Shush you While that would be awesome... Shush you I've actually been secretly hoping for Hidden Palace Zone S&K. Imagine how cool that could be if it were re-imagined as an actual zone rather than just a glorified cut-scene. I get that that's what Lava Reef Zone Act 2 is, but something in Hidden Palace around collecting the chaos emeralds or saving them from destruction of the zone would be epic.
I'm generally fine with FBZ music (especially version in Sonic & Knuckles Collection for PC from 1997 - those "midi instruments" are giving this music theme really nice tunes), but I have so jolly and funky mood when I'm playing in Metropolis Zone, that I'm starting to make up some rhymes in my head for this music (utterly stupid, but hey, if some tunes are causing such mood, it's really something).
Perhaps, although I'm sure it is a consideration to some degree. I initially had this thought a little while back in the thread, when I think someone had suggested wanting a series of purple zones, like Marble, Oil Ocean, etc. It just read to me as too much purple. Really, you don't interpret Mystic Cave as a purple zone? Half the background is solid purple, and green being a compliment to purple makes it stand out further, to me at least. I'll stop here...
Please explain. What Mother Monster song are you referring to? Since we are in full speculation mode, here are my predictions, in no particular order: Classic Zones: - Green Hill - Scrap Brain - Mystic Cave - Hydrocity or Labyrinth (Hoping for Hydrocity!) - Flying Battery - Ice Cap - Death Egg Mk (Whatever, and could be mixed with all previous versions) New Zones (Thanks to Hard Boil Heavies reveal): - Mirage Saloon - Studiopolis - Zone for the Ninja Hard Boiled Heavy - Zone for the Top Hat Hard Boiled Heavy - Zone for the Mace wielding HBH Sonic the Hedgehog 5 as you truly imagined it!!!
So nice to find someone else who thinks act2 of Sandopolis is really good! For me act1 is the worst act. It's doll. None of the level design is particularly interesting or challenging and the mini-boss (which you have lure to the quicksand so it will sink) takes forever to beat. Whereas act2 has such a good atmosphere. Looks so spooky when it goes all dark and the ghosts are creepy as they get bigger and become more menacing. It's also quite a fluid act apart from the section where you have to wait for the sand to rise. Even then it's not that difficult. Just love listening to the music. A creepy/haunted theme level could be an interesting choice as a new zone for Mania. I like all the zones in Sonic 1, although I'm starting to get tired of Marble & Labyrinth by the time I get to the third act. They kind of overstay their welcome. Apart from Wacky Workbench act1 and Collision Chaos act3 I like all of Sonic CD's levels. I do feel there was missed potential with Quartz Quadrant (a laughably easy stage) and it gets my vote for Mania along with Stardust Speedway. As for Sonic 2; Aquatic Ruin's lowest underwater route, all of Hill top zone, Oil Oceans Eggman boss and the Seahorse badnik (I forget it's name) and lots of Metropolis design can die in fire. Casino Night is laughably easy, almost boring. Mystic Cave (with Hidden Palace still underneath) gets my vote for Mania and Chemical Plant. I know I know CP was in gens, but it's a really good stage. Would love to see it again. As for S3&K. All levels in the Sonic 3 half have amazing design apart from Ice Cap, where act1 is linear and kind of boring and act2 isn't mucch better despite the more routes. As for the S&K half, I've never understood the love for Sky Sanctuary-even the music. It's dull, don't like the color scheme and Mecha Sonic re-using two old bosses was disapoointing. I want either Hydrocity, Carnival Night or Ice Cap to go with Flying Battery in Mania. If I had to pick another stage from S&K then I'd choose Lava Reef because it's an awesome stage, the level design and layout is so good.
Didn't think about Studiopolis as the casino stage because I think Studiopolis has its own identity compared to Casino Night, as opposed to Carnival Night, Bingo Highway and Casino Street. Thing is though, I would be a bit let down without some form of traditonal Casino zone representation, even just a bonus stage like SAK's. While Casino Night was in Generations 3DS, everyone forgets that game even exists so who cares about that :p . And it was also in the console Generations, but as a really underwhelming gimmick zone. Aside from Sonic 4 and that one level from Lost World, we haven't seen a real Casino level since Sonic Heroes and it's so iconic I really would want it back. I mean, put it this way, I would want it much more than other zones which are neglected, such as Aquatic Ruin, Hill Top, Oil Ocean or Metropolis. Maybe I'm just crazy. Still, I would love Mystic Cave.
Isn't Ice Cap basically guaranteed to be in Mania? It's the only Ice zone from the classics, hasn't been redone yet (somehow), is highly regarded, and yet could use a lot of improvement. Even the music issues has a work around since new music tracks are being created.
I would love Ice Cap but if the music really is an issue we probably won't get it. However, I do think the whole music debacle is massively overblown. If we get 2 zones for each game, that would be so cool.
Sandopolis is the only desert stage from the Classic, so is it basically guaranteed to be in Mania too?
