Sonic Colours Review topic

[Agent York]

Well then right now we're only playing the guessing game. We might as well wait until the game comes out. I was only going off of the world map showing that there are 44 total S ranks.

I thought about this too, and as I said we wil lsee, though you could pull off the excuse it was a beta build and stage not available wouldn't count towards the total, but as said it could be anything right now.

[Diogenes]

6 worlds is not a confirmed number,

Only if you propose the red ring and S-rank totals are lying to us. 180 red rings=6 worlds*6 acts per world*5 red rings per act. 44 S-ranks=6 worlds*7 ranks per world (that's 6 acts+1 boss), +2 unknowns. Math doesn't lie.

What doesn't make sense to me also is that there are still two locked areas on the map after Asteroid Coaster, the rainbow star and the tower.

Thus making up our two unknown S-ranks. Most likely, the tower is the normal final boss and the rainbow star is the Super Sonic (or whatever form) final boss.

There is a seventh Sonic Simulator stage, so there would need to be a regular stage to make it's three music tracks,

Or they could pull the music from something else entirely. The last two boss fights, the main theme, classic music, something entirely new, who knows.

plus we STILL haven't seen Eggman's base stage, the final stage. I honestly believe there is a stage after Asteroid Coaster.

Asteroid Coaster is Eggman's base, in a sense. Alternatively, Tropical Resort is, and you return to it for the semifinal boss.

Besides Nintendo Power said that the game story mode has over 40 stages, and they mention boss battles AFTER that as well as Sonic Simulator stages. To have over 40 stages, not including bosses or Sonic Simulator stages, you would need 7 worlds with 6 acts each, which would be 42 stages.

Previews flub numbers like that all the time. I'd be more inclined to take it seriously if the math didn't work out so nicely.

[speedfreak]

Yeah, I didn't even think of that. Why would they show the two secret S ranks in the total on the map screen, but then hide an entire secret seventh zones S rank total? That doesn't make any sense.

I'm pretty sure we have 44 story mode levels and 21 Sonic Simulator levels for a total of 65 levels. As if that wasn't enough. That's pretty damn great IMO.

[Agent York]

Only if you propose the red ring and S-rank totals are lying to us. 180 red rings=6 worlds*6 acts per world*5 red rings per act. 44 S-ranks=6 worlds*7 ranks per world (that's 6 acts+1 boss), +2 unknowns. Math doesn't lie.

Thus making up our two unknown S-ranks. Most likely, the tower is the normal final boss and the rainbow star is the Super Sonic (or whatever form) final boss.

Or they could pull the music from something else entirely. The last two boss fights, the main theme, classic music, something entirely new, who knows.

Asteroid Coaster is Eggman's base, in a sense. Alternatively, Tropical Resort is, and you return to it for the semifinal boss.

Previews flub numbers like that all the time. I'd be more inclined to take it seriously if the math didn't work out so nicely.

Look at the level map. The locked stage after Asteroid Coaster is a giant tower connected to Tropical Resort. That is likely the final stage and we have not seen it at all.

[speedfreak]

Look at the level map. The locked stage after Asteroid Coaster is a giant tower connected to Tropical Resort. That is likely the final stage and we have not seen it at all.

Or a simple boss fight, or just a single act. Why assume it's anything more when the S rank and red ring total dictates otherwise?

As I said why would they show 44 S ranks in total on the map (keeping in mind that two of them HAVE to belong to a secret level/boss), but then hide an entire zones worth of S ranks? It doesn't make any sense.

[Diogenes]

Look at the level map. The locked stage after Asteroid Coaster is a giant tower connected to Tropical Resort. That is likely the final stage and we have not seen it at all.

And this is most likely a single boss fight (one of the two unknown S-ranks). Either that, or the totals on the map screen are lying to us, or this is a full level with no red rings and no more than 2 rankings.

Which seems most likely to you?

[Scar]

And this is most likely a single boss fight (one of the two unknown S-ranks). Either that, or the totals on the map screen are lying to us, or this is a full level with no red rings and no more than 2 rankings.

Which seems most likely to you?

Edited October 29, 2010 by Scar

[Diogenes]

Preveiw Build.

Dread said a lot of the things were inaccessible.

[speedfreak]

Preveiw Build.

