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Sega grants 3DS, Wii U Sonic Boom games their own subtitles
Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric and Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal are the new titles Sega's attached to the next adventures of its spunky anthropomorphic mascot, Sonic the Hedgehog. As we mentioned a few months back, these two games are something akin to spin-offs of an upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog animated series. At the very least, they share the Sonic Boom name, as well as its overarching universe and its aesthetic style. According to Sega, Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric (a Wii U game in development at Big Red Button), will feature a detailed world and offer players a modern, action-adventure gaming experience. Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal (the 3DS iteration being crafted by Sanzaru Games), on the other hand, will lean more toward platforming, like classic Sonic games. Both Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric and Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal are currently slated to debut in November. More information on both games should be available at E3, where Sega claims each will be available for attendees to play. [Image: Sega]
Early Sonic Boom character designs were 'traumatic' for Sonic Team
Have the character designs in the upcoming Sonic Boom by Big Red Button Entertainment ruffled your fur and/or quills? It could always be worse. Bob Rafei, CEO of Big Red Button, told GameSpot that early designs were downright "traumatic" for Sonic Team head Takashi Iizuka. "Early on, when we had our first review of all the crazy things we wanted to try, Iizuka-san came down to Los Angeles and looked through all the different concepts," Rafei said. "I felt sorry for the guy because sometimes he couldn't actually look at the screen ... it was too traumatic seeing all the crazy stuff we wanted to do." Rafei said the team experimented with different colors, as well as adding features like fur and scales, but that such designs would have made Sonic "a lot more alien and different from what [the character] is known for." As for the scarf and sports tape that raised so many eyebrows? Rafei said those items are there to show that the heroes are practical, and not vain. "From my perspective, it was important the characters have a practical heroism to them and not vanity, which is more fitting for villains," Rafei said. "When the world is in jeopardy, you don't have time to worry about what you look like." [Image: Sega]
Sonic Boom comes to Wii U and 3DS from western studios
Let the Sonic Cycle begin anew! Sega announced a whole new Sonic the Hedgehog franchise at a New York City event on Thursday: Sonic Boom. That's the name of the new CG animated series debuting later this year alongside tie-in Wii U and Nintendo 3DS games, as an entirely new franchise. As Sega of America marketing chief Marcella Churchill stressed during her introduction, the "modern Sonic" character that's starred in the series since Sonic Adventure won't be going anywhere. Aside from subtle cosmetic changes to the principal characters and play style, a teaser shown at the event for Sonic Boom hewed close to the mold of all three-dimensional Sonic games. The most significant change is who is developing them.
Sonic multiplatform 2015 game listing 'incorrect,' says Sega
Sega wagged a finger of "nope" to reports of a Sonic game coming to PS4, Xbox One and Wii U in 2015, after a promo at a German toy fair seemed to let the chili dog out of the bun. "The recent information coming out of Nuremburg Toy Fair was incorrect," Community Manager Kellie Parker wrote on the Sega forums, as later reiterated by Sega to Eurogamer. "Sega has yet to announce details of upcoming console video games for Sonic the Hedgehog, or further details regarding the new Sonic CG TV series." The placard in question was put up by Sonic merchandiser Jazwares, and it omitted a third Nintendo exclusive following Sonic: Lost World (above) and Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Winter Games. Nintendo and Sega entered a partnership on three Sonic games in 2013. Is Sega being economical with the truth here? Nintendo deal or no, we can't see the spiky mascot and his predilection for big multiplatform releases being staved off for too long. [Image: Sega]
