Sonic the Hedgehog 4
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BlackBerry gets its game on at BBW, scores Jetpack Joyride and Sonic
One of the things BlackBerry has never really had going for it, is a deep games catalog. Now, that isn't about to change in one fell swoop, but things are about to get a lot better at BlackBerry World 2012. RIM's head of gaming, Anders Jeppsson, took to twitter to let the world know about the impressive pile of titles heading to the PlayBook and BlackBerry 10. The biggest names are certainly Jetpack Joyride, from Halfbrick (the studio behind Fruit Ninja), and Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1. Other games in the pipeline include Galaxy on Fire 2 and Star Marine, while Tomb Raider fans can get down with Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light starting today. Keep an ear out for more to hit during this week's BBW.
Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft: three very different takes on portable gaming at GDC 2012
Tim Cook says the darnedest things. Why, just last week Apple's head honcho suggested that iPad users are ditching their home consoles in favor of Cupertino's favorite slate. Bold words, ones that can't be sitting well with the gaming industry's big three. Steady thy rifle, hardcore gamer, Cook has a point: the console wars have shifted irreversibly. Gone are the days of bickering over somewhat similar 16-bit consoles and their supposed lack of "blast-processing"; today's gaming armies wage war with wildly different artillery. In the pursuit of your mobile gaming dollar, Nintendo toed a traditional line with a new twist. Sony, on the other hand, seems to have bundled every input method it could get its mitts on into its next-generation portable. Microsoft, however, puts the "mobile" in mobile gaming, echoing Apple's own approach with an Xbox Live platform that eschews dedicated hardware to float across Windows Phone devices as a "feature."Take a step back, and suddenly it seems like the major players of consumer gaming aren't even driving on the same track. This war isn't about the "most powerful" console anymore; it's about creating the right experience for today's gamer. We ducked under the unspoken truce of last week's Game Developer Conference to get a bead on Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony's portable gaming strategies. Read on to see what they're doing to differentiate themselves from the competition.
Sonic 4's 'Mad Gear Zone' isn't what we thought
We're not going to lie. We were disappointed to find out that Sonic the Hedgehog 4's "Mad Gear Zone" didn't take place in Final Fight's Metro City, with Mike Haggar teaming up with Sonic to eliminate the Mad Gear Gang. Instead, we get an industrial-type level with pistons and gears and such, kind of like Sonic 2's Chemical Plant Zone. That's pretty neat, too. We guess. Check it out for yourself after the break. We're sorry we mentioned our Final Fight idea, because now you're as doomed to disappointment with the real thing as we are.
Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 spin-dashes to consoles this October
Sega's 2D platformer Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 will launch across multiple platforms in mid-October. IGN received the pricing and launch details from the publisher, which are: iTunes App Store (iPhone, iPod Touch): October 7 Wii Shop Channel: October 11, 1500 Wii Points (Oct. 15 EMEA) Xbox Live Arcade: October 13, 1200 MSP ($15) PlayStation Network: October 12, $14.99 / £9.99 / €12.99 (Oct. 13 EMEA) Check out our recent preview and video of the game's obligatory casino zone to see if Sega's back-to-roots gamble is paying off. Remember -- you can't blame Sonic's pals if things go wrong this time. %Gallery-103055%
Sonic 4 delayed until late 2010, will be released on iPhone
Sega just dropped two items of information about Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I, one slightly disappointing and one ... interesting? First for the kind of bad news: it's been delayed from its original "summer" release to "late 2010." "The additional time will allow the Development Team to focus on ensuring overall high-quality throughout the game by continuing to tune, balance, and maintain the kind of polish that an important title like this demands," the press release reads, "and ultimately providing fans with an unrivalled classic Sonic feel." The other news: as many suspected, the downloadable game will be released not only on PSN, XBLA and WiiWare, but for the iPhone / iPod Touch as well. You'll have the choice of portability or buttons! %Gallery-89026%
Leaked Sonic 4 mine cart footage is all yours
Adding to last week's leaked footage of Sonic 4's Splash Hill Zone is a new clip (embedded after the break) from the downloadable game's Lost Labyrinth Zone. There's more to be seen at the source, but we singled out one clip in particular because it served as the best evidence that Sonic 4 really is drawing a lot of inspiration from the 16-bit era -- after all, how else would you explain a mine cart level? (In case you'd forgotten, they were outlawed by a U.N. resolution passed in 1998.) So hey, if some random people on the internet can get their hands on Sonic 4, it shouldn't be too long before we can, too. Right? [Thanks RPK!]
