[SteelBrush]

I actually played this on real hardware, in Sega World in London. I was quite young though and have very limited memories of it.

I fully support the campaign to get it rereleased in some form. I think it would be better as part as some sort of ultimate Sonic collection than a stand alone title.

[JackSkellinghog]

SteelBrush, on 01 September 2011 - 09:37 AM, said:

I actually played this on real hardware, in Sega World in London. I was quite young though and have very limited memories of it.

I fully support the campaign to get it rereleased in some form. I think it would be better as part as some sort of ultimate Sonic collection than a stand alone title.

That is exactly how I played it, when SEGA World opened in that section of the Trocadero I played Sonic The Fighters then Sega Sonic Arcade. People talking smack about both of those games seem to not know what they are talking about at all, see the previous posts for that. This game really is a case of: play it before calling it crap.

[Columind]

JackSkellinghog, on 01 September 2011 - 09:26 AM, said:

Which inturn leads me to ask: if you don't care about it, then why are you posting?

It's about as beneficial to this topic as me going into the Sonic 4 topic and swearing my allegiance against Iizuka, it means nothing.

Last I checked this was a topic about a campaign, not necessarily about the game itself.

[ICEknight]

Do you guys think that perhaps, just perhaps, this game could be remade using the Retro Engine?

Still wouldn't count on any DS versions if this was possible, but...

[Supakitsune]

ICEknight, on 01 September 2011 - 02:09 PM, said:

Do you guys think that perhaps, just perhaps, this game could be remade using the Retro Engine?

Still wouldn't count on any DS versions if this was possible, but...

Uh, isn't the Retro Engine made for 2D side-scrolling platformers, with the Retro-Sonic Nexus and Sonic CD's remake just being examples of the engine in use with a Sonic game's parameters and such?

[The Taxman]

Supakitsune, on 02 September 2011 - 01:00 AM, said:

ICEknight, on 01 September 2011 - 02:09 PM, said:

Do you guys think that perhaps, just perhaps, this game could be remade using the Retro Engine?

Still wouldn't count on any DS versions if this was possible, but...

Uh, isn't the Retro Engine made for 2D side-scrolling platformers, with the Retro-Sonic Nexus and Sonic CD's remake just being examples of the engine in use with a Sonic game's parameters and such?

Remaking SegaSonic Arcade would no problem from a technical standpoint, as the Retro Engine is basically a software version of a "32-bit" era console.

I have no idea how successful the actual game would be though, it's pretty niche.

[GeneHF]

And more likely than not, they'd replace Mighty and Ray with two other friends who would draw more audiences... so expect anyone like Tails, Knuckles, Shadow or Silver.

[Sik]

Columind, on 01 September 2011 - 08:23 AM, said:

I don't see this getting a release unless Sega decides to make another compilation and throw it in as a bonus, and even that is some wishful thinking.

And I can safely tell you Sega isn't going to bother with it. They were going to do it once, and decided to scrap it because they were unable to emulate the trackball properly because the controls weren't easily mappeable (huh, MAME, anyone?). If they can't get emulation right then they simply aren't going to bother with it.

What bothers me though is that the game is indeed made on the assumption that it's using a trackball, and by this I don't mean the game is unplayable with anything that isn't a trackball (seriously, just emulate some inertia and you have a perfectly playable game with a stick), but that the level design and maybe even the engine is made around it. It's like the game completely ignores the concept of slopes. The part where a big rock chases you in the volcano level makes this one blatantly obvious, the game behaves like it was a perfectly horizontal surface when it's a really steep slope.

[ICEknight]

The Taxman, on 02 September 2011 - 01:28 AM, said:

the Retro Engine is basically a software version of a "32-bit" era console.

Now I can't stop thinking of SEGA releasing a hardware version of it, with backwards compatibility with Mega Drive, Mega-CD and 32X. But that will never happen.

[SomeSortOfRobot]

iPhone port would be more likely.



...just sayin

[The Taxman]

ICEknight, on 02 September 2011 - 03:43 AM, said:

The Taxman, on 02 September 2011 - 01:28 AM, said:

the Retro Engine is basically a software version of a "32-bit" era console.

Now I can't stop thinking of SEGA releasing a hardware version of it, with backwards compatibility with Mega Drive, Mega-CD and 32X. But that will never happen.

A hardware version of a game engine? It's not something you could literally turn into a game console :P

What I mean by a "software version of a console" is that graphically it supports most of the features you'd find in something like the Sega Saturn. E.g. Sprites with Scaling/Rotation/Blending, Tile Layers with scan line scrolling/deformation, Mode 7 style tile layers, polygons etc etc.