Dread said a lot of the things were inaccessible.

[Agent York]

WAIT! I did some sleuthing.

So looking at this video:

We see Sonic simulator 1-1 and 2-1. 1-1 appropriately has Tropical Resort's Act 1 music, 2-1 appropriately has Sweet Mountain act 1's music.

Now we have these stages in the sonic Simulator:

Green is Tropical Resort.

Yellow is Sweet Mountain.

White is Starlight Carnival (check out the 8-bit rendition of the upbeat music along with things like slot machines and such here:

)

Red is Planet Wisp

Purple is Aquarium Park (check out the 8-bit Chinese sounding music here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=849N0RzoitU )

Blue is Asteroid Coaster (See Below)

Light Blue is Final Stage (See Below)

In this video, you can see a bit of footage from the Blue and Light Blue Simulator stages. NOTICE that the music in the Blue is a bit more industrial and the music in the Light Blue stage sounds more like the final stage music in the style of Death Egg, Pirate Island, the final stage in Rush 1, Cosmic Angel, etc.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qxii3gG4cok

The final Chaos Emerald music DOES NOT sound like boss music and sounds like the typical Eggman Ship music. Then compare to the level chart:

I still think the final stage is an Eggmanland like stage and a boss. It could be such a long level like Eggmanland and have more than one musical theme as Eggmanland in the 360 had two when switching between Sonic and Werehog, but this could just have more than one musical theme. There are two more S-Ranks after the stages which would fit for a long stage and final boss.

This does not answer what the rainbow star is but we will see in time. What I do know is that the seventh world in Sonic simulator has the right style of music and acts for a seventh stage the S-Ranks and Red rings don't have enough lenience to them. For all we know the rainbow star is a hidden stage that only gets added when you unlock it to the S-Rank and Red ring count that's where the additional music comes from.

Edited October 29, 2010 by Dusk the Wisp Keeper

[Conando]

The score is good, but I don't know what it is with current critics (and not a bad bit of gamers) thinking Sonic is and always was all about speed. Sure it was a snappier pace than Mario, but there was always a bit of demanding platforming in the old games.

[Marcello]

The German magazine WiiMagazin reviewed the game and gave the Wii version 92% and the Ds 90%. I'll try and get cam scans tomorrow or Sunday. There'S also a doublesided Sonic Colors poster, so I'll get a pic of that, too. I might translate it, too, if I'm not busy.

Edit: Never mind. Got the scans. They're from Thigolf of the Spindash.de forums.

Edited October 29, 2010 by MarcelloF

[SilentDoom]

Great work finding those scans Marcello. 92% is a VERY impressive score. Now if only I could read German and/or somebody could translate it T-T

That means we the average score so far is 86+86+90+92/4 = 88.5

That not only means that this is best Sonic game this generation (that even includes the 2D games) but it also means that it is in the top 20 Wii games of all time!

That said though, it's early days for the reviews and this score will definately fluctuate (my bets are that it will gradually get lower but it won't go under th 80% mark)

[Marcello]

Finished translating:

Sonic Colours

There is a god and he's a Sonic fan!

Sonic Colors doesn't make you wait with intro videos or anything, but starts without further ado. Title screen appears, push the button - And it starts "Tropical Resort Act 1".

Less than ten seconds later Sonic is blasting through lush tropical landscapes with his familiar speed of sound. You can almost hear the defiant calls of "You wanted this!" from the developers. Yes, we wanted this. We wanted a pure Sonic game. Without a surfboard, without a Werehog, without a Knight of the Roundtable. And we got it!

Colorful Carnival

Okay, after two opening levels there's the first cutscene of the story. Dr. Eggman has built an intergalactic amusement park to pay for all of his crimes and from now on to only spread mirth and joy. At least that's what he says, but that it's just a pretext for some new crime should be obvious for every last hedgehog on the planet. In truth Eggman has only built this amusement park to attract Aliens and stealtheir powers.He especially has it in for the Wisps - friendly little aliens with special powers. With them, Eggman wants to build a brain washing machine to take over the world.

