Why have we not seen a re-release of the PC version? It's the second-best selling Sonic game of all time and has a cult following even here, and we don't get a PC re-release? Adventure's PC version got released at the same time, but it eventually found its way on Steam. And so has just about every other Sonic game, aside from the ones released between 2001 and 2010. You'd think with a PC version already existing, they could spend the minimal effort it would take to throw it onto Steam, and maybe make it more playable for modern systems. On an unrelated note, Heroes is still included in Sonic's "history" according to SEGA. In 2011's "History of Sonic" documentary, the history of Sonic games is shown. After Heroes, it skips straight to Colors like those games inbetween never happened. But there's something off about Heroes's poster... That's the Japanese logo. It's obviously Sonic Heroes, so why not show the English title? So the critics & media don't recognize the name? In the same video we see the Japanese boxes for Sonic 2 and S&K which is still strange, but those at least have English titles attached to them. I thought it was just an oversight until the same thing happened at the 25th anniversary party: Does SEGA do this in the hopes that nobody recognizes it or can read Japanese? If that's the case, they might as well just leave it out entirely. So yeah. Weird things going on with Heroes. ...does anybody here even like Heroes? :v:
Huh. Good eye, that IS weird. I'd never really thought about why there wasn't a PC version re-released, mostly because WHY IN THE BLUE HELL WOULD I WANT TO TORTURE MYSELF BY REPLAYING HEROES, but nonetheless... if Lost World can get a port, Heroes really should be able to, as well. As far as the image itself goes, considering it's the same image both times, maybe that's just the version that got dumped into their assets folder back around 2010, and it's survived multiple iterations of the pack?
There is no mystery here. It was all a mistake: Sonic Heroes was too good, and the people were not ready for it. We're still not ready. One glorious day, we may be.
I occasionally wonder if I should play Heroes for the first time since release. I'm too scared to see how badly it has aged.
If SEGA used the Japanese boxart so that other people wouldn't easily recognize the game, then that would have been a totally pointless action. Therefore, I doubt that they used the Japanese boxart for that reason. I like Sonic Heroes. The Team Formation mechanic was great and the lengths of the stages for all of the teams excluding Team Rose didn't bother me that much. The controls were a bit slippery compared to Sonic Adventure DX's controls, but it wasn't enough to detract from my enjoyment of the game.
Not as badly as Sonic Adventure. I wonder if they haven't re-released it because it sold so well? Cheap used copies are all over the place, but no one has the fond memories for this game the way they do for Sonic 2, or Sonic Adventure 2?
Even if Sonic Heroes probably isn't that great, that's still no reason not to rerelease the games, at least from a business standpoint. Even Bubsy 1 & 2 have been rereleased on Steam, and Sonic Heroes is arguably a better game than those. Maybe they're just too lazy? I really can't think of another explanation. But then there are also the other Sonic games from the 90s and 2000s that haven't been rereleased: Sonic R and Sonic 3D - Flickies Island had PC versions, but they're not on steam. Sonic Riders got a PC port just like Heroes, but isn't on Steam as well. Sonic Advance has been released for the WiiU virtual console in 2015... only in Japan. Sonic Advance was also released for Android phones in 2012... only in Japan. Sonic Battle, Advance 2&3 and Pinball Party have not been rereleased at all. There is really no reason not to rerelease those games (or in the case of Sonic Advance, release them here in the west). Especially because they're good and it wouldn't hurt Sega to shed light on some of their lesser-known 2D games. EDIT: I know Sonic 3D is on Steam, but that's an emulated version of the Megadrive version. The PC version from 1996 is based on the Saturn version and it has the same enhanced graphics, CD music and 3D special stages.
In truth, Sonic Heroes' lack of a re-release could be as much about depreciated tech as it could a lack of demand; perceived or otherwise. Sonic Adventure 1 and 2 for XBL/PC were basically reworked, same would have to happen for Heroes. If there's no easy solution like emulation (call it lazy if you will, but the reality is that it's cheap and businesses sorta like that) then don't count on it. This essentially rules out that fabled PC version of Sonic '06 too. SEGA would have to be crazier than normal to consider that.
Watch it be that they're using the JP art because it's the only version of the art they still have the files for. They probably don't want a repeat of the Capcom's Okami re-release boxart fiasco that had an IGN logo in it (because I guess they couldn't find their own actual art??).
I always liked Heroes. I did a playthrough of it a little while back. It wasn't without frustrations, but I felt that it was still an overall solid concept that just needed some kinks ironed out. The biggest issues I had were probably the general physics issues that plagued the 3D games, especially on the rails, and the fact that the teams weren't different enough to make the repeated playthroughs all that different. Even still, I had fun playing it in spite of those things.
It's also one of few Sonic games with a Japanese logo, others being the Rush games, Secret Rings, and Black Knight. Most of the time they use an English logo with Japanese text underneath.
Did someone said "Sonic Heroes"? (sorry, can't resist when someone is making thread about this game /> ) Of course, I'm one of these people />/>/> About PC re-release - tt's kinda odd indeed. On the one hand, SH still seems to be considered as vital part of the series. The "Sonic part" in Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing is just a big monument dedicated to Sonic Heroes (track appearance, music etc.). The references to Sonic Heroes were in description of the characters in Sonic Chronicles and (if I'm remember correctly" also in Sonic Runners (for sure distinction for "teams' was almost completely taken from SH, with little modifications. Not to mention about Sonic Dash (one of the most successfull Sega's games on Android) - almost everything (well, despite bosses) is patterned on Sonic Heroes. And most importantly - there is quite a lot of games on Renderware which are sold in digital distribution and (at least basing on my experience with some of them) they're working quite good on modern PCs. It doesn't seems to be especially hard case. I would be really happy with re-release of this game, even if I'm fine with my retail version. It just deserves for it. I've played in for the first time in... I don't remember, probably at the end of 2014, or beginning of 2015, and it's still fine. If you're fine with SA series (or in fact any old 3D platformer from that period which had some issues), you should be fine with SH as well. Just don't forget to grab this modification for screen resolution (if you're planning to play in PC version): http://thirteenag.github.io/wfp#sonicheroes
I was doing a Let's Play of Heroes (actually started it about two and a half years ago, but only did Sonic and Rose; picked it up a few weeks ago with Shadow) and when I got to Chaotix I was getting kinda tired of it. So I made a montage instead: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FmUoo1-qDs[/youtube] I like Heroes, but it's not something I can beat in one sitting, at least not anymore.
