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

It's not of note for the moment anyway, as we don't know that he has a level or game design role in the project- the same with the broader company that is Arzest. They might be acting as support with a visual asset emphasis for all we know so far.

 

Very importantly, he was also not level designer for Sonic CD -- just like Naka wasn't for any classic Sonic game. The literal only man whose name could evoke anything regarding level design would be Yas.

 

Interestingly enough, where Naka's concerned, an EDGE magazine interview Q&A implies he designed -or had a hand in designing- Green Hill Zone. In answering about difficult elements of the first game, he talks on creating the maps. The process of executing on the game design elements in the engine are one thing, but his considerations imply an engagement with level design. Quote as follows:

 

The game looks promising but low key disappointed by Amy's gameplay. She's literally just Sonic now.

 

Reminds me of Tiara Bubowsky. Wasn't she supposed to have a double jump?

 

She's got the double jump and a far larger damage radius with her hammer, so there are those things. Aside from those, her animation is also quite pleasant.

 

It just kinda feels like THE most generic moveset they could give her. One that barely has any change ups, hell it's basically Sonic with Lightning Shield or Blast moveset. I get recreating her Advance 1 moveset would be hard but I feel like they could have given her SOME big differences so playing as her feels really fresh.

Agreed on animations though.

 

Mobile site like this for anyone else (only these two parts are like this)?

 

As someone who had to get a landing page made today for a product launching on Monday… that’s unfortunate and also funny.

I’m pretty satisfied with what I’ve seen of the physics but I really need to play it myself to know for sure. The boost pads are clearly to help the fore/background transitions, the slopes impact speed as they should, the jump looks almost right (it drops a bit quick, no?), and the design overall seems decent.

Id still prefer major tweaks to at least the lighting, but I’d happily pay for what’s there now. Nice jerb, Sega.

I don’t remember the exact interview, but someone mentioned that Iizuka, Naka, and Ōshima had been talking for years about getting together for another Sonic game. Wonder if this was the result of that, considering Iizuka’s mention that this has been in the making for a while.

 

She can also destroy enemies with her hammer while running, without having to roll into a ball and losing some control. I think that's pretty important.

 

Oh? Can she? I thought maybe that was a special monitor thing. In that case, maybe she can bonk springs to get extra height like in Advance? The other fella might be happy to know this, thanks for the detail.

 

UGH, I hope S4 style music really is a temporary placeholder. It would be a massive loss for a game with this much potential to start with the wrong foot on this department.

 

That's kinda the thing though, there's no trade off.

Someone here mentioned that a key trait with Sonic playables is not just what they CAN do but what they CAN'T do, how they not only have a unique skill but how it compensates for something in Sonic's core abilities that they can't replicate.

Amy can roll and even spin dash, AND use hammer, making one or the other feel obsolete and lacking much intuition in mastering either. I think if she maybe could jump roll but not ground roll that would make sense (have peel out for spin dash like in Advance 2) but there's nothing persuading you to master using her hammer like say Knuckles using his glide and climb to make up for poor jump skills. It's kinda like Tails tail swipe attack in the Advance games, cool it's there but superfluous.

 

To be fair, the precedent is everyone that isn't Sonic having mostly better movesets than him. Tails flight while maintaining Sonic's speed, Knuckles flight and climbing (he gets a slightly lower jump, sure, but it's effectively not an issue at any point), and now Amy with her greater safety in offense. It's pretty much the norm in the classic titles where there are multiple characters. Sonic doesn't even move faster. His only leverage is the insta-shield that I'd guess few people even notice.

As for the incentive for mastery, it seems more like a more reliable variation of Sonic if Zenor is correct in that it allows you to avoid rolling up. It's also a measure of ease in a manner similar to Tails' flight, which is pretty much universally an optional tool.

 

I would absolutely hate if Amy couldn't roll.

 

It's not Sonic 4 styled, it's literally from Sonic 4, White Park Act 2 to be specific. It's placeholder, since it doesn't fit the theme, plays in both acts, and doesn't even loop properly.

Actually, placeholder implies that Sonic Team hasn't finished their music, but it seems that IGN couldn't play the actual stage music.

 

Not a big fan of the butterflies that light the way, big Sonic 4 Ep 1 vibes.

 

I don't know if it's me E-122 Psi is referring to, but I did say that at some point and I absolutely stand by it. Sure, Tails is just a better Sonic, but Knuckles' lower jump is absolutely an issue, and it's what forces him to take different and more dangerous paths in -- off the top of my head -- at least Angel Island and Sandopolis. I'd have loved if Amy couldn't roll, as I must be Advance's Amy gameplay's #1 fan.

Then again, I also love basically all Sonic oddballs -- Bridge Zone autoscroll, Jungle Zone moving death pit, Sandopolis, Wacky Workbench... so if you agree with me you're probably in the minority. A pretty cool minority, but a minority nevertheless.

 

Sorta kinda, Knuckles' lower jump REALLY got in the way of some areas and forced him to play different unique ones. Tails was kinda OP, but he couldn't turn Super as early, and his flying was technically a trade off of momentum for finding cool new hidden short cuts and areas. There was some sort of fresh excitment and challenge to playing as them, while all of Amy's changes feel like they just make the game more mindless. Making every character 'Sonic but better' isn't really an advisable direction to go for on purpose anyway. Ray, Knuckles and Advance 1 Amy were way more compelling for this reason.

Ehhh, I'll probably just play as Sonic for this game.

Kinda makes Origins Plus feel like even more of a rip off though, was hoping playable Amy would at least really freshen up the experience of the classics.