Hi guys, seems a bit weird to be asking this after having run the SSRG ROM Hack Archive back in the day, but I need your help. I'm looking to feature five Sonic mods in an upcoming issue of Retro Gamer, but I'm a bit out of the loop in terms of what is out there these days. So if you were going to introduce people to the world of Sonic modding, which ones would you jump to first? If you could give me suggestions as to which hacks you'd like to see immortalised in print, that'd be most appreciated.
Looking at the winning entries for the Sonic Hacking Contest over the last few years would probably be a good bet, as you are assured of the quality of the hack in question, and whether it's worth playing: http://shc.sonicresearch.org/entry I'd personally recommend Knuckles' Emerald Hunt and Big's Fishing Derby as a showcase of how you can take one of the original games and make something completely different with it. Other notable hacks that you could look at are Sonic: The Next Level (A one level hack by MarkeyJester which won the last contest), Doctor Robotnik's Creature Capture (Play as Robotnik with a net and collect animals for the Egg Prisons in the various levels of Sonic 1, with a nice slew of extras), and the somewhat infamous by now, Sonic Megamix.
While making a 'top' list is rather hard due to the sheer variety of mods, Sonic Megamix is one of the cream-of-the-crop mods out there, so I feel it'd be remiss to not at least mention it. It's also a prime example of an originally Genesis game using the Sega CD as a means to expand the game even further while still mantaining Genesis elements. Sonic 2 Retro Remix has always been a favorite of mine. It's a creative departure from the more traditional hacks out there while not making things needlessly complicated or something. Big's Fishing Derby and/or Robotnik's Creature Capture are good examples of mods changing the game into something completely... unexpected to say the least. Sonic Classic Heroes would be another personal choice, if only because of how simple the concept is yet how amazing the execution ended up. And finally, Sonic 3 Complete. While it's easily the most simple of the bunch, it has so much polish, attention to detail, customization, and thought put into it that it makes it impossible for me to go back to vanilla 3&K. It's just that bloody good. ...All these years of lurking paid off. Also don't forget Sonic 1 Omochao Edition, a masterpiece of our generation. EDIT: refined because I can't read the painfully obvious "Mega drive" in the title.
I'd also add Sonic: The Next Level, but that wasn't around when I made that post. If I had to narrow those down to five to demonstrate for variety's sake, I guess: - Sonic Classic Heroes (improves and adds to the original games) - Sonic 2 Retro Remix (essentially a brand new Sonic game) - Robotnik's Revenge (a new mode to the original games) - Sonic: The Next Level (pushing the Mega Drive to its limit) - Big's Fishing Derby (a completely different game entirely) Showing Sonic 3 Complete is just going to be lost on most people as it's effectively "old game plus bugfixes" - something new is more impressive for a magazine. S3K: The Challenges has a similar problem.
Most of my choices have already been listed, but I'd throw Sonic 2 Recreation into the ring. It feels like a legitimate Sonic 4. Just as short too, but, eh.
Thanks for the recommendation, Clownacy! NiktheGreek, I haven't seen you about for ages! Anyway, if you get bored of showing a load of single player hacks, then maybe you can show this "multiplayer-only" hack of mine, Sonic Bash! ^_^
Sad to see nobody mentioned Metal Sonic Hyperdrive for the higher quality level designs & being one of the very few, if not, the most complete Sonic Hacks out there to the point that it totally feels like a new game.
Don't be too bummed, only five people replied to this thread. For what it's worth, I loved Hyperdrive and passed it around to a few of my friends. I'd say it's one of the greats, certainly in my top 5.
I don't think you can get any more biased than praising your own hack, and then complaining that others haven't been.
The point still stands though. That hack is one of the few high quality, fully designed, and complete hacks, yet it kind of always flies under the radar unrecognized. Even though he oddly plugged his own hack, he's not wrong.
rhs plugged his own hack, but I didn't object to it. It's playing the 'underrated' card that screams 'stop not liking things I like'. It seems odd to attack people's opinions in a thread that's all about opinions.
Hey now Clownacy, its not like Lone Devil does this always and his hack is great anyway... Wait, thats not right at all. I think Hyperdrive is actually overrated for what its worth, and it doesnt help that the creator keeps plugging it like its the best thing since Megamix and everyone should play it. Hey actually, maybe that's why nobody mentions it. Who knew! Anyway, on the topic itself, as many people have said, Sonic 1 Next Level, Sonic Bash, and Sonic Boom come to mind first.
Falling to personal attacks. Keep it classy, Retro. For what it's worth, I'd nominate Sonic Megamix, Sonic 2 Advanced Edit, Sonic 1 Next Level and Metal Sonic Hyperdrive as my "must-play" hacks. Megamix and Advanced Edit have always been in an air of their own and got me in the community in the first place, and the latter two show both great level layouts and fun, unique experiences from start to finish. This is isn't a dick waving contest, though, and let's keep the "overrated" garbage out of this thread. I'm sure Nik doesn't appreciate it and just wants some solid hacks to use for his article.
I would totally recommend Sonic 2 LD as a fine example of the burgeoning master system sonic hacking scene <.< >.> what?
If only he was looking for the top Master System Sonic hacks, but I guess there just wouldn't be too many since we're two of the few people who actually hacks them. :P As for the top MD Sonic hacks, Megamix is definitely the best and probably most well known. I think some other awesome hacks deserve more recognition such as Sonic 2 recreation, Metal Sonic Hyperdrive, Sonic Classic Heroes, and Sonic 2 Retro Remix. There are other great MD hacks but those ones I like the most.
In fairness, they never specified which version of Megamix, the older versions were Mega Drive after all~ (I actually rather enjoy 3.0 myself) I was going to suggest some others besides the ones mentioned before, but since the idea is to decide collectively which best five represents hacking, then I would suggest the following (whilst excluding any of my own solo work): The S Factor - Sonia & Silver. Sonic Megamix. Big's Fishing Derby. Knuckles Emerald Hunt. Sonic 2 Retro Remix. The reason? Because they are the most polished, they feel like the kind of games that were in the process of being made by SEGA, but of course, never got released. And when you have a hack that looks as good and as professional as a true game, such that any average person could not tell it's a hack, then you've supplied a true art of hacking. It shows how far we've come. Honestly, I don't think any other hacking scene is anywhere close to our achievements, we're technically no longer "hacking", and more to the point "remaking". The definition of hacking has turned completely upside down...
