My personal preference as of now, would to just try moving forward with an updated classic Sonic in 3D. Like Hesse's Sonic from Mania. Just try it as the main series for a while, with the corresponding gameplay, something approximating Utopia or at worst a polished SA1 type of mechanics but with the full on fantasy world of the classics. Focus on doing that well and build on it. I'm pretty sure it'd do extremely well. The series has never tried this and I'd love to see it once. I don't think we have to do it this way but id be very interested in seeing it and I suspect it would be very popular. There are a ton of modern fans, so I would never get rid of modern sonic. I'd probably stop calling him modern though. Make a side series of games that borrows gameplay elements from the main series but with a greater focus on story since that's so important to that group of fans. Let them have their games, while not detracting from the core identity. I think this is best, because I do not think Sonic's core identity should be very similar to what we saw from SA2 to 2006. IMO that'd be a terrible mistake.... Again.
Couldn't have said it better myself. A 3D game that's actually evocative of the Genesis gameplay is long, LONG overdue, and once established, it could be complimented by an Adventure-style reboot. A momentum series, and a speed series, if you will. You could even do Mania-style throwbacks in the former, and more contemporary 2D platformers in the latter if you wanted, to fill in the gaps between big games. Both the classics and the Adventure games have extremely strong, often incompatible iconic elements and dedicated fanbases, and there's plenty of nostalgia to pull and evolution to realize from both of them. Establish them as separate universes, and when they FINALLY cross over for like the 40th anniversary, it'll be a HUGE deal. (Probably shouldn't call modern's game a "side-series" though, that'd make people mad. No need to make the distinction, just let the games speak for themselves.) However, I am pretty adamant in wanting boost-style gameplay to be maintained for that "speed series." It'd set it sharply apart from classic, and I mean, that's basically exactly what I'd hoped for coming out of Generations. They'd FINALLY found a contemporary, accessible, replayable formula for 3D Sonic through a few rounds of iteration, and with that core in place, they could build on it, bring back more playable characters, start doing different kinds of stories again. Instead, we got Lost World.
I've always thought the boost formula would suit a game like Sonic R very well. Sonic R, though nostalgic for many of us, was fairly poorly designed. I think the boost formula does what it wanted to do, better than it ever did. Just modify it to make the other characters playable, and there you go, a third line of games based on a proven formula. I agree, there's also no need to call the modern games the side series. All that is necessary, is for the primary Sonic Team or what have you to focus on the classic 3D formula, and absolutely take their time with it. Ideally, we'd get a new 3D classic every 3-4 years. And I would actually use the "modern" (have to think of another name for it) series as a workshop for many of the new ideas I might want to try in the classic games....but protect the main series identity at all costs. What is most important for that "Modern" series and those fans is the character interaction and story development, so as long as the games don't play like ass, it wouldn't hurt you to use it as a Guinea pig to try new gameplay ideas. This actually happened anyway between Sonic 06 and unleashed (think of secret rings and Sonic rush, which lead to the boost formula) , so I'd just do it in a smarter way. Use the basic frame work of the main games but spin it in whichever ways suits your ideas. So, I'd do a new, big 3D classic title every 4ish years, with full investment and everything, to compete against the main Mario and Zelda entries. A new "modern" title every 2ish years, to keep ideas rotating. Obviously supervised by the main Team, but allow some second team to primarily develop these games. A new boost type racing game, ever so often, as long as it is profitable and you have the resources to do it.
Crazy Taxi, but Sonic. that's my take on it. Get inspiration from arcade racers instead of repeatedly trying to make Sonic a "pure" platformer just because games media calls it one. Levels that are big and open, the ability to drift, brightly colored. Get from point A to point B within a certain amount of time, with a certain amount of rings. When fast enough you make badniks explode instead of you losing rings; same with certain environmental objects - think the intro to Sonic Unleashed where he runs around just blowing stuff up like a maniac. Or, literally go arcade racer and have courses with checkpoints that increase your timer. 2D Sonic takes a degree of inspiration from arcade racing games, 3D should do the same.
