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In a new video presentation, the new hosts of Sonic Hacking Contest revealed a variety of changes to this year's iteration of the event. While you can watch the video yourself for all of the details, here's a few highlights: The event will now run for 9 days, from September 28-October 6. There will no longer be an "update week" for entries beyond fixing game-breaking glitches, and this year's submission deadline will be September 8. There will no longer be an expo category. Instead, there will be judged and unjudged entries, with unjudged entries now having higher quality standards than expo entries did, roughly on par with judged entries. They are now accepting translation hacks in the unjudged category. Check ou the video here: The date of the expo is subject to change, depending on when Sonic X Shadow Generations is coming out. Last year's contest had to be delayed due to Sonic Superstars. Stay tuned to Sonic Stadium for further SHC coverage! Original Post Content: View full story

Well, Sonic Generations is finally being remastered for modern platforms, with completely new Shadow content to boot. While surely exciting for most Sonic fans, this release comes with a massive potential downside for hardcore Sonic community: the loss of the original Sonic Generations PC port, and the hundreds of mods the community has made for it over the past decade. While not a guarantee, it’s not uncommon for companies to delist older, cheaper versions of a game they’ve made a remaster of. So, before it’s too late, I thought I’d write this open letter to SEGA with a simple request: please don’t delist Sonic Generations’ original port from Steam! The Sonic community has invested a lot of time and energy into Sonic Generations mods. From patches that help the game run better, to new characters and Sonic skins, to physics mods, to entirely new levels, the sheer volume of the game’s mods are extensive. There's even a mod that utilizes a Mario 64 ROM (that you have to source yourself) to insert Mario into Sonic Generations, complete with that game's physics. Generations has long been popular with the modding community, and some of my favorite Sonic mods in any given year have been for this game. Sonic Unleashed, a game otherwise unavailable on modern hardware outside of hardware taxing emulation and Xbox backwards compatibility, has had all of its stages brought to Sonic Generations via Unleashed Project, filling what is currently a gaping hole in Sonic game availability. Modders have expanded on Generations’ original concept with loads of new remade levels like Sonic Heroes’ Grand Metropolis, Sonic Rush's Water Palace, Sonic 2’s Mystic Cave, and a whole Sonic 2006 level pack that legitimately plays much better than the actual game. There’s even some really solid original levels like Shivery Mountainside, an awesome mod I reviewed a few years ago. Heck, modders even let me finally play as Scourge, something I’ve been wanting to do in a Sonic game for a decade now. Key to Sonic Generations’ popularity with modders has been its accessibility. Being able to download and run Sonic Generations off the Steam store has been invaluable, and has helped keep Generations relevant even as the consoles it was also made for fell into disuse and those versions became less accessible. For this to continue, this can’t change. Delisting Sonic Generations in favor of Sonic X Shadow Generations has the potential to render more than a decades worth of mods completely inaccessible to newer members of the community. Even if it’s possible to update these mods to work with the new game, most of these mods are no longer being updated and will likely be left behind. Worse, if Sonic X Shadow Generations doesn’t appeal to modders like the original game did, it would also make future works inaccessible. We’ve already seen this happen to some degree with retro Sonic’s PC modding scene. Sonic 3 AIR is a very popular fanmade version of Sonic 3 that utilized the Steam port of Sonic 3. Ever since that’s been delisted, fans have been forced to source their own ROM for Sonic 3 in order to enjoy AIR and it’s ever-increasing assortment of mods. Despite being a newer and more readily accessible release, Sonic Origins has failed to attract the same level of attention from modders. Thankfully, Sonic 3 ROMs are quite easy to obtain, so Sonic 3 AIR mods are still thriving. Sonic Generations, being a more advanced game, won't be that easy for new fans to obtain for these mods. I understand the downsides of leaving a $20 version of your big Sonic game up, but removing it would be a massive blow to the Sonic franchise’s biggest supporters. I would hope that whoever makes these decisions at SEGA is confident enough in the value Sonic X Shadow Generation’s new content to simply leave the old game up, but if this is somehow unacceptable I ask that you find some other way to keep this version accessible. Raise the price if you need to! Or include it for free with Sonic X Shadow Generations and let everyone who buys the game also receive the old version! Just please, find some way to keep Sonic Generations around. I don’t think we’re asking for much. View full story

