[Dark Sonic]

One feature I would love in a Sonic trilogy remastered package would be the option to apply Mania sprites to each game. Also if they really wanted to go above and beyond they could add Mighty and Ray to each game as well, but that'd be asking for a lot. (Also an option to swap out Sonic CD's awful sound effects for the ones used in the other games please).

I think it'd be cool if they did that to give each game a Mania styled menu with a Sonic 3 esq save system with 8 save files for each game. One of the flaws with the Sonic CD port was that you couldn't choose to replay levels once you beat the game outside of the Time Trial.

[McAleeCh]

Dark Sonic, on 31 January 2019 - 09:58 AM, said:

I think it'd be cool if they did that to give each game a Mania styled menu with a Sonic 3 esq save system with 8 save files for each game. One of the flaws with the Sonic CD port was that you couldn't choose to replay levels once you beat the game outside of the Time Trial.

Yes, a Sonic 3 or Sonic Mania styled save system for each game would be a great addition! Not sure about the suggestion of Mania-styled sprites though - since they have higher colour-depth than the original MD styled sprites, they'd clash a bit with their surroundings; particularly as each game has a bit of a differnt art style. I'd totally be up for the existing character and enemy sprites to have their animations smoothed-out with more inbetween frames to mimic Mania's smoothness, though - this was already done a little with things like the rings in the existing remasters, but it'd be great to see the characters receive the same upgrade too...!

I didn't suggest it myself, though, as I thought it was probably not something they'd be likely to actually do if a collection were produced; since each game has its own sprite set (barring Sonic 1 and Sonic CD, which have at least some overlap between the two), they'd need to smooth out three-and-a-bit entirely separate sprite sets for just Sonic alone, which would take a lot of work... Tails and Knuckles wouldn't be so bad, as unless they gave Knuckles a new Sonic 1/2 style sprite set he'd only have one set to upgrade; Tails would be a little more work, but he still shares a good chunk between Sonic 2 and Sonic 3 with one layer of shading removed in the latter game - providing they drew the shared animations in the Sonic 2 style it shouldn't be too difficult to then modify them into Sonic 3 style versions. Still, it'd be a lot of time and effort to do overall, and that's just the character sprites... probably outside of the scope of a project that would be mostly rereleasing existing remasters.

[Pengi]

Powpuck, on 31 January 2019 - 09:23 AM, said:

A compilation of the remasters missing S3&K is going to be feel lacking, but I think one including Spinball and 3D Blast would do quite a bit to make up for its absence. I mean, the source codes do still exist. They wouldn't even really need to base 3D Blast on the Saturn version, really, as preferable as it is (an option for either soundtrack like in Sonic CD is a no-brainer, whichever they choose).

The Saturn version had sublime Special Stages. I'd be thrilled if those Special Stages were included in a a Sonic compilation - or even a Sonic Mania successor, as a Blue Sphere / Mean Bean style bonus.

McAleeCh, on 31 January 2019 - 09:47 AM, said:

Honestly, for a compilation of the remasters, sorting out whatever rights issues are currently discouraging them from remaking Sonic 3 & Knuckles would definitely be the ideal - as the only entry of the original trilogy yet to get the Stealth/Tax treatment, its inclusion would definitely be the biggest draw.

If they ever did produce a compilation of the previous remasters along with Sonic 3 & Knuckles, I'd hope it'd contain something like the following:

[list]
[*]Sonic 1 Remastered - same as iOS version features-wise.
[*]Sonic 2 Remastered - same as iOS version features-wise, but with the expanded multiplayer mode now available locally in split-screen like Sonic Mania.
[*]Sonic 3 & Knuckles Remastered - new remaster from the ground up, incorporating extra features such as Time Attack from the previous iOS remasters.
[*]Sonic CD Remastered - an updated version of the 2011 remaster, adding Knuckles as a second unlockable character for consistency with the other games in the collection. Bonus points if the original vocal versions of Sonic - You Can Do Anything and Cosmic Eternity could also be restored to the intro/ending respectively.

