Sonic Superstars: A New 2D Sonic Game (Fall 2023)

Idk, I mean sure the footage so far looks great, but it’s being developed by the company that made Balan Wonderworld so I’m kinda scared. Yeah I know, that game had a different publisher and different circumstances, but still…

 

Has anyone noticed the Sega Saturn logo? Cool touch!

 

There's actually three of them! Another one can be seen just below the first panel here, as well another tiny purple one on the left of the third panel!

 

Yeah, I noticed them the first time, but I online highlighted the one that is in the correct position.

 

Oh, this is super interesting. Crazy to think the evolution of the discourse helped shaped the game we have today. Sonic Science seems to have been born here though; @big smile, who created it, is still around after all and could provide mre information, probably.

The pinball aspect has its importance because, after all, you can still control Sonic in the air as if tilting a pinball table (which the site mentions and I had never read this section with enough attention). The skatebaording aspect is interesting too because the part about using air time to do tricks was only ever employed from Sonic Advance 2 on, whereas in the classics the air time, and handling Sonic so that he lands on the right spot, was the trick. Which is still related to skateboarding, sure, but is still different insoofar as your attention is directed somewhere else;

I still like and use the term "motion play" that @Deef used. It doesn't specify how it works, but I like that it makes it understood that, well, motion is played with. It's a whole skillset unto itself, and something that becomes pleasurable on its own as you understand how to work with it.

 

Do we know anything about how this will look/run on Switch? I'd like to buy it on that for local multiplayer purposes, but if its gonna be like 30 fps with dips and shitty textures I'd prefer to just get it on Xbox, or maybe Steam.

 

Runs at 60 FPS with some graphical downgrades. It's more noticeable in some stages (e.g. Speed Jungle) than others but judging the footage we have it looks like it'll be a fine way to play the game.

 

Sounds good to me. I played the entirety of Doom 2016 and Eternal on Switch, so I can't see this being significantly worse than that.

 

This means nothing. He designed Sonic's character, not the games themselves. He had pretty much no involvement in Sonic 2 and 3, which are like, the lynchpin of this franchise I thought? He designed Sonic CD, which isn't exactly known for its stunning gameplay design

 

Ohshima would have had some input in designing Sonic 1's physics, no? Everything else built off of that.

 

Here's some scans of the Sonic manga that was given out during TGS. It's translated, but in Spanish.

 

Translation by yours truly

Page 1:

Sonic: "What beautiful islands!"

Tails: "On these islands, a unique ecosystem still survives"

Tails: "The Northstar Islands have remained isolated from everywhere else for a long time"

Page 2:

Tails: "Rumour has it, giant creatures like giant snakes live here"

Sonic: "Giant creatures!?"

Tails: "Be careful"

Sonic: "Interesting, I'll run over and see what I can find!"

Tails: "Seems like there's Eggman robots here too!"

Sonic: "Understood, Tails!"

Page 3:

Sonic: "It's some robots!"

Page 4:

Sonic: "Woah, this isn't a robot!"

Sonic: "OUTTA THE WAY OUTTA THE WAY OUTTA THE WAY!"

Page 5:

Sonic: "Ow ow ow"

Sonic: "Calm down, you don't need to worry!"

Sonic: "You have some slick armour, but... are you okay?"

Sonic: "They're a strange person, but I'm glad they're okay"

Tails: "Sonic!"

Page 6:

Tails: "You're being real imprudent! What if you hurt one of the island's inhabitants! You should be using your strength to help people!"

Sonic: "Tails! Tails! You're taking it too seriously!"

Sonic: "Shhh! I hear a strange noise!"

Tails: "It's one of Eggman's giant robots!"

Sonic: "Everyone on this island is in danger!"

Page 7:

Eggman: "Muah haha! Where is that rumoured exotic animal?"

Eggman: "I am the great evil scientific genius, Dr. Eggman! You will be my slaves! You should be flattered!"

Page 8:

Sonic: "Hold it Eggman!"

Eggman: "Oh, if it isn't Sonic!"

Eggman: "You too shall be my slave!"

Eggman: "What!?"

Sonic: "Too slow, Egghead!"

Page 9:

Sonic: "Yawn, I'm starting to fall to sleep."