Leaked video tours Sonic 4's Splash Hill Zone
digg_url = 'http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/31/sonic-4-splash-hill-zone-video/'; Wondering what you'll see the first time you boot up Sega's upcoming, returning-to-roots platformer, Sonic 4? Well, it'll probably be that blue-on-white logo where the robot choir sings the company name. Then, some kind of circular logo for the game, which Sonic will burst through, making an edgy hand gesture. After that, though, you'll see Splash Hill Zone Act 1 -- the entirety of which was recently captured on video and posted after the jump. In fact, if you're not very good at Sonic, you'll see the exact series of events depicted in the video. Seriously, dude dies in, like, 12 seconds.
New Sonic 4 screens capture sundown in Splash Hill Zone
Click to enlarge Feeling blue today? Maybe it's because you sensed that Sega was going to make your eyes tear up (in a good way) with these razor-sharp new Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 screenshots. Or maybe you're just down in the dumps; in which case, we're sorry to hear it -- and we really hope these screens cheer you up. The new images feature the already revealed Splash Hill Zone, this time with Sonic racing through it at sunset. Of course, without any more information, we don't know if this is a later act in the stage, or if the time of day will change dynamically mid-level. We can tell you that we think the lighting looks great, even if Sonic's true blue coloring appears to be unaffected by it (probably due to a clause in his contract). Check out the full set of screens in the high-res gallery below. %Gallery-89026%
See Sonic 4's Splash Hill Zone, Eggman
For those of you who have yet to decide to boycott Sonic the Hedgehog 4, Sega has released some new media of the downloadable rodent-racing platformer. Including ... the second known character to appear in the game. Okay, before more of you start boycotting, it's just Eggman (or Dr. Robotnik, or whatever). And he's shown in one of his spheroid flying vehicles, implying that he's in the game in boss capacity only. The site also features a few screens, music and a description of Splash Hill Zone, which can be summed up as "Green Hill Zone in HD." And that's a good thing, right?
Sonic fans remix Sonic 4 intro, get way too excited
Oh, Sonic fans. Every time a new Sonic is announced, you joke about not getting fooled again and you promise that, this time, you won't be taken in. And we believe you -- why would you go back to Sonic after everything he's done to you? But then a few weeks go by, and suddenly we click a link and find you remixing the 10 seconds of intro screen music that's been revealed from Sonic 4. Seriously? Did you have to create a rock version, an 8-bit version and even a Dreamcast-style version? Sure, they're cool, and sure, we've embedded them after the break, but isn't this exactly the kind of excitement we all agreed we wouldn't have for the new game? Yes, we're glad to see that longtime Sonic musician Jun Senoue has been announced as the composer for new game, and we're looking forward to hearing more music when the Sega blog releases it. But as your history teacher said, those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it. Let's wait until we play the game before we start remixing it 10 seconds at a time.
Mega64 explains the appeal and letdown of Sonic ... the restaurant
If you were to ask us what to expect from most fast food joints, we'd probably tell you to look inside your garbage can and basically expect that -- but, y'know, inside of your stomach. We don't know; it's all the same pre-processed, assembly line garbage to us and we manage to successfully avoid it for the most part. But the Mega64 dudes instead find themselves in an almost perpetual, Groundhog Day-like loop when it comes to one particular establishment: Sonic. Even though each trip usually makes the guys wish they never went in the first place, the thought of returning oddly enough fills them with hope that things will be different each and every time, only to suffer the grim realization again. It's such a departure for Mega64, but we can't help but feel like there's some kind of correlation to a current gaming news item in here -- so we thought we'd post this to see what you all think they're talking about. While we think on it, head past the break and check out the video.