They could do anything, but SEGA will probably find a way to screw it up somehow, no matter what it is. I'd say I'd want them to give the Adventure formula another go, but they'd screw it up. Forces showed they don't know why people liked the Boost gameplay, so they'd probably screw that up too. Classic in 3D? They can barely do Classic in 2D. Got no hope for that, either. Try something new? Well they've been trying new things all the time for the past 20 years and kept falling flat on their faces 90% of the time. If it fails, they'll immediately ditch it for something else like what happened after Lost World. I really have no faith in SEGA to make a good 3D Sonic game one way or another at this point. Prove me wrong, SEGA. Make my day.
I know you're joking, but even if Penders approached Sega asking to write a game, they'd probably tell him to fuck off.
Some want a SA1 remake, others want SA3. That alone makes me nervous about the upcoming game. It honestly wouldn't surprise me if they pull a FFVIIR and make an Adventure-Unleashed hybrid. Much to the annoyance of longtime fans. I'm currently playing Ecco the Dolphin. Maybe replace Boost with Ecco's Dash Attack?
People don't like to admit but we already got a taste of 'Sonic Adventure 3' with Sonic 06. So yeah. I think if they manage to recreate SA1 we'll have a good base for a new game. The physics engine in Forces seems to control like Sonic Lost World and it doesn't feel good at all.
I think there's another route here to consider. It's high time another AAA studio take control and steer Sonic in a bold new direction. Luckily, Sonic has already had a run in with a wildly successful studio, and they're looking for their next project. That's right, it's time for Bioware to produce a fully fledged always online multiplayer live-service Sonic RPG. This game should take place during the third season of Sonic X, following the events of the Metarex arc. The story should be greatly expanded upon, and gameplay would largely consist of meticulous upkeep of The Blue Typhoon spaceship through an overwhelming variety of Sonic Shuffle-esque minigames. Completing these will allow the Sonic crew to travel from planet to planet. Once on a planet, gameplay should be split between navigating obtuse and extensive dialogue trees with that planet's characters, and card-based combat with the Metarex. Honestly, this should act as a reboot for the series. Sonic games always end in space, so it's only fitting for the next big game to start there.
You realize Bioware is owned by EA, right? And it's a very different studio now compared to its heyday. Their recent games aren't so good.
Here's the thing, Bioware has always excelled at space-based narratives and gameplay design. A trilogy of Sonic games focused on the Metarex arc could completely revitalize both Bioware as a company and Sonic as a franchise. It's time to jump on this opportunity while the other major animals-in-space franchises are in stasis. Per my point: Star Fox: No new games since the Wii-U Jazz Jackrabbit: No new games since 2002 Those are the only major players in the animals-in-space genre, and they're both very quiet at the moment. Only Bioware, with their previous successes in both Sonic RPGs and space epics, can answer the strong demand for a new animals-in-space game featuring Sonic, and in the process they'll save themselves from EA's rampant closures of studios. It's a win-win-win-win-win situation. SEGA makes money, Sonic Team can make a non-Sonic game, EA makes money, Bioware regains their former glory, and Sonic sees newfound success.
I think the problem with that approach is that it would alienate far too many players, especially Sonic fans, to the point they won't even give it a chance even if it's a 10/10 masterpiece. It'll be a Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts or a Metroid Prime: Federation Force situation. Both were announced at a time when fans were desperate for a new game, a new game was announced but it was such a far cry from what they were expecting they didn't even give it a chance. Even if the game is really good, the harsh reality is that a lot of Sonic fans just aren't going to give it a chance. That's why it was too late for a new Banjo game by the time people realized Nuts & Bolts was a good game, and we're probably not going to get another one for a while. Also, Sonic Chronicles wasn't all that well received to begin with (reviews were decent at best). This is what'll happen, to quote Dunkey: [game is announced and looks great] "This is EA. They'll find some way to fuck it up." [a few months pass and the game is released] "They found a way to fuck it up."