Eggman: "Oh that hedgehog!"

Eggman: "Don't take a single step! Unless you don't care what happens to this animal!"

Page 10:

Sonic: "You're a real coward, Egghead!"

Eggman: "SHUT UP!"

Eggman: "I hate that attitude of yours!"

Sonic: "Crap, I have no way to attack him. I need to help everyone on this island!"

Sonic: "Woah, something's shining but I can't see it..."

Page 11:

Tails: "SONIC, WAKE UP! RIGHT NEXT TO YOU THERE'S A CHAOS EMERALD!"

Sonic: "WHAT?"

Eggman: "I'm going to finish you!"

Eggman: "Woah, what is that bright light!"

Sonic: "It's making copies of me! Is that because of the Chaos Emerald?"

Page 12:

Eggman: "Oh no!"

Sonic: "Here we come!"

Page 13:

Eggman: "I-I will not forget this!"

Sonic: "He's escaping!"

Sonic: "He's got the legs to flee!"

Tails: "Sonic! We gotta check and make sure Eggman didn't leave any problems for us!"

Tails: "Come on, get on!"

Animals: "Thank you Sonic, good luck!"

Page 14:

Amy: "Sonic and the Tornado!? Something must have happened!"

Knuckles: "I better join too!"

Amy and Knuckles: "We want to help too!"

Sonic: "Guys!"

Sonic: "We got some serious help. Let's go protect these islands!"

Page 15:

Eggman: "OH HOW I HATE THAT SONIC!"

Eggman: "He's always getting into my plans!"

Fang: "You look pissed."

Fang: "We captured the giant animals."

Mysterious assistant with armour

Eggman: "WOOO! It's the giant creatures!"

Page 16:

Eggman: "Good work! Here's your pay!"

Fang: "Ooh!"

Eggman: "Now, if you capture the exotic animal, I'll give you a bonus!"

Fang: "Are you serious!?"

Eggman: "But be careful with Sonic... if he gets in your way... kill him"

Eggman: "That Sonic will wish he never messed with me..."

What will be Sonic's destiny? What is the true identity of the mystery inhabitant with the armour? Find out in Sonic Superstars!

 

Edit: hehe... whoops. That's what I get for typing on my phone.

Spoiler

I wasted my time typing this so I'm keeping it up

P1
Sonic: What beautiful islands!
Tails: The Northstar Islands have been isolated from the outside world
Tails: There's still a unique ecosystem here!

P2
Tails: According to the rumors, these islands are homes to giant animals like birds and huge snakes
Sonic: GIANT ANIMALS?!
Sonic: Interesting! I'll run and take a look
Tails: BE CAREFUL!
Tails: It looks like there's Eggman robots around here!
Sonic: I got it Tails!

P3
Sonic: They're robots!

P4
Sonic: Yoo hoo!
Sonic: AH!
Sonic: THAT'S NOT A ROBOT!
Sonic: AH! GET OUT OF THE WAY!

P5
Sonic: Ay ay ay
Sonic: CALM DOWN! CALM DOWN!
Sonic: You don't need to worry!
Sonic: What an impressive armor but...
Sonic: Are you alright?
Sonic: They're somewhat strange but I'm glad they're ok!
Tails: SONIC!

P6
Tails: You're too reckless!
Tails: What if you hurt someone from the island?!
Tails: You should be using that power to help someone!
Sonic: ALRIGHT! ALRIGHT TAILS! Why are you taking this so seriously...
Sonic: SHH! I hear something strange!
Tails: It's one of Eggman's giant robots!
Sonic: Everyone on the island is in danger!

P7
Eggman: MUA HAHA! WHERE IS THE RUMORED EXOTIC ANIMAL!
Eggman: I am the the evil genius scientist Dr.Eggman!
Eggman: You're inferior! You'll serve me as guinea pigs!
Eggman: You should be flattered!

P8
Sonic: STOP IT EGGMAN!
Eggman: WE'LL IF IT ISN'T SONIC!
Eggman: Perfect! You'll also serve me as a guinea pig!
Sonic: You're too slow, Eggman!
Eggman: WHAT?!

