Sonic the Hedgehog 4 [PSN, XBL, WWare]

[Neon Ignition]

According to IGN Sega has announced a new 2D Sonic game moulded on the Sonic sections of Sonic Unleashed for 2010:

http://uk.ps3.ign.com/articles/102/1022722p1.html

They haven't specified which formats yet though they have a link to a teaser site with some Green Hill style images. Given it's a straight forward 2D title I wouldn't be suprised if it was an XBL/PSN title to gauge interest on what to do with the franchise given Sega's more recent admissions of the franchises troubles.

[abigsmurf]

They need to go all out with this one, fans won't give them another chance.

My bet is on it being 'baby sonic' or something long those lines

[Judge]

I've got mixed views here- I though that Unleashed was absoultely sublime, and hoped for a straight sequel to that game. Still, given that Sonic Team appeared to put their house in order during the development of that title (the head of the studio made a statement that he was trying to improve the sweatshop conditions), there's reasonable grounds for expecting a quality product.

What interests me about the reaction is the cries for it to be sprite-based rather than 3D viewed side-on. Surely the latter should give more design options?

[Malc]

I think the reason for people wanting it to look like the old 2D Sonic games rather than 3D side on is that Sega did a brilliant job with those old games. For a lot of people Sonic 1, 2, 3 and Knuckles means something special to them. And if Sega can make a game with the same visuals and drum up some nostalgia, they will have got a lot the old fan's attention. Which is fine, as long as they can make the gameplay stand up with it.

[JP]

I'm really hoping this turns out well but Sega are probably the company that I now expect to fail miserably whenever they announce a new game. Hopefully not this time though...


EDIT:
I do like the look of the artwork.

[honeymustard]

Can't trust them at all, nice to see they're still obsessed with speed over substance. Sonic 1-3 weren't about speed. edit: to clarify what I mean, 3D Sonic is about using booster pads or even just mindlessly pressing a button to zip through the level at a mind numbing speed, and 2D sonic is about intelligently using your momentum to build speed in areas which will let you.

Also I feel obliged to post this:

[Spatial]

His face and pose in the last panel cracks me up

[Family Fry]

I was just about to post that
I proper laughed my ass off at that picture, it has already begun.
Soon as the words 2D flashed up all was forgiven, I'm still feeling the hate and frustration from Sonic the Hedgehog 360.

[Dogg Thang]

Sonic 1-3 weren't about speed. edit: to clarify what I mean, 3D Sonic is about using booster pads or even just mindlessly pressing a button to zip through the level at a mind numbing speed, and 2D sonic is about intelligently using your momentum to build speed in areas which will let you.

Exactly. Whoever is left in charge of Sonic has long forgotten what actually made the games good and, instead, seems to have just watched the old ads for Sonic instead.

I'm being totally redundant at this stage by saying Sonic is dead to me. I broke that cycle some time ago but, man, that face on that last panel, that was me for a long time.

Still, what if...?

[Family Fry]

This one has cracked it! Give the man a gold ring!

[Judge]

Sonic 1-3 weren't about speed.

True, but what's the better teaser tagline?

Faster Than Ever Before!

or

A finely balanced combination of momentum-driven fast-paced gameplay elements and a more traditional platform dynamic focussed on the strategic deplayment of the lead character's abilities, despite retaining a superficial sheen of an entirely speed-based approach!

[honeymustard]

But every time they make a new game they say how fast it is, and it turns out it IS incredibly fast, but there's no clever level design. It's just... running very fast along a flat plane.

and I'd go with the second one...

[djtickle]

This thread made me cry soooooooooooooooooooooooooo funny!

[Lyris]

This one has cracked it! Give the man a gold ring!

Whoever took that second picture should be smoten for running the game on an emulator which can't properly place Sonic BEHIND the logo like on a real Mega Drive

...Yeah, I hope the new game is good.

[abigsmurf]

http://www.playsega.co.uk/editors/

Online flash sonic with level editor (editor is only available to subscribers). Almost certainly not Needlemouse.

What's possibly more interesting however... USB saturn pads for £8.99 or free with subscriptions.