Monthly Archives

August 2013

Game News

Sonic Generations 3DS is Going Digital

Sonic-Generations-3DS-Mushroom-Hill-Zone-Screenshot-10If you own a Nintendo 3DS and haven’t gotten your mitts on Sonic Generations yet (we liked it well enough for what it is), it looks like the game may finally be going to digital download through the eShop. Browsing for the game on the service reveals that the digital copy of the game is set to go live next Thursday, Sept. 5. However, it has no price tag as of yet.

There’s not been any word from SEGA about this re-release and it may just be another case of Sonic news spilling out early (it just keeps happening!)

Generations 3DS features its own set of unique levels and bosses (with rival races feeling very similar to the Sonic Rivals duology) from its console and PC counterpart, and incorporates Sonic Heroes-styled Special Stages to bag the Chaos Emeralds. It also features StreetPass functionality to share unlockable missions and profile cards that let you show off how big a Sonic fan you are.

[Source: GoNintendo]

Fan Works, Game News, Hacking, Miscellaneous

Monday Links: What It’s Like in a Sardine Can Edition

Gamescom2013So last week I promised that I’d put up my impressions of the Sonic Lost World demo at Gamescom. Two problems presented itself, the first one being that there were a lot more people at Gamescom than anticipated. (Pictured right) So many more that it was hard to even walk past some the booths. So I left after two hours of literally squirming through the crowds. The other problem was that the demo available to the public there was the same demo previously playable at Summer of Sonic and Sonic Boom, of which we already have impressions up right here. The demo shown off last week was only playable on the press day.

So basically, the highly anticipated Gamescom demo impressions write-up has been cancelled. To make up for it, here are Monday Links done on an actual Monday again:

Retro/Bits News

  • The results of the Sonic Hacking Contest 2013 were unveiled [Results]
  • Guess Who made a video review of A Hedgehog Dash for iOS [The Retro Review]
  • As if Marble Zone wasn’t an annoying zone already, TheInvisibleSun made a hack in which the first two acts take place underwater [Retro Forums]
  • Our good friends at SEGAbits have put up a new episode of the Swingin’ Report Show for you to listen to [SEGAbits]

Sonic/SEGA News

  • Lots of Sonic Lost World stuff was shown this week, first up a new trailer and a walkthrough video [Sonic Retro]
  • Second, the Deadly Six edition was revealed, which will feature an extra level with bosses from NiGHTS Into Dreams [Sonic Retro again]
  • Third, new screenshots show off what the Miiverse functions and overworld look like [SEGAbits]
  • A new Yakuza spin-off game was revealed, you can look screenshots and complain about how it probably won’t be localized [Yakuza: Ishin]
  • The Creative Assembly did an unboxing of their impressive Total War: Rome II Collector’s Edition while being attacked by dogs [Sadly not included]
  • Hatsune Miku: Project Diva F pre-orders are doing surprisingly well, so well that Gamestop is no longer taking them [Pizza sadly not included either]
  • Football Manager Classic 2014 is coming to the Playstation Vita [Playstation Blog] Continue Reading
Community, Fan Works, Hacking, Music, Podcasts, Site News

Sonic Hacking Contest 2013 Unveils Results


Watch live video from MegaGShow on TwitchTV

Last Sunday, the winners of the 2013 Sonic Hacking Contest were revealed by judges through a livestream event which has been preserved on Twitch for everyone to watch in the above video. During the two hours it took, the winners were announced for each category, including categories decided upon community members of Retro and SSRG. You can view the results immediately on the Hacking Contest website here, or you can check past the jump for the complete list.

Don’t forget to check out the available entries for yourself, and even for the ones that didn’t win, they still deserve your attention for their hard efforts. Congratulations to everyone involved!

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Game News

GC 2013: Sonic Lost World Deadly Six Edition Announced, Features Exclusive Bosses From NiGHTS Into Dreams

An extended version of the Gamescom 2013 trailer for Sonic Lost World was just uploaded, showcasing the Deadly Six edition featuring exclusive content at the end. This exclusive content being bosses taken straight out of the classic SEGA Saturn game: NiGHTS Into Dreams.

Just watch the last 12 seconds of this trailer to see them in action. This special edition will only be available for pre-order and while stocks last.

Game News

Gamescom 2013: Sonic Lost World Trailer and Demo With Mostly New Levels Shown Off

So with Gamescom trailers and reveals happening today, the new trailer for Sonic Lost World SEGA promised last Thursday is now up on Gamespot’s Youtube channel. A new Frozen Factory zone, multiplayer modes and the return of elemental shields are shown off:

There’s also a new demo with a new Windy Hill zone, two Frozen Factory zones and a Silent Forest zone. If you’re going to Gamescom you can play it there for yourself, but for those not going there there’s this 22 minute long video with commentary showing it off after the jump. Impressions of the new demo can also be expected later this/next week here on Sonic Retro. Continue Reading

Game News

New Sonic Lost World Demo Playable At Gamescom

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SEGA announced today that if you’re going to Gamescom next week, you’ll be able to try out a Sonic Lost World demo with new levels at the Nintendo booth. A new trailer and screenshots will also be released for those who for some reason don’t live near Germany or can’t afford a plane ticket.

