Never got much use out of the insta-shield myself, couldn't get the timing right. It would be nice to have options, but I think the drop-dash is a clever replacement for the homing attack and insta-shield. I was rather annoyed how reliant Sonic 4 was on that homing attack, for routes and for getting through obstacles, as it's very effective for speeding up, when spammed. It didn't feel right to me.... You could theoretically add one extra button, spin-attack when on the ground and shield or homing attack when in the air. That does feel a bit wrong with Sonic, somehow.
I'm embarrassed to admit it... But I never knew about the instasheild. Like I heard people talk about it a decade after the game released, but I always thought that little extra buzz he'd give was just extra animation for no reason. I was excellent at the game at the time and didn't use it once.
Nah. For ages, I didn't really know what it did either. Sure, the manual said it protected me, but when I tried to defend against stuff as a kid playing the game on my Genesis, it didn't ever work out, and I had no idea why it was there. These days, I can't live without it when playing S3&K, and the bullet-reflecting one in Sonic 3 Complete is hilariously busted and has spoiled me completely. And man, after learning how good the insta-shield was in S3, I was super disappointed that you don't get any invincibility frames when using the one in Sonic Advance, it just increases attack radius there.
Well the homing attack really doesn't belong in a 2D Sonic game in my opinion but as an unlock that's put there purely for entertainments sake I wouldn't mind. The multi-button thing is a good point though and something I really didn't think of, I kinda presumed that you would be pressing jump as you hit the ground from a spin and that would launch you forward in a rolling animation. I get now that in order to do that it would activate the Insta-shield as well if it was on the same button press. I wouldn't be opposed to multi button gameplay but I understand completely that this is blasphemy in classic Sonic and it would probably be a small minority like myself who would like it that way. Man, I was the same when I was a kid, thought it was just for show until I nearly jumped into those hovering blue spikey guys on Marble Garden Zone. Out of sheer panic I pressed the jump button again and flew right through the guy keeping my rings. That was a proper "Ohhhh shitttt" moment of realization. Since then it's just second nature to use the Insta-shield for projectiles and stuff like that, very handy.
And while we are on the subject of extra features, I have always hated the homing attack. It's lazy and it takes the fun out of ricocheting. It has no place in a classic Sonic game. It makes sense in 3D Sonic games because the extra dimension makes Sonic difficult to handle precisely, but not in a 2D game. It's probably the most irritating aspect of Sonic 4, aside from the awful handling/physics of Sonic. I also find the target and sound effect distracting, that's me though... Think about it, you got a line of flying badniks that you wanna ricochet against to hit a higher pathway, which is more satisfying: handling Sonic's trajectory as you bounce off one badnik to the next. Or, BEEP-POP, BEEP-POP, BEEP-POP, that was easy. All you do is wait for the prompt, then hit the button. Anyway, that's my rant against the homing attack. I was thrilled when I saw it was NOT in Mania...
I never liked the insta-shield because it seemed really useless. It only works on some enemies and on some bosses, but even then you probably won't even find out about it until later. Also, as for the invincibility thing, I tried using it but I never can get it to work, so unless you're a master at Sonic 3K, you probably won't find use of it. However, that doesn't mean I don't want to see it in Sonic Mania. As I said before, it would be cool as an optional move or as it's own shield ability. Also, I'm sure we can all agree the homing attack would be a terrible addition to a classic Sonic game and it won't work outside of a 3D game because it makes killing enemies way too easy and it's extremely pointless. Edit: When I mean "it works on some bosses" I mean bosses which are too high to reach normally without the insta-shield.
Same here. I've been playing Sonic 3 since it was first released, but the first time I successfully used the instashield and finally understood how it works was earlier this year, 2016, when showing the game to my 3-year old daughter. Hard to believe, huh? The cool thing for me is that I got to play the game differently, so it felt kinda new after all these years.
I have no problem with extra buttons so long as you don't become like that Sparkster Reboot. Sometimes, another button is preferable to having exacting manipulation of a few buttons. At the same time, it does feel a bit off if you have a button you almost never use, it feels lopsided. I like some classic nostalgia driven controls, but I'll be happy with more modern twists on it as well. If there was a Sonic Mania 2, I would be all for experimentation and evolution of the game. I'm glad to see I wasn't the only one who didn't get the insta-shield. And others agree with my distaste for the homing dash.Unnatural stepladders of enemies just look and feel so forced.
Having started the Sonic series with Sonic and Knuckles Collection, I wouldn't be lying if I said the lack of insta-shield bothered me. I figured out how to use it pretty quickly. It always felt so incredibly sneaky insta-shielding THROUGH projectiles. I got so use to it, that having external shields actually felt problematic. I couldn't insta-shield for that extra radius!
