Sonic the Hedgehog 4

[brobotnik]

First SEGA of America tease by updating their forums header image to 4 Sonic 1 sprites and now today they've changed the pic on their YouTube page from the SEGA logo to a pic from the Needlemouse trailer -

Man, your whole day must be checking and refreshing Sonic/SEGA-related sites for any news on things like achievements, trailers, and console spec minutiae. That would drive me crazy.

That change to their forum header is twisting my brain around. Watch it end up being totally unrelated and a complete coincidence.

ANd in regards to a downloadable game not being "worthy" of joining the ranks of the main series, thats rubbish. Play Mega Man 9 and then tell me that it is not at the same level as Mega Man 1-8.

I think a lot of people are bothered when a franchise releases a new game in the family that can't be placed on their shelf with the rest of them, and they mentally dismiss it. I get that twinge in fleeting moments, as I have a bit of "collector nerd" in me.

Once/If three or so downloadable "Needlemouse" Sonic games have been completed, I could easily see SEGA packaging them together and putting them on actual retail shelves. In a DX edition, or what-have-you.

[Detective Shadzter]

Man, your whole day must be checking and refreshing Sonic/SEGA-related sites for any news on things like achievements, trailers, and console spec minutiae. That would drive me crazy.

That change to their forum header is twisting my brain around. Watch it end up being totally unrelated and a complete coincidence.

Well I have an whole list of sites in the staff forum so I just quickly scan through them at various points in the day. I'm off work at the mo ill with M.E. so I've just been hanging round the net most of the day while my wife's at work. Reporting on the front page gets a little addictive too

The forum header would be a big coincidence yeah, they updated it right around the time they ended the last Needlemouse challenge and started revealing stuff. It would be pretty funny if it turned out to be a sneaky wind up

@gamerguy21

Yeah I could be wrong about that pic, I was browsing all 3 SEGA channels late at night so I might have gotten confused .

[HunterTSF]

Oh, and finally the 2D series beats out the 3D series in number of games!

Sonic the Hedgehog (1991)

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (1992)

Sonic the Hedgehog CD (1993)

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (1994)

Sonic & Knuckles (1994)

Project Needlemouse (2010)

Sonic Adventure (1998)

Sonic Adventure 2 (2001)

Sonic Heroes (2003)

Sonic the Hedgehog (2006)

Sonic Unleashed (2008)

Tiny list was tiny.

-=2D=-

Sonic the Hedgehog [Mega Drive] (1991)

Sonic the Hedgehog [Game Gear] (1991)

Sonic Eraser [Mega Drive] (1991)

Waku Waku Sonic Patrol Car [Arcade] (1992)

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 [Game Gear] (1992)

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 [Mega Drive] (1992)

Sonic the Hedgehog CD [Mega-CD] (1993)

Sonic & Tails [Game Gear] (1993)

Sonic the Hedgehog Spinball [Mega Drive] (1993)

Sega Sonic Cosmo Fighter [Arcade] (1993)

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 [Mega Drive] (1994)

Sonic the Hedgehog Gameworld [Kids Computer Pico] (1994)

Sonic the Hedgehog Spinball [Game Gear] (1994)

Sonic & Knuckles [Mega Drive] (1994)

Sonic & Tails 2 [Game Gear] (1994)

G Sonic [Game Gear] (1996)

Sonic Pocket Adventure [Neo Geo Pocket Color] (2000)

Sonic the Hedgehog [Mobile] (2001)

Sonic Tennis [Mobile] (2001)

Sonic Advance [Game Boy Advance] (2001)

Sonic Golf [Mobile] (2002)

Speed [Mobile] (2002)

Sonic Billiards [Mobile] (2002)

Sonic's Mine Sweeper [Mobile] (2002)

Sonic Advance 2 [Game Boy Advance] (2002)

Sonic Putter [Mobile] (2003)

Sonic Darts [Mobile] (2003)

Sonic Pinball Party [Game Boy Advance] (2003)

Sonic Racing Kart [Mobile] (2003)

Sonic Reversi [Mobile] (2003)

Sonic Reversi Hyper [Mobile] (2003)

