Mind you, there's no guarantee they'll make all versions the same way. They could very well opt to make the HD versions lock-on and the Wii version non-lock-on and simply cite the Wii's limitations as an excuse.
The special stages are far below my list of grievances with regards to Sonic 4. My point is that the special stages are not "new" and to consider them as such merely due to a twist and a borrowed element from Sonic 2 would be similar to considering Splash Hill Zone as "new" for the same reasons.
You can hardly criticize them for making excuses if it's a genuine limitation that they can't overcome. But what they could do is not allow lock-on at first, and then just add that feature to the inevitable disc-based release that everybody won't stop speculating about.
I didn't mean it as a criticism, I just meant that's what they'd say when asked about it in interviews and such. Right, then, consider that little issue cleared up. Not that this is the reason I consider any of the game "new." I simply think of it in terms of new layouts, new(ish) stage gimmicks, and a thick lather of delicious nostalgia.
My sister just played the PS3 demo. Her reaction? A long pause, followed by "Why did they do this?" After another pause, she added, "I'm going to be sick." Seriously, she was actually disturbed by it.
DIIIIIIIIIIIIIMPS!!! ... :v: No, seriously, if she wasn't joking, that is the definition of "overreacting."
1 - that doesn't matter. many people consider CD the best Sonic game. 2 - Sonic 3 had time attack, which was under the 2 player options. Sonic 3 & Knuckles had something similar in at least 3 zones. Okay, maybe it's not exactly the same. But every Sonic game after the first one has had a few little level tricksies of its own, on average maybe 2 per level. Sonic 4 has its own little things like the cards on Casino Street, and that doesn't make it unique. That just makes it a Sonic game. Only the coolest tricks like the buttons that change gravity on the Death Egg, or the floor that flings you to your death in the Wacky Workbench might count as something special.
Now that nearly everything from that list has been debunked as rehashed, that the brings the list of innovations to Sonic running on rocks and pullies. Excuse my stupidity, but I forgot what part of Sonic 4 had pullies that were completely new to the series.
I don't think 4 needs to introduce any new gameplay to be a good game, so I don't see why it matters. As long as it recreates the gameplay from Sonic 1-3, and executes it well, it's fine. I mean, Megaman 9 didn't add anything new at all. It even lost the gameplay elements from 3-4. But everything it did... it did masterfully. The physics, the background art, music, level variety, cool looking bosses. Unfortunately, I think Sonic 4 failed a few of those categories with flying colors.
So... I've been fighting with some guy on PSN for top spot on LLZ:A1, and he decided to friend me for this. I have just reclaimed my number one spot on this level for score attack... However... I'm pretty sure he was hitting on me because he thought I was a chick. Does PancakePanda sound all that girly? I thought it was kinda ambiguous... *shrug*
I would be disturbed by it, but here in the UK we didn't even fucking get a demo! I guess they think I'm stupid enough to buy the full game.
Hmm, the Help section in Sonic 4 says Eggman will stop at nothing to create Eggman Land. I'm down for Eggman Land coming to fruition in Episode 2 or 3. Also, what does the Game Over screen look like in Sonic 4? I have 190 lives, so that train has passed.
It's basically the same as the classics, with GAME OVER text on top of the place where you just lost your last life, and remixed Sonic 3 Game Over music plays.
Y'know, I think Casino Street Act 2 has made this game too easy. Is the Game Over screen just like the Time Up screen but with music? I saw the Time Up screen on Lost Labyrinth Act 2, with that damned torch puzzle. Even after I figured it out I had to get the timing right and not light the other torches while I was jumping... fuck. It's like the new barrel.
That was you? I remember spotting that name on the Leaderboards and thinking, "Guy or girl?" I settled on "guy," but only because I remembered this one guy on another forum I used to frequent whose avatar was a bunny with a pancake on its head.
Just beat this with my friend and I with 6 out of the 7 Chaos Emeralds (That last level is a fucking asshole) and you know what? We both really liked it. Those saying that it's "omfg Rush HD!!!!11" or "physics ruin it!!!11" couldn't be further from the truth, well.. the latter isn't entirely farfetched, we did bump into one or two issues with the physics, but this is absolutely NOTHING like Sonic Rush at ALL. It isn't just like the classics either, but we were constantly impressed by the level design with each level that we played, upon replaying our favorites to scavenge Emeralds for, we found tons of different paths and new secrets and the like within each playthrough, the level design isn't quite a step up from Sonic 3, but it ranges from equal to better than the level design in Sonic 2. Bar the one or two bottomless pit sections we came across and some physics problems, we loved just about every second of every level. I can see why a hardcore purist would be upset with this game and the difference in physics and such is has with the original games, but honestly I think that this was pretty damn fun. I don't think I'm going to buy it; it was way too short to warrent a $15 purchase, but I will gladly replay it with my friend from time to time, hopefully getting that last emerald eventually. I liked it, I'd give it a 7.5-8/10, it was too short and the physics as well as the way momentum is handled could have been better, but other than that it was an extremely solid experience, probably the best 2D Sonic game I've played since Sonic 3&K.