If you're old enough to remember the classic fan-made Sonic 1 mod 'Sonic Megamix' (like us), then you're about to take an intense trip down memory lane here, as development group 'Team Megamix Mania' has announced that the latest version of its Sonic Mania mod will include 12 remastered stages from the original. And it's releasing on October 23! The launch of Version 0.9 of the mod is scheduled to coincide with the opening of the Sonic Hacking Contest 2023, which makes complete sense given the kind of project it is and its legacy in the modding community. While the big draw for older fans will be the complete reproduction of classic 'Megamix' stages in Sonic Mania's gameplay and graphics engine, the game also includes 8 brand new re-imagined Acts as well. Check out the video above, follow the Team Megamix Mania group on social media for the latest, and let us know what you think of the project in the comments section below! Original Post Content: View full story

Sonic Superstars has only been available for a few days, yet it has already become the focus of some interesting community creations. One particularly enterprising fan has shared a mod that replaces Sonic with his stylish model from Sonic Rush. 2023-superstars-rushmod1.mp4 The mod, developed by 'BeatzYT3' and posted on social media, is very much a work in progress but already includes a number of Rush features such as boost and mid-air tricks. "Have more Rush Sonker, He has a boost, falling and rising states (So you don't run in air), and an entire custom Hud, still heavily WIP," BeatzYT3 wrote. 2023-superstars-rushmod2.mp4 Another video was posted to prove the existence of the trick system, complete with audio samples as well. "There's still a lot left to do for Rush, but gonna make a full act video soon as a preview," they added. With the Sonic Hacking Contest 2023 right around the corner, the reveal of this mod is perfectly timed. And there's a lot of love for the Nintendo DS Classic Sonic Rush, so a mashup between this and Superstars will no doubt be a match made in fan heaven. Keep an eye on BeatzYT3's channel for more updates. Original Post Content: View full story

If you've been looking for some Photo Mode enhancements for the PC version of Sonic Frontiers, then this new community project might just do the trick. YouTuber Blue Vivacity has released a download for the open-zone adventure called the 'Emotes Mod', which adds over 130 poses and expressions to the game. Once installed, you will be able to launch Photo Mode and take advantage of a whole bunch of 'emotes' that can really add extra comedy, tension or drama to a particular scene - and it works with official DLC content too such as Sonic's Christmas outfit or the Monster Hunter costume. There are even poses for Super Sonic. On top of this, the mod comes complete with a Sticker and Frames pack, so you can further decorate your photos with cool Sonic themed borders and funny little images. We particularly like the Sonic the Hedgehog Master System box art-inspired framing, that very specifically caters to @Dreadknux's interests. All of these poses have been created by a team of community modders alongside Blue Vivacity, including The Duck Dealer, SonicPox and others, and are "inspired by artwork from the Sonic community". If you're interested in getting this on your system, check out the description in the YouTube video embedded above for the download link - the video also includes a tutorial on how to install the package. We want to see some of your best Photos taken using this mod, now. Feel free to share with us in the comments section below! Via Twitter View full story

You probably aren't surprised, as it happens every year. But still, it's reassuring to see that, indeed, it's happening. So, the Sonic Hacking Contest is returning for another year. If you're not familiar with the event, it's where Sonic fans can showcase their Sonic game mods and hacks. Content can be submitted to the Contest division, where they will be evaluated by judges and in the running for trophies. If that's not appealing, then there's always the Expo division! So, what has changed this year? Not that much. There are 2 major changes this year, however! The first one is that Sonic 3 AIR has received some more representation on the 2D PC judging team this year, something that, unfortunately, wasn't the case last year. The second major change is the introduction of entry limits. A user can submit no more than 3 entries to the Contest, but a team can still submit as many as they want. It is also being encouraged to merge multiple entries into a single one when possible, and for participants to send a message to the Contest's staff if the limit is difficult for them to stick to. And of course, the Contest Week dates were confirmed too! There was a little debate on changing the October time frame, but it was ultimately decided to stick to it. So, for this year, the Contest Week will be held from October 16th through 21st. Via Twitter Original Post Content: View full story

