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Unpopular Sonic Opinions

Discussion in 'General Sonic Discussion' started by Londinium, Jun 17, 2022.

  1. Yea the movies are the first American made product to have a real influence on the games, which is way more than can be said about the old DiC shows and American or European Comics, which Sega continually ignore to this day.
     
  2. DigitalDuck

    DigitalDuck

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    If Sonic 1's special stages are almost entirely based on luck, why can I consistently get all emeralds? Sounds like a skill issue to me... ;)

    For me it goes Mania > S3K > S1 > Superstars > SCD > Chaotix > S4E1 > 3D Saturn > Heroes > 3D Mega Drive > S4E2 > S2. Not a big fan of the halfpipe-style generally, but especially those stages that require memorisation because it's impossible to react quickly enough.

    I like the idea behind Chaotix's special stages a lot more than the execution; same with SCD and S4E1. S4E1 in particular would be a lot better with decent physics.
     
  3. Deep Dive Devin

    Deep Dive Devin

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    I mean, I think SatAM is a lot better than the Zelda cartoon, but moreover, it's because, at least stateside, the franchise let those shows have some legacy, and didn't drop them like a rock when they ended. A lot of people talk about how SatAM is better or more-consistent than Archie, but SatAM owes a huge amount of its continued legacy to the fact that those characters kept appearing and could actually have fans in the late 90s/early 2000s. I sure as hell know nobody would want Antoine back if his horrible SatAM self was all we got. That's one of the few good things Penders did, letting him be a more helpful and personable guy (if, ironically, just a consequence of him writing everyone to be boring). And hey, Sonic Underground is the only show that had no major Archie representation outside of one comic to promote it before it came out, and it's also the least-popular of DiC's output. Is that because it's shit? Yes, but it would be more-appreciated if it were as-incorporated as AoSth and SatAM were.

    Now to be clear, I agree with you that these things were results of Sonic's popularity and not the cause, but I do think that synchronicity and continued presence for decades helped them in a way other game cartoons didn't get.

    Huh. I mean, I guess? I'm trying to remember if I ever saw something about Knuckles's treasure hunting in a manual somewhere, but coming up blank. I'm not sure I get the Metal Sonic thing, his Heroes writing feels pretty distinctly different from the OVA, beyond "killer robot". If you ever do find that interview, I'd be interested in seeing it.
     
  4. Zephyr

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    I've gotten much better at them over the years, so I dunno about this.
     
  5. BigTigerM

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    Seconding Shaddy, here.
    I can speak to being a Canadian Sonic fan born in the early aughts who's moved multiple times, it was almost impossible to walk into a grocery store and not find the comics plastered along the shelves, admittedly mostly comprised of the Digest or Super Digest variants. All the cartoon series were easily accessible via Netflix or local DVD & tech stores, Toys R Us had some pretty sweet Archie Comic & Jazware figure bundles, international students who were fans of Sonic though quite rare were fairly gracious with sharing their collectibles... I'll avoid the discussion of the internet and it's impact on portraying said works. Maybe I am insane, but I would in fact parse some significance to these pieces of external media. Sonic was already successful, and these fun shows + comics bolstered that success above and beyond.

    SegaSonic can stick their heads in the sand all they want, it's still a part of their history as far as I'm concerned and should be promptly acknowledged. I'm not saying they need to be given some canon relevance, but I feel sort of... Dismissed, for lack of a better word? Some physical rereleases, brief mention for historical reference, anything would go a long way.
     
  6. Blue Blood

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    Telegraphing isn't great in S1's Special Stages. To a first-time player, it can be exceptionally difficult to know which path leads to the Emerald and which will boot you out. You often can't see those goal blocks until it's too late to react to them.

    As far as the Rotating Mazes go, I happen to think that Superstars is the only time they've ever been much fun
     
  7. Zephyr

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    Well, not to be rude to a first-time player, but they don't really matter here. That someone fails their first time before they've learned a challenge is to be expected. What matters is whether someone's chance of success improves the more experience they have with the challenge. If no matter how much experience you have with a challenge, your chance of success is the same as that of a first-timer, then the challenge is more luck based. If the more experienced person has a greater chance of success, it's more skill based. That we have at least two people here talking about how their chances of success have increased with experience indicates that S1's Special Stages are more skill based than they are being given credit for.

    You can still think them unfun and poorly telegraphed, but that's a different topic. And on that topic, Superstars' rotating mazes were yet another part of that game where I felt like I'd rather be playing the real thing instead (ie: Sonic 1's rotating mazes).
     
  8. Jaxer

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    In my honest opinion, the fact that Sonic CD's Special Stages literally give you extra time when you're running low is a really hacky way to compensate for their obvious design flaws.

    It's like the developers knew that something was wrong with them, but didn't know what exactly.
     
  9. Blue Blood

    Blue Blood

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    I feel like you're sidestepping the point, and claiming a skill check when there is none. You physically cannot tell which way to go in the S1 mazes, and a single wrong turn can bring you total failure. It's guesswork and then memorising the correct answer.

    Actually moving Sonic around the masses is fine, although the fixed jump height is a confusing difference to the main game. It's purely the layouts of the stages that I dislike. They become easier because the player goes in knowing the answer.
     
  10. Mana

    Mana

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    The Sonic CD special stages are extremely easy. Learn to time your jumps and you'll hit the Spaceship the first time, everytime.

    I don't even enjoy CD but one of the things that makes it so breezy to go through is that the special stages are completely skill based and I'm able to clear them very quickly.

    They have 0 design flaws to me.
     
    Last edited: May 20, 2024
  11. Overlord

    Overlord

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    This is terrifying for the franchise's future.
     
  12. So, we're gonna pretend prime doesn't exist?
     
  13. DigitalDuck

    DigitalDuck

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    But this is less true of Sonic 1's special stages than it is, say, Sonic 2's. So even if you're arguing that that's the "luck-based" portion, it's still wrong.
     
  14. Blue Spikeball

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    I do agree that S2's special stages require a lot more memorization than S1's. Well, either that, or serious pause spam abuse. Especially when the path goes downward and doesn't let you see ahead, so everything pops up without warning. That's probably one of the main reason I've always hated S2's special stages. I can stomach all other classic special stages, even CD's with their frustrating UFOs, but S2's are always a total chore to go through.
     
  15. Chimpo

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    I have terrible memory, but can manage S1's stages every time. I only follow one simple rule. Follow the large cluster of rings. I think there's only like 2 instances were the rings betray you into the wrong path, but those only had a crumb of rings as opposed to the other path that had a chunk. The only stags where I feel like a blind jump can end it all are the wide open ones with no way to course correct.

    Greed is good.
     
  16. DefinitiveDubs

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    Memes and fanart about Cream or Vanilla switching from being sweet and cute to being violent and/or "scary" are seriously getting old and I want them to stop. Get some more original material.
     
    Last edited: May 20, 2024
  17. Crimson Neo

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    What.
     
  18. Palas

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    Searing take: memorization is actually a skill games may sometimes ask of players
     
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  19. Blue Spikeball

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    Same, I never bothered memorizing the special stage layouts because of this. The game conditions the player to grab rings, and the special stages tend to take advantage of this by marking the right path with the most rings to lead players.
     
  20. HammerKirby

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    The main thing I think that came from the OVA is Metal's inferiority complex compared to Sonic, wanting to be seen as the real Sonic. They are fairly different otherwise tho yea. I'll try to see if I can find something later.