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'Borderlands: Handsome Collection' headlines June's free PS Plus games
With Borderlands 3 arriving in just a few months, it seems like a good time to start catching up on or revisiting Gearbox Software's FPS series. And, what do you know? Borderlands: The Handsome Collection is one of the titles Sony is giving away to PS Plus subscribers in June.
'Sonic the Hedgehog' movie delayed to fix nightmare-inducing design
Sorry, Sega fans, you'll need to wait a little longer to see the Sonic the Hedgehog movie. Paramount pushed back the release date three months to give the filmmakers "a little more time to make Sonic just right."
After Math: Liar, liar, pants on fire
Ladies and gentlemen, I come to you this week a broken man. My childhood dream of seeing a speedy video game rodent hero break the fourth wall and go on a road trip with a middling white male actor I only sort of recognize has been shattered. Not because he doesn't do exactly that, but because of those teeth. Those human, human teeth.
'Sonic' and other Genesis classics come to Amazon Fire TV
You won't have to shell out for a mini console to revel in Sega-style nostalgia. The gaming pioneer has released a Sega Classics collection for Fire TV devices that brings 25 of the developer's better-known Genesis games to Amazon's media players. They're frequently games from the same franchise, but that's not necessarily a bad thing -- Sonic the Hedgehog is well-represented here, as are the Golden Axe and Streets of Rage franchises. You'll also find individual hits like Altered Beast, Columns, Gunstar Heroes and The Revenge of Shinobi.
Sonic movie casts Ben Schwartz as the speedy hedgehog's voice
The Sonic live-action hybrid movie is happening, whether you like it or not. Not only has Jim Carrey confirmed that he's playing the villainous Doctor Eggman Robotnik, the project has also found its lead voice actor. According to Variety, Parks and Rec actor Ben Schwartz will voice the speedy hedgehog. While he's probably most known for his role in the show, House of Lies and various comedy skits, Schwartz also has considerable experience in voice work. He served as voice consultant for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, lent his voice to BB-8 and a character in BoJack Horseman, currently plays Dewey in DuckTales and will soon be heard as Leonardo in Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Steam's Summer Sale offers discounts on 'Fallout,' 'Sonic' and more
Steam holds seasonal sales throughout the year, offering decent discounts during certain dates in Autumn, Winter and Summer. It's definitely time for the most recent sale, just a day after PUBG got its first deal ever on the game distribution service. Dubbed the Intergalactic Summer Sale, which runs from June 21st through July 5th, the discounts will net you tons of games from 20 to 85 percent off their regular price, including titles from the Fallout franchise, Ni No Kuni II and Where the Water Tastes Like Wine.
Sega's 'Team Sonic Racing' is all about co-op karting
Sega can't resist Sonic the Hedgehog-themed racing games, but this time it's adding a twist that might have a meaningful impact on gameplay. It's offering a sneak peek at Team Sonic Racing, which introduces (surprise!) a team dynamic to the familiar karting formula. Your three-person group can pull off moves that either assist each other or take out road rivals. You'll also see car customization and pick-ups based on Sonic Colors' Wisps.
'Sonic the Hedgehog' and other Sega classics are coming to the Switch
Sega's latest nostalgia trip isn't limited to a mini Genesis and Shenmue ports. In the wake of a Japanese announcement, Sega has confirmed that it's releasing a swath of classic Master System and Genesis games on the Nintendo Switch in North America and Europe this summer. The titles will fall under the Sega Ages bundle, and most of the initial roster are titles you'll recognize: Sonic the Hedgehog, Phantasy Star, Alex Kidd in Miracle World, the arcade version of Gain Ground and Thunder Force IV. The new series should ultimately include over 15 titles.
'Sonic' designer Yuji Naka joins Square Enix
Here's a game industry move you probably weren't expecting: Sonic the Hedgehog co-designer Yuji Naka has joined Square Enix. He'll continue to pursue game development, but he isn't exactly dropping many hints as to what's next. Naka wants to make an "enjoyable game," which sounds like a good goal to shoot for. It's not clear what will happen to his game studio, Prope, with the change in career path.
'Sonic Mania' is a wonderful balance of nostalgia and novelty
If you've played Sonic the Hedgehog on your phone, Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 in the last half-dozen years, you have Christian Whitehead to thank. In 2009, he created an unofficial proof of concept iPhone port of Sonic CD using a custom-built game engine -- a project that eventually led to Sega hiring him to officially port Sonic CD, Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic the Hedgehog 2 to modern platforms. This week, the fruits of that partnership reached a new high point in Sonic Mania, an all-new 16-bit Sonic the Hedgehog platformer that sees the mascot return to his glory days.
