Right off, this is not “Xtreme”, the canceled Sega Saturn game, but something else.
You may remember a few months back we posted video of a previously unknown Sonic game found on the hard drive of an XDK Developmental Xbox called Sonic Extreme, featuring Sonic and Shadow on hover boards doing kickflips, 50/50 grinds and going vert off ramps in a Green Hill/Seaside Hill hybrid similar to Tony Hawk Pro Skater.
I promise never to do skateboard talk again.
For those of you craving a little more than videos and want to play this title, and you happen to be near Portland, Ore., the Game Trader booth at the Portland Retro Gaming Expo will feature the game for the public to play.
The game was determined to be an extremely early pitch demo for a Sonic skateboarding game that, after some cleaning up and changes in gameplay, would later become the first Sonic Riders title for the PlayStation 2, Gamecube, Xbox, and PC. The earliest rumors of the game’s existence back in the mythical year of 2005 also had it named “Sonic Extreme” and “Sonic R-2.” The “Extreme” part of the name still lives on in-game in the form of the hover boards, “Extreme Gear.”
For more about the history of Sonic Extreme, just check out its page on our wiki. The Retro Gaming Expo is set to start on Sept. 24.
19 Comments on this post
Leave a CommentYeah, I’m going to that with my brother and a friend or 2. It’s gonna be pretty awesome.
Comment left on 8.23.2011 by Tyler
If you could get photos or even a small impression or two on it, that'd be quite cool.
Reply left on 8.23.2011 by GeneHF
Read the title: “Sonic Xtreme PLAYABLE?! YYYEEEEEAAAAAAAAAA-”
Read the first sentence: “FFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU-”
Comment left on 8.23.2011 by DaManFail
I know. Way to kill the mood, Gene
lol just kiddin
Reply left on 8.23.2011 by itsjustsomerandombatfan
Ditto.
Reply left on 8.23.2011 by Writer's Blah
That's kinda funny, because I read the title and knew it was the skating game. I didn't even have the picture because I was on my phone :V
Reply left on 8.23.2011 by Trogdorbad
Watch this turn into “Jet the Hawk Pro Skater.”
Comment left on 8.23.2011 by Hedgehogicus
One question wtf is the orange ring on the ground in that screenshot
Reply left on 8.23.2011 by Hypermephiles
So wait… does this mean it’s back in development?
Comment left on 8.23.2011 by Ison
Nope. This is dead and done. The game was released reskinned as a Tech Deck game if you want to play it.
Reply left on 8.23.2011 by GeneHF
“The game was determined to be an extremely early pitch demo for a Sonic skateboarding game that, after some cleaning up and changes in gameplay, would later become the first Sonic Riders title”
“For more about the history of Sonic Extreme, just check out its page on our wiki.”
(from said page) “Sonic the Hedgehog Extreme is a hoverboarding game, and may have been an early pitch demo which led to the development of Sonic Riders.”
So which is it? Did, or may?
Comment left on 8.23.2011 by Violet CLM
The wiki's language is more uncertain, but it pretty much is one of the earlier forms of Sonic Riders as evidence in this pitch demo links up with the final game. The main key is that the people that pitched this demo didn't go on to make Sonic Riders proper.
Reply left on 8.23.2011 by GeneHF
If it is more playable than Sonic Riders, then we could tell SEGA about the idea. NAAAAAAAAAAAAH… Iizuka is sorta specialist on screwing up ideas…
Comment left on 8.23.2011 by Christiano “Zero Dozer”
cool, can’t wait for this game to come out
Comment left on 8.23.2011 by lurker
It likely won't ever.
Reply left on 8.23.2011 by GeneHF
TOO BAD I DON’T LIVE IN OREGON
Comment left on 8.23.2011 by Trogdorbad
This looks like a tech demo for a game they were thinking about. Then realized it looked stupid, and to much like a Cheap rip off of Tony Hawk, So they used common sense. And turned it into Sonic Riders.
Comment left on 8.24.2011 by dassark