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New 2D, HD Sonic Game Coming In 2010

Posted by Soulskill on from the now-with-more-speeding-pixels dept.

Anonymouse writes "Sonic the Hedgehog is going back to his roots, but with a fresh coat of HD paint. 'An all-new 2D side-scrolling High Definition Sonic game is coming with a 2010 release date, according to a new teaser trailer from Sega.' Sega's Ken Ballough had this to say: 'Old-school Sonic fans have long asked to see Sonic return to a more 2D style of gameplay. Many liked the daytime stages in Unleashed but wanted to see a game that plays purely similar to the early games of the Genesis. Project Needlemouse is that critical first step that brings Sonic back to his 2D roots.'"

24 of 123 comments (clear)

  1. Sonic Cycle by TejWC · · Score: 5, Funny

    Before you get your hopes up, I would like to direct your attention to what is called the Sonic Cycle.

    1. Re:Sonic Cycle by Shikaku · · Score: 2

      See the top of the Sonic Cycle. He gets put in the game along with new friends on step 2.

  2. Nice! by maroonhat · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I always thought Sonic's transition to 3d was much less graceful than say, Mario's. Maybe it was the high speed and the weird feel of the Dreamcast controller that made me feel like I was influencing Sonic's motions, not controlling them.

    --
    The more I learn about Windows the more I am surprised it runs at all
    1. Re:Nice! by Shadow+of+Eternity · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Well mario made sense because he was a slower platformer to begin with and even in 2d had a reasonable amount of exploration already built in (mario3).

      Sonic games... if you look at "maps" of the levels, they're ENORMOUS. Doing that in 3d would be almost impossible so they needed to both slow down sonic and find ways to make you feel like you were going faster and farther than you really were. Thus you get lots of grinding and levels that are basically roads floating in the middle of the air. Since Super Sonic basically went even faster still and was invincible except for crushing and falling into pits he had to go out the window too, it'd be impossible to control or map for and remove their carefully planned interruptions.

      Going back to 2d and not on a handheld means there's a chance to get those looooong levels that aren't based on "haha didn't see that coming" tiny screen cheap shots and grinding/rocketing/whatevering level gimmicks back. Along with hopefully the old emerald system.

      --
      A bullet may have your name on it but splash damage is addressed "To whom it may concern."
    2. Re:Nice! by Freaky+Spook · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Sonic's transition to 3D was the same as NBA Jam, confusing and everything that was fun about the game got lost in translation.

      It's good to see it going back to 2D, heaps of 2D Xbox live games have proved to be a huge success with a HD touch up, this should be the same.

      Now all we need is them to do NBA Jam TE in HD and I'll be a very happy person.

    3. Re:Nice! by SlashdotOgre · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I have to agree, although personally I don't think we need to throw 3D all the way out. Something along the lines of what Capcom did with Street Fighter IV would be pretty awesome. I've said it before, and will say it again. I wish these classic series would start sticking to their roots. When will companies realize it's not in their best interest to reinvent the wheel when it comes to classic series? I'm dying for modern remakes of several classic titles (Raiden, Gunstar Heroes, Radiant Silvergun, etc.), and I'm confident that doing them 2D is not only the cheaper approach, but will lead to the superior product.

      --
      Sadly, PS/2 was yet another victim of USB, which doesn't care what you plug into it, the electrical slut.
    4. Re:Nice! by Waccoon · · Score: 2, Informative

      The Sonic Team was showing off too much in Sonic Adventure. You had limited control over the camera, and it would zip around all over the place on its own. An unpredictable camera is horrible, no matter how much work went into the AI to predict what the player wants to see.

      The proper way to use the camera for any high-paced 3D game is a fixed viewpoint, so when controlling the character, you don't fight with the camera. It's not a visibility issue, it's a control issue, so smarter camera AI isn't going to help. The camera needs to be dumber and not move around unexpectedly.

      Of course, that doesn't look as cool, which is why they keep screwing it up. Sticking with 3D graphics is fine for this kind of game, so long as the camera stays in 2D!

  3. A list of what not to include by Haoie · · Score: 5, Insightful

    -Every character except Sonic, Tales, and Knuckles
    -Clumsy, overbearing storyline
    -Rail grinding
    -Furries

    --
    If each mistake being made is a new one, then progress is being made.
    1. Re:A list of what not to include by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Screw what the fans want. Wait, isn't that what they've been doing for the past five years?

      Bring on the old school gameplay! Mm, will he go back to his old Mega Drive appearance?

    2. Re:A list of what not to include by Jared555 · · Score: 2, Informative

      I think you are underestimating the ability of game companies to screw something simple up

    3. Re:A list of what not to include by PenisLands · · Score: 2, Insightful

      And also voice acting.

    4. Re:A list of what not to include by bluefoxlucid · · Score: 2, Funny

      That sounds like a good idea... they should consult with the Megaman 9 team.

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  4. Yeah, right. by Perseid · · Score: 4, Insightful

    This is Sega making a Sonic game in the 21st century. You just KNOW they're going to find some way to fuck it up. It's company policy.

  5. Re:Finally... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

    This gives me the opportunity to ask about something that I've always had trouble finding info about... cart pulls.

