Sonic Dash (iOS/Android)

[Ming Ming Hatsune]

Oh well. Better than nothing.

[Tani Coyote]

Yeah, we needed some sort of "Thanks for your support!" for compensation.

 

...this is hardly adequate though, since most games wait a much longer time before going freeware, and this one hasn't even been out more than a month. We were early backers, and basic finance says that those who were with you from the beginning get the best perks.

 

Can't we at least get something exclusive? Like a hipster badge that says "I played Sonic Dash before it was cool!" or something?

 

Does anyone have any tips on those Corkscrew things? I've gotten two in my many hours of play, so I assume there's a minimum number of checkpoints before they'll show up?

[Spin Dash]

Yeah, we needed some sort of "Thanks for your support!" for compensation.

 

...this is hardly adequate though, since most games wait a much longer time before going freeware, and this one hasn't even been out more than a month. We were early backers, and basic finance says that those who were with you from the beginning get the best perks.

 

Can't we at least get something exclusive? Like a hipster badge that says "I played Sonic Dash before it was cool!" or something?

 

Yeah, I see your point. Don't think they can, though. Now that it's out for free, people who didn't pay would get it if they haven't done it yet. Which is hardly fair. So maybe they'll just keep making the game better and better and have that as our compensation? 

 

Does anyone have any tips on those Corkscrew things? I've gotten two in my many hours of play, so I assume there's a minimum number of checkpoints before they'll show up?

 

I don't think so, and I'm not really sure if the game registers them properly. I always thought they were the sections you weave around in the Ocean Palace part, but I've only had one in Green Hill Zone and that wasn't even a proper corkscrew! It was one of the ones where you just roll on a swirly hill section? Somehow, it counted those. And even if my memory's wrong on that, the only REAL corkscrew I've hit is Green Hill Zone. 

 

So my advice? Spam Green Hill Zone and wait it out. Hey, least it's a 'in total' mission and not a 'in one run' one! (Try saying that three times fast. Haha.) Say goodbye to those revives!

[Tani Coyote]

Yeah, I see your point. Don't think they can, though. Now that it's out for free, people who didn't pay would get it if they haven't done it yet. Which is hardly fair. So maybe they'll just keep making the game better and better and have that as our compensation? 

 

Well to be fair they would just make it available for purchase for everyone else. We deserve at least two dollars worth of free stuff, with something on top for how we were just screwed out of the money.

 

I don't think so, and I'm not really sure if the game registers them properly. I always thought they were the sections you weave around in the Ocean Palace part, but I've only had one in Green Hill Zone and that wasn't even a proper corkscrew! It was one of the ones where you just roll on a swirly hill section? Somehow, it counted those. And even if my memory's wrong on that, the only REAL corkscrew I've hit is Green Hill Zone. 

 

So my advice? Spam Green Hill Zone and wait it out. Hey, least it's a 'in total' mission and not a 'in one run' one! (Try saying that three times fast. Haha.) Say goodbye to those revives!

 

Did they put Green Hill in the game? I thought we only had Seaside Hill/Ocean Palace so far... I could be wrong though I guess.

 

I don't think I've ever hit a corkscrew now that I think about it... just a wavy hill that's slanted towards the sea, nothing that twists or turns much. This mission is going to SUCK.

[ElectricAngel]

I just found out that Sonic Dash is available for free only for one day (March 29), although were I live, it's now March 30, I'm guessing it's still March 29th in the U.S. Source: http://www.tssznews.com/2013/03/29/sonic-dash-for-free-today-gets-an-massive-update/

[Spin Dash]

Well to be fair they would just make it available for purchase for everyone else. We deserve at least two dollars worth of free stuff, with something on top for how we were just screwed out of the money.

 

AHA, I GOT NINJA'D. It was only free today. Looks like you guys haven't been suckered yet! 

 

Did they put Green Hill in the game? I thought we only had Seaside Hill/Ocean Palace so far... I could be wrong though I guess.

 

I don't think I've ever hit a corkscrew now that I think about it... just a wavy hill that's slanted towards the sea, nothing that twists or turns much. This mission is going to SUCK.

 

They did -- they just didn't think the checkerboards mattered. Totem Poles mean Green Hill, and if they're absent and replaced with a checkerboard wall to jump over, you're on Seaside. 'Cause, c'mon. Those belong to Green Hill! Right?

 

I've hit three of 'em now, apparently. Don't get when I hit the other two... I'll try and let you know when I've hit another one, 'cause yeah. This mission stinks so far. x_x; 

 

Have you checked the pause menu? Is the mission showing any progress at all for you? 

[Tani Coyote]

Oh thank God, here I thought the app was permafree. Okay, this is more tolerable, even if still a bit of a jerk move on their part because of how little it's been out. They could have at least waited until Sonic's birthday in June or something.

