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The Zone: 0 forum is designed for a small community of Sonic the Hedgehog obsessives to discuss the franchise. It accompanies Zone: 0, the comprehensive Sonic game guide.

New members should familiarise themselves with the basic aims and guidelines found in the welcome post before submitting their first discussions.

  1.  
    http://www.sonicthehedgehog4.com/us/

    Check it out guys, just heard about it. Doesn't that make you even more excited about the release than before? They might actually make an amazingly good sonic game...
  2.  
    Yeah, we kind of got that already :) - see my recent blogpost or the other Needlemouse topic. Some people on this forum (they know who they are :P) are slightly less optimistic about it than you or I though!
    •  
      CommentAuthorMercury
    • CommentTimeFeb 7th 2010
     
    Guilty! =P

    I'm actually not so pessimistic about the game itself as I'm annoyed at SOA's pathetic handling of the marketing, and the invocation of a title like Sonic 4.

    Setting all of that aside, it's a 2D Sonic game without any annoying buddies or boost meter, and it's going to be on the Wii and iPhone. I can certainly get behind that all the way! As someone who loved the Advances and Rushes, I was wondering where the next game to scratch that itch would come from, and this seems to be it - but with some added depth, hopefully, if they make an effort to make conscientious platforming. Plus, it promises to be a continuing series, which is nice.

    So there's definitely a sizeable positive side to this, too. :)
  3.  
    The footage isn´t quite right to me, but the 4 seconds of Sonic running a pseudo green hill zone looks interesting... As a defender of the old stuff I don´t like the fact that I will not have the package of the game (as it will be only downloable) but anyway... I hope they release more stuff... and I love the fact that Project NeedleMouse wasn´t Picachu with a Sombrero lol.
    • CommentAuthorDarkChaos
    • CommentTimeFeb 8th 2010
     
    Is it just me or if that trailer showed how Sonic was going to run, it's awkward. Sonic doesn't look like he is actually running. I don't care if they don't have Sonic's feet blurring in the typical way, but the way the legs move in that trailer, it reminds me more of a light jog than a run. It doesn't bother me that much and it will probably bother me even less while playing, it's just something that I noticed at the end of the trailer.
    •  
      CommentAuthorBtCE
    • CommentTimeFeb 9th 2010
     
    I'm excited either way. It's easy at times to be extremely critical of the franchise these days, but even if the game isn't all that amazing, it's certainly a step in the right direction.

    I'm actually more excited about the soundtrack than anything else. Hoping for some subtle nods to past tunes.
    • CommentAuthorTailsspain
    • CommentTimeFeb 11th 2010
     
    Have you seen the level of lifes you can get? there are 3 numbers in the indicator. (x000) Another thing that I would like to know if the kind of special stage we are going to play. It would be nice that they put a real 3D special stage (2D is nice but I don´t think that 3D was as bad as they say)
  4.  
    Tailsspain:Have you seen the level of lifes you can get? there are 3 numbers in the indicator. (x000) Another thing that I would like to know if the kind of special stage we are going to play. It would be nice that they put a real 3D special stage (2D is nice but I don´t think that 3D was as bad as they say)


    I know, I noticed that. It's the first time they've ever gone over a max of 99. Very interesting, but do you really need more than 99 lives?

    Regarding the Special Stage, look very closely at the text "in 2010 the adventure continues" text in the trailer, about 30 seconds in. There's a video within the colour of the text itself and it looks an awful lot like an updated version of the Sonic 1 special stage.
    • CommentAuthormaza17
    • CommentTimeFeb 20th 2010 edited
     
    Something you didn't expect at all.

    See this!!
    Someone at SonicRetro leaked some images from Sonic 4:

    The title screen:


    Splash Hill Zone (first level?)


    Probably the Level Select:
  5.  
    Yep, seen it! This is quickly becoming the thread for slightly late Sonic 4 news! Fair enough though no one else has made comment on it yet. :)

    There was also a short video of what appears to be (hopefully) alpha footage of the first portion of Splash Hill Zone Act 1 doing the rounds - don't know if it's still available. If not I have it downloaded if anyone wants it and can't find it anywhere anymore, I know Sega requested it be taken down from a lot of places. There's a number of interesting things in it, but some not quite perfect, possibly glitchy physics.