Many entries were submitted, many live streams have occurred, many votes were cast, but this year's Sonic Hacking Contest has come to an end. The only thing left is to reward the best of the best with some trophies, and the winners have been announced! This year marked the debut of Sonic 3 A.I.R., and it made quite an entrance. It had a lot of entries this year, and needless to say, it did well with winning various 2D PC trophies. Check out the full list down below. Top 3 of Each Category Sonic Trophies (1st Place) Retro (Judged & Community): Sonic the Hedgehog: Isle of Magnetic Artifacts by Neo Team Kyukyoku 3D (Judged & Community): Frozen Hill by Nikauu 2DPC (Judged & Community): Knuckles’ Emerald Hunt DX by MainMemory & KarlEmerald Tails Trophies (2nd Place) Retro (Judged & Community): Sonic & Johnny by Lone Devil 3D (Judged): Sonic 06 Definitive Experience v4.0 & STH2006 Project Demo 5 Mission Extravaganza by brianuuu 3D (Community): Sonic Forces Re-imagined - SHC 2022 Demo by brandonj 2DPC (Judged): Sonic 3 Redesigned by GFX32 2DPC (Community): Mighty and Ray in Sonic 3 A.I.R by iCloudius Knuckles Trophies (3rd Place) Retro (Judged & Community): Sonic Sunventure by Scrap Sorra 3D (Judged): SADX Chaos Edition V2 by VeritasDL 3D (Community): Sonic 06 Definitive Experience v4.0 & STH2006 Project Demo 5 Mission Extravaganza by brianuuu 2DPC (Judged): Sonic 3 A.I.R: D.A. Garden Edition by Thorn & D.A. Garden 2DPC (Community): Eggman 3 Angel Island Revisited by Bluesteak Retro Category Quartz Quadrant (Best Visual) - Judged & Community Sonic the Hedgehog: Isle of Magnetic Artifacts by Neo Team Kyukyoku D.A Garden (Best Audio) - Judged & Community Sonic the Hedgehog: Isle of Magnetic Artifacts by Neo Team Kyukyoku Hexadecimal (Best Technical) - Judged & Community Sonic Delta 40Mb (Sonic Delta Next) by Neto Chemical Plant (Best Level Design) - Judged Sonic & Johnny by Lone Devil Chemical Plant (Best Level Design) - Community Sonic the Hedgehog: Isle of Magnetic Artifacts by Neo Team Kyukyoku Professor Pickle (Most Entertaining) - Judged & Community Sonic & Johnny by Lone Devil Polygon Jim (Most WTF?!) - Judged & Community SHC2022 Sonic.EXE mega drive by lavagaming1 Chaotix (Best Team Entry) - Judged & Community Sonic the Hedgehog: Isle of Magnetic Artifacts by Neo Team Kyukyoku Rivals (Best Multiplayer) - Judged & Community Sonic & Johnny by Lone Devil Storybook (Best Cutscenes) - Judged Sonic Delta 40Mb (Sonic Delta Next) by Neto Emerl (Best Character Implementation) - Judged & Community Sonic & Johnny by Lone Devil Eggrobo (Best Boss Design) - Judged Sonic Skychaser by GTKoopa Eggrobo (Best Boss Design) - Community Sonic & Johnny by Lone Devil Motobug (Best Enemy Design) - Community Sonic the Hedgehog: Isle of Magnetic Artifacts by Neo Team Kyukyoku Mania (Best Fresh Concept Using Existing Concepts As A Backbone) - Judged & Community Sonic 1 - Score Rush by Giovanni Spinball (Best Entry of a Game Not Commonly Modified) - Judged & Community Silver Sonic: Rise of the Death Egg by Roebloz & TheLesha Blaze (Most Potential) - Judged Sonic Sunventure by Scrap Sorra Blaze (Most Potential) - Community Sonic the Hedgehog: Isle of Magnetic Artifacts by Neo Team Kyukyoku Silver (Most Improved) - Judged Sonic Sunventure by Scrap Sorra Studiopolis (Best Voted By Media Panel) Sonic the Hedgehog: Isle of Magnetic Artifacts by Neo Team Kyukyoku 3D Category Quartz Quadrant (Best Visual) - Judged & Community Frozen Hill by Nikauu Hexadecimal (Best Technical) - Judged DLC Restoration by ĐeäTh Hexadecimal (Best Technical) - Community SM64 Generations by Skyth Chemical Plant (Best Level Design) - Judged & Community Frozen Hill by Nikauu Professor Pickle (Most Entertaining) - Judged & Community SADX Chaos Edition V2 by VeritasDL Polygon Jim (Most WTF?!) - Judged & Community SADX Chaos Edition V2 by VeritasDL Chaotix (Best Team Entry) - Judged & Community Sonic Riders DX Version 2.0 by Extreme Gear Labs Rivals (Best Multiplayer) - Judged & Community Sonic Riders DX Version 2.0 by Extreme Gear Labs Emerl (Best Character Implementation) - Judged Sonic 06 Definitive Experience v4.0 & STH2006 Project Demo 5 Mission Extravaganza by brianuuu Emerl (Best Character Implementation) - Community SM64 Generations by Skyth Mania (Best Fresh Concept Using Existing Concepts As A Backbone) - Judged & Community Customizable Sonic by Lady_Lunanova Spinball (Best Entry of a Game Not Commonly Modified) - Judged DLC Restoration by ĐeäTh Spinball (Best Entry of a Game Not Commonly Modified) - Community Sonic Riders DX Version 2.0 by Extreme Gear Labs Blaze (Most Potential) - Judged Customizable Sonic by Lady_Lunanova Blaze (Most Potential) - Community Sonic Forces Re-imagined - SHC 2022 Demo by brandonj Silver (Most Improved) - Judged & Community Sonic Forces Re-imagined - SHC 2022 Demo by brandonj Studiopolis (Best Voted By Media Panel) - Four Way Tie DLC Restoration by ĐeäTh Sonic Forces Re-imagined - SHC 2022 Demo by brandonj Sonic Riders DX Version 2.0 by Extreme Gear Labs Customizable Sonic by Lady_Lunanova 2D PC Category Quartz Quadrant (Best Visual) - Judged SONIC MANIA VR - Mission Mode by jubbalub Quartz Quadrant (Best Visual) - Community Agent Stone in Sonic 3 A.I.R by HazelSpooder D.A Garden (Best Audio) - Judged SONIC MANIA VR - Mission Mode by jubbalub Hexadecimal (Best Technical) - Judged Sonic CD Randomizer by MainMemory Hexadecimal (Best Technical) - Community Achievements Plus+ (and Coins!) by fadeinside Chemical Plant (Best Level Design) - Judged & Community Sonic 3 A.I.R: D.A. Garden Edition by Thorn & D.A. Garden Professor Pickle (Most Entertaining) - Judged & Community Eggman 3 Angel Island Revisited by Bluesteak Emerl (Best Character Implementation) - Judged Additional Characters by Sotaknuck Emerl (Best Character Implementation) - Community Mighty and Ray in Sonic 3 A.I.R by iCloudius Eggrobo (Best Boss Design) - Judged & Community Agent Stone in Sonic 3 A.I.R by HazelSpooder Mania (Best Fresh Concept Using Existing Concepts As A Backbone) - Judged & Community SONIC MANIA VR - Mission Mode by jubbalub Blaze (Most Potential) - Judged & Community Sonic the Hedgehog Vintage - 2022 Demonstration by ZachmanAwesomeness Studiopolis (Best Voted By Media Panel) Knuckles’ Emerald Hunt DX by MainMemory & KarlEmerald via Sonic Hacking Contest Newsletter View full story