 

 

They did -- they just didn't think the checkerboards mattered. Totem Poles mean Green Hill, and if they're absent and replaced with a checkerboard wall to jump over, you're on Seaside. 'Cause, c'mon. Those belong to Green Hill! Right?

 

Huh, come to think of it that's right, there are no totem poles in Seaside are there?

 

So this world is actually some messed up mixture of Green Hill, Seaside Hill and Ocean Palace. Weeeeeird.

 

I just wonder what the heck those spiked things are. I don't recognise those ones. Crabmeat and Chopper are easy, but what the heck is that purple spiky thing?

 

I've hit three of 'em now, apparently. Don't get when I hit the other two... I'll try and let you know when I've hit another one, 'cause yeah. This mission stinks so far. x_x; 

 

Have you checked the pause menu? Is the mission showing any progress at all for you? 

 

It's showing progress for me, and I just hit one. I can see why it's a gold/hard mission; it's entirely luck if you hit a corkscrew, and they don't spawn often. This mission is going to suck harder than a vacuum.

[Spin Dash]

Oh thank God, here I thought the app was permafree. Okay, this is more tolerable, even if still a bit of a jerk move on their part because of how little it's been out. They could have at least waited until Sonic's birthday in June or something.

 

Hey, it gets more people to support the game! Can't say no to that! 

 

Huh, come to think of it that's right, there are no totem poles in Seaside are there?

 

So this world is actually some messed up mixture of Green Hill, Seaside Hill and Ocean Palace. Weeeeeird.

 

I just wonder what the heck those spiked things are. I don't recognise those ones. Crabmeat and Chopper are easy, but what the heck is that purple spiky thing?

 

Just did some research -- it's most definitely a Badnik, and a really obscure one at that! It's Spikes(?); with a mixture of it's original and Sonic 4 look, too.

It's showing progress for me, and I just hit one. I can see why it's a gold/hard mission; it's entirely luck if you hit a corkscrew, and they don't spawn often. This mission is going to suck harder than a vacuum.

 

Yeah. Has anyone got past that mission yet?

[Tani Coyote]

Hey, it gets more people to support the game! Can't say no to that! 

 

I guess that's one small silver lining to this, hopefully Hardlight can profit from the microtransactions. :S

 

Just did some research -- it's most definitely a Badnik, and a really obscure one at that! It's Spikes(?); with a mixture of it's original and Sonic 4 look, too.

 

I'm surprised they chose that one and not one that's better known. I understand they needed something that can't be attacked from the air but I'm sure there's others that could work just as well.

 

They should consider introducing that snail-like one with the bumper on it, that would force you to kill it by spindashing from above, but as compensation gave a good amount of points.

 

Yeah. Has anyone got past that mission yet?

 

Some folks have, which is why there was much rancor over the fact it's impossible to unlock new characters with the current set of missions, since you have to pay red rings to get new ones.

 

However, it's now possible to unlock them at random which is a definite plus. I'm amazed how much they shot their microtransaction scheme in the foot, actually.

[Spin Dash]

I guess that's one small silver lining to this, hopefully Hardlight can profit from the microtransactions. :S

 

I think they've gained some fair profit from this. Why I don't feel suckered out of two bucks. I can't get any red rings with my own cash at all, so I've supported the game in the best way I could. 

 

I'm surprised they chose that one and not one that's better known. I understand they needed something that can't be attacked from the air but I'm sure there's others that could work just as well.

 

They should consider introducing that snail-like one with the bumper on it, that would force you to kill it by spindashing from above, but as compensation gave a good amount of points.

 

That sounds awesome! I'd love to see that! I wonder how the game would handle switching to places like Casino Night, while we're at it? 

 

Some folks have, which is why there was much rancor over the fact it's impossible to unlock new characters with the current set of missions, since you have to pay red rings to get new ones.

 

However, it's now possible to unlock them at random which is a definite plus. I'm amazed how much they shot their microtransaction scheme in the foot, actually.

 

Well, thing is, Micro-transactions are there for the impatient people. It'll take you five days to try and unlock characters, and even then it's completely random. And knowing these things, they might let you try again tomorrow, or you'll be forced to start the cycle again. We don't know yet, since it hasn't been five days. So there's a chance people'll say 'Forget this' and use a gift card they never completely used or somethin' to get the character they want. I've actually tried bribing my way into possibly being paid with red rings by my mom for chores and such, and it takes one to know one. x'D 

 

Either way, I'm pretty sure Hardlight's getting money from Dash. Not as much as Jump, though. Or so I think.

[Tani Coyote]

It used to be really difficult for me to get 190 rings, now I'm getting 250-300 easily per run. They really did lower the difficulty some. That extra inch or two between obstacles really makes a difference.

 

I wonder how the game would handle switching to places like Casino Night, while we're at it? 