Sonic Hopping [Mobile] (2004)

Sonic Advance 3 [Game Boy Advance] (2004)

Sonic Hopping 2 [Mobile] (2004)

Sonic Hearts [Mobile] (2004)

Sonic Gammon [Mobile] (2004)

Sonic's Millionaires [Mobile] (2005)

Sonic Jump [Mobile] (2005)

Sonic's 7 Narabe [Mobile] (2006)

Speed DX [Mobile] (2006)

Sonic Speed DX [Mobile] (2007)

Sonic's Napoleon [Mobile] (2007)

Sonic's Time Limit Train [Mobile] (2007)

Sonic's Casino Poker [Mobile] (2007)

Sonic the Hedgehog Golf [Mobile] (2007)

Sonic at the Olympic Games [Mobile] (2008)

Sonic Dash Quiz [Mobile] (2009)

Sonic Unleashed [Mobile] (2009)

=2.5D=

Sega Sonic the Hedgehog [Arcade] (1993) <2D graphics, 3D movement>

Sonic Drift [Game Gear] (1994) <2D graphics, 3D movement>

Sonic Drift 2 [Game Gear] (1995) <2D graphics, 3D movement>

Sonic Labyrinth [Game Gear] (1995) <2D graphics, 3D movement>

Sonic the Fighters [Arcade] (1996) <3D graphics, 2D movement>

Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island [Mega Drive] (1996) <2D graphics, 3D movement>

Sonic Bowling [Mobile] (2002) <2D graphics, 3D movement>

Sonic Racing Shift Up (2003) <2D graphics, 3D movement>

Sonic Battle [Game Boy Advance] (2003) <2D graphics, 3D movement>

Sonic Rush [DS] (2005) <2D/3D graphics, 2D movement>

Sonic Rivals [PlayStation Portable] <3D graphics, 2D movement>

Sonic Rush Adventure [DS] <2D/3D graphics, 2D movement>

Sonic Rivals 2 [PlayStation Portable] (2007) <3D graphics, 2D movement>

=3D=

Sonic's Schoolhouse [Windows] (1996)

Sonic Jam <Sonic World> [saturn] (1997)

Sonic R [saturn] (1997)

Sonic Adventure [Dreamcast] (1999)

Sonic Shuffle [Dreamcast] (2000)

Sonic Adventure 2 [Dreamcast] (2001)

Sonic Heroes [Gamecube/PlayStation 2/Xbox] (2003)

Sonic Kart 3DX [Mobile] (2003)

Sonic Riders [Gamecube/PlayStation 2/Xbox] (2006)

Sonic Golf 3D [Mobile] (2006)

Sonic the Hedgehog [Xbox 360] (2006)

Sonic and the Secret Rings [Wii] (2007)

Mario & Sonic at Beijing Olympic [Wii] (2007)

Sonic Riders: Shooting Star Story [PlayStation 2/Wii] (2008)

Mario & Sonic at Beijing Olympic [DS] (2008)

Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood [DS] (2008)

Sonic World Adventure [PlayStation 2/Wii] (2008)

Sonic World Adventure [PlayStation 3/Xbox 360] (2008)

Sonic and the Black Knight [Wii] (2009)

Mario & Sonic at Vancouver Olympic [DS] (2009)

Mario & Sonic at Vancouver Olympic [Wii] (2009)

Sonic Bowling [Mobile] (2009)

Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games [Mobile] (2010)

=Spin-offs not featuring Sonic as a main character=

Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine [Mega Drive] (1993) <2D graphics, 2D movement>

Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine [Game Gear] (1993) <2D graphics, 2D movement>

Tails and the Music Maker [Kids Computer Pico] (1994) <2D graphics, 2D movement>

Chaotix [super 32X] (1995) <2D graphics, 2D movement>

Tails' Sky Patrol [Game Gear] (1995) <2D graphics, 2D movement>

Tails Adventure [Game Gear] (1995) <2D graphics, 2D movement>

Good Friend Chao! [Mobile] (2002) <3D graphics>

Dr. Eggman's Number Guess Panic! [Mobile] (2002) <2D graphics>

Tails' Flying Get [Mobile] (2003) <2D graphics, 2D movement>

Sonic Panel Puzzle [Mobile] (2004) <2D graphics, 2D movement>

Amy's American Page One [Mobile] (2005) <2D graphics>

Shadow the Hedgehog [Gamecube/PlayStation 2/Xbox] <3D graphics, 3D movement>

Shadow Shoot [Mobile] (2006) <2D graphics, 3D movement>

Yeah, I spent the last few hours making this list. I feel pathetic. Regardless, Sonic's had far more 2D than 3D titles for quite a while now.

