I want to talk about Sonic

[cosapi]

But more specifically, this article.

http://www.racketboy.com/retro/2006/12/ ... -back.html

I realize this article is over a year old. But the state of Sonic seems to be a reoccuring subject every so often on most video game related discussion boards. So I wanted to share my own version.

This is my evaluation of Sonic and how I feel sonic should be. I've done different variations of this before so I'm pretty certain I've left some things out but I'll try my best to compose my thoughts on the subject as best I can.


Sonic was never about "going as fast as possible". Just because Sonic can go fast doesn't mean he has to.

What was sonic about then?

Sonic on genesis was ALWAYS about, being a fun platformer and exploring. Being the "guy who kills everything and collects the (x)". A formula for success used by so many other popular franchises in it's day, zelda, mario, megaman to name a few obvious ones. Sonic was also about finding hidden pathways, extra bonuses, things that helped you along the way, those giant rings which took you to bonus stages in sonic 3, swinging from ropes like indiana jones, kicking robotniks ass, destroying machines and collecting chaos emeralds. It didn't need to be explained with a story no one gave 2 cents worth of crap about via voice acting and cutscenes, it just wanted to be a fun platformer.

SONIC SHOULD NOT PUNISH THE PLAYER FOR EXPLORING.

Allow me to explain what I mean by this.... GET RID OF BOTTOMLESS PITS ALL OVER THE FREAKING STAGE.

I didn't play much of Sonic Adventure because it was barely tolerable, but what I do remember is, it seemed like you were pretty much forced to stay on the "course" of the stage or you fall to your doom. Bottomless pits are retarded.

You should be able to explore freely and find cool things. Hidden areas and pathways. Exploring should be encouraged, not punishable. Because exploring was fun as hell.

But anyways. You know what other games did the whole "going as fast as possible while collecting stuff" better then sonic should ever try to?

Nights into Dreams (saturn)
Jet Set Radio (DC)

The moment sega tried to focus everything on "going as fast as possible" was the same moment sonic went into 3D, had voice acting, started getting way too many characters, had horrible load times, more humans than robotnik, crappy halfassed story line. You get the picture (I hope)

Seriously, here's a list of what you need as a basis for a tolerable sonic game. (I'll probably forget some things)

Only include Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Robotnik.
Needs to be 2D
No Voice Acting
No Cut Scenes
No Story
No long loading times.
Robotnik is the only human
Collect (x) amount of Chaos Emeralds
Tiny animals in Robotniks Machines
Blue Skies
Lots of Blue and green, and red and white.
Make sure some kind of plant life in the background "dances" to the background music.
Knuckles is the guy who protects the Chaos Emeralds
Knuckles isn't playable.
Robotnik isn't playable.
Only Sonic and Tails are playable.
Sonic and Tails are the "guys who kill everything"
Robotnik is the "bad guy".
Robotnik builds tons of machines and machine bosses whom he personally pilots (the bosses).
Get Michael Jackson to do the music again.
Try to avoid including underground stages, stages with dull colors or city "metropolis" stages in your game.

And most importantly,

http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/6545/sonicij1.png

that image.

[D.D.D.]

That is a helluva game plan sir... Unfortunately, outside of the DS titles, unless Yuji Naka spearheads a new console Sonic game, I'm out indefinitely.

[Curlypaul]

lol I'm not sure the inclusion of a shoe buckle was anything to do with what broke sonic but in I agree with your main point - my overriding memory of playing the MegaDrive Sonics was the exlploration element and trying to find the 'best' route though a level and all those secret 1UPs.

[Shvalt]

Sounds good... but one problem.

Like 90% of gamers at the moment think 2d sucks, and want swanky graphics over gameplay.

So if sega did make an uber good 2d console sonic, I dont think anyone would buy it. (Viewtiful Joe anyone?)

...and sega know that

[Anayo]

Sounds good... but one problem.

Like 90% of gamers at the moment think 2d sucks, and want swanky graphics over gameplay.

So if sega did make an uber good 2d console sonic, I dont think anyone would buy it. (Viewtiful Joe anyone?)

...and sega know that

Well I know I'D buy it!

[Ivo]

Well I know I'D buy it!

I reckon making a game for one buyer just isn't profitable in these days.

Serious now, I actually think a New, quality Sonic would sell. They could make it for the DS. New Super Mario Bros sold.
Now that I think of it, Sonic Rush for the DS is sort of like what we want (I never played it, but I think it is generally accepted to be a good game). It would be cool if they could put a bit more funds into making something like that for, say, the Wii. They made that Paper Mario game for the Wii, which is also practically 2D. I think there is a market for that - they don't need to overdo the graphics, which would compensate Sega for the (hypothetical) smaller sales compared to the sales they get from their flashy 3d games with poor gameplay.

But you know, I'm just preaching to the converted

Ivo.

[Funk, E]

Sonic Rush is LOADED with annoying bottomless pits in places that, in Sonic games previous, you'd simply fall to a slower/lower path through the level of some kind. It totally threw my Sonic-playing instincts off to be dying so much and so easily in a 2D Sonic game.

[Scooter]

Well, you could get copies of Sonic 1, 2, 3 and S&K and play them over and over and over.....

I loved those games, but I really enjoyed Sonic Adventure and I'm tired of seeing it dissed everytime it is mentioned. If you didn't get a sense of exploring in SA, you didn't invest much time in the game. There are sections that are all about speed and time limits, there are many others that pay dividends for exploring and seeing where else you can go and what else you can do. SA created a comprehensive little world to which I can relate much moreso than any of the 2D Sonics ever did. I LIKE being able to explore not only on the X and Y axes but the Z axis as well. The Z axis isn't required for great gameplay, but if done right it sure can add a whole lot.

[HeavyMetalMe]

Sonic is awfully tall nowadays...

[kewlrabbit]

They should get rid of those damn treasure hunting stages. I actually like sonic adventure 2: Battle, until i got stuck on one of those. I havent touched it in 2 years.