There's one big thing I'd like to see added to Sonic CD - the option to choose different time zones (past, good future, bad future) in Time Attack mode. Similar to switching between Mania/Encore in Sonic Mania Plus' Time Attack, each version would have its own records.

An art gallery would be nice too, especially all the unseen stuff. The older collections like Jam and Gems Collection had galleries, but recent stand-alone re-releases have been lacking in that area.

Dark Sonic, on 31 January 2019 - 09:58 AM, said:

One feature I would love in a Sonic trilogy remastered package would be the option to apply Mania sprites to each game.

Since a musically faithful remaster of Sonic 3 & Knuckles seems to be off the table, it might be best if they made a full on DELUXE version. If they re-released S3&K and the only difference was the music, that would just draw attention to the issue and leave people a bit disappointed. But if the whole game got a Tee Lopes soundtrack (a combination of remixes and original songs) and all of the ingame graphics (characters, level art, enemies, boss, items) got a Mania style revamp, along with all the extra bells and whistles we've come to expect from Whitehead and the team... that would be a really solid stand-alone release.

[dot.kh]

Last night I looked up GHZ 1's level map and couldn't help but admire the amount of detail. Sonic's debut stage lets you play fast and slow and looks very charming. Even by today's standards that's perfect. So, you want to upgrade Sonic 1's sprites to match with Sonic 2's sprites and so forth and so on? Way too awkward. That's what you call "the process of making a sequel". It kinda questions the necessity of technical improvements in video games.

What I wanna know is can you make another Sonic game like Mania but with modern graphics / without the retro styled presentation?

[Yeow]

dot.kh, on 01 February 2019 - 06:23 AM, said:

Last night I looked up GHZ 1's level map and couldn't help but admire the amount of detail. Sonic's debut stage lets you play fast and slow and looks very charming. Even by today's standards that's perfect. So, you want to upgrade Sonic 1's sprites to match with Sonic 2's sprites and so forth and so on? Way too awkward. That's what you call "the process of making a sequel". It kinda questions the necessity of technical improvements in video games.

What I wanna know is can you make another Sonic game like Mania but with modern graphics / without the retro styled presentation?

Another Genesis/Mania-styled Sonic game with contemporary presentation can be done, it depends on whether it's something the development team responsible for the next (2D) Sonic wants to do. Say what you will about the aesthetics or content of Sonic Fan Remix or Sonic 2 HD, they both demonstrate that a new Genesis Sonic project with accurate gameplay can be done with contemporary graphics, whether it be a 3D sidescroller or a fully 2D game.

I'm personally worried myself that if we do get a Mania followup, it may go the retraux route again on the basis of it being "cheaper" to do and on the basis of "well it worked for Mania so why not here" (not unlike Forces recycling Generations' main hook). But Mania's retraux approach worked for various reasons--it was novel in a sea of 2.5D/3D modern Sonic games, the graphical limitations made sense given the engine used, and the team went the extra mile of incorporating Sega Saturn-era graphical details that the original games could never do, instead of doing a straight visual Genesis throwback.

Mania's retro presentation was great, but it should be the floor of how Genesis Sonic games can look, rather than be the ceiling. I'm still waiting for a Genesis Sonic game that can visually go toe-to-toe with Retro's Donkey Kong games or Ubisoft's Rayman games to arrive. A Sonic game that looked like Tyson Heese's work (Mega Drive/Mania opening/Mania Adventures), Sonic CD's opening/ending, the Sonic OVA, or Sonic 2's concept art? Absolute bliss for me.

This post has been edited by Yeow: 01 February 2019 - 03:31 PM

[Laughingcow]

I'm skeptical of the graphical upgrade. To be clear, yes the gameplay can be done perfect but I can never adjust to the superior graphical fidelity when it comes to Classic Sonic. I had a similar reaction to them doing the latest Shantae game in HD vectors, it just never looked right.

I think at some point, it gets too clean to me. When Megaman X had it's graphical jump from X3 to X4, I thought it was great. Seeing Sonic 2 HD while beautiful, seems off to me. Kinda like Street Fighter 2 HD Remix, something ain't matching up and I can't figure what it is.