P9
Sonic: UAAH!
Sonic: Man, I'm getting sleepy
Eggman: GRRR...Sneaky bug...
Eggman: DON'T TAKE ANOTHER STEP!
Eggman: UNLESS YOU DON'T CARE WHAT HAPPENS TO THIS ANIMAL!

P10
Sonic: You're a coward Eggman!
Eggman: SHUT UP!
Eggman: I hate your arrogant attitude!
Sonic: Shit...I don't have a counter attack...
Sonic: I want to help everyone on this island!
Sonic: What? Something is shining but I can't see it!

P11
Tails: Sonic! Wake up!
Sonic: Next to you! A shining Chaos Emerald!
Eggman: You're getting up!? Now I'll finish you!
Eggman: How bright! What is this light?!
Sonic: There's a surge of copies of me! Is this the power of the Chaos Emerald?!

P12
Eggman: OH NO!
Eggman: COMMENCE THE COUNTER ATTACK!

P13
Eggman: I WON'T FORGET THIS!
Sonic: AH! WAIT!
Sonic: Look who has the legs to run!
Tails: Sonic! Let's continue our patrol to make sure Eggman doesn't cause new problems!
Tails: Let's go! Get on!
Giant Flicky: Thank You Sonic! Good Luck!

P14
Amy: SONIC AND THE TORNADO! Something must have happened!
Knuckles: I better go too!
Knuckles and Amy: We also want to lend a hand!
Sonic: Guys!
Sonic: What great help!
Sonic: Let's go protect the islands!

P15
Eggman: DAMN SONIC!
Eggman: ALWAYS! ALWAYS GETS IN THE MIDDLE OF MY AMBITIONS!
Fang: Jeez...you look a little agitated
Fang: I've captured the giant animals
Eggman: OH! IT'S THE GIANT ANIMALS!

P16
Eggman: WELL DONE!
Eggman: Here is your compensation!
Fang: UAH!
Eggman: Now if you find the exotic animal...I'll give you a bonus!
Fang: FOR REAL?!
Eggman: But be careful with Sonic
Eggman: Finish him off if he gets in your way
Eggman: That Hedgehog...He'll regret laughing at this evil genius...
Narrator: What will be Sonic's destiny? What is the real identity of the the mysterious armored creature? The story continues in the game!

 

Ohshima did design the character, but he also made contributions to the core gameplay. The idea of having flowing terrain and loops come from the "Twin Star" game Ohshima was developing, before Naka joined the project and it became Sonic 1. Naka's contributions to the gameplay can't be discounted either. Despite being the programmer, he also was wanting to make a game with flowing terrain, and devised the rolling attack.

Granted, while flowing terrain and rolling helped define the core Sonic gameplay experience, that says nothing of level design. Ohshima (or Naka) leading the design of a new 2D Sonic game doesn't inspire the level of confidence in me that, say, Yasuhara leading the design would. This game was going to have flowing terrain and rolling regardless of who was helming it, but there's no guarantee of good level design.

 

YouTube moment

 

That's just clickbait being baity. If a person said, for example, they prefer a game that tried "new" (and I do use that term loosely) ideas like the avatar... I would certainly not agree with them, but I could at least see where they come from.

There are times when even I like the objectively bad Sonic games for... whatever reason. I have regularly defended my enjoyment of titles like Chaotix... or even the accursed GG Sonic Blast.

And the number of fans that Sonic 06 has will never not be shocking to see (though at least they all seem to know the game was horribly broken), but they do indeed exist, and P-06 has only expanded that pool lately.

Edit: Speaking of youtubers, Sega actually promoted one of Cybershell's youtube videos discussing Fang officially.

https://twitter.com/sonic_hedgehog/status/1709961654937567622

 

I can't fucking belive it.

they got the Sonic-lore lord!

 

If that was the basis of their "Superstars = Bad, Forces = Good" take, it'd still be suspect. Both games are treading familiar ground and introducing new ideas. Forces is for the most part basically "Generations 2", lifting gameplay styles and assets from it; Superstars, meanwhile, introduces Chaos Emerald powers, and four player co-op.

 

Seeing Cybershell of all people doing official stuff for Sonic is hilarious

 

There's NO way they actually got Cybershell. My day is made.