Are you fucking shitting me? Seriously? The whole "Blaze is from the future" thing hasn't made a lick of sense ever since 2006 basically rendered itself canonically non-existent, which leaves Rivals, but Rivals 1 had a bunch of multiple endings that made absolutely no attempt at reconciling each other, and more or less rendered itself non-canon that way. And Generations just muddled things up by going with the 'alternate dimension' backstory, but then Blaze says ends up saying something about being back in Crisis City... Nevermind that Crisis City shouldn't even be in the game in the first place, story-wise, because Sonic 06 reset itself out of existence (not to mention they should've picked a completely different level from 06, damn it), so we can safely disregard it because the developers clearly didn't give it any thought whatsoever. All the evidence outside of Rivals and 06 points to Blaze originating from an alternate dimension. Full. Stop. Why is anyone still arguing about this? We should be pretending that Sonic 06 never happened. Story-wise, anyway. The entire story never happened due to a time reset and it was complete shit. Why anyone still cares is beyond me. Personally, I'd prefer to pretend that my favourite Sonic character, Blaze, had nothing whatsoever to do with that failed abortion of a game in the story department - and I say that because she was the only character in the game who was actually fun to play as.
FYI, get ready for a lengthy post. I am not shitting you. Seriously, SEGA have no idea how their own plots link together- they used to hire out random different teams and people every single time for different games leading to inconsistent background information and plots. They haven't even gotten Sonic 4's plot right, which is so easy to explain it's laughable. It's clear Sonic 2006 did happen (it only wiped out Solaris and the events leading up to the game, but it still happened to NOT happen) and changed the future- Sonic and Elise never met, Elise never had some shitty experiment trapped in her because Solaris never existed in the first place to lead to those events and thus Robotnik never had a plan. It clearly shows Silver and Blaze from the future of Sonic's world. Time resets so Sonic and everyone knows sod all about anything- they then have Robotnik fuck with the time/space continuum, teaming up with his descendant in the future, Eggman Nega (explained because his style and colouring is the negative of Robotnik's). This event pulls the future and the past world together, so in Sonic Rush, Blaze is able to travel to Sonic's world (time) and in Rush Adventure, Sonic and Tails travel to the future, which is now the good future. None of the good guys know where the hell they are because they don't know anything about how they arrived there. Eggman and Eggman Nega both act shiftily in Sonic Rush and Rush Adventure, actually never referring to each world as a 'dimension' but stating that the Sol and Chaos Emeralds act to each other like North and South poles or something. Sonic and team destroy the doctors plans in both games without being any the wiser. Then in Rivals, Eggman Nega masquerades as Robotnik, and is trying to push his ancestor out the way and rule the past for himself due to Robotnik's humiliating failures. Silver arrives from the future, which isnt' the same as the one from 2006, stating that he is chasing Eggman. Eggman Nega repeats the same scheme in the next game, finally being sealed away in the Ifrits dimension. He is never heard from again. Sonic and Tails still have no idea about the future, though Shadow knows the truth. We then see Blaze in Generations without explanation, and we also visit Crisis City. We get away with this because the game breaks the fourth wall. You're not playing through Sonic's actual canon timeline, but the game timeline. As such, there is literally no relevance to any plot here, and the game does this just because it can, to celebrate Sonic's 20th. The only evidence we have to say otherwise is some uncited quote in which a developer of Sonic Rivals states that the games never happened and that they made the stories for a laugh, also completely disregarding any of the mysterious plot elements and writing from the Rush games (us as the audience are actually supposed to be led to believe it's another dimension beause the script tries to make it ambiguous, so this is why the fanbase is so confused) as well as Sonic 2006, which clearly happened, but reset the timeline to omit Solaris. I hate 2006, but regardless I still know it happened. It's not essential to play because you can play Rush and Rivals and still get the same result, but 2006 gives you that background information you need to understand the plot. Anyway, as you stated, who really cares? Whoever refuses to believe this can but it's quite obvious really. I feel quite bad for Sonic Team that thier side plot has gone largely to waste. It was the only interesting thing about Sonic 2006, and the only reason why the otherwise redundant plots of Rush and Rivals mattered in any shape or form. These games quite clearly mattered to SEGA, because they've been showving Blaze in to the Mario and Sonic games as well as Generations, and I bet she'll be used in future too.