Edited January 31, 2010 by HunterTSF

[Brianzilla2004]

The circumstances were very different.

What makes it so different? The fact that Sonic wasn't a playable character in Chaotix? Or are you saying that the introduction of the Chaotix is very different from the introduction of Metal Sonic and Amy for some other reason? Both games weren't even on the Genesis proper, but rather, unsuccessful add-ons, so it makes it even harder to determine whether either game deserves to be included as a part of the main series. Then again, both games play like the rest of the 2D series, and their storylines tie into the other main games, especially with Sonic CD introducing Metal Sonic and Chaotix revealing Metal Sonic's ability to transform into a giant monster of sorts. Ultimately, the main series as far as I'm concerned would have to be...

Sonic the Hedgehog

Sonic the Hedgehog 2

Sonic the Hedgehog CD

Sonic the Hedgehog 3

Sonic & Knuckles

Knuckles' Chaotix

Sonic 3D Blast

Sonic Adventure

Sonic Adventure 2

Sonic Heroes

Shadow the Hedgehog

Sonic the Hedgehog (2006)

Sonic Unleashed (HD... the Wii version isn't a part of the main series, as far as I'm concerned)

7 great games, 2 good games, 2 mediocre games and 2 horrendous games. Sonic's track record really isn't that bad...

[Barry the Nomad]

Great way of putting it, Brianzilla!

I think what fans forget is how loose plots were back in the Genesis days. If it weren't for the manuals, both Sonic CD and Chaotix could have a variety of storylines. Adventure helps in having Amy think back to the Sonic CD days, but that shouldn't mean that Chaotix is null and void just because Knuckles doesn't say something to refer to his past experience with Charmy, Vector or Espio.

Now that I think about it, has Knuckles ever acknowledged Amy in the games?

Anyway, thank god Needlemouse is Sonic only. The amount of characters and all the complications of who knows who etc. was giving me a headache.

Edited January 31, 2010 by Doctor Eggman

[Bubonic Bunny]

What makes it so different? The fact that Sonic wasn't a playable character in Chaotix? Or are you saying that the introduction of the Chaotix is very different from the introduction of Metal Sonic and Amy for some other reason? Both games weren't even on the Genesis proper, but rather, unsuccessful add-ons, so it makes it even harder to determine whether either game deserves to be included as a part of the main series. Then again, both games play like the rest of the 2D series, and their storylines tie into the other main games, especially with Sonic CD introducing Metal Sonic and Chaotix revealing Metal Sonic's ability to transform into a giant monster of sorts. Ultimately, the main series as far as I'm concerned would have to be...

Sonic the Hedgehog

Sonic the Hedgehog 2

Sonic the Hedgehog CD

Sonic the Hedgehog 3

Sonic & Knuckles

Knuckles' Chaotix

Sonic 3D Blast

Sonic Adventure

Sonic Adventure 2

Sonic Heroes

Shadow the Hedgehog

Sonic the Hedgehog (2006)

Sonic Unleashed (HD... the Wii version isn't a part of the main series, as far as I'm concerned)

7 great games, 2 good games, 2 mediocre games and 2 horrendous games. Sonic's track record really isn't that bad...

The problem is 5 of those great games are 20 years old and 2 of them are almost 10.

People hold the games to such high standards that when they miss the mark by a margin they're torn to shreds. Hopefully of course StH4 will change that.

Now that I think about it, has Knuckles ever acknowledged Amy in the games?

I am sure they're well aware of each other

Edited January 31, 2010 by Bubonic Bunny

[Legendary Emerald]

Damn, the characters had such better voices in SA2. Thanks for depressing me, Bunny.