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. Dubbed the 'VM2', the remastered Dreamcast peripheral will feature the exact same connectors so that you can use it as a standard VMU, but with a bunch of 'next-generation' trimmings too. You will be able to charge it via USB, connect it to your PC for game save backups, and include a backlight for easier use. The VM2 is being designed and prototyped by Chris Diaoglou of Dream Mods fame. He has previously developed a number of Dreamcast-focused mods and peripherals, including a wireless controller, light gun and keyboard. Currently, the project is being crowdfunded via Indiegogo - so while its chances of actually being made hinge on both the success of the campaign and Diaoglou's ability to see the project through, it seems like there is enough material here to believe that the backers will be satisfied if the funding goal is met. Below, is a video of a prototype version in action. With the Dreamcast's 23rd anniversary in the US just passed, it might be time to get in on the ground floor with a modern-day project rooted in nostalgia and retro gaming. Now, where did we put our old Chao Adventure 2-loaded VMUs...? View full story

The great thing about the PC gaming community is that fans can create new (unofficial) content for their favourite games if they get bored. One particular PC user, known as Ryan 'Kaos' Daniel, has created character skins for FPS titles Quake III Arena and Star Trek: Elite Forces that allow you to play as the blue blur. Sonic with a shotgun! Quake III Arena models The reviews for Daniel's character mods, according to Sonic HQ, are incredibly positive, with the Quake model in particular being 'one of the best-looking skins' yet. Extra skins include Super Sonic, a 'Cyber' Sonic and a fan-made character called Psycho 'Shadow' Sonic (not to be confused with Shadow in the upcoming Sonic Adventure 2). Star Trek: Elite Force Converted model You can download the skins for Quake III Arena here. You can download the skins for Star Trek: Elite Forces Converted here. View full story