If the music is a problem just make a remix of "be wild, be cool, be groovy." It's still Ice Cap, but just from SA.
I guess if there were an unused prototype for an ice zone I would feel otherwise. My idea of "basically guaranteed" is 80%. You don't want legal advice from me... Further, while semantic, I always thought of Sandopolis as more of an Egyptian Zone, not traditionally desert in the same vein of the western style portrayed in Mirage Saloon. It's a minor distinction but it's there. Similarly, I wouldn't consider a pirate ship themed zone to be analogous to an ocean themed zone.
My point is, just because there was only one stage that fits a broad trope (be it a broad or narrow one) in the classics doesn't mean that it'll be on this game. Mushroom Hill was the only deciduous forest, and Marble Zone was the only lava-filled ruins location. It's nonsensical as far as reasoning goes.
Well yeah, obviously. We've no idea which old zones they'll choose and why. PWG did say to me on twitter Flying Battery was one of their favorites. It would, however, be quite welcome to see a snow themed level, whether it be brand new or a re-imagined Ice Cap.
There are certain Sonic tropes which are only less iconic than Green Hill. I'd say Casino Night and Ice Cap are up there.
Massively unpopular opinion time: I would actually really not mind seeing Hill Top Zone rep Sonic 2. I mean, I get the hate that zone gets. Its tiles are mostly just a palette swap of EHZ. But the verticality of it (a non-irritating, non-Chaotix, non-CD form of verticality, I might add) gives it a unique personality unlike any other zone in the franchise, even if the art itself is recycled. The rising and falling lava is fun and has a lot of room for reimagining, too.
As long as EHZ doesn't exist along side it I'm not too adverse to seeing that level. It's like a more fun Marble Zone.
I don't think Ice Cap is really that iconic, considering the ice trope skips most sonic games, and Ice Cap itself has only appeared in 2 games. I'd say the Green Hill trope is by far the most iconic Sonic type of level, followed by a tie between the Casino/pinball type levels and the highway levels. Virtually every sonic game ever has had a highway level. In fact, a common complaint about Sonic Generations is that they over relied on the highway trope.
You didn't pick a Sonic CD stage! Quartz Quadrant, Wacky Workbench and Stardust Speedway are the most distinct, so I'd go with one or two of them. I agree with your choices, except maybe Death Egg. On the one hand it's a big iconic part of the classic series and we've all dreamed of Sonic 2's Death Egg as a full Zone (such a waste of great BGM), but on the other hand the whole Death Egg concept has been done to death. I also think they'd also try to make room for Lava Reef, which could make Quartz Quadrant redundant. In the spirit of speculation though... Green Hill was probably mandated. It is the big iconic stage of the series, so it makes sense that they re-used it. That being said, I agree with others that the development team (being the fans that they are) probably wouldn't want to re-use other levels already re-imagined for Sonic Generations. That would rule out Chemical Plant, Sky Sanctuary, Casino Night and Mushroom Hill. Stardust Speedway and Death Egg were just boss arenas, so I think they still have a chance. I don't see Sonic 2's Hidden Palace returning either, since it would be a "been there, done that" for Christian Whitehead. Then there are the levels that would be redundant or too repetitive given what we know of the confirmed line-up. Emerald Hill and Palmtree Panic. Wing Fortress. Arguably Sandopolis - it's very different to Mirage Saloon, but I just can't see them putting two desert levels in one game. We could then go a step further and disqualify all the levels that Sonic 4 Episodes I and II ripped off - Labyrinth, Metropolis, Oil Ocean, Marble Garden, Sky Chase etc. That leaves us with: Green Hill Marble Spring Yard Labyrinth Star Light Scrap Brain Emerald Hill Chemical Plant Aquatic Ruin Casino Night Hill Top Mystic Cave Oil Ocean Metropolis Sky Chase Wing Fortress Death Egg Hidden Palace Palmtree Panic Collision Chaos Tidal Tempest Quartz Quadrant Wacky Workbench Stardust Speedway Metallic Madness Angel Island Hydrocity Marble Garden Carnival Night Ice Cap Launch Base Mushroom Hill Flying Battery Sandopolis Lava Reef Hidden Palace Sky Sanctuary Death Egg Doomsday Ice Cap is the only ice level. Lava Reef is the best lava level. Hydrocity is the best water level. Mystic Cave is the best Sonic 2 level that hasn't been reused or rehashed. Stardust Speedway is a more visually exciting city level than Star Light. Scrap Brain is the most iconic Eggman base level and would be cool to see an abandoned version of, fitting with the hint that we'll see how previous levels have changed over time. They're the levels I think we're most likely to see. It's difficult to speculate without knowing exactly how many levels the game will have though!
As long as we're dreaming, I'd really love to see the train level (Sunset Park act 3) from Sonic Triple Trouble, even though I seem to remember they said no to 8-bit levels. The train could be part of a Scrap Brain / Metallic Madness / Genocide City / Metropolis / Sunset Park mashup.
