TSS @ SAGE 7: Day 1 - Sonic XG, Time Attacked, Eternal Rings and More

Yes, after a hiatus from reporting on the event, TSS is back bringing you the best of the Sonic Amateur Games Expo! Only The Sonic Stadium can get you impartial comments and reports right from the booths themselves, and every day this week we'll be giving you reports on many games at once! We've also got a bunch of interviews lined up too, so make sure you tune in every day for the latest! Are you ready for this?

SAGE 7 Day 1 Coverage

Games Covered Today:

• Sonic: Eternal Rings - TK/Myst Hedgehog;
• Sonic: Time Attacked - Jamie Bailey;
• Sonic XG - TK Games;
• Alex Kidd: Radaxian In Turmoil - Coldflame Productions;
• Tails to the Rescue - TK/Sonique Hedgehog

Game of the Day:

Sonic Time Attacked

Games Coverage

SAGE Coverage provided by Dreadknux
Click on the images to enlarge them...

Sonic Eternal Rings - Myst Hedgehog

Dread: During our interview, Myst Hedgehog said that he had cleaned out the old Eternal Rings engine for a new one. Last year, although nice enough, the old engine was quite jumpy and 'itchy'. We're happy to say that this new engine is very swish indeed, and incredibly close to Taxman's Retro Sonic engine!

The fact that this is the same engine as Sonic XG however, means it does feel like the two games are joined at the hip, if not unoriginal to play. Sonic Eternal Rings has the superior Level Design though, with breakable walls, grinding physics that feel very realistic indeed, and souped up graphics that makes the whole package feel like a Sonic game.

With Tails and Knuckles yet to add, we're hoping that S:ER will hold some kind of S3&K; style paths that are exclusive to each character. All in all though, this is a grand leap for a grand game.

• Visit Sonic Eternal Rings SAGE Booth

Sonic Time Attacked - Jamie Bailey

Dread: Well, who in the know of Fan Games _doesn't_ know about Jamie Bailey? This guy has been hailed as a legend by some, and is easily one of the best known guys in the community. Excitingly, Jamie's managed to finish the entire lot of his latest game, Sonic: Time Attacked, in time for SAGE 7.

Since this isn't a review, only a fleeting preview-type-thing, we can tell you that first impressions fall into the "one of the best at SAGE" category. The sprites and graphics are certainly impressive, and the 'Link' feature is one of the most ingenious items we've seen in a fan game yet.

Our only gripe is the level layout itself - very basic in early stages: run left, go up, run right, repeat to complete stage. But, we'll see how this game does when we review it very soon.

• Visit Sonic Time Attacked SAGE Booth

Sonic XG - TK Games

Dread: I like this game :) If Sonic XG and Sonic Eternal Rings play enormously similar, that's because the basic build of the engine used is the same. Doesn't really help either's case in being an original game, but TK Games and Myst have turned the two games into their own.

This game has some very good ideas - for example, running for a certain time with Sonic makes him go into overdrive; thus smacking any enemies he runs into into oblivion. This is a good move, as many Fan Games don't allow you to run very far without getting a badnik in the eye. The level design doesn't really compare much to Eternal Rings though, and it seems to lack that certain something.

TK Games have also added a wall kick in Sonic XG - first seen from Shadow Team in Sonic Avalanche. The wall kick implemented works differently if not a tad awkward however. The demo contains two zones, the second being most Sonic-y, if not a tad uninspired (due to the use of Dust Hill background from SFGHQ, used so many times in so many fan games before). All in all however, we're looking into this with interest.

• Visit Sonic XG SAGE Booth

Alex Kidd: Radaxian in Turmoil - Coldflame Productions

Dread: H Hog makes his first SAGE appearance this year with a new team, Coldflame Productions. The only game on offer here is this Alex Kidd offering. H is keeping schtum about his new development, only offering an engine of the classic Janken game for play.

Granted, playing the 'Rock, Paper, Scissors' game can get very tiring after about two minutes, but seeings as H Hog is being a sod and not letting any more details slip, it's good enough for me. ;D It's funny though, I swear to God that Janken knows my every bloody move - you choose scissors, he choose scissors, choose rock, he choose paper, choose paper, he choose scissors XD

The way the scenery is done is very "Kirby Deluxe" on the SNES, and the overly large hand is great :P Although for next SAGE, if interest is to keep above anywhere near fleeting, H better have a heap loadsa old-skool Alex Kidd action for us next time.

• Visit Alex Kidd: Radaxian In Turmoil SAGE Booth

Tails to the Rescue - Sonique Hedgehog/TK Games

Dread: TK Games must be giving Sonique a helping hand, because this is extremely buggy. Having said that, it is quite enjoyable. The level design is good, and the aspect of a new character is very interesting indeed. Bugs that happened including when Knuckles was hit he stopped dead (while climbing a wall). Couldn't move at all.

The ring bouncy system thing needs work, and while it's interesting to see an HP system included, at the moment we don't see the point in it when we have the rings. Perhaps something is on the cards?

• Visit Tails To The Rescue SAGE Booth