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Sega 'looking to improve Sonic strategy,' reducing supply of older Sonic games
There are stories emanating from the mysterious coalition known simply as "Europe" that Sega -- responsible for some of your dearest childhood memories and, maybe, your first heartbreak -- is busy "delisting" less-than-stellar Sonic the Hedgehog titles from European retailers. Jurgen Post, Sega SVP of EMEA (that's Europe, the Middle East and Africa), told MCV, "Any Sonic game with an average Metacritic has been de-listed," continuing, "We have to do this and increase the value of the brand. This will be very important when more big Sonic releases arrive in the future." While that certainly sounds ominous, we asked Alan Pritchard – newly instated veep of sales and marketing for Sega US and the man who held Mr. Post's spot until just a couple month's ago – to clarify what it means for Europe, for Sonic and (jingoism be damned!) for North America. "I think perhaps Jurgen's comments have somewhat been taken out of context," Pritchard told Joystiq. "It's not quite as drastic as what Disney do for example. They bring out Lion King and all of a sudden there's a cut-off date, and you can't buy Lion King for another six months. It's not quite as drastic as turning the tap off completely. We want consumers and retailers to defocus from the back catalog, the older titles and focus more on the new-release titles."
NintendoWare Weekly: Sonic 4, Ivy the Kiwi Mini
It's sort of a Yuji Naka day on the Wii and DSi shops today, with Naka's old game series (Sonic the Hedgehog) receiving a new entry WiiWare, and his latest series (Ivy the Kiwi?) marching onto DSiWare. Also on DSiWare this week: games about protecting the world as a superhero, and protecting information as a data-gathering robot. Sonic is also joined on WiiWare by a trio of jumping sports.%Gallery-104757%
Buy multiple versions of Sonic 4, get a Sega shout-out
Sonic the Hedgehog 4, you may be aware, will be available on several different platforms. All told, the blue blur will appear on the PS3, Xbox 360, and Wii, in addition to the iPhone, on which it is now available. Should you be die-hard enough to purchase more than one version of the game, Sega has something special in store. Specifically, the company is asking fans to submit picture proof of multiple Sonic 4 ownership, and will reward users accordingly. Those who pick up two or more versions will have their names featured on a sticky thread on the Sega and Sonic 4 forums. The list will also be posted on Sega's blog and the Sonic 4 website. Those who snag three versions will receive "a special call-out on the SEGA Blogs and the Sonic 4 website's news feed, and special placement in one very cool spot, to be revealed!" Finally, anyone that purchases all four versions will be featured in a special video shout-out from Sega community manager Aaron Webber and Ken Balough, brand manager for Sonic 4. The video will be posted on Sega's YouTube page and "all across SEGA's realms here on the internets." It's certainly an ... interesting reward for what amounts to $55 worth of loyalty. Then again, internet fame is always an enticing proposition. Especially considering how hard it is to get your name on YouTube.
Sonic 4 iPhone trailer spin-dashes into view
It's odd: even though the iPhone version of Sonic 4: Episode 1 is due to launch tomorrow, we've yet to see any footage of the game in action -- well, until now.
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: Episode 1 lets it ride on the Casino Streets Zone
Sega's pulled back the curtain on the latest Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 area: Casino Streets Zone. The new level is classic Sonic, inviting the iconic blue ball-o-speed to zip through this Monte Carlo-esque gambling paradise, replete with over-sized novelty playing cards and shining neon lights. Head past the break for the official reveal trailer. %Gallery-103055%
Sonic 4: Episode 1 preview: Trying my luck at Casino Streets
Every Sonic game needs a casino level, so it is written in the Sonic Gaming Bible™. In Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1, that need will be filled by Casino Streets Zone, the latest complete area revealed for the game. Like every other locale, it's split up into three progressively tougher acts, followed by a boss battle with the rotund Eggman. I couldn't pound on Sonic's portly nemesis, but the three acts I was able to explore offered a mixture of precision-based platforming segments and, uh, cannons. What sort of casinos have you been visiting, Sega? %Gallery-103055%
Preview: Sonic the Hedgehog 4 - Episode One
There really isn't a lot to write about Sonic the Hedgehog 4. It's everything Sega promised it would be: just Sonic without all the cruft. I got to play through the game's Splash Hill Zone, and it's pure, unadulterated Sonic the Hedgehog 2, with a new coat of paint and a handful of new features. And there's no Tails, of course (not in Episode One at least). There are a few new wrinkles. Sonic has his homing attack from Sonic Adventure, for example. As with most of the 2D Sonic titles, there are also a few interesting locomotion mechanics sprinkled throughout the levels: vines to swing on, ziplines and, of course, the beloved corkscrews and loops. %Gallery-95668%
Sega: Sonic is the only playable character ... 'in Episode 1'
Visiting Sega's booth for a little hands-on time with Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1, a representative told us something that fans may find a little disconcerting. Someone asked the representative if Sonic was the only playable character, to which the rep replied that Sonic is the only playable character "in Episode 1." While he wouldn't confirm if future episodes will have other playable characters, he certainly hinted at the possibility. Consider our fingers crossed for Big the Cat.
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!]
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.
'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?
