What is Sonic Team doing?

The term "Sonic Adventure 3" has is nebulous meaning. Any one of the main Sonic titles released after 2001 could be considered SA3:

Sonic Heroes chronologically followed SA2 in-continuity and in release order. Since it's a direct sequel, it may be thought of as SA3 much like Super Mario World is occasionally referred to as Super Mario Bros. 4 in old Japanese advertisements and merchandise.

Shadow the Hedgehog was a direct continuation of (and/or an homage to) SA2. It could be thought of as finishing the story arc presented in SA2 (and, with the Artificial Chaos, perhaps a bit of SA1) as a trilogy, with Heroes as a spinoff or sidestory.

Sonic 2006 is very similar to SA1 in terms of play style, featuring Adventure Fields (Town Stages) and individual (at least nominally) intertwining character paths. Iblis and/or Solaris can be thought of as a fire-based equivalent of Perfect Chaos.

Sonic Unleashed was originally christened as Sonic Adventure 3 while in development, but it eventually gained its own title as a result of the deviation from the original two games. The Japanese version still hosts the title "Sonic World Adventure".

Creating an actual SA3 at this point would almost be redundant. Elements of both SA1 and SA2 have been retread already, with Sonic '06 and Shadow the Hedgehog in particular, and both of those games were widely criticized within and without the fanbase. At this point, it is unlikely that anyone at Sega is willing to take the risks associated with attempting to revive the Adventure formula again (or, god forbid, attempt another engine/series overhaul) and continue with the modest success that was Unleashed.

Personally, the less they talk about their next 3D project, the more time they are likely to spend on it. And I'd be just fine if we didn't get another 3D Sonic until well after the 2011 Anniversary.

 

The'll time the complete episodic content of Sonic 4 on to one physical disk for the 20th anniversary

 

As others have said, Sonic Adventure 3.

I don't really want any more of the character-specific level types in the games, but I would like to be able to play as Tails again, but at the same time, I want all the characters to go to the same levels like in the classics, and even if they make the levels 3-D, for them to reflect the art style of the older games, since that was more fun to look at. I actually thought SA1 beta footage looked better than the finished product because it resembled that closer, but if they make a 3-D Sonic that resembles the classics, it would be cool if they made it more maze-like in that it had alternate routes to go to find secrets. The only reference of which I can supply would be in the wiki here, there is a video from Sonic Jam, originally supposed to be a children's ride, where the player traverses Sonic's world and at the point where the viewer jumps up on the spring it shows something I think would be an ideal starting concept for a 3-D Sonic stage.

Heroes was too linear and it barely had multi-paths, plus, it was too fast to explore. I understand speed can be important in Sonic but there should be points like in the classics where you can slow down and look around a bit. Maybe even bring back the concept of finding special stages instead of reaching the end of the level with certain conditions. Doing that in Heroes wasn't even fun, especially since there were cheap deaths impossible to avoid in that game.

Or maybe they're relying on Sonic 4...

 

I'd actually be quite pleased if they decided to stick to Sonic the Hedgehog 4 as the anniversary focus and just keep on trying to make the 3D game great before actually releasing it. It'd be a good move: the 3D series hasn't really had credibility in a while—even with Unleashed's steps in the right direction, it still wasn't good enough to get them that—so if they were to prioritize making the game unquestionably good over all else, it would likely mean only good things for the series in the future. Assuming they actually got it right, that is.

 

Exactly. Remember when they rushed the 15th Anniversary game out before it was even close to being completed? We don't need that happening again.

What they should really do is release a collection with every Genesis, Game Gear, and Master System games along with Sonic CD, Knuckles Chaotix, Sonic the Fighters, Sonic 3D Blast Saturn, Sonic R (Gems Edition), SegaSonic Arcade, and all the extra games from the previous collections like Ristar, The Ooze, Comix Zone, and both Vectormans.

 

3D title, mega anniversary compilation, maybe pso (I wish).

 

Working on the next breakthrough to making shitty games of course. They're absolute geniuses at it.

 

I don't really see the appeal in Yet Another Sonic Compilation, myself... but even if they did that I doubt it falls under the jurisdiction of Sonic Team, so it's a rather a moot point. >_>

 

It was an example of a surprise. A Sonic racing game? Fine. On hoverboards? Not what we saw coming. This isn't the place to discuss the quality of Sonic Team's innovative endeavours.