Sonic fans create the best boycott of all time
[Fanpop; bramcurtis] digg_url = 'http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/26/sonic-fans-create-the-best-boycott-of-all-time/'; Thanks to the internet, the word "boycott" no longer conveys an element of gravitas. In fact, we're pretty certain that this collection of 1080 (and counting) Sonic fans doesn't actually understand the point of a boycott. The petitioners are upset about Sonic the Hedgehog 4, knowing full well from the leaked footage that it will "simply not be anywhere near as good as the original Sonic games." They're not going to stand for this and have threatened to hurt Sega where it hurts the most: sales. "We will not buy it," the petition explains. "We will in fact buy Sonic 1 on release in protest of Sonic 4." Take that, Sega! Instead of giving you money, these people are going to ... give you money? Ha! Lesson learned. But in all seriousness, we do want to take a moment to offer some advice to the protesters: The best way to show Sega your disapproval isn't to buy another one of its games. Instead, satiate your desire to hurt Sega and needlessly throw away your money by sending a check or money order to: Andrew Yoon c/o AOL, 770 Broadway, New York, NY 10003. Thanks, Sonic fans! [Via Destructoid]
Sega confirms Sonic 4 developed by Sonic Team and Dimps
Sonic may not team up with other playable characters in his upcoming downloadable adventure, but Sonic Team and Dimps are combining forces to develop Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1. Sega today confirmed to Joystiq that the two developers are working together on the title, plainly stating, "Sonic 4 Episode I is being developed by Sonic Team in cooperation with Dimps." The question as to who is actually making the title for Sega was raised when Xbox.com listed Dimps as sole developer on the game's XBLA info page. This isn't the first time that Dimps has partnered with a well-known team to develop a game based on a classic franchise -- it worked with Capcom to create Street Fighter IV -- nor is it a stranger to the Sonic universe, having worked on the Sonic Advance series for GBA, Sonic Rush and its sequel for DS and level design for the Wii version of Sonic Unleashed. [Thanks to Justin for the original tip!]
Rumor: Sonic 4 screens and footage leaked
If this is really leaked off-screen footage and screenshots of Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 sent in to 1UP, we're surprised to say that it really, for real looks like a Sonic game. Despite a lazy jump animation, it actually looks like something that could satisfy those of us desperate for a genuine Sonic experience. Therefore, we predict either that this stuff is an elaborate fake, or that, after the first level, Robotnik freezes Sonic solid and you spend the rest of the game as Amy Rose dragging Sonic in a little red wagon. Those are the only ways we can reconcile what we see and what we know about Sonic games. Visible in both the video and the screens is a menu that reveals stages called the Splash Hill Zone, the Casino Street Zone, and the Mad Gear Zone (which probably isn't a Final Fight crossover), as well as a Sonic 1-style Special Stage. Check out the video after the break and face the terrifying proposition that you may become interested in a Sonic game. Frustratingly, this footage is as wobbly as all furtive "leaked" off-screen game footage is -- despite the fact that the person shooting it clearly had enough control to turn on the system and start the game on demand, suggesting that this wasn't a spur-of-the-moment video opportunity. Maybe the shaky-cam effect makes it look more like what people expect of a leak.
'Project Needlemouse' is Sonic the Hedgehog 4; episodic on PS3, Wii and 360 this summer
It's long been known that "Project Needlemouse," announced by Sega last September, was the codename for a new 2D, console Sonic the Hedgehog title. It was subsequently revealed (much to our delight) that Sonic would be its only playable character, and we now know that the game will be, in fact, a direct sequel to 1994's Sonic & Knuckles on Sega Genesis. Not only that -- it'll be (wait for it) episodic. We also know that the officially titled Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 looks like a proper Sonic game -- i.e., there's hope for it yet. GameSpot, which has a first look at the blue bolt's new downloadable XBLA, PSN and WiiWare adventure, reports that "episode 1" will be available on all three platforms "this summer." Additionally, Sega confirmed to the site that the game will support online leaderboards and motion control on Wii and PS3 (Sixaxis for the latter; sorry, "Arc"). You can watch the first trailer for Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 after the break. What do you think?
