If this is considered Spam, please trash. I've written a review of this hack in a sonic website I write for. It is in spanish, but if you want to read it, you can here http://www.sonicparadise.net/2011/09/fan-coding-pana-der-hejhog-he-iz-teh_06.html This will help Spanish talking Sonic fans to know better this unique hack!
I translated it via google, and my, that is so touching of you to say, a very nice read indeed, thank you very much for the kind words =D All of you in fact, it fills me with great confidence to know that you've all enjoyed it par the few bugs and the shortness, glad to know that the work was really worth doing!
I love this hack! Great work, Markey. One thing, though: I'm pretty sure this isn't supposed to happen.
It's hacks like this that keep drawing me back here. It's just a shame you're not working on it anymore, Markey. I really hope someone picks it up if that's the case. A hack as good as this one deserves to live on.
That's exactly what I found earlier, too. :P But this wasn't really worth fixing for Markey, so.. It's the people's fault if they get stuck in there for playing around, I think.
Like everyone else has said, the smooth animations are simply beautiful and the checkerball implementation makes a very fun play element. I love these novel hacks that you keep doing Markey, you always seem to be pushing the boundaries and possibilities and this is no exception. Great work, I love it.
I am thouroughly impressed... and am scratching my head wondering why SEGA could never get their animations and graphics running that smoothly. I give this hack a 9/10. Not the full 10/10 as many would argue it deserves... ONLY because I want to see more out of this project first. I think I speak for the community when I say that! Viva Pana Der Hejhog!
...Am I playing Generations-level quality animations in a Genesis game? I think I am. Anyway oh my GOD, Despite this game being a fanchar (a least you don't have some diverse backstory involving interspecies relations or chaos powers) running through a zone, damn it it's done well. The animations are fantastic and feel just wonderful, the level design is awesome and clever, and the boss fight and —spoiler-- were VERY unique! Bravo Markey; shame this can't get the Christmas Present award, because it deserves it. Though, so does that one hack Sonic VR possibly, and that's in the hacking contest, but still, good work <: ... Now EXPAND ON IT PLEASE ;-;
By the way, "Der" and "Gratis" are both German, "der" meaning "the" and "gratis" meaning "(cost-)free". I just read about that game, but I'm at work right now, so I couldn't play it yet. But judging from the responds people here are givin', I can't wait to get home! :D
I don't think Markey intended to continue the game further than this.. or did you? Either way, I still think this is good proof that a LOT can be done with Sonic 1 still. I just hope it inspires other hackers the same way all the little touches inspire me.
Not a fan of the fan character, but everything else is absolutely astounding. I look forward to Markey the Jester, but I'm also incredibly interested in more of this! And it's been said a few times, but DAMN, those fluid animations. Excellent work.
I love everything shown in this rom hack! I have never been so excited for the intro alone, and all what you managed to pull off! If I can, I would nominate this hack for the 2012 hacking contest simply because I love Sonic's sprite! Also, the title-screen is just epic! MarkeyJester is a hacking GOD~!
Sega should really hire Markey, rebadge Sonic 4 as something else, like Sonic Wii, and let him take the lead making a new Sonic 4 that's more true to the originals.
Why's everyone harping on the fan character schtick? I actually like Pana's design. .. Even though it's similar to Sonic's.
Gotta admit, I expected some shitty ORIGINAL CHARACTER DO NOT STEAL hack. What I got instead was one of the most beautiful and fluid hack out there.
Markey, you truly are a ninja! I actually love Pana, because he looks more like a hedgehog than Sonic does. I had a big smile on my face the whole time while I was playing. The art, the animations, the level design, the transitions, the ball gimmick, the music (dear fucking god, that frost music was just sublime!) and the boss. What can I say man? You've nailed it all! I would deliver all my friends, family and personal possessions into the arms of Satan himself if you were to make a full length game man, I really would! P.S. Just how many walk frames did Pana have?
I'm going to guess 16. Also Pana has 16 rotation angles instead of 8, and the rolling animation has 8 frames instead of 4. Basically the values were doubled.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-lwW4lDjFQ Sure you already know about this 'Jester. just posting it for the rest of Retro.
I have already asked about how difficult would it be to put these extra sprites of animation into Sonic1/2/cd/3&k. Is it a possibility? Would it require a mega cd or 32x port of the games?