Sonic and Sega Retro Message Board: Machenstein - Viewing Profile - Sonic and Sega Retro Message Board

Released on August 4th, 1994.

I'm surprised this game doesn't have a lot of coverage in the retro Sega community. It's really one of the more interesting games on the Genesis/Mega Drive yet not many people know about it. I suppose that is the nature of obscure retro games, but something about Headdy makes it quite an enigma. What inspired Treasure to make it after the adrenaline-fueled explosion-fest that was Gunstar Heroes? How did it get green-lit with its bizarre art and distinctly Japanese aesthetics when the likes of Sonic had to be changed for an international audience? Even with the small aesthetic changes the worldwide release got, Dynamite Headdy still barely made a blip on the radar back when it was released. Was there anything Sega and Treasure could have done to make it a commercial success outside of some bizarre 32X ad or was the concept doomed to obscurity from the start?

The game barely gets brought up even when Treasure is the subject of conversation. The game's story in the original Japanese release was unknown to most English speakers until a fan translation was made in 2007. The game received many modifications for the international release including changed enemy sprites, increased difficulty, and the removal of most of the game's dialogue. The game ended on a cliffhanger which implied Trouble Bruin/Maruyama would be the main bad guy for the next game... which was then followed up by a secret ending where Headdy beats up a CEO after talks of making a sequel.

Very little of the game's development is known outside of unused assets contained in the ROM. No concept art, no developer interviews, no beta footage or prototype screenshots. I wonder what can be done to change that now that the game has been out for two decades. If there's any consolation, the game has seen multiple re-releases which includes Nintendo's Virtual Console service and various Genesis compilations. It has also seen a tribute album called Secret Bonus Point and even a small flash cartoon by Wonchop.

What do you think of Dynamite Headdy? Would you like to see more development material for the game? If so, how would we go about acquiring it?

With the help of vladikcomper, we figured out how to implement the Sonic 3 method of Super Sonic transformation into Sonic 2. In the original Sonic 2, you had no control over when Sonic transformed once you collected 50 or more rings. Your only recourse was to try not to jump which automatically triggered the Super Sonic transformation. With this tutorial, your Sonic 2 hack will give you more control over when Sonic transforms.

The first thing you do is locate the label Sonic_JumpHeight. You should see something like this:

; loc_1AAF0:
Sonic_JumpHeight:
	tst.b	jumping(a0)	; is Sonic jumping?
	beq.s	Sonic_UpVelCap	; if not, branch

	move.w	#-$400,d1
	btst	#6,status(a0)	; is Sonic underwater?
	beq.s	+		; if not, branch
	move.w	#-$200,d1
+
	cmp.w	y_vel(a0),d1	; is Sonic going up faster than d1?
	ble.s	+		; if not, branch
	move.b	(Ctrl_1_Held_Logical).w,d0
	andi.b	#button_B_mask|button_C_mask|button_A_mask,d0 ; is a jump button pressed?
	bne.s	+		; if yes, branch
	move.w	d1,y_vel(a0)	; immediately reduce Sonic's upward speed to d1
+
	tst.b	y_vel(a0)		; is Sonic exactly at the height of his jump?
	beq.s	Sonic_CheckGoSuper	; if yes, test for turning into Super Sonic
	rts

Replace this:

	tst.b	y_vel(a0)		; is Sonic exactly at the height of his jump?
	beq.s	Sonic_CheckGoSuper	; if yes, test for turning into Super Sonic
	rts

with this:

	move.b	(Ctrl_1_Press_Logical).w,d0
	andi.b	#button_B_mask|button_C_mask|button_A_mask,d0 ; is a jump button pressed?
	bne.s	Sonic_CheckGoSuper	; if yes, test for turning into Super Sonic
	rts

That's it! Now you can make Sonic transform at will just like in Sonic 3. At those times when you are low on rings though, what if you want to cancel out Super Sonic? There is also a fix for that. First, find the label Obj01_MdJump. It should look like this:

Obj01_MdJump:
	bsr.w	Sonic_JumpHeight
	bsr.w	Sonic_ChgJumpDir
	bsr.w	Sonic_LevelBound
	jsr	(ObjectMoveAndFall).l
	btst	#6,status(a0)	; is Sonic underwater?
	beq.s	+		; if not, branch
	subi.w	#$28,y_vel(a0)	; reduce gravity by $28 ($38-$28=$10)
+
	bsr.w	Sonic_JumpAngle
	bsr.w	Sonic_DoLevelCollision
	rts
; End of subroutine Obj01_MdJump

Insert this under Obj01_MdJump:

	bsr.w	Sonic_CancelSuper

It should now look like this:

Obj01_MdJump:
	bsr.w	Sonic_CancelSuper
	bsr.w	Sonic_JumpHeight
	bsr.w	Sonic_ChgJumpDir
	bsr.w	Sonic_LevelBound
	jsr	(ObjectMoveAndFall).l
	btst	#6,status(a0)	; is Sonic underwater?
	beq.s	+		; if not, branch
	subi.w	#$28,y_vel(a0)	; reduce gravity by $28 ($38-$28=$10)
+
	bsr.w	Sonic_JumpAngle
	bsr.w	Sonic_DoLevelCollision
	rts
; End of subroutine Obj01_MdJump

Finally, create the subroutine. Right under "; End of subroutine Obj01_MdJump" insert this:

; ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
; Subroutine to cancel Super Sonic
; ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sonic_CancelSuper:
        tst.b   (Super_Sonic_Flag).w
        beq.s   +
        move.b  (Ctrl_1_Press_Logical).w,d0
	andi.b	#button_B_mask|button_C_mask|button_A_mask,d0 ; is a jump button pressed?
        beq.s   +
        addq.l  #4,(sp)
        jmp     Sonic_RevertToNormal
+       rts

Now you can cancel out Super Sonic at any time without having to wait for your rings to run out. You can also use just one button to make Sonic transform and cancel out by replacing this in each step:

	andi.b	#button_B_mask|button_C_mask|button_A_mask,d0 ; is a jump button pressed?