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Rumor: Sonic game due in 2015 for Xbox One, PS4, Wii U
A photo from a toy fair held in Nuremberg suggests that Sega's blazing-fast mascot will make his way to the next-gen consoles in 2015. Spindash's report, as translated by Sonic Stadium, notes a placard at the event from toy manufacturer Jazwares that hints at a Sonic game for the PS4, Xbox One and Wii U. Jazwares currently has a line of Sonic merchandise, so it would make sense for them to know about future Sonic projects. The image notes recent Sonic games in addition to the "new 2015 title TBA" game, but it doesn't make note of Nintendo's "worldwide partnership" with Sega to release three exclusive Sonic games on Nintendo platforms. Sonic: Lost World kicked off this supposed trilogy and Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Winter Games served as the second installment, so it's unclear whether the TBA game used to be Wii U exclusive, or if another Sonic game is still in the works for Nintendo platforms. [Image: Sega]
Sonic the Hedgehog box art illustrator Greg Martin passes away
Prolific video game cover artist Greg Martin has passed away, a personal friend announced at the NintendoAge forum this week. Martin illustrated many iconic video game covers throughout the 1990s, establishing distinctive looks for Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog series characters and Namco's Pac-Man, in particular. Many Sonic the Hedgehog games released stateside during the Sega Genesis and Game Gear era bear Martin's cover art, including Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Sonic CD, and Sonic Spinball, among others. Martin created cover illustrations for several Hanna-Barbera and Looney Tunes-licensed games during his long-running industry stint, and his art also adorned the covers of acclaimed classics like Landstalker, Shining in the Darkness, and Little Nemo: The Dream Master. Several examples of Martin's work can be seen at NintendoAge.
Sony Pictures URL registrations point to Sonic the Hedgehog movie
Sony Pictures has registered several web domains that suggest a film based on the Sonic the Hedgehog universe could be in the works. Kotaku noticed that "sonicthehedgehog-movie.com," "sonicthehedgehog-movie.net" and "sonicthehedgehogmovie.net" were registered to Sony last week, though Sony themselves have yet to announce any film adaptation of Sega's iconic mascot. Sony Pictures Animation has created both fully-animated (Open Season) and live-action-plus-CG (The Smurfs) in the past, so it's hard to say which way a Sonic movie, should it ever be made, would go. If it's the latter, we're telling you right now Sony, making it dark and edgy - complete with Dr. Robotnik/Eggman torturing someone - has already been done. Sonic the Hedgehog - The Movie. Coming sometime. Possibly. Running time (if it happens): fast.
Remastered Sonic the Hedgehog 2 hits Android, iOS tomorrow with bonus Hidden Palace Zone
Longtime Sonic the Hedgehog fans can look forward to a key piece of series history surfacing in the upcoming remastered iOS and Android versions of the classic 16-bit platformer Sonic the Hedgehog 2, as the new mobile ports will include a finished, playable version of the game's long-lost Hidden Palace Zone. Originally planned as a bonus level showcasing Sonic's transformation into Super Sonic after collecting the game's seven Chaos Emeralds, the Hidden Palace Zone was scrapped midway through Sonic 2's development. The level's remnants later surfaced in a prototype version distributed as a downloadable ROM file, sparking fan discussion and speculation for years afterward. The mobile version of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is developed by Sonic Retro members Simon Thomley and Christian Whitehead, creator of the "Retro Engine" that powered the multiplatform Sonic CD port released for Xbox Live Arcade, the PlayStation Network, PC and mobile platforms in 2011. Whitehead is known to incorporate cut content in his modern-day Sonic ports; the recent Sonic the Hedgehog remake for iOS and Android featured an expanded debug mode giving access to items scrapped from the original game, and his Sonic CD adaptation hinted at a revival for Sonic 2's lost Dust Hill Zone. The Hidden Palace Zone is featured in Sonic the Hedgehog 2's upcoming Android release, and is included in a free update replacing Sonic the Hedgehog 2's previous port on iOS. Both the new Android version and the iOS update are launching tomorrow.
