What Was Revealed
- Trailer: http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/sonicthehedgehog4episode1/video/6249444?hd=1
- Interview: http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/sonicthehedgehog4episode1/news.html?sid=6249445&mode=previews
- Official Site: http://www.sega.com/sonic4/us/index.html
- Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1
- Released this summer on XBLA, PSN, and WiiWare
- Likely coming to iPhone / iPod Touch / iPad later as well judging by the "?" platform on the title screen at the end of the trailer
- Picks up right after Sonic 3 & Knuckles as far as story goes (so falls in Sonic 2 / Sonic 3 / Sonic & Knuckles storyline)
- spin dash, power sneakers, and homing attack are in
- Wii version uses motion control, PS3 version uses Sixaxis
- Wii version runs at 480p, PS3 and 360 version run at 1080p
- A screenshot can be found below

What We Already Knew

• 2D
• 2010 Release
• A strong possibility of the game being a downloadable title
• It is NOT a remake
• Of the following characters, only Sonic is in the game:
  

Trailers and Artwork
Teaser: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-MTCp3wHBI
Music Sample: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZF__kFSYv4
Reveal Trailer: http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/sonicthehedgehog4episode1/video/6249444?hd=1

Concept Art


Screenshot:


My thoughts:

My question is: why does a sidescroller need to be episodic?

To make more money.

That's usually the answer to just about any "why?".

I was just about to post exactly what Dray says.

This actually de-winds the game a good deal. Instead of being able to play a full and epic Sonic title, I'm going to be left wanting after only a few levels. And this is exactly why I STILL haven't bought Final Fantasy IV-2. So I think what I'm going to do is just not buy any of these "episodes" till they release the last one... so I can play the game as it was ment to be as a whole.

Also, that gives me a chance to sit back and see how the game plays out. Sega has f*cked up way too much with Sonic for a day-one purchase. So yeah... I'm just going to sit back and wait.

*dreads the level where they most certainly pull the camera behind sonic*

You know, that didn't even cross my mind. There's so much room for them to screw this up...

I just watched the trailer... somewhere else. 'Cause it should not take that long to load a 48-second video. And as it turns out, the trailer wasn't worth the wait. Only a few seconds showing the new game, and it's basically of a screenshot already posted. Also, seeing those CG characters... Why is it the case that every retro-back game in 3D, the characters look like they're made out of cheap plastic? TMNT Arcade: plastic. Bionic Commando: plastic. New SMB Wii: plastic. And now this: plastic.

I find it interesting that the game will have Sixaxis control. Wasn't that eventually abandoned?

So, apparently Sonic Team isn't involved in this one. The team that did the Sonic Rush and Sonic Advance games are.
http://wiiware.nintendolife.com/news/20 ... _developer

I say GOOD. Team Sonic doesn't know what the f*ck they are doing anymore anyways.

That's why he looked slow in the video.

I read somewhere that the video doesn't show his full speed.

Well, let's hope he runs faster than he did in Sonic Advance. Because... he was pretty slow.

At least advace wasn't a horrible sonic game... in fact, advance was the best to come out in YEARS.

I like the Adventure series, though the cameras and the new Sonic friends did get stupid. But I enjoyed playing all the Sonic levels in both games. I liked the Advance games, but it was kinda slow for me. Not bad, but slow.

The Rush games are the best Sonic games since Sonic Adventure 2, but they're still lacking from the Genesis/CD ones. They need to scrap all the damn story except for sprite-based animations.



Leaked screen.

Leaked video:
http://www.product-reviews.net/2010/02/ ... nd-screen/

Go there to view.

4 zones with 3 acts each (and a special stage section) isn't TOO bad... though it's still a bit short too short. As for the gameplay, it seems you can go much faster than expected, but still... at lower speeds, he seems to be a bit sluggish. More sluggish than he should ever be.

Yeah, they found a way to screw it up... so much for this.

Oh, if the video gets taken down, let me know. I downloaded the original file just in case.

Yeah, that looks incredibly awkward. They should have the camera zoomed way out for a stage like that.

Or just not done anything like that in the first place. That seems so out of place for a sonic game... I find myself glad I didn't get hyped up for this.

Oh, here's some actual gameplay of a REAL level that doesn't require a stupid gimmick.



And I have very few complaints about it. One being that the homing attack takes away ALL challenge of bridging a gap with enemies. It would have been more fun had you controlled your jump the whole time. The other one is... why the hell is sonic coming out of a ball after a jump and sticking all four limbs out like that? The player got hit more than once because of that. It's weird. Look, you can even see him doing it in the thumbnail.

Have you posted these thoughts on the videos' descriptions. There might be an incredibly slim chance that Sega would pay attention.