    I was concerned initially to see that the Green Hill clone will be joined by Casino Night, Labyrinth and Metropolis ones - was really hoping for more of an original game than that. I've come around to them though, particularly Lost Labyrinth and Mad Gear - Casino Street obviously represents a much more cliched level type that doesn't look that original or really necessary. Those little screen shots at least suggest some interesting level-specific objects and structures, like what appears to be a massive spherical boulder falling from the top of Lost Labyrinth. in general they look really colourful and bursting with life, which is really important.

    What concerns me more is the possibility that these four might be the only levels in this episode, making for an extremely short Sonic game, even with three large acts. If that's the case and they plan on charging full price for each episode, that's rather devious of them. These are supposed to be (at least) two full Sonic games combined as one, if the statement about them mimicking S3&K's lock-on thing is true - not a single, normal-sized Sonic game split in half to try and make more money.

    The original leak about levels, before Sonic 4 was even announced said that there would be seven though, ending in a level called "E.G.G. Station". It could be the last level of the second episode, but I think/hope the statement was referring only to the first. Everything else it predicted was true. Well, we'll find out in good time I guess.
    • CommentAuthorDarkChaos
    • CommentTimeFeb 21st 2010
     
    I have seen the leaked video and images as well. I read somewhere that there is potentially 6 stages, if that's true and if it includes the final level or not, I don't know. I can't even remember where I read it. I have fairly good hope that it is more than four levels though. Can you imagine obtaining 7 Chaos Emeralds in four zones? Even if it it had 3 acts and thinking that the third act is the boss fight, that only leaves 8 tries. It could be done, but I don't think it would feel right getting the emeralds that quickly. I know I could get all 7 Emeralds within the first 2-3 zones in Sonic 3 because there were ring portals all over the place, but that didn't feel cramped because I played through the entire game five or more times before I could do that and it was a rather large game to complete afterwords.

    I know that it is potentially possible that maybe you can't obtain all 7 emeralds in episode 1, but that doesn't sound like something Sega would do. Just my thoughts.
    • CommentAuthormaza17
    • CommentTimeFeb 21st 2010 edited
     
    Ok, here's the video's link from Splash Hill Zone 1 (no more working)
    http://gamevideos.1up.com/video/id/28004
    • CommentAuthorTailsspain
    • CommentTimeFeb 23rd 2010
     
    I hope we can get at least 5 zones (with 3 long acts each). Even if we get only 4, let´s remember that if they include 3 acts in each one, the length of the game would be equal to Sonic 3´s (12 acts). I know this game won´t be as good as the classics, but, it would be nice if they REALLY try to equal Sonic 3 or Sonic & Knuckles. Sega has a big chance to do a really good game after the good vibrations left by Sonic unleashed (Ok, it wasn´t the BEST 3d game but we can admit that it was a good step).
    Is the game already finished or can they make some changes?
    • CommentAuthorTailsspain
    • CommentTimeFeb 26th 2010
     
    Have you seen this?
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uu3dHB-ZuH4
    • CommentAuthormaza17
    • CommentTimeMar 3rd 2010
     
    More images...
    Another Splash Hill Zone image...


    Probably Splash Hill Zone boss...
    •  
      CommentAuthorTmEE
    • CommentTimeMar 4th 2010
     
    This is so much reminding me Sonic Rush... it should be called Sonic Advance 4 instead of Sonic the Hedgehog 4....... ?
  6.  
    I really LIKE the appearence. The only thing that I dislike is the last picture... Green Hill boss again?? I hope they make a real boss for Splash Hill.
    Personally I don´t see the comparison with Sonic Rush...
  7.  
    Check it out, a list of achievements for the game has been revealed: http://www.tssznews.com/2010/03/05/sonic-4-achievements-revealed-super-sonic-returns/

    Fortunately, they don't go and spoil too much for us (though if you don't want any spoilers at all, look away now)..

    ..It at least confirms the existence of the whispered E.G.G Station Zone, proving that there will indeed be more than four levels afterall, AND Super Sonic will be playable in levels again!
    • CommentAuthormaza17
    • CommentTimeMar 9th 2010
     
    OMG OMG OMG...

