodging falling boulder, Indie style, or even rolling along on top of them (Which caused the only graphical glitch we saw), and as with older Sonic games, it becomes no longer possible to simply hold right and jump now and again.”
The preview ends by describing the games small amount of zones and stages, but Illis says that “SEGA fans of old will relish these morsels of pure fun.”
For the full preview, head over to Electricpig.
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![](http://www.sonicstadium.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Sonic-4-iPhone-screen-2.jpg)
SEGA of America has just released a batch of screenshots and artwork for Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1‘s iPhone/iPod Touch release, as well as their other future iPhone releases in a new blog entry. The screens are taken from Splash Hill Zone, Lost Labyrinth Zone and a Special Stage, the latter being our first ‘official’ glimpse of any Special Stage at all. Details at SEGA’s blog confirm that the iPhone version will support HD visuals.
CLASSIC SONIC STAGES! Race through traditional Sonic Zones rendered in full HD visual quality.
NEW MOVES! All of Sonic’s classic moves are available, including the newer Homing Attack which will add a new level of control and excitement.
SPECIAL STAGES RETURN! A staple of the Genesis-era games, the special stages return allowing fans to collect the chaos emeralds and turn into Super Sonic.
REVAMPED CLASSIC BOSS BATTLES Dr. Eggman returns with new and improved mechas and will go berserk when he accumulates damage.
Even larger versions of the ‘box-art’ and logo are available at SEGA’s Flickr.
Source: SEGA of America Blog
Thanks to Doctor Eggman at the SSMB for the heads-up!
![](http://www.sonicstadium.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Sonic-4-hi-res-box-art-100x100.jpg)
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![](http://www.sonicstadium.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Tokyo-Game-Show-2010-poster-212x300.jpg)
Those disappointed with SEGA’s earlier line-up for this years Tokyo Game Show will be glad to hear they have updated it with more titles, and its good news for Sonic fans. On top of already announced Sonic Colours (both Wii and DS), Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1, Sonic Free Riders and Sonic Adventure (XBLA) will now be available on the show floor. Other SEGA titles added include Crazy Taxi (XBLA) and Virtua Tennis 4 (PS3).
The full line-up is below:
PS3:
Vanquish
Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 (PSN)
Virtua Tennis 4
PSP:
Phantasy Star Portable 2 Infinity
Black Panther Yakuza New Chapter
Shining Hearts
K-On After School Live
Wii:
Sonic Colours
Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 (WiiWare)
DS:
Sonic Colours
Xbox 360:
Vanquish
Virtual-On Force 360
Sonic Free Riders (Kinect)
Sonic Adventure (XBLA)
Crazy Taxi (XBLA)
The Tokyo game Show will be open between September 16th and 17th for press and September 18th and 19th to the public.
Source:
SEGA-Mag
The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.
The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFNIgxtLBho&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
A new trailer for Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 has just been released by IGN. The trailer shows us gameplay footage of the recently revealed Lost Labyrinth Zone and the updates made to the game in action, such as the torch mechanic, faster acceleration and running animation. No solid release date yet (just a change from Late 2010 to Fall 2010), but downloadable games don’t usually get a release date until about two weeks before release. SEGA, in their last Sonic 4 update said we could expect more updates “early September,” and with this new trailer released, we expect they will be speaking more about the game sooner than expected. To accompany the trailer, IGN also posted a preview of the latest build.
Source: IGN:
Trailer
Preview
Thanks to Woun at the SSMB for the heads-up and the YouTube HD upload of the video!
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![](http://www.sonicstadium.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/NP259_Cover-228x300.png)
The latest issue of Nintendo Power magazine is now available on newsstands in the U.S. and inside is a preview of Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1. The demo they got to play was of a new build, one which contains all acts and boss battles in Lost Labyrinth Zone and Mad Gear Zone. Nintendo Power says Lost Labyrinth Zone is heavily inspired by Sonic 1’s Labyrinth Zone with familiar elements, such as “endlessly looping waterfall mazes, pulley-based moving platforms, retracting spikes, and underwater segments that require you to grab air bubbles before you run out of oxygen.” Reaffirmed is the removal of the infamous mine cart stage and the torch mechanic put in its place, though nothing more is revealed than what’s is obvious in the screenshots, like lighting sconces to take down obstacles which block your path.
Nintendo Power also details two new features seen in the recent screenshots, including the orb that Sonic is standing on and a boulder that Sonic is running from. Sonic must keep his balance while the orb follows a specially designed track and other sections will see him be chased by giant boulders that fall out of the sky, requiring quick reactions. Nintendo Power also inform us that players will also have to escape a giant wall that threatens to crush you, while the stage fills with water.
In their playthrough of Mad Gear Zone, Nintendo Power compares the stage to most end of game stages in the Sonic series, “hard edged industrial stages full of steampunk-style machinery that practically screams you’re on the bad guys’ home turf.” The stage is said to not only contain stage mechanics that you’ll recognise such as pneumatic transportation tubes, steam geysers and giant pistons, but also some new ones. Sonic will have to run on top of cogs, some will help move Sonic to new areas, while other cogs will open heavy metal doors.
Nintendo Power states the difficulty increases significantly for the third Act of Mad Gear Zone, where an enormous drill machine chases Sonic in a similar fashion to the giant wall from Lost Labyrinth Zone. While the machine pursues Sonic, Nintendo Power says “you must leap spikes, hit switches, and dodge momentum-reversing blasts.” Sounds like it’s quite the challenge. Nintendo Power also reveals that players can choose to play the game’s four zones in any order they like.
