The wait is almost over for those looking for some Sonic Prime merch to go with their favorite, new Sonic series. PMI will soon bring out Sonic Prime figurines (pictured below), action figures, plushes, and more! The merchandise based on the popular Netflix series will be coming out this summer. You can read the announcement and see the first images of some of the toys below.
Some rediscovered techniques have rooted out hidden characters in the AM2 arcade fighter!
Continue reading Sonic & Tails Have Been Hiding in Fighting Vipers Since 1995Fuji News Network is reporting that Yuji Naka, former Sonic Team head, has been arrested for insider trading in relation to his time working at Square Enix.
Continue reading Yuji Naka Has Been Arrested For Insider Trading – Updated Dec. 7Just a week after the release of Sonic Frontiers, SEGA’s looking to hire new developers to work on future games in the franchise.
SEGA of Japan’s Twitter account made the announcement yesterday, saying it was “looking for people to work on the Sonic the Hedgehog series,” before linking to a job listing.
Whether this is an expansion of existing development capability, or filling in existing positions, is currently unknown.
via Twitter
How many hedgehogs does it take to maintain a 30-year-old multimedia franchise? At least 1.51 billion according to SEGA Sammy’s latest 2022 Integrated investor report, spread across physical and digital game units and mobile downloads.
Continue reading Sonic’s Moved 1.51 Billion Game Sales and Downloads (If You Include Mobile)Alongside the latest TGS Trailer for Sonic Frontiers last week, Sonic Team revealed a new animated logo bump. The 5-second clip shows the titular blue streak collecting rings as the trail forms the Sonic Team logo.
In an official blog post on Sonic Channel, producer and creative director Kazuyuki Hoshino optimistically touts the studio’s staff and legacy:
The Sonic Team is full of energy and motivation, consisting of veteran team members, who have been here for a long, long time, and newcomers bringing in their own fresh take on things. These talented groups of people are able to come together to make this team even stronger. We want our fans to know that when they see this logo, they are guaranteed to get a good game from Sonic Team.
This follows Sonic Frontiers’ director Morio Kishimoto hoping that the upcoming game bolsters the reputation of the studio. Confidence in Sonic Team has long been shaky within the fan community and especially outside of it. With Kishimoto approaching Frontiers as a generational shift in Sonic games, there is no time more pivotal for the studio to prove that its internal confidence is justified.
If you have fond memories of playing Chao Adventure on your little Dreamcast Visual Memory Unit while on the go, then you might be interested in a little product that’s being crowdfunded right now – a modern-day VMU system with microSD support, a sharper screen and multi-memory card capabilities.
Continue reading Dreamcast Modder Launches Crowdfunder for Next-Gen ‘Visual Memory Unit 2’Ever since SEGA Japan announced the Mega Drive Mini II, we have been eagerly awaiting news of a Western version of the new microconsole. The US got theirs – the Genesis Mini II – and now finally fans in Europe can get their nostalgia fix with a region-specific branded version of the console that just… reminds us of simpler days, you know?
Continue reading SEGA Mega Drive Mini II Finally Gets A Europe Edition, Pre-Orders OpenIf you’ve never seen the FMV on original hardware, you’re in for a surprise.
Continue reading Japan Getting Mega Drive Mini 2, Will Include Sonic CDYes, I already know you’re writing your comment that they should host Crush 40. You can stop writing it now.
Continue reading Summer Sonic (Japanese Music Festival) to Host Collab with Sonic (Fictional Hedgehog)Today, in an announcement that the event will be partnering with IMAX, Summer Game Fest released a brief compilation trailer featuring a number of upcoming and released games. Among them was Sonic Frontiers, but before anybody gets too excited, no, it isn’t new footage:
At this time, we don’t exactly know if this is being shown as a confirmation of some games that will be there or to highlight games previously part of the Game Awards/Summer Game Fest ecosystem, so for the time being, we’re reporting this as rumor until we hear explicitly that it will be present. Other games shown in it include the already-released Elden Ring and Tiny Tina’s Wonderland, as well as the yet-unreleased One Piece Odyssey.
The event is scheduled for Thursday, June 9 at 11 AM PT, 2 PM ET, and 6PM GMT, and will be available streaming and in IMAX theaters in the U.S., the U.K., and Canada.
This is the second time Frontiers has been given a significant spotlight within the broad Keighley-sphere. Late in 2021, The Game Awards premiered a teaser trailer that partially revealed the open world nature of the game alongside a trailer for Paramount’s Sonic the Hedgehog 2. SEGA’s remained tight-lipped on the game (despite a handful of leaks), and we’ve yet to see any actual gameplay footage of the Holiday 2022 title. Sonic’s presence at Summer Game Fest should hopefully clear up a few more lingering questions about the title.
Thanks to Dodger24848 for the news tip!
For as polished as Sonic Unleashed’s graphics are, its biggest visual flaw is its framerate. The Xbox 360 version played at a mostly steady 24-30 (capped) FPS, while the PS3 version was worse for wear despite an uncapped framerate that would bring the game up to 48FPS on occasion, but dropping to 24FPS or below ruining the flow of the game.