    For the people that are sad that Tails and Knuckles were not include in Episode 1, this page had show this interview with Takashi Iizuka: more players will be in Episode 2. http://www.sonicstadium.org/news/update-gi-screenshots-sonic-4-interview-in-latest-nintendo-power-game-informer

    Also, revealed that the one-hit shield will be the only avaible in Episode 1, but in Episode 2 this will not happen.

    And, revealed why the episodic form is in Sonic the Hedgehog 4.

    Izuka says the reason they went episodic is that the game is too big to smaller hard drives to fit in all at once and he didn’t see players paying $60 for a 2-D Sonic game on disc.
    • CommentAuthorTailsspain
    • CommentTimeMar 10th 2010
     
    I think I really WILL like this game. The only danger is that it could be a photocopy of Sonic 1... I hope this doesn´t happen
    •  
      CommentAuthorMercury
    • CommentTimeMar 10th 2010
     
    The screenshots look nice. Not as nice as I'd like (I'm still not sure about the cheesy dark midground elements), but nice. I dig the variety - a lot of Sonic Advance 2/3 and Rush levels are so bare of foreground elements to run past / in between / behind that they look boring, sterile and dead. Sonic 4 isn't doing that, at least, so that's a real plus. All the flora looks very pretty. (I just wish somehow that the background and enemies could match the foreground better...)

    I'm not bothered by only four Zones. It's episodic for a reason - I never expected it to have episodes as long as a full-fledged game. I guess this is because I'm working on an episodic game myself (with, coincidentally, four 3-Act Zones per episode), so I wasn't surprised.

    I like that the GHZ boss now has a "pinch mode", too.
  8.  
    Nintendo Power scans: http://www.tssznews.com/2010/03/09/scans-of-the-sonic-4-nintendo-power-interview/

    The full interview, and a lot more screenies of Splash Hill, showing off many little trinkets such as spikes, moving platform, green shield, classic invincibility stars (a welcome return!!) Sonic 2/3 style checkpoint, log bridges with Masher badnik, speed-up item, breakable cliff edges, and lovely waterfalls. Enjoy!

    As I've tweeted, Iizuka (is it Iizuka or Lizuka? I'd assume the first but I can never tell) has told Dimps to focus on Sonic 2 style level design above all else because it's his favourite, and this is in spite of the fact that he was a level designer for Sonic 3. Personally I would have favoured the rich multiple routes and variety offered by S3&K design, but Sonic 2 is by no means bad either. Compared with its brethren, it's very sort of linear, in a directional sense, and flowing and in that way kind of has similarities with Sonic Advance 2 in particular, which according to reports, Sonic 4's level design is vaguely similar to. Hopefully it won't mimic the length of an average Sonic 2 act. With ten levels Sonic 2 could afford to have short acts, but at only four for this episode, we'd be looking at about half an hour of gameplay!

    Still, as if there were any doubt, it's clear indication that the team are following the patterns set by the classics and actually looking at how they work. They're following something akin to a kind of Photoshop tutorial on how to make a classic Sonic game in its purist form, but if that's what they need to do then so be it. You would have to assume that all other recent Sonic games probably only really take inspiration from the two or three that preceded them, which is why we've slowly ditched more and more of these old mechanics as time has gone on. While I'm all for new things, the stuff I've mentioned above that are visible in these screenshots should never be forgotten entirely, so I think it's great that they're being refreshed, refurbished a little and used again to bring them back into the cycle. One can't help but get a little nostaligic buzz when you see a sinking log bridge or winding tunnel in use again after so many years. :)
  9.  
    I thought it would be a remake of Sonic 3 & Knuckles, before it was revealed to be Sonic 4. A little off the subject of Project Needlemouse, if any one has bought Dragon Ball Season 1, a character says Needlenose. Project Needlemouse. I just thought that was weird to hear.
  10.  
    maza17:Something you didn't expect at all.