Of course, Sonic can also use the Wisp powers. Of course only with their permission and good intentions. The Wisps are spread around the levels and are trapped in capsules. Once freed they give Sonic their powers and transform him into different beings. For example in a drill. Or into a pink gear (? lolwut), that can roll along walls. There are 8 types of Wisps in total, but they aren't all available from the start. You'll find them in the course of the game - until then you'll just run through empty capsules. Once you've "unlocked" new Wisps, you can go back to past levels and explore new areas that were unreachable before. This gives you a respectable depth and hightens the replayability, because the levels are designed so that you can always find something new.

Best of Sonic

The orientation on replaying the levels fits wonderfully to the retro character of the game. You must by no means memorize the levels, you can also just play through them normally. However if you know the levels good and can use the Wisp-Powers skilfully, you can gallantly evade places that slow you down and practically go through the levels without a break, which ups the fun factor of the game. There isn't really a given path anyway. On the contrary, you can by accident land in a different place and find yourself level areas that you had no idea about before. Here too, the Wisp-Powers become important. If you see for example blue rings somewhere, you'll know "Okay, I'll come back here later with the Blue Wisp, than I can turn the rings into blocks and create a new path"

The classic Sonic-gameplay isn't left behind in all of this and still includes everything the fan wants: Springs, Crane Hooks (Don't know what they mean with this>_>), boost pads and the Homing Attack. This most known of the fighting techniques allows Sonic to dash in to an enemy in mid air and destroy him by bouncing of of him. Like this Sonic can shoot himself from one enemy to another, which is used to get over pits and to reach higher places.

The Final Frontier

In anyway the level design is very good. What Sonic Colours conjours to the screen, let's even past Sonic games look like comfortable forest walk. There has never been such a funky (? xD Google xD) hell ride like this in any Sonic game. Sonic Colours is however not a pure "racing game". Next to the half automated high speed sections with loopings, corkscrews, intricate railings and even crazier neck-breaking, knotted paths, there are also calmer areas that are about platforming skills.

At the same time the game always stays fair - past unfairnesses, like running in to a spiked wall, are nowhere to be found in Sonic Colours.

What Sonic Colours has to offer with level designs, is nothing in comparison to what they brought out graphically. Sonic Colours lives up to it's name - The game is so colorful, that self proclaimed "Next-gen" titles on both competitor's consoles almost look like Black&White games. It's flashing, glittering and shimmering everywhere and by those crazy high speeds you can't see all of that. It's like a visit to Disney Land: Everything is stylized to the last square centimeter and by the end of the day you can't really comprehend all of it. Everywhere the eye can reach the levels are stuffed full with structures, plants fantasy worlds - Hell, against it even the overwhelming Super Mario Galaxy (2) looks empty. What SEGA created here is overwhelming and can hardly be put in to words. What's more unbelievable is that Sonic Colours has technically no problems and still runs at a framerate at high speeds, that you wouldn't expect of the Wii.

Joy Everywhere

After all of the praise about the graphics and fantastic level design, it'S hard to praise the music as much. Let's say it like this: A more fitting soundtrack to a Sonic game doesn't exist. Happy upbeat music, great cathy melodies to whistle to - Sonic Colour isn'T only fun, it also gives you a good feeling. With Sonic Colours SEGA has done evreything right and has finally (finally!) created a clean, unadorned, dazzling Sonic. The world is right again, life is beautiful - Thanks to Sonic Colours!

If it's not that good, whatever. I'm tired XD

[Agent York]

Finished translating:

If it's not that good, whatever. I'm tired XD

Thanks a ton MarcelloF, very good job. *reads*

[SilentDoom]

It's absolutely fine! Thanks a lot. This is a much better written review here. They actually explained why they liked aspects of the game and what exactly some of the aspects added to the experience.

Though I'm surprised that there is no mention of the multiplayer at all. Looking at the little summary bars at the bottom, that seemed to be the weakest aspect of the game. Considering that these guys clearly played probably the absolute final build of the game (it has the Asteroid Coaster stage and the Purple Frenzy Wisp by the looks of it).

Also, I think the "Crane Hooks" could possibly mean the zip wires that Sonic grabs and slides down.

Edited October 29, 2010 by SiLeNtDo0m

[Core]

Thanks a lot for the translation MarcelloF!

There is a god and he's a Sonic fan!

That made me laugh.

[Blue Wisp]

Dusk, didn't you remember the Ring just below Tropical Resort?