In many ways, the game’s graphic-intensive “Hedgehog Engine” was a bit too ahead of its time. It couldn’t keep a steady 30 FPS on the most powerful system of that era. It would take 2011’s Sonic Generations to iron the kinks out. While the Werehog levels weren’t affected too much by the framerate, several daytime Sonic levels dropped frames horribly. Jungle Joyride became a slideshow at times. Now, in 2022, Sonic Unleashed’s full potential has been unlocked thanks to the Boost Mode on the Xbox Series S/X, bringing the game to a steady 60 FPS.
To me, this brought the game from a guilty pleasure to a legitimately good Sonic title. Sonic’s daytime levels run as smooth as silk, giving you better handling and control. Even the Werehog levels feel less cumbersome as Sonic now feels faster and more responsive. There seems to be less blur as well. The high framerate allows for a faster response time. I can honestly say I was actually enjoying the Werehog levels for a change.
That doesn’t mean the game’s old flaws aren’t still present. Medal collecting near the end game is still soul-crushing, the Werehog levels are still a bit too long, and having the camera suddenly change position when you’re balancing across a steel beam is still as irritating as ever. That said, if you love this style of Sonic gameplay, it’s never looked or played better than it does on Series S/X.
The Series S/X boost mode also improves other Sonic titles as well. Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing Transformed gets a 60 FPS boost, and Sonic Generations runs at both 4K resolution and 60FPS.
To see Sonic Unleashed in action on the Series S/X, check out our gameplay video below.
Sonic the Hedgehog co-creator Yuji Naka has spoken out against publisher Square Enix over the release of Balan Wonderworld, claiming he was removed from the project as director months before the game’s launch – which led him to sue the Final Fantasy company.
Continue reading Yuji Naka Reveals He Sued Square Enix For Balan Wonderworld Removal, Criticises Game Release ‘A Disgrace’If you wanted any of those older digital releases of Sonic 1, 2, 3 & Knckles, and CD, you might want to get them soon, because most of them are getting delisted on May 20. This news comes via a press release from SEGA, which confirmed the delisting of these games across all platforms outside of the Nintendo Switch and mobile.
Specifically, every individually released version of Sonic 1, 2, 3, Sonic & Knuckles, and Sonic CD are all getting delisted from Steam, Xbox, Playstation 3 and Playstation Now. The SEGA AGES releases of Sonic 1 and 2 on Switch will remain, as will Sonic 1, 2 and CD on iOS and Android. The 3DS releases have yet to be specified, but with that digital service ending next year they likely aren’t bothering with it.
Sonic Channel released a somewhat more detailed list of what was being delisted, though while they say Sonic CD will be among the games getting delisted, it’s not on the list. This is likely just an oversight. You can find that here.
If you’ve shelled out for the Switch Online Expansion Pack for the bonus retro games, Sonic Spinball, Shining Force II, and Space Harrier II have been added to the Genesis app. To coincide with this update, Nintendo released a brief gameplay sample of each:
There have been plenty of collections and re-releases of these games, but let’s be real, the true hero of these releases is the rewind. Sonic Spinball is hard. It’s not very long, no, but have you ever made it to that final stage? It’s absolutely insane. So if you’re already invested in the pack, why not just boot it up and cheat your heart out? I won’t hold it against you.
Tails is a Vtuber now, apparently! Via an announcement on Twitter, SEGA has revealed “TailsTube,” a new “informative” web series about all things Sonic. This series will be hosted by a Vtuber avatar of Tails voiced by Colleen O’Shaughnessey. Beyond what’s revealed in the tweet, not much else is really known about the show. Will there be announcements? Interviews? Game presentations? We’ll just have to see.
You can check out the brief announcement video in the tweet embedded below. The show will launch sometime next week.
This isn’t the first time Sonic characters have become vtubers. Last year, SEGA of Japan turned Sonic into a vtuber for the franchise’s 30th anniversary. Tails later joined him in a stream in December. This is the first time this will be done in English, though.
With the first wave of Steam Deck units shipping less than a week from now, it’s a good time to look at what Valve has given the confident thumbs up, the shaky sideways thumb, and the sad thumbs down. Steam has introduced a new page to check your library’s compatibility, so if you’ve got one on order (or plan on getting one), go check it out.
Continue reading Which Sonic Games Are Compatible with the Steam Deck (So Far) [UPDATED Feb. 23]It may be the Year of the Tiger, but for us Sonic fans, it will always be the year of the hedgehog. Paramount Pictures Malaysia has just released some new advertisements celebrating the Chinese New Year. You can see these new renders down below. Sonic 2 hits theaters on April 12 and April 28 in Malaysia.
Seems like we have this sort of thing every year from the Japanese Sonic marketing team, but today we have a new promotional messaging design announced by the official JP Sonic channel. Get ready for ‘Project Sonic ’22’!
Continue reading Sonic Official Announces “Project Sonic ’22” Promotional MessagingIf, you know, you wanted to do that for some reason.
