Sonic the Hedgehog 4

Well blow me down. Sega is making an effort to not rape my childhood.

http://blogs.sega.com/usa/2010/01/15/project-needlemouse-character-countdown-finale-and-concept-art/

That's right, Sonic, and only Sonic. None of this Shadow the Hedgehog, Blaze the Cat, Faggot the Woodchuck, Poochie the Dog bullshit.

Remember Badniks? Well, Sega finally did.

Look at that. Looks like it had some actual effort put into it. Doesn't look like Sonic Team thought "Oh yeah, he makes robots." and shat out some piece of shit Phantom Menace reject.

Sonic cycle status: Phase 1

Normally, we're on phase 2 at this point. So we know the art direction and character list will be great. Sonic Team has just the two most important aspects to get right: Level design and controls. I don't want another "Hold Right The Game."

Well this looks like a step in the right direction for sonic the hedgehog... that said, no tails or knuckles playable?

I like the way it's looking, a bit disappointed of no Tails or Knuckles, but I think trying to go back and re-exam the origins is a good step to trying to get sonic back on track, if that's even possible by this point.

Sonic Team has just the two most important aspects to get right: Level design and controls. I don't want another "Hold Right The Game."

Of course, when they make levels that actually require rudimentary platforming you immediately get people going "SONIC IS ABOUT SPEED DURRR."

Also Poochie the Dog would be the best Sonic sidekick ever.

Ret-con it. The whole fucking series. Nothing happened before, it's totally new, like everything from the mid 90s and past never happened.

They do it all the time with comic books and now TV shows, so why not a game series?

Technically that would be a reboot then. Which I don't think is a bad idea for Sonic at this point, but I'll settle for going back to making Sonic games, comics, and cartoons that don't suck. They've done it before, they can do it again.

On the subject of no Tails or Knuckles, I have to say that I found Sonic the Hedgehog 1 an amazing game, maybe my my favorite, even if there was a lack of spin dash.

I must say, I'm a huge Sonic fan, and there's 2 more boards on which I participate that have Sonic as the main subject! >D

At first, SEGA's commercial about Sonic's new game didn't really convince me... Like in Sonic '06, I thought I'd get disappointed coz it wouldn't be "classic Sonic" at all (I mean, some badniks, Eggman as the main enemy, not so much new characters and accessories for Sonic). Then, during the character countdown, I thought "Mr. Needlemouse" would be Sonic's new friend or something.

Yup, I enjoy the classics best. Surely I like some news (if well put), 3D and stuff, and Sonic Adventure's one of the few 3D Sonic games that quite entertained me.

This will be a 2D game, right? Woohoo *_*

Almost everywhere I see this being reported, I see 'true sonic fans' calling that a 'ROBOT CRAB' and when it has a proper name. CRABMEAT.

Anyway, I am absolutely alright if it's just Sonic playable. Tails and Knuckles being playable doesn't kill it either. <3 Sonic 3&K.

I had a feeling only Sonic would remain at the end of the countdown. But who's to say we won't see Tails and Knuckles DLC somewhere down the line, ala Proto Man in Mega Man 9? (Perhaps even more...)

My hopes for a good Sonic game haven't been this high since Sonic Unleashed. C'mon Sonic Team, joo can dew eet!

Almost everywhere I see this being reported, I see 'true sonic fans' calling that a 'ROBOT CRAB' and when it has a proper name. CRABMEAT.

That design looks more like Shellcracker, the crab with one giant extending claw that was in Metropolis Zone from Sonic 2.

Not that it matters, but the point is that ZOMG CLASSIC BADNIKS NEEDLEMOUSE MIGHT ACTUALLY BE AMAZING MAYBE!

Of course, when they make levels that actually require rudimentary platforming you immediately get people going "SONIC IS ABOUT SPEED DURRR."

QFT, and that's why I gave up on discussing Sonic a very long time ago. These threads are ALL THE SAME. He will never get a break ever again, even if they get EVERYTHING right, because when us self-proclaimed design experts reach the point where we refer to the all-time classics as "Hold Right: the Game", it's all over. We don't want a great Sonic game, because it's much more fun bashing the franchise without one. For heaven's sake, prove me wrong.

If they are still planning on making it HD, and thus only PS3 and 360, that would be a disappointment. But I guess if Sonic Team is still under the assumption that their 'true' fan-base lies with PS3 and 360 owners, then that's that. Plus I have no idea how much effort it would take to make a non-HD version at this point.

That design looks more like Shellcracker, the crab with one giant extending claw that was in Metropolis Zone from Sonic 2.

You clever little monkey! Nice job. I mistook the arm sphere in that design sketch for the white ball of energy that crabmeat shoots out.

This one better have Dr. Robotnik and not Eggman.

I'm hesitant to be excited...

...I'll wait until I see some gameplay shots or footage.

Also, I agree that having tails and Knuckles in it wouldn't hurt.

bah I never play as tails or knuckles anyway

bah I never play as tails or knuckles anyway

I always liked playing as knuckles to get to the aras sonic couldn't. Mixed things up a bit.

Tails was always "meh" though. It made the game too easy.

QFT, and that's why I gave up on discussing Sonic a very long time ago. These threads are ALL THE SAME. He will never get a break ever again, even if they get EVERYTHING right, because when us self-proclaimed design experts reach the point where we refer to the all-time classics as "Hold Right: the Game", it's all over. We don't want a great Sonic game, because it's much more fun bashing the franchise without one. For heaven's sake, prove me wrong.

I couldn't agree more. I don't know which is more popular to bash between Halo, Modern Warfare/2, or Sonic.

http://sonicstadium.org/news/rumour-dutch-fansite-leaks-needlemouse-details-zone-names

Key details that were revealed to SegaOnline included the game’s name, ‘Sonic 4′; that the game will only be released on Xbox Live Arcade and the PlayStation Network; and that this will be the first in a series of similar games. The website’s source claims that the game will be titled “Sonic 4: Episode 1″, but says that despite the implications, each ‘Episode’ will be a full game in its own right.

On top of this, the anonymous source has said there will be 7 Chaos Emeralds, a return of the ‘Zone’ and ‘Acts’ level structure, and that the game will begin in ‘Splash Hill Zone’ and finish in ‘E.G.G. Station Zone’.

It sounds awesome, therefore it can't be true.

There's already a Sonic 4. Rumour dispelled.

Does anyone believe that Project Needlemouse could be a hoax for Sega to get back at the fans for spamming them with hate for what they've been currently doing with Sonic?

If it is, it could be the end of Sega, or maybe they could find some way to play it out so that they're still in business. Just an idea.

It seems outrageous, but I don't blame Sega for being pissed at the fans; the Sonic "fanboys" could get annoying after the first few hundred rants.

BTW, I do not believe it's a hoax, but the idea occurred to me and it didn't seem entirely improbable, so I wanted to throw it out there to see what you guys thought.

Man, and here I was hoping it would be pikachu in a sombrero

Does anyone believe that Project Needlemouse could be a hoax for Sega to get back at the fans for spamming them with hate for what they've been currently doing with Sonic?

But now they're gonna get spammed by hate from the younger fans for leaving their favorite character (Shadow) out of the game.

Tails was always "meh" though. It made the game too easy.

Oh hai Sonic 3's Marble Garden Act 2 boss.

Tails was quite fun to soar over the entire stage as in Sonic Adventure. He really needs his free flying back despite making the game slightly easy at times.