SA1 Comes to XBLA & PSN.

Let's completely clarify this. If you are using the basic XBLA version, then the following is true:

# All of the menus (and the title screen) are aesthetically based upon the Dreamcast version, modified just enough to comply with XBLA standards.
# The character models, game engine and entire Adventure mode are lifted from the DX version.
# A few environment textures have been replaced with higher-resolution ones, improving them beyond what the 'old' DX versions had.
# All cutscenes are skippable.
# Viewing resolution is permanently 4:3. There are blue borders to the left and right of the viewable area if playing in widescreen.
# All area transitions come with a black 'Now Loading...' screen, no matter how brief (probably another XBLA compliance standard).
# Chao Garden is at DX version standards, allowing you to create Hero and Dark types by feeding them special fruit. The only clear difference is that the 'Chao Adventure' machine (which was still branded as such in the PC version despite no GBA connectivity) has been reskinned as the 'Chao Naming Machine' (its main function in the XBLA and PC versions, with the only other function being the perma-deletion 'Chao "Goodbye"'). Also, the Chao Garden save data is thankfully still saved as a separate file.
# The only reward for obtaining emblems is Xbox Achievements. Metal Sonic is not playable in Trial mode at any point.
# Mission mode is not an option in the menu.

If you install the DX DLC (about 150MB on top of the 1.5GB you need for the standard game), then the following things become true:

# All of the menus (and the title screen) are aesthetically based upon the Gamecube and PC versions, modified just enough to comply with XBLA standards.
# (Have not personally verified the following) Metal Sonic becomes available available in Trial mode if all 130 emblems are collected.
# Mission mode is an available option in the main menu as long as one character's story is completed.
# Three Xbox Achievements worth a total of 50G are added (These are: 130 emblems with DLC enabled, all of Metal Sonic's personal emblems, all Missions completed)

 

The game also seems to have some things that are either missing or incorrectly rendered. For example, in the movies where the characters are fleeing from the Egg Carrier (from losing altitude), their models would normally appear over the video depending on the character - in this version, that doesn't happen - it just plays the rendered video. Sky Deck seems to have a lot of issues with the clouds underneath, since I could've sworn they used to be more dynamic but now appear to be stationary unless the altitude changes. And I don't know if it's just me, but the pop up is really terrible in this version - like on the Sky Deck stages, the numbers that appear on those rotating pillar things pop up on screen first then the actual pillar model afterward when you get close enough. In general, and it might be like this for the PC version as well, but the majority of the water effects are missing in this version. The music and audio doesn't appear to be 5.1 to me, in fact the music seems to overpower the voices and almost all of the sound effects.

And the game still has some slow down, but it's not too bad. It's mostly when there are many objects/effects on the screen, like with Sky Deck's second part with all the artillery. I do notice some skips in the frames when the game goes in 30fps mode for the cutscenes and here and there during normal gameplay. Kinda goes to show you that they might've had problems with the performance if they increased any graphical settings any further than it is right now.

But ultimately the deal breaker for me is the fact that there is no widescreen. At first I thought it wouldn't a issue, but the border really causes some problems for me for some reason. If the border was completely black maybe it'd be a little better, but it's difficult for me to focus for some reason.

 

I'm really curious about this Game Gear game nonsense. Guess we'll be waiting for confirmation when someone maxes out their emblems for whether or not the minigames option opens up.

 

I downloaded the trial to compare the performance to my PC copy, it seems to run faster but I suspect the framerate would change in larger maps? Or did they nail a constant framerate?

I'm reluctant on purchasing this, I'm saving my points for when Sonic 4 comes out. I'll keep the trial on my 360 though so if I ever feel like buying it, the game will activate instantly.

Oh, and I'm with you Guess Who. The ugly SADX title screen actually slightly depresses me before playing, and somehow playing DX as 'Sonic Adventure' makes it seem more fun. o_o

 

Yeah, the SADX titlescreen/menu is a dealbreaker for me, so I won't be upgrading, just keeping it oldschool. Metal Sonic's not important anyway, nor mission mode. I play for the gameplay and story. =3

 

So, I must have missed something, but when I got Knuckles' Shovel Claw and attempted to dig (Using both the X and B buttons), nothing happened. I also tried to dig from the air, and nothing happened as well. Am I screwing up, or did Sega forget something?

I've had a lot of problems with falling through floors as well.

 

It's jump + action while standing still if you want to use the Digging Claws, so A+B and possibly A+X will activate them.

I had one instance of falling through the floor whenever I 'air dashed' during Egg Viper to avoid the lasers; every single time, the platform I was meant to land on would suddenly think it wasn't there, so I'd die. The only remedy was to restrict air dashing/homing attack exclusively for attacking the Viper itself.

Otherwise, there were no issues on my playthrough. Skipped almost every cutscene and earned the Vintage Sonic avatar shirt (unlocked by playing Adventure mode for 5 hours) just as I was about to unlock Super Sonic.

 

Maybe I should have rephrased that: For some reason, pressing the X or B buttons after jumping with Knuckles ends the jump and has them land normally; it does this for Sonic as well. That's why I can't dig from the air; whenever I jump and press the supposed correct button, it simply cancels the jump animation.

 

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't 'air digging' only in Sonic Adventure 2/SA2B?

 

You can't dig from the air in SA1. Air digging was added for SA2. You need to stand still and press X/B+A.

 

The framerate hitches up in weird spots. It doesn't happen that often, but it does happen at:

- Windy Valley, when you're inside the tornado
- Ice Cap, during one specific part of the snowboarding section with falling ice

I remember a few more spots but I can't name them off the top of my head.

 

Well...I just got my 250/250.

There are shoes for playing 10 hours.

Anywho...I liked the Sonic Adventure background from before the DX upgrade. ;_;

 

That's good to hear.

On the subject of the title screen, maybe deep down we're all trying to convince ourselves that we really are playing the original Dreamcast version on our Xboxes...

 

I just got back from a week away and need to try this out still, for what you lot are saying it sounds like a strange hybrid of a pc port splashed with some older dc designs, slightly improved texture res and 60fps in stages? I am still rather pissed that they went with a 640x render resized to fit, screams lazy pc port to me.

 

Just spotted a new edit in Mission 13, which spawns six signposts around Knuckles and gives you a clue for which one to dig under (Who is A CHAR a Chao good friends with?). The correct answer is identical (Cream), but most of the signposts have been changed from their old textures (Sonic Advance character art, if memory serves) into new ones which promote a few of the games which didn't exist when DX was released. The 'adverts' are for Sonic 4 Episode 1, Sonic Unleashed (closeup of cover art with no title), and Sonic '06. + - Hopefully by posting this I'm pre-empting and burying any discussions along the lines of "They could have advertised better games" before anybody else dares to bring this up.  

 

Ah, what was the other game that did this recently? It advertised Black Knight.

 

Just confirmed via Amy's Mission 50 that the Unleashed boxart present in the game is a replacement for the boxart texture of Sonic Pinball Party.

 

Hmm...what about the Sonic X billboard in Sonic's third mission?