Continue reading Play Sonic with Your Face in a New TikTok FilterGoodbye, tiny train.
Continue reading After Seven Years, The Lalaport Fujimi SEGASonic Railway Service EndsSEGA says quality beats discounts with Frontiers.
Continue reading Sonic Frontiers Was Once a 2021 Title, and Other Investor Q&A RevelationsSEGA Hardlight, the company behind many of Sonic’s mobile games (including Sonic Dash & Sonic Forces) is now hiring. According to Hardlight game designer Antony Lavelle, the company is looking for both an experienced and an entry level UK-based game designer.
If you meet those criteria and want to work for the studio, check out their website here.
via Twitter
The “Super Game” returns.
Continue reading SEGA and Microsoft forming “Strategic Alliance” With Azure Cloud PlatformEmphasis on “Mania.”
Continue reading Sonic & Tails Guest in Animated Banana Mania Launch TrailerYou want MUSHA? Then you better pay up.
Continue reading Sonic 2 and Other Genesis Titles Coming To Nintendo Online’s Expansion PassYour sealed copy of Outback Joey weeps.
Continue reading Graded Sonic 1 Breaks Goldin Auctions Sales RecordsIf you liked it on YouTube, you can now get it for your music library.
Continue reading Sonic 30th Anniversary Symphony Album Now AvailableThe Tokyo Game Show will be holding a concert featuring video game music called “Tokyo Game Show FES” to commemorate its 25th anniversary, and Sonic Colors Ultimate will be among the games featured.
The Sonic Colors Ultimate portion of the concert will take place at Stage 01 at 5:00 PM JST on October 2.
We already saw this coming, but we now have official footage of Sonic and Tails in Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania, celebrating both Monkey Ball’s 20th anniversary and Sonic’s 30th!
Continue reading Sonic & Tails Roll Into New Super Monkey Ball TrailerSmith’s return was “one last job” according to Monkey Ball voice actor.
Continue reading UPDATE: Roger Craig Smith Pushes Back on “One last job” Rumor.We’re not ones to push rumours and hearsay on the blue blur’s birthday, but according to a frequent Famitsu and Weekly Shonen Jump leaker, SEGA Japan appears to have plans to turn Sonic the Hedgehog into a VTuber.
Continue reading Report: SEGA Japan Plans To Turn Sonic into a VTuber, Wants to Open a Sonic Theme ParkLast year, SEGA sold their Joypolis amusement business to the China Animation Cultural Technology Group. Now CA Joypolis, the company created by that sale, is exploring expanding the SEGA-branded indoor park into overseas markets. The news comes from YouTuber and former Sonic Stadium staffer Dave “Badnik Mechanic” Luty.
According to a report CA Joypolis released, “the Group has entered a [memorandum of understanding] with another international partner to select a location for launching theme park in the UK within approximately half a year and explore the possibility to launch theme parks in Europe, North America and elsewhere.”
At the moment, there are three Joypolis locations, all in Asia, with a fourth now planned to open in South China. It’s been a long time since western markets have seen a proper SEGA theme park, with the only serious attempt SEGAWorld, which launched in the UK and Australia back in the 90s, and only lasted a few years. Sonic’s presence at the current Joypolis locations doesn’t tend to be that large, due to the character’s lack of popularity in Asia. One wonders whether or not a UK version of the park would feature the character more prominently.
We may have a better idea of whether a UK Joypolis location will happen, and perhaps what form it will take, by the end of the year.
via Badnik Mechanic
The official Sonic 30th anniversary website has now launched, and it looks to be everyone’s one stop hub for all info regarding events, merchandise, and games coming out this year.
The website has a list of recent and impending events, including yesterday’s Sonic Central stream, the upcoming Sonic symphony on June 23, and something called a “Ring series,” which appears to be a series of videos focusing on both Sonic fans and creators. The Ring series doesn’t currently have a date.
The website also has sections devoted to Sonic Colors Ultimate, merchandise, his mobile games and game tie-ins, and a download gallery with a few wallpapers.
You can check it out here.
Sonic will experience the post-apocalypse this June in Fist of the North Star LEGENDS ReVIVE.
Continue reading “You’re Already Dead” in Sonic x Fist of the North Star Mobile CollaborationDuring the Sonic Central event this morning, it was announced that Sonic would be guest-starring in other game series in different forms.
First up. is “Tokyo 2020” where Sonic, in mascot form, will be playable in several events including baseball, basketball, football (soccer), and more. Coming June 22nd
Next up is Sonic DLC for “Two-Point Hospital” The hospital staff will be able to swap out their scrubs for Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles costumes. You can then add Sonic decorations to your hospital as well. The free DLC comes July 30th
The classic arcade game, Sonic the Fighters will appear in “Lost Judgment”. The sequel to the 2018 “Yakuza” spinoff. Lost Judgement comes out on September 24th.
There was also a hint of Sonic DLC for Minecraft, but no details were given outside of a tiny snippet of video.
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