'Sonic Riders' may have been (legally) plagiarized
Sonic the Hedgehog is known for two things: going fast and his love of chili dogs. While the blue blur is returning to the fray in a pair of new games (made independently of each other, no less) this year, the ever-vigilant folks at Unseen64 have uncovered an entry from the expedient rodent's past we'll never get to play. It was a skateboarding game called Sonic Extreme that used the groundwork of a Nickelodeon-skinned version of a game featuring Tech Deck finger-skateboard toys and was set to release on Gamecube, PlayStation 2 and the original Xbox. And you thought your family tree was complicated.
'Sonic Mania' finally gives its lead character a unique special move
When Sega invited me behind closed doors to get an early look of Sonic Mania at GDC last month, I wasn't expecting much. I'd seen the trailers and indeed, it looked like a grand homage to franchise, but I was surprised to find that the game is more than that. Mania doesn't just bring players back to the 16-bit era with classic graphics and gameplay -- it adds to it. This retro Sonic throwback gifts its mascot with new abilities, new levels and incredibly smooth pixel animation.
Sega adds 'OutRun' and other classic soundtracks to Spotify
If you need a distraction from the stress of our new Orwellian order, why not take a trip back to a simpler time with Sega? It just released nearly 20 classic soundtracks from the '80s and '90s onto streaming site Spotify, including OutRun, Virtua Fighter, Fantasy Zone and NiGHTS. OutRun is probably the standout, as many of us wasted a good chunk of our youth (and quarters) racing in the multiplayer arcade version.
'Deadpool' director hired for 'Sonic the Hedgehog' movie
Deadpool and Sonic have a fair amount in common. They vanquish bad guys, protect innocent bystanders and talk with spades of attitude. With this in mind, it's no surprise to hear that Tim Miller, the director of the (good) Ryan Reynolds superhero movie, is turning his attention to the blue blur next. That's right, the out-of-nowhere "live-action and animation hybrid" movie that was announced back in February. He's stepping on as executive producer to help director Jeff Fowler and executive producer Neal H. Moritiz, who also works on the Fast and Furious franchise.
Sega harnesses nostalgia to sell you 'Sonic Mania'
Ever since, uh, 1995, it's been a hard few years for Sonic The Hedgehog fans as we're promised a new game that'll remedy all those past transgressions. In order to commemorate the original's 25th anniversary, Sega is launching Sonic Mania, a new title that reimagines levels from the first (and best) four games in the series. But that's not the only thing that Sega is reimagining, which you'll see if you take a look at the commercial that's being used to pimp the collector's edition box set.
'Project Sonic 2017' is coming to Xbox One, PS4 and Nintendo NX
While fans will celebrate the series' 25th anniversary with a 2D throwback game in Sonic Mania, the Sonic Team (Sonic Colors, Sonic Generations) is working on something new. Tonight Sega dropped this teaser trailer for "Project Sonic," which is due for the 2017 holiday season on Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and Nintendo's NX. Everything in the trailer is CG, but it does indicate that we can expect both a "Modern" and "Classic" Sonic to make an appearance.
'Sonic Mania' looks like the 2D sequel fans deserve
Sonic The Hedgehog is more than just a trash-talking Twitter account. To celebrate the franchise's 25 year anniversary, Sega is taking the series back to its 2D roots. Sonic Mania looks like it'll strip away all the extraneous bloat that's barnacled itself to the core gameplay since the Blue Blur's glory days, with a focus on what always worked so well. Namely, going fast, collecting rings and moving from left to right.
Sonic grabs top honors as World Video Game Hall of Fame inductee
After getting snubbed in the inaugural class of World Video Game Hall of Fame inductees, 25-year-old Sonic the Hedgehog is finally getting the recognition it deserves. Along with Grand Theft Auto III, The Legend of Zelda, The Oregon Trail, The Sims, and Space Invaders, Sega's 1991 release is on the list of 2016 hall of famers at the National Museum of Play.
Sonic to star in a 'live-action and animation hybrid' movie
If you've played the most recent Sonic the Hedgehog games, you might be wondering how life can get any worse for the blue blur. Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric was universally panned by the press, and previous efforts such as Lost World and Unleashed didn't fare much better. How could his reputation be dragged any lower? Well, perhaps with a film. Not just any film though -- a worrying "live-action and animation hybrid." The project, which is currently still in the planning stages, was revealed by Sega president and CEO Hajime Satomi in an interview with The Worldfolio.
Spend an afternoon with the 'Sonic' charity marathon
The fine folks at Respawn Point are in the middle of a non-stop, seven-day Sonic the Hedgehog marathon, livestreamed on Twitch and benefiting UK charity Special Effect, which helps people with disabilities play video games. The stream started on December 27th and runs through January 3rd. Respawn Point's stream team is playing a lineup of historically significant Sonic games, starting with 1991's Sonic the Hedgehog and including notoriously awful installments like the 2006 Sonic disaster.