For the longest time I didnt know the insta shield was making you invincible, nor that it was also an attack making you have a bigger radius. However it had a very satisfying feeling, like a good button click instead of a silent touchscreen that has neither tactile nor sound feedback. It is very important that it regains you the air control. In a way it acts as a silent tutorial hinting you on the use of double jump, and when you have a shield you are more likely to try it. Remember, in Sonic 1 and 2 double jump didn't do anything. Even Super Sonic was activated by a single jump. So, even if the insta shield is not present as a weapon or invincibility in Sonic Mania, there should be a way to regain air time. Its too important.
We have the elemential shields, normal shield and Knuckles Chaotix-inspired ring box, so I really don't see any need for the insta-shield in Mania. ...and that's the one thing about the insta-shield I don't like. It makes it too easy. Part of the challenge of taking on a badnik/boss fight is whether you can beat it without taking damage. This is something you master with learning the enemies weakness and the insta-shield kind of takes that skill away from you. I don't mind the insta-shield although I hardly ever use it, with the exception of the Big Arm boss in Launch Base, Carnival Night boss and Death Egg mid-zone boss in 3&K where the insta-shield is actually more helpful than the elemential shields. It also took me a while playing 3&K before I realised what the insta-shield was, which is kind of strange because the "double jump" move is so common in 3&K with Sonic's elemental shield abilities and super/hyper transformation. I guess pressing the jump button twice with Sonic (when he doesn't have any shields) goes against instinct, because normally you focus on Sonic's directional movement (press the d-pad) after pressing jump once. I should have read the Sonic 3 game manual more thoroughly :v: I'm so used to not having the insta shield in the other classic games that I just don't think it's needed in Mania. The drop dash on the other hand seems like a nice addition. It's good in that appears to be completely optional. If you want to use it to get through the stage quicker then fine, or maybe use it to evade a bosses attack. I would like something akin to Sonic 2's with the winner of each act decided on; score, item boxes, who finishes the act first, rings and total rings. Sonic 2's two-player was so much fun. Definitely want this brought back!
Anyone who watched my gameplay videos on Youtube should know that I (ab)use the insta-shield all the times, and I, too, would like to see it in Mania. When I play Sonic 1 and Sonic 2 I feel that something is missing. Just like when I would like to spindash in Sonic 1 and I can't. You shouldn't trade old abilities for new abilities, Sonic 3 added the insta-shield while keeping the spindash. Mania can add the drop dash while keeping the insta-shield.
Agreed. This part of the insta-shield is what makes S3&K 'the' classic Sonic to play. I always feel its absence badly in all the other games. It perfectly suited Sonic's moveset too... another way to alter mometum, as opposed to Tails' and Knuckles' moves breaking it completely. Pretty sad to see it gone really; so far its absence is the one thing that's not truly faithful, and I always did really value it. I'd rather shield-less Sonic with insta than shield-less Tails, for example.
I think not everyone knows the full ability of the insta-shield, and why it suited Sonic's control style of changing motion without breaking momentum. So here's a couple of images I dug up. That actually is possible without the insta-shield, but harder. And this one:
Good use of examples! I'm probably the least suited to talk about this, as stated just before, I have limited experience with the insta-sheild. BUT, I am curious to know... If you could only have one, which would you choose: a.) New dash ability b.) Insta-sheild (not that the new dash ability is going anywhere as I'm sure it's probably heavily implemented at this point) I would go for the new dash ability, myself. It seems like something mania could be known for, similar to Sonic CD and the 8-ball peel out. Also, I have faith that Tax and Stealth know what they are doing. I also recall a video where another game designer suggested the addition of this mechanic, and at the time I thought, "yeah, that would be cool and wouldn't break the classic feel, like the homing attack does".
@Vector Insta. But I can understand people preferring otherwise. @Neo It's not saying there aren't any springs/Tails/powerups; it's saying you can do it without any springs/Tails/powerups.
This video shows you can escape using the insta-shield in the Ice Cap scenario. You can reach the high-up item boxes at the start of Angel Island without using the springs. I just tried and it works but it's very hard to pull-off. The insta-shield didn't help. EDIT: Did it again and this time the insta-shield helped. ...but it's still ridiculously hard to pull-off.
The fact it is Stealth and Taxman that are making the game, I have full trust in them that the Insta-shield was removed for good reasons, Even though I'd love to see it back they have probably shaped the flow of entire zones around the drop dash. Drop dash wins it for me, and I'm an Insta-shield guy...