[Barry the Nomad]

LOL I forgot about that! Really f'n weird cutscene.

[PSI Wind]

I can't wait for tommorow.

[Shaddix Leto Croft]

Oh Crap ok i randomly typed up http://sonicthehedgehog4.com/ on the url section of the browser and got sent to Sega main website ... ermmm this means something dont it ?

Edited January 31, 2010 by SonikkuCreed92

[speedfreak]

I can't wait for tommorow.

Why? We get nothing until Hedgehogs day (Tuesday).

[Blue Blood]

Oh Crap ok i randomly typed up http://sonicthehedgehog4.com/ on the url section of the browser and got sent to Sega main website ... ermmm this means something dont it ?

You're a few pages late. We've already confirmed that it was done internally by SEGA just a few days ago. TSSZ wrote about it.

[PSI Wind]

Why? We get nothing until Hedgehogs day (Tuesday).

I thought they said they would reveal some things on Monday. As thats when the fanart challenge ends.

[Blue Blood]

I thought they said they would reveal some things on Monday. As thats when the fanart challenge ends.

The lastest blog entry about Needlemouse:

That makes all of us – including, hopefully, you guys – very happy. The challenge has been bested within 48 hours, and as a result next week is going to be the Week of the Hedgehog! The celebration will begin next Tuesday on Hedgehog Day, (step aside, groundhog!) with a special massive swag giveaway and concept art reveal, and will lead into our biggest announcement going live as we approach next weekend. Trust us when we say that February is going to be a very good month.

The one before that:

If you guys can send in a cumulative total of over 100 pieces of concept art by Monday morning at 10:00 AM, you’re in for a very special treat in the days following.

Tuesday better that no-day I suppose.

[brobotnik]

LOL I forgot about that! Really f'n weird cutscene.

I would be quite content if Sonic the Hedgehog and friends never have a scene involving the infiltration of the President's limo ever again.

Or worse: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukksUJRubr8

[Shaddix Leto Croft]

You're a few pages late. We've already confirmed that it was done internally by SEGA just a few days ago. TSSZ wrote about it.

Oh right lol im always late on stuff lol well i hope im not late for hedgehog day XD

[LunarEdge]

typing in Sonicthehedgehog5 and 6 also redirects you to Sega.com....

[Solid SOAP]

I'm hoping that they'll actually reveal stuff worthy mentioning or seeing, just telling us the title would be cool but if they showed us the final logo, or at least, well, concept art of it, that'd be better. I'm pretty excited for what they are going to show us too, though I'm not expecting much outside of a lot concept art, maybe a bit of character animation like Warren Spector showed with the first big Epic Mickey reveal.

[HunterTSF]

Oh, phooey. What constitutes a "main" series game is completely subjective - popularity, canocity, and format are all contributing factors to this. For example, Iizuka considers Chaotix to be un-canon, explicitly stating so in an interview about Sonic Heroes - a statement which led many to consider Chaotix to not be part of the main series. Sonic Jump is a rather obscure title from the Sonic Café series, but yet it was created by Sonic Team and even includes more dialogue and story progression than the Sonic Advance trilogy, but not many people pay mind to it due to the fact it's a mobile phone game. There's still debating which version of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is canonical, or whether or not they are completely different ventures altogether.

If you were to look at the Sonic the Hedgehog series as a whole, you would have 97 games.

Now that I think about it, has Knuckles ever acknowledged Amy in the games?

Anyway, thank god Needlemouse is Sonic only. The amount of characters and all the complications of who knows who etc. was giving me a headache.

LIST MAKING TIME AGAIN (tl;dr - Knuckles knows just about everyone)

-=People who Knuckles has met=

Dr. Ivo "Eggman" Robotnik - Sonic the Hedgehog 3

Before the events of Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Eggman tricks Knuckles into fighting Sonic and stuff.

Miles "Tails" Prower, Sonic the Hedgehog - Sonic the Hedgehog 3

As Sonic arrives on Angel Island, he is met with a punch to the face by Knuckles. They're buddies now, though.

Tails meets up with Sonic soon afterwards. Also buddies.

