I personally enjoyed Sonic and the Secret Rings. The main problem was that they tried to hard to implement the motion controls. If the game was played with an analogue stick, you weren't always in constant motion, and could change directions, it would be just like your typical 3D Sonic stages except with barely any 2.5D. Though the plot and cutscenes could still use work. But I see where you are going. If they thought they needed to use total motion controls to take advantage of the Wii, what the are they going to over use on the Wii U that ultimately is a bad design choice and more cumbersome than it needs to be?
I really wouldn't be surprised if they make more stupid spin off games after having a moderately successful streak of games since the last decade or so.
I find this quote kind of worrying, actually... "Family experience" usually translates into "party game".
To be perfectly fair, by the time those games happened, he was massively promoted to the producer title and was nothing more than a spokesperson that just gave money to fund the shit. Which has a lot to do with why he left Sonic Team in 2006. In contrast, Iizuka is in charge of the whole puppy. He deserves a lot of the bad rap he gets. Takashi is lucky that he didn't direct '06 or I could have had an incredibly witty comeback to say that he truly is a mssive hypocrite in his statement. But hey! He's still affiliated with games that used shitty tacked on textures, so that HAS to count for something! Basically, this.... [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=386NpQhHj7o[/youtube] ... but more structure and with an objective? I'll bite! It sounds excellent in my book. And what's more? More paths means paths to different levels. They could pull a Super Mario World here and really knock our socks off.
I'm kinda hoping they'll bring back the adventure fields for the Wii U. Mario can pull it off, so can Sonic. AND BRING BACK CHAO GARDENS YOU FUCKING COCKTEASES
Ok, a little thing about the whole Iizuka directing SA1, SA2, and ShTH: Hackers, think about your first few hacks. Everyone else, think about the first few works you did in something you're excellent at. Chances are, there's probably some stuff in those works/hacks that you're against today. Iizuka said that Sonic's world is more of an unrealistic setting because he's tried the realistic setting, and found that it doesn't work at all in the Sonic series, whereas he's noticed that a more cartoony look to the games work much better. I wouldn't say he's a hypocrite, I'd say it's more like he learned his lesson. People can change (shockingly) On-topic: I'm curious as to what will happen with Sonic. I wouldn't mind a full-3D Sonic game, it actually works if you do it right. (see: Dragon Road, Sky Sanctuary)
I just want to see them bring back a Sonic Adventure-esque control combined with drifting and quick stepping (maybe some form of boost) and then take what they learned for level design from Generations' Seaside Hill. I'd be curious to see how they implement the tablet. Besides the inevitable Sonic 2-inspired special stages that is operated only by touch controls. Maybe map the drift to a trigger-press and the gyroscope to control the arch of the turn? Or even just use it to give Sonic an additional regular turning movement that can be more controllable and... I guess weave-y would be a word I would use. I always thought it would be cool to turn Sonic with a gradual bit of momentum, (kinda of like what you see in the Team Sonic opening video of heroes at 0:03 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-V0Ra3lD9D8 ) instead of regular turning being almost unusable in tighter spaces like it is in Generations. Additionally, maybe touch-based quick step? Or heck, maybe control Sonic completely traditionally and the touch screen activates abilities of an assist character like Tails or Knuckles so you can use a bunch of play styles in tandem. I'd love to see that happen.
The issue with Iizuka is that he has directed quite a few games that have serious design issues. Starting with Sonic 3D and Sonic R, ending with Rivals and NiGHTS:JOD, aswell all the mediocrity in the middle.
You make it sound like the next Sonic game will be a Phoenix Wright rip-off starring Penders himself. "Not-So Ace Attorney : Equities and Echidnas"
You're thinking of the wrong "realistic" elements. We're all talking graphical style, and you're focusing on level design. Of course we know that corkscrews don't grow on highways. That doesn't mean that there isn't a massive difference between stage settings like Wave Ocean and Savannah Citadel, versus settings like Seaside Hill and Planet Wisp. It's more about the setpieces than the gameyness of it all. Not to say that Sonic hasn't ALWAYS had levels that are more down-to-earth in design than others (right on back to Star Light Zone, it's always had one or two more "realistic" settings scattered hither and thither), but the key is not overdoing that. Sonic is a cartoon hedgehog who's most at home in fantastical, off-the-wall environments. The general tone of the atmosphere should reflect that.
I want to brainstorm real quick, since I'm thinking about it like right this second, on how to make Quick Step chases more interesting. First off, the Flappers shooting lasers. Fine and all, but let's mix it up. I want flying Egg Fighters/Pawns/Robos/Caterkillers with guns firing at you constantly so you're stepping back and forth constantly, and not just waiting for a pillar of fire or a laser to come by to move. Maybe have them fly a little lower so Sonic can Homing Attack them, or their gunfire/missiles to send back their way. I don't see why he wouldn't be able to Boost grounded robots into them like before, but I enjoyed messing around with the Homing Attack in those sections since the scripted sequence doesn't kill Sonic's momentum (I wouldn't mind a similar H.A. behavior in normal gameplay either). I want to see that tweaked to be a real way to dispose of Badniks during said sequences, but here's another idea - why not bring back the Ancient Light in some form? How about hold Boost and H.A. buttons to tear through a chain of enemies like nothing, likely depleting most of your Boost gauge. Why not, you're gonna fill it right back up anyway. I also wouldn't mind such sections being inspired by Secret Rings level design, with the above tweaks to the modern Boost chases, and without the terrible controls of course. It'd be kinda cool to drift around curves dodging exploding missiles like in the Unleashed intro. Now what about when Sonic's traveling towards the screen? I don't know about you guys, but the giant Spikes in Colors and the Interceptor in Unleashed bore me a little bit (though, the latter tends to be a little cheap). At least let Sonic fight back at some point, maybe let him get behind it somehow, like in Apotos Wii). Or here's an idea - the chaser fires A HOMING SHOT and you have to maneuver until it lands in the robot's path for a satisfying explosion. I know these don't sound like huge differences, and some may seem a little redundant, but at least it would make those straight-and-narrow 3D chase scenes a little more interesting. I bet you could incorporate varying paths in there too; nothing huge, little shortcuts here and there or forks to rings/power-ups. Random thought: Press and hold the Stomp button again as Sonic hits the ground to bounce back into the air, a la Bounce Bracelet. Would this fit better in the level design topic?
AS long as I'll still be able to pick up Sonic games for my XBox, I'm good with this. I'm still hoping they'll put Colours out for the 360 somehow, but I know that's not gonna happen.
Seconding this. Didn't they say they'd consider it if the game sold well enough on the Wii? Eh, whatever. I'm not planning on getting the next Microsoft or Sony consoles anyway, if the rumours about physical media being dropped are true.