Edit: Yeah, too clean is definitely the problem. You have the clarity of digital but the depth/background integration looks off as a result. I think the Z-engine fixes this by having a 3d lighting engine which should be possible in Sega's Hedgehog engine."Integration" is the word that comes to mind.

Edit 2: I think I just need a CRT screen filter.

This post has been edited by Laughingcow: 01 February 2019 - 04:02 PM

[Pengi]

Pengi, on 31 January 2019 - 06:11 PM, said:

There's one big thing I'd like to see added to Sonic CD - the option to choose different time zones (past, good future, bad future) in Time Attack mode. Similar to switching between Mania/Encore in Sonic Mania Plus' Time Attack, each version would have its own records.

Oh! And also, an option to turn off the time travel loading animation. Just a flash of white and an instant change (like Back to the Future). That's what Ohshima wanted originally, but they couldn't make it happen.

Both Ohshima and Yuji Naka (who didn't even work on the game) were disappointed that the loading sequence was in the Sonic CD remaster - since it wasn't necessary anymore. He said he'd like to see the dev team of the remaster make a Director's Cut version with the loading sequence removed.

Source: https://www.famitsu....383.html?page=2

This post has been edited by Pengi: 03 February 2019 - 03:53 PM

[Fenrir]

I wish we could get something more concrete about this. Obviously it's asking a lot for a company to trust its consumers enough to tell them their biggest franchise is (technically) getting a change of "ownership", but if a move like this is happening, I feel it's important to make it known.

Maybe we'll have luck at SXSW, but I doubt it.

Either way, if this really is happening, I'm more curious about the future of the franchise than I've been in a long time.

This post has been edited by Fenrir: 06 February 2019 - 03:49 AM

[KingOfBunnies]

McAleeCh, on 31 January 2019 - 09:47 AM, said:

Sonic CD Remastered - an updated version of the 2011 remaster, adding Knuckles as a second unlockable character for consistency with the other games in the collection. Bonus points if the original vocal versions of Sonic - You Can Do Anything and Cosmic Eternity could also be restored to the intro/ending respectively.

Also get the ending at the proper frame rate. That might be one thing that really bugs me and I still don't know why they chose such a slow version of the ending. It feels so unnatural.

[Powpuck]

KingOfBunnies, on 06 February 2019 - 04:59 AM, said:

McAleeCh, on 31 January 2019 - 09:47 AM, said:

Sonic CD Remastered - an updated version of the 2011 remaster, adding Knuckles as a second unlockable character for consistency with the other games in the collection. Bonus points if the original vocal versions of Sonic - You Can Do Anything and Cosmic Eternity could also be restored to the intro/ending respectively.

Also get the ending at the proper frame rate. That might be one thing that really bugs me and I still don't know why they chose such a slow version of the ending. It feels so unnatural.

Also also, Amy should be unable to glomp onto Sonic if he has an active barrier equipped.

[Fenrir]

Powpuck, on 06 February 2019 - 09:51 AM, said:

KingOfBunnies, on 06 February 2019 - 04:59 AM, said:

McAleeCh, on 31 January 2019 - 09:47 AM, said:

Sonic CD Remastered - an updated version of the 2011 remaster, adding Knuckles as a second unlockable character for consistency with the other games in the collection. Bonus points if the original vocal versions of Sonic - You Can Do Anything and Cosmic Eternity could also be restored to the intro/ending respectively.

Also get the ending at the proper frame rate. That might be one thing that really bugs me and I still don't know why they chose such a slow version of the ending. It feels so unnatural.

Also also, Amy should be unable to glomp onto Sonic if he has an active barrier equipped.

You fool, no measly shield can stand in the way of true love. Her tarrot cards said so. Actually, her using her hammer to break the shield if you had one would be an amazing touch, even if she may or may not have had the hammer before Fighters.

Anyway, a CD Re-Re Release would be neat, albeit doubtful. I'd still just prefer we get 1 and 2 released on something other than a phone but sure whatever.

This post has been edited by Fenrir: 06 February 2019 - 07:05 PM