Death Ball, Eggrobo, Gapsule, Guardian, Heat Arms, Hey Ho, Hyudoro, Red Eye - Sonic & Knuckles

Knuckles confronts all of these guys at one point or another on his journey.

Chaotix Detective Agency (Vector the Crocidle, Espio the Chameleon, Charmy Bee) - Chaotix (Noncanon) / Sonic Heroes (Canon)

The 14 protagonists all group together aboard the Egg Fleet before the fight with Metal Sonic. Silver and Espio also quarrel with Knuckles and Rouge in Sonic Rivals 2. Doesn't know them very well.

Amy Rose - Sonic Drift 2 (Possible) / Sonic Adventure (Definite)

Knuckles and Amy meet every now and then, usually along with Sonic and Tails. Definitely met in Station Square before the battle with Perfect Chaos. They're friends.

Metal Sonic - Sonic Drift 2 (Possible) / Sonic Heroes (Definite)

Although Knuckles doesn't directly with Metal Sonic that often, he certainly knows about him. Definitely met in Sonic Heroes, possibly earlier. Indifferent to him in Sonic Rivals 2.

Big the Cat, E-102γ, Chaos, Tikal - Sonic Adventure

Big meets Knuckles in Station Square before Sonic's fight with Perfect Chaos. They meet again in Heroes. Acquaintances.

Knuckles spots E-102 on his way to the Egg Carrier and follows him.

Meets Tikal in orb form originally, and then in physical form before Sonic fights Perfect Chaos.

Chaos breaks out of the Master Emerald right in front of Knuckles' eyes as the story begins.

Illumina, Lumina, Void - Sonic Shuffle

Knuckles gets whisked away with Sonic, Tails, and Amy to their crazy realm.

Biolizard, Egg Golem, King Boom Boo, Shadow the Hedgehog, Rouge the Bat - Sonic Adventure 2

Knuckles bumps into King Boom Boo in the Death Chamber at Eggman's base, and Egg Golem soon after.

Knuckles meets Shadow before he fights the Biolizard. Knuckles is pretty indifferent to him, and they cross paths occasionally throughout the series.

Rouge attempted to steal the Master Emerald and was thwarted by Knuckles' ingenious decision of shattering the damn thing. They meet up every now and then as friendly rivals.

Cheese, Cream the Rabbit, Vanilla - Sonic Advance 2

Knuckles meet Cream and Cheese before Sonic's fight with the Egg Prawn. They're friends now.

Vanilla is met after aforementioned fight.

E-123Ω - Sonic Heroes

Team Sonic confront Team Dark in Lost Jungle.

Emerl, Chaos Gamma - Sonic Battle

Sonic introduces Emerl to Knuckles very early on in the story.

Chaos Gamma quarrels with Knuckles in the story as well.

G-merl

Knuckles can bump into G-merl as early as Sunset Hill, but definitely cross paths at Chaos Angel if I recall correctly.

HH Blaze the Cat, Dr. Eggman Nega - Sonic Rush

Cream and Blaze meet up with Knuckles on their splendid tour of Sonic's world. Doctor Eggman Nega's Egg Salamander Nega is witnessed by Knuckles and the crew before the final battle. Blaze is "friends" with Knuckles, and Nega ensues to steal the Master Emerald twice in future games.

Black Doom - Shadow the Hedgehog

Knuckles and the gang show up to help Shadow help himself and whatnot. Black Doom parlyzes him so he can be eaten alive by Death Leeches. Fun.

Babylon Guardian, E-10000R, Jet the Hawk, Storm the Albatross, Wave the Swallow

The Babylon Rogues come as a package deal, and Storm and Knuckles become rivals soon on. E-10000R just happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and gets accidentally clobbered by Knuckles (He aplogizes though). Babylon Guardian is met at Babylon Garden.

Silver the Hedgehog - Sonic the Hedgehog (Chrono) / Sonic Rivals (Canon)

Although they meet at the End of the World in Sonic the Hedgehog, that was rendered null after the time reboot. Silver and Knuckles meet at Colosseum Highway. They're acquaintances.