Sega Genesis art book does what Nintendon't, triples funding goal
Fans of Blast Processing, rejoice: A 300-page retrospective on the sorely-missed Sega Genesis (aka Mega Drive) console has met its Kickstarter funding goal, then blown right past it. Officially given the lengthy title "SEGA Mega Drive/Genesis: Collected Works," the book is officially sanctioned by Sega and serves as a 25th anniversary celebration of the Genesis' release. Inside the thick tome, you'll find pre-release artwork, American and Japanese design concepts for the console itself, and new interviews with some of the key figures responsible for creating the machine that spawned Sonic The Hedgehog. There's even coverage of the Activator, a fighting game peripheral that you younger readers can best imagine as the Kinect's less intelligent, awkward, vaguely functional cousin. As of now, the countdown clock on the SEGA Mega Drive/Genesis: Collected Works Kickstarter campaign shows three hours remaining. Despite this, the book has already raised £94,840 of its £30,000 goal. Expect news on when this book will come available to the public shortly after the clock hits zero.
Flick up that 3D slider for Sega's 3DS classics
It's been a long-time coming, but Sega's 3DS classics are coming to North America and Europe across the next two months. Eight Sega remasters, each priced $6 (€5 or £4.50 in Europe), are set to remind us of the handheld's 3D slider, starting with Space Harrier and Super Hang-On on November 28. That pair are the first of four spruced-up couples, all coming on Thursday eShop updates. The following week's duo of 3D-enhanced oldies is Sonic the Hedgehog and Altered Beast, due on December 5, followed by Ecco the Dolphin and Galaxy Force 2 on December 12. Shinobi 3 and Streets of Rage round things off on December 19. The Western remasters should be the same as the ones that came to Japan, so expect additions like the optional spin dashes and button remapping of 3D Sonic. And when we say 3D Sonic, we don't mean like the more recent 3D perspective Sonic games, so don't expect Sega to patch in any talking or, Chaos Emeralds forbid, hedgehog-human romances.
Sonic: Lost World review: Spin cycle (Wii U)
The Sonic series is built on a foundation of speedy precision platforming. Given that pacing is so crucial to Sonic games, any interruption or poorly considered mechanic has an amplified negative impact that detracts from the overall experience. Unfortunately, Sonic games often have at least one such hair-pulling moment that makes you want to quit in frustration. The original Sega Genesis Sonic the Hedgehog is great fun up until the Labyrinth Zone, which dunks Sonic underwater for an agonizingly slow series of drowning deaths. Likewise, Sonic Adventure hooked early Dreamcast adopters right up until the introduction of Big the Cat and his fishing mini-game. Despite these sorts of problems, though, many Sonic games have been consistently entertaining enough to make up for their weaker elements. Sonic: Lost World upholds an unfortunate series tradition by offering a joyful platforming experience that falters in its latter half. Unlike other Sonic games, however, Lost World never fully recovers from its missteps. What starts off as a fresh, fun adventure soon gives way to disappointment as Sonic falls back into his old habits and Sega matches him with ill-fitting gameplay mechanics.
'Sonic Boom' to debut on Cartoon Network in fall of 2014
A new, computer animated television series staring Sonic the Hedgehog and pals will premiere on Cartoon Network sometime in the fall of next year, Variety reports. In Europe, the show will debut on French children's networks Canal J and Gulli. The show, provisionally called Sonic Boom, is being produced by Sega of America and French animation company Genao Productions. The initial production run will produce 52 11-minute episodes (aimed at children aged six to 11) that will chronicle the adventures of Sonic and Tails as they battle Dr. Eggman, natch. No footage of the show has been released, but the above teaser image does at least confirm Amy's presence in addition to Sonic and Tails – we're still trying to put a name to the center-right silhouette. (We're guessing it's Knuckles with a gym membership.) The degree to which chili dogs are involved has yet to be ascertained.
Sonic spins onto new Super Smash Bros
Today's Nintendo Direct revealed the second third-party character confirmed for Super Smash Bros. is a returning one: Sonic the Hedgehog. Sega's spiky mascot, who made his debut in the previous entry, joins Capcom's Mega Man and the 15 other combatants so far announced for the new 3DS and Wii U game.
