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Games of a Lifetime: Sam's Picks
After more than ten years devoted to video games and the people who make them, Joystiq is closing its doors. We won't be reporting on the best games of 2015, so join us for one last hurrah as the Joystiq family reveals their Games of a Lifetime. Some days, it seems like cynicism and derision earn more applause than kindness and optimism, and the things we love most can feel like they're the most neglected. So it can go with games, as we see hatred and vitriol spread online, watch quality of games dip and companies utilize decidedly unfriendly business practices on consumers. But there's a reason I got into this hobby, and there's a reason I got into this job: I love games. I want to see games continue to evolve, change and grow. I want my enthusiasm for them to never die, for my joy and sense of camaraderie in my fellow gamers to always persist. And so, at a time when it would be very easy to be jaded, we've decided to instead continue talking about why we love games. These are my picks for games of a lifetime.
Sonic Team's Sonic Runners announced for smartphones
The next game from the hedgehog hive mind of Sonic Team is Sonic Runners, and it's coming to smartphones next year. Sega producer Takashi Iizuka announced the game at a Sonic fan event in Tokyo, and Famitsu says more details will spill next month. For now we just have the name, dev, platform and 2015 window - and no word either way on a Western release. Sonic Team's last hog roast was Sonic: Lost World back in 2013, and since then the venerable studio's pumped out Puyo Puyo Tetris in Japan. It did supervise work on 2014's Sonic Booms, but they were chiefly developed by American teams Big Red Button and Sanzaru Games. We may yet see something more sizable starring Sonic next year. Earlier this year a German toy fair promo seemed to let the hedgehog out of the bag, noting a new Sonic game for PS4, Xbox One and Wii U in 2015. Sega quickly stepped in to denounce the info as "incorrect."
Puyo Puyo Tetris to drop onto PS4, Xbox One in Japan
Puyo Puyo Tetris, a combination of two venerable rival puzzle games that just makes sense to us, is coming to Xbox One and PS4. After bringing the blocky-blobby hybrid to Wii U, PS3, Vita and 3DS earlier this year, Sega announced it's dropping the two new ports onto Japan's retail shelves on December 4. While Ubisoft's busy pumping Tetris Ultimate onto any system in sight, it seems unlikely we'll see Sega transition Puyo Puyo Tetris onto Western systems given Puyo Puyo's limited penetration outside of Japan. Then again, we live in a time where Sega's releasing Hatsune Miku games across the globe, so who knows? To see how the game works, check out our lowdown from last year's Tokyo Game Show. [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: 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: Lost World plots a path to retail October 22
A new gameplay trailer for Sonic: Lost World reveals a release date of October 22. The trailer also shows off Sonic's new powerups, which allow him to change form as he did in Sonic Colors. In Lost World he can become a bird that zips through the sky, a hovering planetary body and a gigantic pink musical note. We sure hope that one's explained by the plot and extensive dialogue in agonizing detail. Sonic: Lost World is the first of three proposed games in a new partnership between Nintendo and Sega. The 3DS version is currently in development at Dimps, while the Wii U game is being crafted by Sonic Team. Both will feature multiplayer modes unique to their platform.
Sonic Adventure 2 spotted on Xbox.com
Sonic's apparently too fast for whoever moderates Xbox.com content. A listing for Sonic Adventure 2 has appeared on the official Xbox site, complete with a handful of screenshots (one with some PlayStation buttons!) and a description. The listing was pulled from the US Xbox.com, though the UK version has yet to be taken down. No downloads are available but, given that the port doesn't even officially exist yet, that's not surprising.The listing claims the game features all of Sonic Adventure 2's original content, Chao Gardens and all, now in high definition. Given Sega has already re-released the original Sonic Adventure, it only makes sense that the sequel would be as well. We've contacted Sega to learn more.[Thanks, Phoenixumn.]