As for other SEGA things at Gamescom, Total War: Rome II will be playable at the Koch booth and there’ll be some news about Double Fine’s already released game The Cave at the Cosmocover booth, likely about the mobile version. SEGA will also be present at PocketGamer Mobile Mixer and The Big Indie Pitch, both of which take place right before Gamescom starts.

Impressions of the new Lost World demo will be posted here on the front page once Gamescom is over. In the meantime, you can read the impressions of several other Retro members of the Summer of Sonic demo.

[Source: SEGA Blog]

Game News

Sonic Boom 2013 To Be Live Streamed

sonicboomlogo

With Sonic Boom happening in a matter of hours, Sega surprisingly put up a live stream. Which is a first for this event. So now if you’re not going to the event because it’s too far away for you, think the tickets are overpriced or you looked up scary statistics about St. Louis online, you’ll still be able to watch the events on your monitor. The stream will start at 6pm CET, 7pm EST, 4pm PST or midnight if you’re in the UK.

Just click here to get to the live stream page.

And here for the schedule of things that will happen at this thing.

Community, Fan Works, Hacking, Site News

Sonic Hacking Contest 2013 Entries Go Public Monday

shc2013_bwThe hacks are done and submitted. With judgment day looming over which hacks will reign supreme, the time has come for you–Yes, YOU!–to play these works. Lovingly called Contest Week, the festivities will begin on Aug. 12 and last through Aug. 18. During this time, everyone is able to download the games on display. However, to actually vote for Community Choice trophies, users must have a validated account on either SSRG or right here on Retro.

According to contest judge and organizer Spanner, a number of regular events are scheduled to take place every day over on the SHC website. These include live streams of the games by MegaGWolf  (from 7pm to 9pm British Summer Time, or 2pm to 4pm Eastern for the Americans) and SomecallmeJohnny (1am to 3am BST/9pm to 11pm Eastern.)

A daily podcast will also go live at 9pm BST (4pm EST) and last until 11pm BST (6pm EST.) At the end of the Contest Week, the winners will be announced live via the radio server on the site, so make sure to tune in from 8pm BST (3pm EST) to 11pm BST (6pm EST.)

Other events planned include hacking workshops–of which they’re still seeking ideas for more, so fire Spanner a PM if interested in hosting your own workshop–and a daily hacking contest open to everyone which will ultimately produce a level within Sonic 1. For that last one, a Retro or SSRG account is not required.

Fans can join the discussion about the contest all week via IRC by joining the server located at irc.badnik.net and joining #hackingcontest.

Game News, Interviews

SoS 2013 – Takashi Iizuka Interview

Takashi Iizuka (SoS 2013)Over the past few years the Sonic series has hit a bit of a renaissance, with Colours and Generations achieving relative success critically as well as commercially. Typically, just as this turnaround is achieved, the newest game shows signs of radical change to the 3D Sonic formula that had finally gained acceptance. Sonic Lost World’s new design is the kind of decision that means it’s always interesting to chat to Takashi Iizuka, the man at the top of Sonic Team today and the public face of the team. He’s always cheery and approachable, but you can never quite predict the answers you’ll get from him. We caught him right at the beginning of Summer of Sonic, as the organisers were on stage welcoming attendees!

[Sonic Retro sits down at one end of the large room, with Iizuka and Sega’s interpreter. At the other end, Jun Senoue is faintly strumming away on his guitar, playing the Station Square music. When asked which site we’re from, the reply elicits the customary “Ah, Sonic Retro” from Iizuka.]

Retro: We’re seeing Sonic Lost World at the convention today, and one of the things that is very noticeable is that it goes back to an older, more classic visual feel for the game, with recognisable elements of the original Sonic the Hedgehog design. What motivated you to make this change?

Iizuka: With the previous game (Sonic Generations), it was for the 20th anniversary so we decided to celebrate Sonic’s history. With that one, we tried to compress 20 years of history into one title and aimed for a high quality, HD re-imagining of what Sonic could be. With Sonic Lost World, what we wanted to do was imagine how best Sonic should be going forwards. So we looked back at what we had done before and tried to think about what would the best, playability-wise for Sonic going forwards, and what’s the best look for Sonic.

With Generations, it was HD and really detailed, almost so much that it was hard to see the rings when you were running through the levels. So this time, we stripped everything back and tried to renew Sonic, and we simplified the graphics to match the playability, the style of what Sonic should be.

[Read on for Iizuka’s views on the limitations of Sonic’s previous 3D outings, inspirations for Sonic Lost World and differences between working in the USA and Japan!]
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