I want to echo what K2J said. Calling a game "Sonic Adventure 3" means nothing. If Adventure 2 had been released under a different title, let's say 'Sonic and Shadow', then fans would claim that '06 was Adventure 3. Why? It has more in common with SA1 than SA2 does. It's different to Sonic 4 because the original trilogy had some very definite rules, and such rules weren't very much solidified in the Adventure series. All people really have to go on is that they were the best 3D games to date.

 

Wasn't Heroes 2 rumored some time back?

 

Not directly, but something like it yea. They want to focus on making more games like it in the future or something.

 

I sure hope they mean visually. Heroes was at least a step up away from the "more realistic world" via Sonic Adventure and Sonic Adventure 2.


(they were still good games though)

 

Handled correctly, the realistic worlds approach doesn't have to be bad. Unleashed sold me on that, by using what aren't every day locations (to us) and keeping everywhere vibrant and lively. Granted, a world where trees grow in corkscrews and the soil grows in neat tiles is always better.

And no, they weren't talking visually. The specifically mentioned multiplay.

Source

 

I'm betting that this rumored Anniversary Title is indeed a Heroes-esque game. I can see 3 people waggling with Wiimotes now...

Nah but seriously, if they pulled it off correctly and made it NOT corny, I'd be sold.

 

After Shadow the Hedgehog and Sonic 2006, I kind of hope they don't attempt another "Sonic Adventure 3", unless they do something similar to Unleashed (which was originally SA3, anyway). They were the last two games with a similar gameplay style, and you see how they turned out.

Unleashed to me was sort of a milestone for the Sonic games. It showed that they don't have to be just like the Adventure games to be fun - they built a completely new gameplay system that makes Sonic different from all the other basic platformers. There were a lot less "autopilot" moments than in the Adventure games, and when you do have control, it feels a lot more fun and free. They finally found a way to give the player more freedom and speed, as well as tossing a little more challenge into the mix. Sonic Unleashed had an excellent formula - it was new, it was different, for once they didn't listen to the fans or try to "return to Sonic's roots" (whatever that even means), and I don't see them tossing all that work to the wind so soon. At least not when it has so much potential.

On the subject of a Sonic Heroes 2, it's something I'd like to see. Heroes was another very cool idea that I'd love to see explored more. Even though it was somewhat similar to the Adventure games, the gameplay and art style was tweaked enough to the point where it still felt very fresh. The first game is still fun to this day.

It would be even more interesting if they could find some way to combine it with elements from Unleashed without ruining the flow too much to make a truly unique gameplay experience. I also think it could be kind of neat if they went the Banjo-Tooie route and added more "split-up" sections where you have to choose a character to go alone for a short while. It would make the stages more interesting to play over again.

EDIT: Oh, and seeing the cartoony/surreal locations with Hedgehog Engine graphics would be sweet.

 

I'm hoping that if the next game uses the Hedgehog engine, they figure out a way to tone it down enough to run on the Wii. The Wii version of Unleashed is the most disappointing Sonic game I've ever played. I don't want to buy a 360/PS3 just to play one game.

 

I don't even have a current gen console (Pc gamer here), but I'd love to have a ps3, not just because a Sonic game, but because there are more exclusive games for it (MGS4, GT5, Wipeout HD and so on...)

Anyways...For this 20th anniversary...I don't know, maybe they are gonna do a similar heroes thing...But I don't really know if I would like another one, the first was fun but it was boring to play, always do the same thing on the stages, run with all your might and get to the ring... I know I know, the old games are linear about that too, but at least had totally diferent paths, and secret passages and shit.

I'd like a new Sonic game without gimmicks, or shit, JUST with Sonic, in 3D, with a nice open levels with a "go to the end post" goal...and of course, nice physics...but that is not gonna happen, since most people wants gimmicks, shadow and guns and all... Meh.

 

That would be awesome... And maybe include some classic comics like in SMC, some movies, trailers, character bios from the games, museum like in Gems and the ultimate sound test with music from all games present...

I can dream...

And yeah, they should work at the next 3D game. I can wait for a game that isn't broken like 'THAT' member of the Sonic family nobody wants to talk about.

All of this, except it would be cool if you could choose your team. If playing alone, you would switch between two players, if playing with friends you could have up to four.

Of course, that always leaves the argument of which characters to include and which to leave out...

Edit: and if they do that, I want online play...

I have no friends. :specialed:

 

It's not going to happen.