Anyone care to post these in the SEGA forums? Man, the game actually looks quite phenomenal in that resolution. (Having said that, I wonder if there aren't a lot of textures somewhere that won't look so good...)
So I guess the iOS version has babby mode enabled. Differences include lower ring requirements in the special stages and considerably less health for the bosses. Also, Super Sonic can pierce the final boss' shield. Even though the premier iOS version of this game is better than the last, it still keeps with the Sonic 4 Mobile™ tradition of severely neutered backgrounds. Layered backgrounds flattened into still images... makes me sad. EDIT: You know, I want the Sonic 4 games portable at 60fps. I thought the iOS version was good, but after playing the prettier, silky-smooth console version I don't really want to go back to it. Do something with the 3DS, dammit!
Does anyone have the SONIC THE HEDGEHOG FOUR OH MY GOD audio clip from the Episode 1 thread? I wanna hear it again, haha.
Now I have had a chance to play it on my iPod I would say that Episode 2 is a huge improvement over Episode 1, and I have really enjoyed playing it unlike the first! The teaming up with Tails mechanics work really well, which is good because I was worried that they would be an unnecessary addition which would ruin the game! This. I haven't played any version other than the iOS one yet, but all the time I have been playing it I have been thinking how amazing the graphics are for an iOS game. Especially considering the low-poly Sonic Rush style models we got for Episode 1. I have an iPod Touch 3rd generation though, and as it isn't a retina device that may disguise the effects of low graphical quality.
So I've been reading this thread, and I want to make sure I've got this Super Sonic business straight. You lose momentum when you jump or when you fall off a cliff. Doesn't that make the controls tighter and allow for more precise play? I feel like muting momentum has become a trend with platformers. I'm guessing there are two possible responses—either A, it doesn't make the controls tighter, or B, you don't want tight controls in a Sonic game.
What they have done with the iOS version is balance it's frame rate and performance for older devices then newer ones like the 4S and ipad 2/3 can run the same thing just better and/or higher res. I thought the ipad version looked good but after trying it out on my 4g touch I realized it was identical in visuals and the only difference was some choppy frame rates in places. It's really impressive and one of the better looking iOS 3d platformers out there. It will never look like the console versions unless they update it for ipad 2/3 powers, but even then an ipad 2 and 3 is still not as powerful as a 360 or ps3. It's completely different to playing normal sonic so it throws me off a lot especially in sky chase, you go to jump on those turtles and either jump over them or miss a landing and fall to death. It's also bad memories of ep1 which should have been removed. Episode metal uses the new ep2 sonic physics so why does super have to suffer?
I bought the game on Steam, and I have to admit, Episode 2 is far better than Episode 1. Most things were fixed (physics, graphics, even level design are better). I liked every single act of the game. Cutscenes add a lot to the storyline, and they connect some acts each other. Bosses are all unique, at least not rehashed versions of what we already know. Spoiler Wait... Aquatic Ruin zone totem poles? That's disappoint... Huh... Forget it. Slapped by Robotnik rendition of the Piranha plant. Some things still need improvements though. Sky Fortress act 1 is ridiculously hard when you have a low resolution below 720p, almost unplayable. Luckily, I can play at 1080p even if the game doesn't seem to benefit from it. I was expecting more from Episode Metal too. I like the concept of "Episode 1 hard mode", but only one act per level is not enough (it's for free, so, I'm not complaining too much). The fact that Tails isn't playable alone (or at least with Sonic following him) is sad. You have a way to play as Tails alone in "Single player" by cheating a bit: Configure Player 1 controls as usual with your joystick, and Player 2 as keyboard (on Steam) or second controller. In game, select "Multiplayer" and then enter "Local Co-op mode". Press Start for Player 2 on the second controller. I swear this is the last time you will ever tap the second controller to control the second player (or almost the last time). Select your level and choose Tails as Player 1. This way, you can play almost all the levels only with Tails controls. Except Sky Fortress zone act 1, act 3 and Boss. And Special Stages (not tried that hard). Some points: Sonic will eventually start to "float" besides you when you are too far from him, this is a bit disturbing. But you are free to do everything and go everywhere you want. With Tails alone, you can fly and swim without problems. If you need to roll with Sonic, press the "recall" button. Even while floating in the air, Sonic will reappear next to you, and you can then do your combo move. Sometimes (for the first boss especially), you need to drop Sonic in the air while flying. To do so, fly away, and press the "recall" button when you need to drop. Sonic will reappear next to you, in ball form, and hit. Tails doesn't have any homing attack (good point!). Keep in mind that he can fly (you can't really be stuck). And don't forget the "recall" button. If Sonic dies, there is no way to call him back unless you tap the button on the second controller. This make some bosses harder than normal, as you need to keep Sonic alive to do the rolling combo move. But this is still doable (and challenging). You will lose lives twice faster Sonic will lose rings if hit. Be careful and let him float as much as possible. Tip for White Park zone Boss: while fighting Metal Sonic, let Sonic die, you don't need him at all. Tip for Oil Desert zone act 3: quicksand parts are hard to pass through without Sonic and his homing attack. Use the rolling combo to break walls and keep Sonic alive with "recall". Tip for Oil Desert zone Boss: keep Sonic alive, you need it to do the rolling combo for the last hit. Tip for Death Egg mkII zone Boss: keep Sonic alive, you need it to break Robotnik shield. Problem with Sky Fortress zone act 1: you can hit badniks with the Tornado and all, but near the middle of the level, you must leave the Tornado, and play a small part as Sonic alone. It's a pity... Problem with Sky Fortress zone act 3: cannons can only be opened with Sonic homing attack. This isn't a problem at start, because you can fly over. But you will be stuck somewhere, where the cannon is needed to pass through a solid vertical wall. Yet again, no luck... Problem with Sky Fortress zone Boss: you can't hit Metal Sonic because you can't jump at all... You can beat every other levels with Tails alone. You were almost there SEGA.
The Emeralds aren't even part of Episode 1 or Episode 2 as far as story is concerned. The same is true of Colours. So you can say they're just an added bonus.
So wait, let me get this straight. You go through the process of getting all the emeralds in Episode 1, only to abandon them while going to Little Planet in Sonic CD where you have to get your hands on the time stones, at which point you end up abandoning those to go through the trouble of getting the emeralds again in Episode 2? What the hell Sega? That's why Sonic CD should have been left alone where it belonged, in 1993.
Oh my bad, cause they did a really good job getting that across without confusing the hell out of some people whether it was before or after Episode 1. Which would explain how he lost the emeralds while standing on the tornado from Splash Hill to Sylvania Castle. Yet he had no trouble holding onto them from Sonic 2 to 3. Well, at least until Knuckles punched them out of him.
Kinda loosely off-topic here, but I played Sonic-Wrecks' "Sonic 4 Ep. 2 Bingo Chart" for the last couple of months over on Twitter. Here's what my final count looks like: Spoiler Overall, I got 18/30 on it, which is essentially a "D" letter grade if it were to be graded like a quiz.