With one of these:

	andi.b	#button_A_mask,d0
	andi.b	#button_B_mask,d0
	andi.b	#button_C_mask,d0

Now you have complete control over when Sonic transforms in Sonic 2!

I don't know if this thread belongs here, but I want to take Intestinal Distress out of the Genesis version of Earthworm Jim. I love the game, but god how I hate that level. It's no wonder the Super Nintendo version took it out. Is there a way to modify the Earthworm Jim ROM to take Intestinal Distress out of the game?

Before I begin, I'll just go out and say it: this was not a good decade for Sonic. In fact, it was pretty awful. From Sonic Shuffle all the way to Black Knight, the 2000's was a decade of mediocrity for Sonic. Within the past ten years, we watched as Sega went third-party and a string of disappointing games followed. Internet forums bitched, reviewers became excessively harsh, and all Sega could do was sit on their thumbs as they dished out the same tired promises. Now it seems that most people have forgotten what made Sonic so good in the first place. But even in the midst of all the turmoil, there were still instances of goodness to be had with the series. For this thread, we will each list five of our favorite Sonic games this decade. I can't make it top ten because there aren't enough good Sonic games for that.

5.) Sonic Advance 2

Okay, so Sonic Advance 2 was where the emphasis on speed over platforming started. I can understand why so many people would resent the game because of that and there is no rebuttal I can make to justify it. Even I joke about the game's "hold right and win" gameplay time and time again. The game is still playable, even if the depth of the Genesis games is completely absent. The visuals are pretty, some of the tunes are catchy such as Hot Crater's BGM, and the game is just mindless fun. It pales in comparison to its older brother Sonic Advance 1 and even its younger sibling Sonic Rush, but there is still enjoyment to be had with the game.

4.) Sonic Unleashed (360/PS3)

Sonic Unleashed is pretty much the only 3D Sonic game this decade that got more things right than it did wrong. The presentation is charming, the graphics are breathtaking, the orchestra music almost rivals Mario Galaxy in terms of epicness, the day stages are quite exhilarating, and even the night stages can be fun if you have the patience. Unfortunately, some people simply don't have such patience and that's why Unleashed got such a bad rap from the reviews. The mandatory medal collecting just made matters worse. Nonetheless, Sonic Unleashed is not without merit, and I am positive that people will grow to appreciate its charm over time.

3.) Sonic Rush

Basically Sonic Advance 2 done right. Granted, there is still a lot of holding right to win, but now there is some strategy involved. People always talk about this game's sense of speed, but what I like most about it is its sense of flight. You are almost always airborne in the game, doing tricks to fill up your boost bar. Once you fill up your boost bar, you have to be careful about the timing of your boosts. Once your boost bar is empty, you will have to do tricks in the air again to fill it. This element of strategy is another thing I like about the game. Also, Hideki Naganuma's music. What U Need kicks so much ass!

2.) Sonic Rush Adventure

Say what you want about Marine the Raccoon and the piratey theme, Sonic Rush Adventure is still a worthy successor to the first game. It plays the same as its predecessor, only with less cheap deaths and more platforming elements. I also enjoy the adventure elements myself, even if forcing the player to replay levels to collect materials isn't necessary. There are many secret levels to discover on the map which greatly increases the replay value. The jet ski levels are quite engaging and they don't overstay their welcome either. I once considered this game to be my favorite Sonic game this decade, but that was until I replayed Sonic Advance 1 and got to analyze the game a little further. Speaking of which...

1.) Sonic Advance

Sonic's first game on a Nintendo console and the first proper 2D Sonic game since the Genesis days. Well, okay, there's Pocket Adventure, but Sonic Advance is 16-BIT and it mimics the gameplay of the Genesis games very well. While the following 2D games are crazy about SPEED SPEED SPEED, Sonic Advance calmly stands by its traditional platforming roots. It also pays tribute to the Genesis games in ways no Sonic game has done so ever since. There are familiar tunes from the Genesis games, a level devoted to Angel Island and its Sky Sanctuary, Mecha Knuckles instead of Mecha Sonic, classic bosses in X-Zone, and more. I recommend this game to anyone still pining for the gameplay and level design philosophies of the Genesis days; it might just be the closest we'll ever get.

And before anyone says anything, Sonic Pocket Adventure is from 1999, not 2000.

Just as the topic title implies, what is your favorite completed Sonic fangame? There are plenty of good Sonic fangames coming up, but of course none of them are completed yet. Demos don't count and neither do ROM hacks.

As many Sonic fangames as I have played, the only completed fangame I have enjoyed so far is Sonic Chaos Revolution, and that was a long time ago. Have there been any completed fangames since? Have any of them been any good? If so, I must be missing out. I guess Ultimate Flash Sonic is okay, but I would like something more akin to the classic games. Unfortunately, the only fangames that promise that are Sonic Nexus, Retro XG, and Project Mettrix. It will be a while before any of those games are completed, so which fangame should I occupy myself with first?