So provided one knows how to program a game like SegaSonic Arcade, there's no reason why it couldn't be remade with the Retro Engine.

[MegaDash]

GeneHF, on 02 September 2011 - 01:31 AM, said:

And more likely than not, they'd replace Mighty and Ray with two other friends who would draw more audiences... so expect anyone like Tails, Knuckles, Shadow or Silver.

As long as they don't fill the game with bullshit Silver physics puzzles or bubble homing attack chains, I'll be A-OK with it. But that would just be more thankless work on SEGA's part than just porting the game unaltered to the eShop/DSiWare/the next Sonic compilation.

Besides, I thought younger fans love new characters. I don't see why they wouldn't welcome the likes of Ray and Mighty into the limelight, because they've probably never even heard of them.

This post has been edited by MegaDash: 02 September 2011 - 10:51 AM

[The Game Collector]

MegaDash, on 02 September 2011 - 10:50 AM, said:

GeneHF, on 02 September 2011 - 01:31 AM, said:

And more likely than not, they'd replace Mighty and Ray with two other friends who would draw more audiences... so expect anyone like Tails, Knuckles, Shadow or Silver.

As long as they don't fill the game with bullshit Silver physics puzzles or bubble homing attack chains, I'll be A-OK with it. But that would just be more thankless work on SEGA's part than just porting the game unaltered to the eShop/DSiWare/the next Sonic compilation.

Besides, I thought younger fans love new characters. I don't see why they wouldn't welcome the likes of Ray and Mighty into the limelight, because they've probably never even heard of them.

Personally if they don't use the original trio of characters I absolutely won't get it. For me the only reason to play the game is to play as Ray or Mighty because it's one of the few chances to even if you count hacks.

This post has been edited by The Game Collector: 04 September 2011 - 01:29 AM

[Kail]

What SEGA could do is this:

Completely REMAKE the game using the Retro Engine. Instead of making it a straight remake, add some things, and focus on what made the original worth playing: MULTIPLAYER. Take Scott Pilgrim vs. The World The Game as an example, there's a retro multiplayer game done right. Follow in the footsteps of that game. Give the game an extra character, very rarely do you ever see a game that's specifically three-player, it's just silly these days. The standard is four-player, so add either one new character or a slew of new characters. I'd suggest Nack/Fang, this way we can introduce all the forgotten characters to today's generation of kids, and even long time fans that haven't heard of them. Then maybe make Tails, Knuckles, Shadow, Silver, Amy, Cream, Rouge, whoever you want unlockables. This will give the game more appeal, rather than a locked three now you have more of a choice, and if the extra characters are unlockable then you give the game added replay value.

The idea to SegaSonic Arcade is that it's an isometric obstacle course rather than a side scrolling platformer. That, along with the fact that now more than ever you have to watch your speed at every step, gives this game it's unique charm. Focus on this for the gameplay, and add in stuff like being able to work together with your buddies OR throw them under the bus, New Super Mario Bros. Wii has shown that this level of co-op/competitive gameplay is a sure fire seller.

Expand the story a little, but not by much. The use of the cartoony intro where Robotnik captures the characters was great in the original, lets make it better. Robotnik kidnaps Sonic and his friends and puts them to the test on his island obstacle course, he's essentially toying with them the whole game. Let's throw cutscenes in between each level, short, sweet, humorous cutscenes that show in comic book/cartoony/90's arcade style the adventures of Sonic and friends on Robotnik's island. A little story can go a long way.

Lastly, release this as a digital download for every system. Make it $10 to $15, and play up the Arcade style gameplay in all promotional materials. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World The Game was a HUGELY successful downloadable game, there is a market for retro arcade style multiplayer downloadable games, and here is Sonic's chance. Use it exclusively as an excuse to introduce old characters who can be used to make more merch that'll sell.

Why just re-release it when they can take it and improve upon it and make it something they could milk? Sonic Battle was the last multiplayer Sonic game that wasn't a racer, and it got huge amounts of critical praise, SEGA could work that angle. A great Sonic multiplayer game that anyone can pick up and play that reintroduces forgotten characters. It practically sells itself.

[MegaDash]

Good thinking. If I had to say anything about the cutscenes, I'd prefer it to be in the style of the cutscenes of the original: sprite-based cartoons with some brief voice samples. Possibly Japanese.

And if it's going to be 4-player co-op as the standard, do you think the level design would have to be altered to account for it? Or does it seem robust enough to handle that many players?

Also, it is a fairly short game. Perhaps they could add a new level or two? Perhaps an underground bunker of sorts a la Scrap Brain or Metropolis Zone?