Ifrit - Sonic Rivals 2

Knuckles fights the Ifrit along with everybody else in Chaotic Inferno.

SCR-HD - Sonic Riders: Shooting Star Story

Team Sonic, Team Babylon, and Dr. Eggman are met by SCR-HD at Crimson Crater. Knuckles sees the supposedly dead body of his in Aquatic Capitol earlier, though.

Edited February 1, 2010 by HunterTSF

[Blue Blood]

Uh, bloody hell. You missed the point- Knuckles hardly acknowledges Amy. Most of the time characters only interact with one or two, usually including Sonic. Knuckles and Amy barely say two words about or to each other. In Battle there's quite a lot going on, but the game on a whole was really good for character relations. Most of the time there's squat. Tails knows Charmy of course, but the two have never interacted. See what I mean?

EDIT: Knuckles didn't meet Gamma in SA1 before he died, but in Battle he seemed to know him. Just saying.

Edited February 1, 2010 by Blue Blood

[JaidynReiman]

I don't recall Iizuka flat-out saying that Chaotix is un-canon. He describes Sonic Heroes more as a re-introduction to Chaotix, and that they're "almost new characters," as I recall, but I don't think he flat-out describes Knuckles' Chaotix as being non-canon. I usually take the notion that Chaotix first appear in Knuckles' Chaotix, and after the game Vector, Espio, and Charmy decide to join forces and become detectives. Espio also later becomes a ninja (or was from the start and isn't physically seen to be in Chaotix).

The Chaotix's introduction in that game is very hard to determine, especially since there's barely anything stated about them in the original Japanese game. The localized version can't be trusted, and likely was ignored when they were brought back. The only other thing that may point to Chaotix being non-canon is Charmy not remembering Eggman, but do the characters actually physically see Eggman in-game? I know that Vector and Espio both know about Eggman (despite not knowing a LOT about him) in Heroes, and in Chaotix, Eggman isn't the final boss (because Metal Sonic is).

Mighty's absence is simple. Heroes only called for three characters and Mighty was the least-unique of the characters in Knuckles' Chaotix. Besides, he's just an "adventurer" anyway, and likely returned to adventuring.

[jeremycarrier]

Who gives a crap about continuity in Sonic games? Thats like trying to figure out the timeline for Mario and its all its various sequels, prequels, spin-offs, sidegames, and Hotel Mario. Focus on wondering about the things that matter, like the actual gameplay, graphics, music, controls, etc.

Edited February 1, 2010 by jeremycarrier

[jennytablina]

Uh, bloody hell. You missed the point- Knuckles hardly acknowledges Amy. Most of the time characters only interact with one or two, usually including Sonic. Knuckles and Amy barely say two words about or to each other. In Battle there's quite a lot going on, but the game on a whole was really good for character relations. Most of the time there's squat. Tails knows Charmy of course, but the two have never interacted. See what I mean?

EDIT: Knuckles didn't meet Gamma in SA1 before he died, but in Battle he seemed to know him. Just saying.

It may not be Canon but I recall theres an amusing exchange between Amy and Knuckles in Sonic Rush I think? Its like the only time both of them show up in the entire game but I may be remembering wrong. In any case I think Knuckles considers Amy a bit much for him to approach, hes a solitary, quiet fellow and Amy is VERY outgoing and loud.

Anyways, my badnik. Tulippon from Angel Island Sonic 3!

[Rusty Spy]

Uh, bloody hell. You missed the point- Knuckles hardly acknowledges Amy. Most of the time characters only interact with one or two, usually including Sonic. Knuckles and Amy barely say two words about or to each other. In Battle there's quite a lot going on, but the game on a whole was really good for character relations. Most of the time there's squat. Tails knows Charmy of course, but the two have never interacted. See what I mean?

EDIT: Knuckles didn't meet Gamma in SA1 before he died, but in Battle he seemed to know him. Just saying.

Yes they have.

yes it's a bad example, kill me.

[jeremycarrier]

Anyways, my badnik. Tulippon from Angel Island Sonic 3!

http://img188.imageshack.us/img188/8157/tulippon.jpg

Sonic looks funny as hell on the right side. "Ahh get away!"