    See this!!
    Someone at SonicRetro leaked some images from Sonic 4:

    The title screen:
    http://www.sonicretro.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/269.jpg

    Splash Hill Zone (first level?)
    http://www.sonicretro.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/268.jpg

    Probably the Level Select:
    http://www.sonicretro.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/267.jpg

    I heard a rumor that the title of the game is actually Sonic 4 episode 1. But their wrong apparently.
    •  
      CommentAuthorLiQuidShade
    • CommentTimeMar 20th 2010 edited
     
    The Sonic 4 site has updated with more Splash Hill Zone contents, including screens, a little bit of info and even a downloadable mp3 of the first act's music.

    http://www.sonicthehedgehog4.com

    I've decided I don't really like the music direction of this game, and it's starting to bother me quite a lot. Not so much the tunes themselves as the decision to base the soundtrack on the audio capabilities of the Mega Drive. It would make sense if the graphics also had this kind of restriction, but since they're nice and high res anyway, why impose that limit on the audio? I don't think it'll gel well, and it's not an easy listen. Besides, speaking personally, it's not the technical quality of the classic soundtracks that I love but the tunes themselves. They seem to have the wrong end of the stick by just forcing those limitations on the Sonic 4 soundtrack - it's not about that, it's about the actual melodies.

    Splash Hill Zone Act 1 sounds disjointed and a bit awkward anyway. SonicEpsilon on Twitter has made (at least I think he's made it, he might just be passing on someone elses work), I think, a better version. I'm rubbish at describing music and have no idea of the right terminology, but it just sounds more.. flowing.

    Be the judge..
    Original:
    Fan edit:

    I'd be happier if they tweaked it into something more like that.

    Still, it's only Act 1, presumably Act 2 and 3 will have their own remixes of it that will hopefully sound better, and even then we've got loads more tracks to go. Hopefully they'll be a bit better.

    Edit: Whoa, awesome, I didn't know my forum was capable of streaming audio inside the actual post, in a neat little embedded button. How cool is that? :)
    • CommentAuthorTailsspain
    • CommentTimeMar 26th 2010
     
    About Splash Hill Act 1 music: At first listen it didn´t impress me. But it grew... It´s a catchy tune that sure will improve in act 2 and act 3. One thing that I was thinking about was the length of the game. Since it´s going to be 3 acts plus boss act.....3 minutes per act, 2 minutes for the boss....11 minutes per zone!That makes an average of 44 minutes plus special zones, it´s almost the same length as Sonic 3. When the next episodes are available we will have the hugest 2D Sonic game in history!
    • CommentAuthormaza17
    • CommentTimeMar 31st 2010
     
    More Images (from "LOST LABYRINTH", with Burrobot included)




    Both three had been leaked from "Infinity", a Sonic Retro user!

    As an easter egg: a "Full" Splash Hill Zone Act 1 video: http://img229.imageshack.us/img229/8678/8415.mp4
  11.  
    Evidence of water at last!

    The physics still seem a bit on the floaty side in the video, at least initially. Sonic reaches a high speed fairly quickly, but as the level design begins to vary it's not particularly noticeable. It's different from the exact classic physics but that's not necessarily a bad thing - as long as it's easy and fun enough to play. We'll only know that for sure as we traverse the later levels ourselves. It's easy to miss but Sonic gets a speed-up item at about 55 seconds, after the line of Bubbles badniks, which then allows him to walk up the following wall fairly easily. I don't think the physics would allow that otherwise so that bit may not be quite as weird as it seems.

    The level design I don't think I can fault. It's definitely more Green Hill/Emerald Hill than say Leaf Forest - not all slopes and long roads. The paths really begin to vary and toss you back and forth between them, maintaining flow. Should be great fun, plus you can see plenty of alternate routes separating and converging along the way - looks fairly open and exactly the type of level design a classic 2D Sonic platformer should incorporate for its first level. Listen out for the Sonic 3 extra life jingle too! And of course the essential S3&K level complete jingle, back in its classic form!
    •  
      CommentAuthorTheHacker
    • CommentTimeAug 18th 2010
     
    Shellcracker art from Sonic 4

    Motobug art from Sonic 4

    Chopper art from Sonic 4

    Newtron art from Sonic 4

    Bubbles art from Sonic 4

    Buzzer art from Sonic 4

    Animated Motobug