The preview doesn’t mention anything in terms of any of the tweaks to physics, running animation, acceleration etc that SEGA of America’s Ruby Eclipse spoke of recently, but it does come with five new screenshots of the Lost Labyrinth Zone. To check out the screenshots and the full preview, pick up a copy of Nintendo Power issue 259 at your local newsstand.
Thanks to SSMB member Doctor Eggman for the info!
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![](http://www.sonicstadium.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/SEGA-Pax-2010.jpg)
In a blog entry posted on Friday, SEGA of America announced they will be attending the annual Penny Arcade Expo this year in Downtown Seattle, WA. The event will run from September 3rd until September 5th. SEGA will be bringing along playable demos of their upcoming releases for attendees to try out, which include two Sonic titles, namely Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 and Sonic Colours. No details are given regarding what platforms will be there and whether the demos will be of newer builds.
In addition to this, SEGA will be hosting a community event in their Gameworks arcade, located right across the street from the PAX venue at 8pm on September 4th.
We’re throwing a community event to celebrate all the fun we’ve been having in the SEGA community; if you are at PAX or around the Seattle area, we want you to attend! The event kicks off at 8pm on Saturday, September 4th right across the street at the SEGA Gameworks Arcade. It will be first-come, first-served, so get there early if you want to be guaranteed a spot inside. Attendees will have access to free food & drinks, exclusive SEGA swag, musical performances, free Arcade play, and raffle prizes throughout the night from SEGA’s past and present.
You can RSVP for the community event at the Facebook event page.
For more information about PAX 2010, head over to the event’s website.
Thanks to Shaddix at the SSMB for the heads up!
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[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wabA5AKXpj0[/youtube]
Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 footage from Gamescom has hit the net, courtesy of YouTube user blogociomedia. Those hoping for footage of Lost Labyrinth Zone will be disappointed to see the demo is showcasing Splash Hill Zone Act 3. It is unclear whether this demo is of a build later than the one shown at E3 or not, but it appears to be the same old demo.
Here is a video of Splash Hill Zone Act 3 from an earlier version for comparison:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXU9I9hWVe8[/youtube]
Do you see any changes? Let us know in the comments.
We’ll keep an eye out for any more footage and try to find out whether this demo is from a later build or not.
The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.
![](http://www.sonicstadium.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/Lost-Labyrinth-Zone-Act-2-4-300x168.jpg)
SEGA have today revealed more information about Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 today, as they promised they would yesterday. Todays focus is on Lost Labyrinth Zone Act 2, particularly the changes made to the controversial mine cart sequence seen in the leaked version of the game. The whole of Act 2 has been revamped for the console versions with the torch mechanic seen in the recent screenshots. The mine cart will now only be at the end of the Act and won’t be motion controlled. Could this mean that the iPod Touch/iPhone version is keeping the old Act 2?
Other smaller tweaks have been made to the game, tweaks that many fans have been requesting for ages now. The edits include a balance to difficulty to make tougher sections easier, Sonic reaching full speed and ‘wheel-of-feet’ faster, and an update to Sonic’s running animation.
You can check out the list in full at the SEGA of America Blog and Sonic City Blognik. SEGA promise another update with more changes will be released early September. Some hi-resolution versions of recent screenshots have also been released, check them out below.
![](http://www.sonicstadium.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/Lost-Labyrinth-Zone-Act-2-5-100x100.jpg)
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![](http://www.sonicstadium.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/Lost-Labyrinth-Zone-jump-torch-300x168.jpg)
RubyEclipse has announced at the SEGA of America Blog that today’s new media releases for the Lost Labyrinth Zone in Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 aren’t the only updates planned. From tomorrow, fans can expect more info on changes made for the final build of the game, with footage of the Lost Labyrinth Zone coming soon, too. RubyEclipse says updates will be posted exclusively on the SEGA Blogs and the Sonic City Blognik. We’ll be keeping an eye out for the updates and post them here at TSS soon after. The above new screenshot has also just been released in hi-resolution. In it, we can see that Sonic will still be able to spin jump while holding a torch.
What changes to the game are you hoping for? Speak out in the comments.
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![](http://www.sonicstadium.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/JP-Lost-Labyrinth-Zone-2-300x168.jpg)
UPDATE: The UK, AU and U.S. official Sonic 4 websites have also been updated with music for Lost Labyrinth Zone Act 1, three new badniks, concept art and more screenshots. The concept art and new screens have been added with the Japanese ones at the bottom of this article.
Thanks to Shoryuken for the heads up and thanks to Woun at the SSMB for obtaining the screens! /UPDATE END
SEGA has officially revealed the Lost Labyrinth Zone in Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 today. The update arrived on their official Japanese Sonic 4 website with eight new screenshots. The screenshots show that there has been a major overhaul of the stage, including new elements, such as dark areas in which Sonic will need to carry a torch to light up his surroundings. Sonic will also require the torch to light dynamite packs in certain areas to advance. The mine cart seen in the leaked footage of this level is still present, but it looks like it will only be used for a short period of time rather than take up a whole act. Judging by the screenshot, the mine cart moves forward without the need for tilting the screen.
We’ll keep an eye open for a U.S. and European update and let you know of any new info/media that may get released. Meanwhile, you can check out the screenshots below. If you saw the leaks, are you happy with the changes? If you didn’t, do you like your first glimpse? Let us know in the comments!
Thanks to Blue Blood at the SSMB for the heads up!
UK, U.S. and AU website:
![](http://www.sonicstadium.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/UK-Lost-Labyrinth-Zone-1-100x100.jpg)
Japanese site:
![](http://www.sonicstadium.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/JP-Lost-Labyrinth-Zone-1-100x100.jpg)
The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.