PSA: PSO2 character creator online, available for everyone
That Phantasy Star Online 2 character creator we caught wind of back in March is now online; ready and waiting to be downloaded, unzipped and utilized to forge a character you'll probably never use if you don't import it or live outside Japan.The character creator can be downloaded by hittin' the source link below, and since it's in Japanese you'll need a working knowledge of Nippon's native tongue to use it. Or, alternatively, you can use this handy guide from the folks at Phantasy Star Fan Blog. Just, you know, don't get too attached once you've made your character.
Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 2 details sneak out via XBLM listing
Oh you crazy, crazy marketers, what with your inability to line up announcement times and what have you. Adorable, we say! For instance, Sega's big reveal of Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 2 probably wasn't intended for as inauspicious a venue as the Xbox Live Marketplace, but here we are with a whole mess of new screens and several new details about the game itself. A-dorable.Anyway, according to the Xbox Live Marketplace listing, Sonic 4 Episode 2 will feature online and offline co-op play with Tails, all set in an "all new game engine" with updated physics. The blurb further promises "four brand new Zones" and a "new special stage." From the shots that were released thus far, it's looking like Sonic and Tails should pack an extra pair of snow boots!%Gallery-147686%
The Game Archaeologist dials up Phantasy Star Online: The highlights
The Dreamcast was a brief but shining aberration in the gaming world. Coming along years after Sega had fallen out of its position as a top-runner in the console market, it represented the company's big attempt to reclaim its former glory. While it failed to succeed in that respect and ultimately closed up shop in 2001 (ending Sega's interest in the console market), the Dreamcast became a gaming cult favorite responsible for some of the most innovative titles ever made. Games like Jet Grind Radio, Space Channel 5, and Shenmue have remained fan favorites long after the Dreamcast's demise, which shows the legacy that these dev teams left behind. But perhaps the Dreamcast's greatest gift to the gaming world wasn't crazy taxis or space dancing but a surprisingly forward-looking approach to online gaming. In 2000, the Dreamcast took the first steps to bringing an online console RPG to market, and while it wasn't a true MMO, it certainly paved the way for titles like EverQuest Online Adventures and Final Fantasy XI. It was bold, it was addictive, and it was gosh-darned gorgeous. Ladies and gentlemen: Phantasy Star Online.
Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 2 rated by ESRB for consoles, PC
The ESRB has granted Sonic The Hedgehog 4: Episode 2 an "E for Everyone" rating on the PC, 360, PS3 and Windows Phone platforms, thankfully without dyeing its sideburns in the process. Usually, an ESRB rating is indicative of an impending release date announcement or, in the case of badly promoted games, an impending release.Android, iOS and Wii classifications are missing from the ESRB's breakdown of the title, which isn't to say that those version don't or won't exist, but it is a good sign that they may not be among the first batch of platforms to receive Sonic 4: Episode 2. Still, it's at least reassuring to know that the game exists, which is more than some people can say.
Sonic CD was December's top PSN game
Not that we're necessarily surprised by Sonic CD taking the number-one spot on December's PSN charts, but it's always a little sobering when the classics of yesteryear outsell brand-new titles like Trine 2. Nostalgia is a powerful thing, friends.Well, the fact that Sonic CD is arguably the best 2D Sonic game of all time probably has something to do with it too, but we all know most of us bought it just to hear Sonic Boom again. Hop past the break for the full list of December's best-selling PSN titles.
Sonic Generations review: Run-time compiler
Revisiting two decades of games, Sonic Generations is pitched as a celebration of Sega's previously pudgy mascot and the timeless appeal of blue skies, checkerboard loops, and things that go "boing." But much like the one Sonic receives in the opening, Generations is closer to a lame birthday party that you attend out of courtesy. That feeling you get from playing every Sonic game after Genesis brews as disappointment and eventually becomes sympathy, mostly for the branded custodians at Sonic Team. They can't seem to please anybody, can they? Oh, Sonic's jumping feels wrong. The momentum is messed up over here. It's about exploration, not speed! Guys, the physics of my anthropomorphic blue hedgehog is inaccurate within this segmented fantasy landscape! Even when they make a game -- well, let's say half a game -- dedicated to capturing Sonic as he was, before vocal chords and a third dimension, they still can't win. Why?