[DistantJ]

The score is good, but I don't know what it is with current critics (and not a bad bit of gamers) thinking Sonic is and always was all about speed. Sure it was a snappier pace than Mario, but there was always a bit of demanding platforming in the old games.

[Agent York]

It was, though, really. I mean Mario Galaxy is about funny gravity. It has platforming, but it's ABOUT the gravity. All platform games have platforming. Ratchet & Clank is about crazy weapons. It's a platformer but the series is ABOUT crazy weapons. Zelda is about dungeons, even though there's a tonne more stuff inbetween them. You can take away some of the 'puzzle platforming' stuff and the 'slow levels' like Labyrinth and it'd still be Sonic, but if you took away the speed, it wouldn't be.

[Mike]

Speed, platforming, and everything nice.

These were the ingredients chosen to create the perfect Sonic game, but Sonic Team accidentally added an extra ingredients to the concoction--

Chemical Wisp~ *explosion*

Thus, Sonic Colors was born!

Using its ultra-color powers, Sonic, Tails, and Buttercup have dedicated their lives to fighting Eggman and the forces of evil!

[jeremycarrier]

Speed, platforming, and everything nice.

These were the ingredients chosen to create the perfect Sonic game, but Sonic Team accidentally added an extra ingredients to the concoction--

Chemical Wisp~ *explosion*

Thus, Sonic Colors was born!

Using its ultra-color powers, Sonic, Tails, and Buttercup have dedicated their lives to fighting Eggman and the forces of evil!

I love you.

[Blue Wisp]

Speed, platforming, and everything nice.

These were the ingredients chosen to create the perfect Sonic game, but Sonic Team accidentally added an extra ingredients to the concoction--

Chemical Wisp~ *explosion*

Thus, Sonic Colors was born!

Using its ultra-color powers, Sonic, Tails, and Buttercup have dedicated their lives to fighting Eggman and the forces of evil!

Shouldn't it be Yacker xD?

[Ferno]

I see your PowerPuff reference and raise you:

This whole thing goes with this melody:

*From 0:00-0:31* Fun, platforming, fans. Mario obtained this, and everything else the gaming world had to offer, and his lasting words drove countless gaming characters to search for their own popularity: "You wan't-a my praise? You can-a have it, I've left-a all the answers to the perfect-a platformer in-a one place, now-a you just have to find it!" These words drove gaming characters to various consoles in search of fame greater than they could ever imagine, this is the beginning of the great gaming era!

-------

Grab my hand- and follow me- pretty soon we'll be-

In this game- this brand new world- that's really cool to see!

Sonic Colors!

Gimmicks left behind, they'll only slow me down,

My speed will drive my stride- as my feet- hit the ground.

I'll never forget, the friends I've left behind

And all the fun adventures, like flying- straight through time.

Through it all- through all the voices now-

Through the fanboys- and through the memes

Know that I'll- blast through it all, as bad, as it seems~

Because you know I'm way past cool!

So grab my hand- and follow me- pretty soon we'll be-

In this game- this brand new world- that's really cool to see!

I don't care what they say- My greeneyes are here to stay~!

Running, to keep you- entertained!

Sonic Colors!

*Instrumental Solo*

Starting from a scene, a place with hills of green

Gaining lots of fans, in my race- to victory.

Standing here and now, with my fans- their all around

They keep on cheering wildly- as I move fast as sound~!

Though at times- things seem rough,

My name gets dragged trough the mud-

But I won't- let that stop me- for too long!

Because you need me fast and strong!!

For the past twenty years, I've ran past all fear!

Straight Through the pain, joy and strain- through all the cheers 'n jeers!

I have stayed- fast and true- and it's all thanks to you!

Blue spikes, red shoes- rainbow-wisps!

Sonic Colors!

Grab my hand- and follow me- pretty soon we'll be-

In this game- this brand new world- that's really cool to see!

I don't care what they say- My greeneyes are here to stay~!

Running, to keep you- entertained!

Sonic Colors!

Sonic Colors!!!

Sonic Colors!!

... Procrastination is crazy. 0_0

...I'm not weird I'm just bored. >3>

Edited October 30, 2010 by Infernal Ferno

[Kuzu]

Give this man a prize, he just won the entire thread.