Here is my list of opinions on all important Sonic characters: Bean the Dynamite - a pretty cool duck, I like how he chucks bombs everywhere and even has his own independent game, should probably get another full game to himself. Heavy - the first disabled Sonic character, heavy represents America's growing obesity problem, although where he shines is in his determination; despite being obese he still tries and trying is what counts. Should get his own game. Bomb - yet another disabled Sonic character. Instead of being too fat, Bomb's disability is being a Muslim. This is a serious mental disorder that affects millions and I think it is very important to include people with disabilities in video games. Should get his own game. Honey - pretty hot. Actually no, VERY HOT. She is actually the fursona of a Fighting Vipers character. We really need more fursonas of AM2 characters in the games. Should get her own spinoff, would be really hot. Tuxedo Eggrobo - well dressed for any game, Tuxedo Eggrobo pulls out all the stops and looks good doing it. While not a single Eggrobo, these hunks clearly belong in all future Sonic games, no questions asked. Should get their own dancing game. Hasbean - the cutest little scamp around, Hasbean gives it his all to save the refugee beans. Should definitely replace Omochao as the tutorial helper character. Probably should get his own game too. Eraser Sonic - this is my favourite character. It is Sonic, but not. In fact Eraser Sonic wants to erase the REAL Sonic and replace him with a shitty Sonic who cannot even roll. Oh wait... has he really... oh yes he has! It is time to reveal that Modern Sonic has been Eraser Sonic all along, getting his revenge for that puzzling defeat so long ago.
I subscribe to this theory as well. It makes total sense with string theory and in fact, the theory itself even subscribes to the rules of Sonic CD time travel. Also, as far as Sonic's friends go I don't particularly hate any of them. I used to think Shadow should have stayed dead but the whole 'GUN Agent' thing he has going on at the moment is pretty damn cool. I wish they'd play with that more. If some of the friends were worked into a game more like how they were worked into Sonic 3 & Knuckles or Sonic Advance I'd be totally happy with them appearing. Weirdly the only game which has done his friends right since Advance 3 was Black Knight. Same levels and end-goals, with alternate routes and gameplay. Only Sonic should be necessary to beat the game with for the final boss. Hell, even the Werehog would even have been acceptable without the balancing act on beams above bottomless pits in the level design and enemy health-bars which make you mash one button OVER AND OVER to kill them. Same deal with the homing attack. I don't hate it but I really really hated the enemy health bars which brought me to an absolute halt so I could mash the attack button until I could move on.
The art style isn't really that consistant. Sonic 1 and CD share a very similar art style (though CD's is more polished) which looks way different from Sonic 2's, which looks way different from Sonic 3&K's, which looks different from Chaotix, which looks way different from the handheld games come to pass (Though Sonic Advance had a pretty consistent art style, correct me if I'm wrong).
Kinda. The character art itself is basicaly the same, though Sonic has a Dreamcast era version of his original spin-feet run. The art style in Sonic Advance is also very detailed, whereas the sequels try to be a bit more minimal like the classics. See the style change below: Sonic Advance Sonic Advance 2 Sonic Advance 3 This is much like the classics, which never had a set style of art work. Sonic in each game was different and each location style varied greatly. It's good to have change, but not as far as the 3D games are concerned. Sonic from Sonic Heroes doesn't feel like the same Sonic from Unleashed, because it's a totally different world. Colours and Generations have gotten it spot on though. There was nothing really in Unleashed that couldn't have been placed in the real world, minus the springs and obvious objects.
As much as I'd like to just end the argument right now, there are just some things I can't leave be. The major problem with all this is, you assume that the 'other dimension' is another place in time, when the Rushes have explicitly stated that Blaze originates from an alternate universe - a completely different world, at least. And while the developers aren't terribly consistent with Sonic's world as it is, it's completely different from Blaze's world in ways that simply can't be explained by the passage of time. Not to mention the fact that the Chaos and Sol Emeralds causing the world to be destroyed by their proximity in the same dimension, were it not for Sonic and Blaze actually keeping them in check, kinda implies that they shouldn't exist in the same timeline, period, under normal circumstances. Besides, Ian Flynn did his own in-depth analysis of the whole thing. Assuming that Rivals is in fact canon, he ended up coming to the conclusion that Blaze, in her current incarnation, has never met Silver, and that Eggman Nega comes from both the future AND an alternate dimension. Pretty weird, I know, but I think his conclusions are fairly solid. He also points out there is at least one unknown variable left - whether the whole thing with Blaze's sacrifice even happened in the first place, considering Sonic 06 pretty much erased itself from canon. But there is another variable I've been wondering - are there alternate dimensional counterparts of Blaze from both universes? This is quite possible in itself. But, yeah, this isn't really the topic for it, and there's not enough information for an answer to be truly definitive, but I do believe personally that the Blaze we currently know is from an alternate dimension, and I prefer it that way.