 

I'd presume there'd be a bar underneath the character selection screen, if not a stage select screen after you choose your character.

 

They could try to have the stages seam together, but at the end of the day that's going to make it hard to see them all.

 

As for the points that were raised but were lost to this quote system which makes it really cumbersome to break posts up sometimes:

 

Microtransactions are indeed for people who'd rather pay with money than time, or the impatient. Of course there are currently cases where it's impossible to unlock everything except with microtransactions; there are not enough missions thus far to allow the new characters to be purchased. However, this isn't a sin on Hardlight's part, so much as them likely not expecting people to blow through the missions with such ferocity. This is a game meant for casual entertainment in small doses every day, not something to be sat down with and played for hours on end like a main title (though with how things are going you'll blow through a main title just as quick as a mobile in Sonic terms).

 

Hopefully they'll add more missions as time goes on, but based on how lazy the other characters' designs are, I think it's pretty obvious they were meant solely for people to buy them just so they could experience the thrill of being their favorite.

 

I've actually tried bribing my way into possibly being paid with red rings by my mom for chores and such, and it takes one to know one. x'D

 

Well hey, gotta get payment in some way.

 

Either way, I'm pretty sure Hardlight's getting money from Dash. Not as much as Jump, though. Or so I think.

 

With how gorgeous the game looks for a mobile, we can always hope that it could one day outdo Jump, the initial rancor aside. Fortunately they're keeping the market's opinions in mind as they change it.

[Spin Dash]

It used to be really difficult for me to get 190 rings, now I'm getting 250-300 easily per run. They really did lower the difficulty some. That extra inch or two between obstacles really makes a difference.

 

Awesome! Good to hear! It's always been easy for me to get rings, though. I've played it and another Endless Runner so much that I'm a natural at it. <x'D It's really easy to master! But it doesn't make smacking into a tree of all things by mistake any less embarrassing.

 

 

 

I'd presume there'd be a bar underneath the character selection screen, if not a stage select screen after you choose your character.

 

They could try to have the stages seam together, but at the end of the day that's going to make it hard to see them all.

 

Huh? Bar? And I don't really see how they couldn't manage it. Especially with Casino Night -- they could easily have it fade from day to night while Sonic's flying through the air after banking rings. You know what I mean?

 

As for the points that were raised but were lost to this quote system which makes it really cumbersome to break posts up sometimes:

 

Lmao

 

Microtransactions are indeed for people who'd rather pay with money than time, or the impatient. Of course there are currently cases where it's impossible to unlock everything except with microtransactions; there are not enough missions thus far to allow the new characters to be purchased. However, this isn't a sin on Hardlight's part, so much as them likely not expecting people to blow through the missions with such ferocity. This is a game meant for casual entertainment in small doses every day, not something to be sat down with and played for hours on end like a main title (though with how things are going you'll blow through a main title just as quick as a mobile in Sonic terms).

 

Or they didn't expect the characters to be in such high demand. I'm actually fine with just playing as Sonic -- but I'd love to see how the other characters play and look. 

 

Haha, yeah. But it's so addictive, ahhh! Can you blame us for playing so much of it? 

 

Hopefully they'll add more missions as time goes on, but based on how lazy the other characters' designs are, I think it's pretty obvious they were meant solely for people to buy them just so they could experience the thrill of being their favorite.

 

luckily my favorite is the blue dude with a 'tude.  Hahaha. But I'll happily agree with that.

 

But you're forgetting -- missions also exist to help raise the multiplier. Granted, right now it's ridiculous with what level I am seeing I can have a x10 multiplier by leaving the Dash gauge filled, but if people want that to keep going up they're going to have to add new missions. Can you run out of missions thus far?

 

With how gorgeous the game looks for a mobile, we can always hope that it could one day outdo Jump, the initial rancor aside. Fortunately they're keeping the market's opinions in mind as they change it.

 

I'm pretty sure once they reach the ideal goal they have for Dash -- they have implied more stages and I for one am hoping for some kind of boss fights for a better challenge maybe to set it apart from other Endless Runners -- it'll probably outdo Jump. But Jump isn't complete yet either. There's at least one more stage on it's way; they're just focused on Dash at the moment.

[Generations]

So like a dollar back? Geez..

You should be happy that they even bothered to give you anything

[Badnik Mechanic]

It's free here in the UK too.

 

One day I'll have an IOS device that can play it.

[Guest]

The game was free yesterday as well. And it says nowhere on the iTunes page that it's one day only. This is what it says:

 

Sonic Dash is now free. Thanks to everyone who has downloaded the game. Get 10 free revives in-game now and look out for more free rewards coming soon!

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sonic-dash/id582654048?mt=8

 

Sounds like it's permanently free.

