Would You Rather A Modern Or Classic Style Game For The 30th Anniversary Game

Team Mania would no-doubt do an awesome job if they made another 2D game, but what I really want is for them to take the classic gameplay and make a 3D game. Either that or a new Adventure game.

 

And by that I mean I want a new 2D game that plays like the classics and a 3D game that... plays like the classics. But expanded and adapted for 3D play, something kind of like this. Something akin to what Adventure was supposed to be. I don't want to see boost return at all.

I seriously doubt the new 3D mainline game and leaked Colors remaster would be the only things coming out for the 30th anniversary, since I don't think they would've made reference to "multiple games" if it was literally only two and one of them is old. So basically I think it's plausible that they could be releasing a new classic style game alongside the main 3D game (I doubt it'll be the case though).

I would like it if new classic style games could have graphics like Sonic 2 HD, but that's not necessary.

 

This might sound weird, but I always got the impression that Sonic Team intentionally take the hard route when it comes to designing their games. They rarely repeat themselves, do weird stuff no one else does, all the while being not non-innovative. You could say they took on the role of a pioneer over the last three decades, but it's getting tired. I hope the next game is one that they actually enjoyed making.

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Now for the question: I usually defend the modern design for Sonic, but he's arguably harder to control than Classic. So maybe a mixture of both? M for modern, but with a few exploration elements sprinkled here and there.

 

Gonna say this is the main thing I want. Just about every Sonic game of the past decade has been trying to remind you of older games. I'm beyond ready for Sonic to stop doing that; it just makes this series feel like it's long gone over-the-hill.

Otherwise just gonna echo Blue Blood and Boxer Hockey. They wrap up my remaining sentiments pretty well.

 

I would rather have at least one Sonic platformer that's not being made by Sonic Team and/or Dimps. For me, the capabilities of the production team and their game design philosophy far exceeds in importance whatever gameplay and art direction the team aims to achieve.

Even if it means risking a completely fresh team or designing a new format of Sonic I could care less for, like with the Sonic Boom videogames. (Although we shouldn't even have to discuss the possibility of these two worst case scenarios in the first place.) I'm just too exhausted in investing anymore faith in whatever those two studios have in mind for Sonic at this stage of the game.

 

Definitely 3D. Like others said Sonic should keep going forward and not be stuck in 1 format. Another 2D game is fine but the mainline game should be 3D.

Classic/Modern has always been the same character to me. I’m thinking Sega feels the same way even if they marketed them as separate for certain things.

I’ve said before I always loved his modern design because it was like he got older (I know his age never really changes) and “cooler” looking. His design has nothing to do with gameplay but I think it matters to the character himself.

I don’t know how I’d make a 3D game. I’ve enjoyed most of them so I’m excited either way to see what they come up with. My only request is I want it to be a good length. Something that feels like an “Adventure” and builds up over the course of the game. That you feel a sense of accomplishment after beating it. Colors, Generations and Forces were too short imo.

 

While I do prefer the classic designs, the visual style isn't as important as the gameplay style IMO. I want a game that plays in 2D (graphics can be 3D, I don't care), with good physics, opportunities for exploration and meaningful alternate routes. I want to be able to play the game without being forced to zip through the stages "at the speed of sound" the whole time.

 

I've never really enjoyed the 3D games (although admittedly I haven't played a whole bunch of them). There just seems to be a fundamental problem with "going fast" and "into the screen." You're trying to make out upcoming hazards in the distance and generally have precious few second to react (and then just spam the homing attack button). The Adventure games did this okay by not having a very high top speed and having set pieces and on-rails sections for the fast bits, but not sure this kind of solution is going to fly today.

I think there is untapped potential in the 2D realm that could push the series forward. I'd like to see a return to time travel, but with instantaneous transitions between time periods and more puzzles based around doing things in the past to affect the future, or going to the future to avoid an obstacle in the past.

Also, I don't see why we couldn't take some influence from the metroidvania style of game and have one vast interconnected 2D world without zones and acts.

 

I don't really see why this has to be an "either or" thing to be honest. Is there a reason why we can't have both?

 

Whichever I hope they pick one and balls-to-the-walls go for it, like really amp up the Avatar gameplay from forces and polish the fuck out of it, or really throw their budget at a game like Mania.

 

There's no reason both couldn't work, but if I had the choice at this point I think just consolidate into the Modern for both 2D and 3D.