    A cart pull is when you yank one cartridge out, put another one in, and hit reset, based on the fact that the Genesis does not wipe RAM when you hit reset, and some games did not initialize all variables properly. This aspect is well-known in that Sonic 1 lets you get the first chaos emerald, hit reset, play from the beginning of the game until getting a chaos emerald (which will be the second), hit reset, repeat until you have all the emeralds, then play the game straight through without worrying about the special stages (or using level select to jump to scrap brain and just playing the end of the game).

    I read about cart pulls in some gamer magazines back in the 90s. The only problem is I've found almost no references to the subject on the Internet, leading me to believe it could have been just a well-organized April Fools joke by several magazines. However, the sources I have found on the Internet have all looked legit, even giving a few examples...

    Any Genesis history buffs care to answer this for me?

  6. Re:This isn't going to happen by alienunknown · · Score: 2, Informative
    That site is fake, apparently.

    Yesterday we were all freaking out over the announcement of Project Needlemouse, a codenamed game that promised to be a brand new 2D Sonic the Hedgehog due for release in 2010. Don't worry, the game itself and the trailer we posted is genuine. However, a Project Needlemouse site featuring Green Hill-esque artwork has been confirmed as false.

  7. Re:Obligatory by religious+freak · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Hmm, first xkcd roll I've ever seen... it's an xkcdroll troll!

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    If you can read this... 01110101 01110010 00100000 01100001 00100000 01100111 01100101 01100101 01101011
  8. Re:Finally... by Z80a · · Score: 3, Informative

    something like this?

    http://www.sega-16.com/feature_page.php?id=38&title=Cart-Swapping%20Tricks:%20Cheating%20at%20Your%20Own%20Risk

    i seen they do that trick with rambo III once, but never performed it myself.

  9. Re:Finally... by Canazza · · Score: 2, Informative

    Sonic 3D Cheats menu: B,A, Right,Right, A, C, Up, Down Down, A (It spells Barracuda) one of the more memorable cheats :)

    --
    It pays to be obvious, especially if you have a reputation for being subtle.
  10. Re:Let me guess by Lord+Byron+II · · Score: 3, Insightful

    $60 for a good game. Who cares if it's 2D or 3D? Or if it takes 12 hours or 120 hours?

    If your definition of a good game is being 3D and taking forever to complete, then I have a copy of Superman 64 I'd like to sell you.

  11. Re:Finally... by Canazza · · Score: 2, Funny

    curse my lakc fo Englihs Spelling

    --
    It pays to be obvious, especially if you have a reputation for being subtle.
  12. Re:About time! by TheGreenNuke · · Score: 4, Funny

    Screw Linux, I just want Sonic to open up a Drive-in in the North East close to where I live. I'm sick of seeing their ads with no Sonic within 60 miles, and then its only one, next closest is over 100 miles away, in a different direction.

  13. Re:Let me guess by Segisaurus · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I think its an average calculation based on the beta testers.

    Personally when playing a 40 hour RPG it usually becomes a 100+ game as I am one of those people that has to get 100% completion. But i know people who just rush through and beat the 40 hour game in 6-10.

    But platformers, even if I'm going slow are usually no more than 6 hours. This game better be $20 or less with good replay value. I replayed Sonic 1,2,3 and S&K hundreds of times. But I know replay value is not big on programmers minds anymore.

  14. Re:Let me guess by Applekid · · Score: 2, Insightful

    The real issue is that there hasn't been a good SONIC game for over a decade. And by that it isn't allegiance to the character but the playstyle: large 2D maps with many many routes that are more fun to play when going fast but proportionately more perilous.

    Let's face it, transitioning a classic non-RPG game to 3D requires supporting game mechanics to change dramatically. Compare games that jumped between 2D and 3D: Ninja Gaiden, Mario, Zelda, Metroid, Prince of Persia. All of them keep familiar elements to continue to feel like part of the franchise (which I'd argue is a bad and constraining thing) but ultimately require more subdued game play due to complexity. If you deny that they require a different way to think about games, look at Lemmings 3D, Blaster Master Blasting Again, or every Sonic game after Sonic 3D Blast, inclusively. It's more than just adding a Z axis.

    Sonic to date has been about playing to furry fantasies and adding characters taking a cue from Sanrio's Hello Kitty to give it some faux richness and complexity and moving to 3D just to compete in the screenshot arena when the game is not ready for it and really is just about going fast and smashing up creative mechanical bosses.

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    More Twoson than Cupertino
  15. Re:Let me guess by PainKilleR-CE · · Score: 2, Informative

    I could beat the original Super Mario Bros. in about 30 minutes, while others can apparently do it in about 5 minutes. I'd still buy a good remake or reworking of the game for $40-50 (ie New Super Mario Bros. on the Wii), because I still enjoyed the game after beating it several times.

    That being said, I don't take much risk when it comes to games at $60. $50 is pretty much the upper limit of my willingness to assume any level of risk,and even then it's stretching things, since I can usually find games I know I'll enjoy cheaper than that.

    The time I would like a game to take to complete depends entirely on the game, though. Platformers and side-scrolling (or top-down) shooters I can usually accept at a pretty low play time because they're often repayable and entertaining (both of which have been noticeably absent from their 3D brethren). That being said, I expect the developers to spend the time they otherwise would have spent on content development tweaking the gameplay. If they crank out the content and dump the game on the masses and it has no polish, it deserves to be in the bargain bin with the rest of the $5-20 games, or sitting on the download services.

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    -PainKilleR-[CE]