Edited March 30, 2013 by TimmiT

[EmmBee]

Improved performance my ass. I have an iPod Touch 4, and every time I start it it takes a good few minutes to get past the loading screens. I've yet to actually play the game since it crashes each time I start it.

[Tani Coyote]

Runs well on my iPhone 4 it looks like, but the small screen makes me immediately biased towards my iPad.

 

But it doesn't make smacking into a tree of all things by mistake any less embarrassing.

 

Most embarrassing thing is dying on the first leg of a run. By this point it's so easy to get past that part that it is very blushworthy.

 

Especially with Casino Night -- they could easily have it fade from day to night while Sonic's flying through the air after banking rings. You know what I mean?

 

This actually sounds like it could work well! Hopefully they'll add some more areas as time goes by.

 

I just hope if they make there be a multitude of stages there's some way to select which ones will appear. Inevitably there'd be so many it'd be hard to show them all without breaking the flow.

 

Or they didn't expect the characters to be in such high demand. I'm actually fine with just playing as Sonic -- but I'd love to see how the other characters play and look. 

 

Based on what I saw, they play the same, just with a different skin. They even have Sonic's blue aura when they boost. Alternate characters is a cool idea in and of itself, but it's been lazily implemented in this title.

 

Haha, yeah. But it's so addictive, ahhh! Can you blame us for playing so much of it? 

 

I can't, really. They did at least get that part down... and addiction is the key to milking the playerbase.

 

Can you run out of missions thus far?

 

You can, as several SSMB members can vouch for; it's why there was so much rancor over the alternate characters because you couldn't buy them with the games' current red ring count. You would have to pay actual money for them.

 

I'm pretty sure once they reach the ideal goal they have for Dash -- they have implied more stages and I for one am hoping for some kind of boss fights for a better challenge maybe to set it apart from other Endless Runners -- it'll probably outdo Jump. But Jump isn't complete yet either. There's at least one more stage on it's way; they're just focused on Dash at the moment.

 

Their team really does sound pretty stretched, but I guess it's why they can make these games so affordable at the end of the day; the amount of money required to pay the dev team and then SEGA, while making the profits involved actually matter, must be simply enormous.

 

Hopefully they will add boss battles of some sort, which could actually be fairly cool. I'm predicting they'll launch projectiles at you and you'll have to jump and homing attack them back at the boss very quickly...

 

You should be happy that they even bothered to give you anything

 

Actually?

 

I downloaded it for free and got the same 10 revive bonus. Translation: they haven't given ANYTHING to the people who purchased the game. The revives are now a standard bonus, likely to help hook you even more by stroking your competitive side.

[Badnik Mechanic]

Guys is this definately a 1 day deal only? Because from here it looks like it's free forever more.

 

The UK site is still showing it as free and I don't see anything suggesting an end date on the price?

[Autosaver]

...So I went to collect my reward for completing all my missions and ended up skipping the middle mission. Basically, I lost 6 red rings.

 

What the hell!!

[ElectricAngel]

They probably went permanently free since that would be the only way to compete against Temple Run or Subway Surfers

[Guest]

Guys is this definately a 1 day deal only? Because from here it looks like it's free forever more.

 

The UK site is still showing it as free and I don't see anything suggesting an end date on the price?

I pointed out that it's permanently free a few posts up. There's no source on it being one day only except for TSSZ. Not blaming them for assuming that it's one day only as those kinds of deals are pretty common though.

Edited March 31, 2013 by TimmiT

[EmmBee]

Whenever I choose to use a revive token, I'm stuck on a screen with my score and nothing else. I have no idea how to continue from that screen.

[Tani Coyote]

I'm only just now realising that I didn't have to spend any red rings on those missions. Fuuuuu. Thanks a lot Hint box for telling me I can spend rings to skip missions AFTER I've wasted like 20+ of them.

 

Anyway on a better note.

 

For those of you who are trying to do the corkscrew mission, I found something neat:

 

The screens above the springs detail what happens if you pick it, if you haven't realised. Rings bank rings, puzzle pieces take you to a track with a puzzle at the end, the whale statue takes you to Ocean Palace.

 

Going through the one with the Green Hill Loop on it takes you to a track where the land is warped, either with those S-shaped bent places, a loop, or corkscrews. Do it enough times and you'll get enough corkscrews to finish the mission.

 

Speaking of corkscrews and loops, on the mission to boost through 10 loops. Suspiciously the Green Hill loop screen is appearing far, far less... as if the game is purposely trying to make this harder for me. I'll give Hardlight the benefit of the doubt here but grr.

[-Mark-]

I've already done every mission, but how do you spend rings to skip them?

[Ming Ming Hatsune]

They must have added it with the new update. Because the option to skip missions by spending rings wasn't there when I did the missions. D=

Edited March 31, 2013 by Ming Ming Shana