I love Mania. Taxman, Stealth and the rest of the team realized the dream of a Classic platformer that gave S3&K a run for its money and frankly overshadows it in many purely gameplay aspects. But at this point I don't think Sega will ever let Classic evolve. It will always be saddled with old stages or some other arbitrary nostalgia shackles holding it back from realizing its full potential.

With Modern, nothing is sacred. Which has been terrible on more occasions than it's been good, but that also frees aspects of the series from being railroaded. As long as the team behind the games aren't held back from making genuinely quality titles by unfathomably stupid business decisions as has often been the case, there can be great strides made.

Get Evening Star onboard to explore the Advance formula more. There was potential in the Advance trilogy to usurp S3&K as the best 2D entry in the series, but Dimps could never quite crack it. Advance 1 was too back to basics, Advance 2 had great concepts with the trick system and boost mode mired by rapidly degrading level design quality and Advance 3 had some instances of great level design, a unique partnering system and actual plot integration; plus, the level design from Ocean Base onwards was pretty stellar and correcting a lot of Advance 2's flaws, but overall just being a really uneven experience and a pretty uninspired extraneous hub world. Extrapolate on the partner system, make it worthwhile to experiment with combos or just streamline it to something more like Encore mode in Mania.

With 3D, I just think the Adventure formula needs to come back. Sonic and any other playable characters need to feel satisfying and responsive to control at low speeds again and the fact that hasn't been the case since 2001 is a travesty. Good controls are literally all I'm looking for at this point. I don't think that should be a monumental ask.

 

One of each, simply put.

 

Putting aside the snark of my first comment and being serious for a second, as great as Mania was, I feel like there is still improvement for Classic Sonic. A game with all new levels would be a significant step in itself, but I also feel like Mania was fairly conservative with the core gameplay design. It didn't introduce new moves like Sonic 2 (spindash), new item boxes, boss encounters like Sonic 3 (in the mini bosses), or even something we wouldn't even think of. It felt like a Greatest Hits game, and it was a brilliant version of that (which is why I think it's a brilliant entry point to the series), but it isn't a new game which evolves the series like Sonic 2 and 3 did. The closest the game got to building upon the formula was Mighty and Ray, and that aspect of Plus was intriguing and I'd be interested to see what else they'd bring to the table.

In sum, as great as Mania was, there is clear room for improvement, which is why I think EveningStar are deserved a new project. But for all we know they could be doing something completely different.

I do agree however that we need a good new 3D title. Forces was hilariously awful and Generations is 10 years old. I'd actually agree with people that as dated and flawed as both Adventure titles were, I would like Sonic Team to go back to that formula. It makes sense in the current climate too, with Crash, Spyro, Ratchet, and other 3D platformers from that era coming out in full-force, warts and all. I think if Crash can do it than Sonic Adventure can certainly stand on its own legs. I'd prefer Sonic Adventure 3 to a remake though.

 

You redesign Sonic again and you're going to have immense backlash and yet another split in a fandom that's already desperately trying to make "Adventure Sonic" a thing. The Current design from Adventure onwards still works, they just have to model him a little closer to Uekawa's artwork and push exaggeration just a bit more.

A 3D game with the physics of Utopia, the trick system of GT, and the sensibilities of Adventure has merit though, I'll give you that.

 

Gonna risk alienating some and say I don't think fandom beef among enthusiasts is something Sega should be concerned with. The reality is that Sonic enthusiasts are the last people Sega should be concerned about. Being a Sonic fan at this point means that you're likely to buy in regardless of radical change.

An art shift would be for the sake of reintroducing the general public to the character, and I think that might be worth considering. If not an outright retooling, some kind of shake up so that the games have a striking art direction again. This foam green hill stuff they've been doing along with Sonic's static animation and stiff poses really isn't impressing anyone.

 

I like to read your avatar as a reflection of your dissatisfaction upon looking at Sonic's current art style

 

I don't know. After the whole fiasco regarding the film's initial design (which was the general public, not just us Sonic fans), I don't think Sega's going to be ready to risk an outright redesign of their main character on their own. There's also the sheer volume of merchandise that's suddenly obsolete. A change in art style might be in order (like they were attempting in Lost World to mixed results), but redesigns of the main cast would only hurt the brand's image and recognition among the casual audience right now.

 

They've done that twice in recent years, first with Sonic Boom and then with the movie. Sonic doesn't need more redesigns, retoolings, reboots or any similar gimmicks. He needs good games. Did the modern designs keep Colors from garnering a positive reception and becoming a commercial success? No.

 

The design that made it into the final picture is also a pretty significant retooling of the character and it went over fine. They're more flexible than you think they are. Most people are just capable of identifying shit when they see it.