No, they never ever stated that it was a different universe. Not once- that is the problem. If you play through Sonic Rush and its sequel they never explicitly say that it's another universe. Sonic and all his allies simply do not know. The issue is that everyone assumed the opposite, that because Blazes own 'world' merged with Sonic's and that it looks different that it's another dimension. This is cleared up when you play Sonic 2006 or both the Rivals games, which reveal the truth. It's all to do with time travel. In her current incarnation (Rush & Rivals timeline), Blaze hasn't met Silver as far as we know because it isn't alluded to or seen. She's also a princess, whereas Sonic 2006 refers to her as a queen. This is due to the totally different events leading up to her life in each respective timeline. Ian Flynn seems to have it basically spot on. If a future timeline is removed/cut off from the its current path, surely it becomes an alternate dimension? Therefore, Blaze's world IS an alternative dimension, it's both, because the timeline is swapped and changed by actions in the present- the future is not set, and Sonic CD confirms this is how the past/future affect each other. By travelling back and forth through time, characters create alternate times, which technically become alternate dimensions. The same applies to most media including time travel, such as The Terminator, Dragon Ball Z, The Legend of Zelda etc. An example being that in Zelda, Twilight Princess happens in another timeline which has been forcefully removed from the norm by Link travelling back to his childhood. In his original time, Wind Waker occurs, but in another time (which surely must be another dimension due to the split) events lead to Twilight Princess instead. Seeing it from this perspective, but then ALSO havingto take in to account that time in the entire Sonic World actually RESET, one can realise that Blaze never made the sacrifice in 2006, because although the time branched off, time was reset, so no events leading up to anything invloving Iblis/Mephiles/Flames of Disaster happened at all. Ever. As such, if anyone wanted to play through the entire Sonic series in order, they could technically completely omit Sonic 2006, zip straight to Rush and Rush Adventure, and then play Rivals. Also take in to account that every timeline split can create a duplicate character. There could even be TWO Eggman Nega, though I can't assume that's the case because it isn't stated. Other things which relate Blaze and Sonic's world is Sky Babylon, which is an exact lookalike of Babylon from Sonic Riders both on the map screen and in game, the prescence of gems called SOL Emeralds, related surely to the Sol god, as well as a princess who guards them, which links Blaze to Elise, both commanders of the fire element. There's so much in this to simply pretend it's not part of a timeline issue. There's actually not a shed of evidence to prove otherwise :P I like interesting shit in my Sonic games.
Well I was only really referring to the background art in Sadv compared to 2 and 3. Sadv is quite detailed, where 2 and 3 are less so. In other words, 2 and 3 are more similar to each other than 1 is to either of them in terms of background art.
Actually it's not just the art that made 2 and 3 different from 1. They blew 2 and 3 out of proportions with most of the core concepts of the game. Advance 1 felt really reminiscent of the MD titles, but 2 and 3 went more in the direction Dimps would end up taking with the Rush series. The lack of creativity and effort put in was spot on.. they just threw in as many loops and straightaways for nonstop speeding through as they could, taking out most of the platforming 1 had, IMO.
In terms of the player character rather than environment, Sonic Advance 2 and 3 also generally have a lot more character animation, but the same style. This lets them use sprites that've been there since Advance 1, but supplement them with new material. For instance, Advance 1 follows the example of the Genesis games, with 1 animation set for walking/sprinting, another animation set for full-speed running, and shared animations between rolling and jumping. The other 2 have added "slow walk" frames to show a more fluid buildup in character momentum and provide alternate jumping frames for Knuckles and Sonic (probably because using the existing spin animation made them look like tiny airborne marbles).
You are forgetting that Sonic Colors DS pretty much confirmed that Sonic 06 DID happen in a canonical way.
I prefer to disregard 2006 because it happened, but never happened. The whole event was so cliche.. going on with that whole someone travels to the past to undo all the horrible events of the future, then after it's all said and done, time and space dematerializes and returns to peaceful point it was intended. Typical crap. You can somewhat relate this to Dragonball Z. Trunks comes from the future to stop the Androids, so Earth doesn't wind up into the hell hole he escaped. I wouldn't be surprised if Sonic Team was directly inspired by ideas from other franchises. They've done it before, multiple times. Seriously though. Silver came from 200 years in the future. Tell me. Is that time period even remotely significant to the Sonic canon, let alone Sonic himself? How about introducing a random psychokinetic hedgehog and pyrokinetic cat to help save the day? Hell no..
Future vs. alternate dimension. I haven't played Rush/SRA enough to see, but if it isn't stated in the game, fans (including me) have drawn the conclusion because, well, Eggman Nega gives off the idea of "negative", as in a photo negative, which evokes the idea of him being a parallel counterpart to Eggman. That, together with Blaze that mirrors Sonic's abilities, and the Sol Emeralds that mirror the Chaos Emeralds, made the conclusion very easy. By the way, did Sega explain the Sol Emeralds in the future?
They're never mentioned in 2006, but who knows - in that timeline they may never have been created. For the record Rush/SRA never say 'another dimension' .. they say 'another world' and Robotnik was messing with the Time/Space continuum. Destroying 2006 and making it never happen just puts Blaze/Silver into a Good Future. Which could easily be mistaken by the guys as 'another world', especially with Eggman Nega's lying, which he admits to in Rivals 2. I'd say it's not a case of parallels so much as a case of history repeating itself.
During the cutscene that's triggered after getting an "S" rank in the third Sweet Mountain mission, Silver was shown to have slight recollection of those events, since he said that it "[felt] almost as if [he and Blaze] paired up before".