Sonic Lost World gets Nights-inspired pre-order bonus level
Players who pre-order Sonic: Lost World will receive a bonus level, Sega announced. Based on Sega's Nights Into Dreams, the level features Lost World's "Deadly Six" antagonists teaming up with bosses from the classic Sega Saturn game. Once players complete the level, which they can jump into at any time, they are given a special Color ability for Sonic to use. Sonic: Lost World launches on October 22 for 3DS and Wii U.
Bizarre Ocarina of Time mod replaces Link with Sonic the Hedgehog
Prominent streamer Vinesauce recently broadcast some The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time footage to his fans, but with a twist: Link had been replaced with Sonic the Hedgehog. [Thanks, BPMΩ.]
First-person Sonic the Hedgehog is as weird as you'd expect
Similar to the first-person fan treatment Mario's received over the years, Machinima has released a video of what the original Sonic might look like from the eyes of the hedgehog himself. The vid takes the game's famous opening level, Green Hill Zone Act 1, spreads it across a 3D plane, and lets the speedy blue hog loose. A side-by-side shot of the actual game provides a neat 2D/3D comparison. Even though it's somehow slower than we expected - the run isn't nearly as quick as this full-flowing vid by AngusFilms1 from a couple of years ago - it still feels overwhelming and unsteady. Not really a huge surprise, given some (not all) of Sonic's 3D outings that more resembled a rocket-propelled ice-skating spider than something controllable. Still, it's a good vid to while away a couple of Monday minutes in the wait for Sonic: Lost World, due on Wii U and 3DS on October 22.
Sega 3D Classics coming to 3DS eShop in North America, Europe
Along with today's reveal that Earthbound is now available on the Wii U eShop, Nintendo announced that a slate of Sega 3D Classics are coming to the European 3DS eShop. Sega confirmed that a North American launch is also in the works. No specific dates or prices were given for the games, which include Altered Beast, Ecco the Dolphin, Galaxy Force, Shinobi, Sonic the Hedgehog, Space Harrier, Streets of Rage and Super Hang-On. Of those games, Ecco the Dolphin, Super Hang-On, Space Harrier, Altered Beast and Sonic the Hedgehog already launched on Japan's 3DS eShop.
3D Sonic, Altered Beast ratings suggest Sega's 3DS line is due west
Australian Classification Board ratings for 3D Sonic the Hedgehog and 3D Altered Beast indicate Sega's line of 3DS re-releases may be headed west after all. The four games, also including 3D Space Harrier and 3D Super Hang-on, are all out in Japan already. 3D Space Harrier, rated by the ACB earlier this year, was playable at last weekend's MCM Expo in London. While there's nothing concrete yet, the evidence certainly points to the 3D line coming west, with 3D Space Harrier most likely to glide in first.
Sonic the Hedgehog speeds to Android today
Update: The game is now available on the Google Play store. There are quite a few Sonic games available on Android, but today marks the first appearance of the Blue Blur's original adventure, Sonic the Hedgehog. Sonic's first adventure has been updated for mobile devices, adding widescreen support, a remastered soundtrack, leaderboards and more. Furthermore, a brand new addition will allow users to play as either Knuckles or Tails. This new feature is also being added to the iOS version of Sonic the Hedgehog via a free update. The game hasn't appeared on the North American Google Play store as of this writing, but it's slated to arrive today for $2.99.
3D Sonic the Hedgehog rolls onto 3DS eShop in Japan this week
A 3D-enhanced version of Sonic the Hedgehog spins its way onto Japan's 3DS eShop on May 15. As Tiny Cartridge reports, the latest of Sega's 3D portable reworks has some interesting additions, including optional spin dashes, button remapping, and being able to choose either the Japanese or western version of the game. You'd think that last one would indicate an impending western arrival, but we're still waiting on the 3D-enhanced versions of Space Harrier and Super Hang-On. We've reached out to Sega to find out what, if anything, is on the horizon.