Pre-order Sonic Generations on Steam, receive classic Sonic games free
Today has been a pretty good news day for the dusty old codgers here at Joystiq; not only will the original Sonic the Hedgehog be included in Sonic Generations as an unlockable, but Steam has gone and sweetened the nostalgia pot by giving away Sonic 3D Blast and Sonic 3 and Knuckles with every Generations pre-order. Sonic Generations hits Steam November 4, but the pre-order bonuses become instantly available at check-out. And look at it this way, even if Generations ends up being a flop, you can tell yourself you spent 30 dollars on two Genesis ports, which is a much more palatable sense of disappointment. [Thanks, Prezten!]
Sonic Generations dashes to 3DS November 22
We knew Sonic Generations was coming out on PS3 and Xbox 360 on November 1, but Sega has been quiet about the release window for the dual-screen, dual-hedgehog 3DS version. Today, Sega dismissed the building rumors that Generations on 3DS had been delayed until next year. The publisher announced that the 3DS game (which has almost entirely exclusive content) is just a bit slower than its speed-obsessed console counterparts, and as a result it'll hit stores on November 22.
New(ish) Sonic Generations demo coming to PS3, 360 starting this week
Sega is sending out a second demo for Sonic Generations, its multi-year mascot mishmash coming to PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on November 1. The new demo, which should be available on Xbox Live Marketplace starting tomorrow (followed by a North American PSN version on October 25), revisits the checkerboard loops of Green Hill Zone, this time with a "modern Sonic" component. The classic version of the level (see: slightly rotund Sonic) will also be available in this demo, just in case you missed it in the first round back in June.
Sonic 4 gets permanent price drop, now $10
If Sonic 4's original price point of 1200 Microsoft Points ($15) was a little too rich for your blood, you can cancel that transfusion you set up with your obscenely wealthy uncle. Sega will drop the price of the game to 800 Microsoft Points today, and to $10 on PSN next week.
Sonic Generations trailer reaches the 'modern' era (of werewolves and girlfriends)
How confident is Sega in Sonic Generations? Well, the company's willing to build in a piece -- and thus, a reminder -- of 2006's Sonic the Hedgehog. We hope the loading times aren't carrying over alongside that game's "Crisis City" level.
Phantasy Star Online 2 delayed into 2012
Sega has announced that their upcoming return to majestic sci-fi action fantasy, Phantasy Star Online 2, has been delayed into 2012, reports Siliconera. The purpose of the delay, according to producer Satoshi Sakai, is to address gameplay issues brought to light by user feedback submitted after the conclusion of this summer's alpha testing. A second alpha test will be conducted some time during the first part of next year; returning alpha testers will be joined by new recruits in order to evaluate the changes made based on their feedback. Delays can be a double-edged sword, but when a company specifically cites addressing user feedback as a delay's justification, that's usually a good sign. Not that any of us will ever actually get to play it, mind you. After all, it is a Japanese exclusive. [Thanks, Mike!]
Phantasy Star Online 2 preview: Back, in action
Phantasy Star Online hit some kind of magical sweet spot back in 2000. Though its spinoffs and followups kept much of the formula from that release, there was always something that felt off about them, and prevented some fans (like me) from getting fully into them. It turns out that maybe those games were hewing too closely to the first PSO, because the new Phantasy Star Online 2 feels significantly different from its predecessors in action, and seems to have paradoxically recaptured the PSO excitement by doing so. It definitely hits all the right notes, but the mechanics have actually been upgraded. Can you believe it? Of course, the bummer about this is that it's a currently Japan-only, PC-only game.%Gallery-134159%
