Sonic Colors Footage From E3

[JaidynReiman]

Damn. Are we sure that this is actually a Wii game? Seriously, the visuals are awesome. Wish there was some footage with a COMPETENT player, but it still looks great. Now I'm actually hyped.

[LunarEdge]

^the videos don't load up for me

And yea Sonic did do a double jump wtf XD

[Badnik Mechanic]

The DS version should just be retitled Sonic Rush 3.

[Blue Blood]

First level on the DS is called Aqua Park. Cool. It has water.

[Phos]

^ Tsk. I don't think it's something to be worried about this time.

1. Unlevel ground is uncommon in 3D Sonic games. That Sonic can jump up and go down these steps is important.

2. There were no speed boosters. Instead we get a spring sending us backwards. I don't remember seeing speed traps like this in 3D before.

3. The huge Candy Bill sets up a platforming game where Sonic must get up on the walkway and down to cover before the bullet comes.

Seriously this is like the most platforming I've seen Sonic do in one place since 2001.

You can't really use Sonic needing to stop as some kind of litmus test for quality. The platforming taking place there was pretty simplistic in nature, with square obstructions and a camera that couldn't rotate. Reminds me of Crash Bandicoot. You could throw all the asshole springs, cuboid shapes, and candy bills in the world into that level and it's still a catwalk. Now it just has more chicanes. I appreciate what I think they're trying to do, and I suppose it could be called an improvement, but it's still not very interesting. None of the surfaces were curved or even angled, the unique gimmick was just a timing puzzle, and the only things to bounce off of were to be avoided.

It does look like he was almost able to change direction in mid air though. I'd like to see the extent of that.

[Rusty Spy]

You can't really use Sonic needing to stop as some kind of litmus test for quality. The platforming taking place there was pretty simplistic in nature, with square obstructions and a camera that couldn't rotate. Reminds me of Crash Bandicoot. You could throw all the asshole springs, cuboid shapes, and candy bills in the world into that level and it's still a catwalk.

None of the surfaces were curved or even angled, the unique gimmick was just a timing puzzle, and the only things to bounce off of were to be avoided.

It does look like he was almost able to change direction in mid air though. I'd like to see the extent of that.

Are you HONESTLY condemning a SINGLE, small, and very minor area of an ENTIRE LEVEL because it had the AUDACITY to be a straight line with blocks and no curves?

[Frozen Nitrogen]

Are you HONESTLY condemning a SINGLE, small, and very minor area of an ENTIRE LEVEL because it had the AUDACITY to be a straight line with blocks and no curves?

Phos makes a fair point. That game's less 3D than the Sonic CD special stage. If you're just running forward down a catwalk the whole time, then that's pretty much 1D, not 3.

Sadly, this is what the original magazine shots suggested as well: long, linear paths where the whole point seems set up to be "hold forward and jump occasionally". The level may be embedded in a 3D giant hamburger factory, but if gameplay is confined to a 1D strip of land I will be disappoint.

[Phos]

Are you HONESTLY condemning a SINGLE, small, and very minor area of an ENTIRE LEVEL because it had the AUDACITY to be a straight line with blocks and no curves?

Look man, you can believe whatever you want, I don't see why you would get defensive about it if you like what you're seeing.

Wait, I though Sonic bounced off of something unseen. Did he double jump? That isn't any less of a bad idea than it was when they tried it in Sonic Xtreme. You get plenty of control over the hight of your jump by holding the button down, seriously.

Edited June 16, 2010 by Phos

[EXshad]

You KNOW I'm the first person to bash pessimists... but I think Phos has a fair point. I mean, it looks like Unleashed 360, and that's basically what Unleashed 360 was. However, I don't have a problem with it, simply because it made the transition from 3D to 2D feel all the more fluent and kept the pace going. The somewhat-narrow areas with a static camera made it truly feel like an extension of 2D... in 3D, and I thought that was one of its strengths. Plus, another strength of this style of gameplay is no one can bitch about the camera being a pain in the ass to adjust. Also, Sonic Unleashed did have a handful of large areas in a good chunk of the levels, so... yeah.

But even so, some of the screenshots looked very open, so I don't think we should worry quite yet. I'd like to see Sonic in a big, wide-open environment, but I don't think it'd work very well given the combination of high-speed and 3D-to-2D changes in perspective. Each style has its strengths and weaknesses. Still, Unleashed had some big areas, so I think it's safe to say this one probably will too. We'll see.

Enjoy.

Edited June 16, 2010 by EXshad

[Rusty Spy]

I find it unfair that your disregarding the fact that the 3D sections actually have some slow platforming elements in them rather than being just flat running sections, ala Unleashed, which is how most previews described them. It's a step up from recent Sonic games.

[Ekaje]

Yeah, I share the same worries, because in most of the Wii version screenshots and videos we've seen only a single straight path. While I'm not thinking that the game is going to be terrible just because of a few straightaways, I'm not going to be really optimistic just because of pretty graphics and CG.

EDIT:

Enjoy.

Yeah, it looks pretty much like Unleashed, though the boost appears to be more of a burst of speed, though that may just be the player. Speaking of which, how the hell did he get an S-Rank? He spent about 30 seconds messing around before figuring out he had to use the drill to dig through the dirt next to the power-up. Unless, it was toned down for E3, the ranking system is definitely softer. And though it still looks like a straight path, there do appear to be a few extra spaces to drill to, and I spotted one optional rail, though it still runs along the same route as the ground.

Also:

-Power-up Wisps appear to be single-use

-Laser is aimed while Sonic spins in place before launching.

-When used immediately, Sonic sped of, and the camera had to catch up.

Edited June 16, 2010 by Ekaje

[EXshad]

Anyhow.... no one else is commenting on the vid I posted...

I think it's safe to say it's a sequel of Unleashed 360, it looks just like it. With some key exceptions. It looks like a boost IS back, however, it doesn't boost you forward nearly as fast as it did in the 360 version, and Sonic is not protected by a blue shield (which I'm guessing means if you hit an obstacle, you'll take damage). If this is true, in my opinion, it'll fix the boost problem even though it's in the game.

The graphics are still stunning, and some of the Wii's finest, and the difficulty truly does seem really easy, which I don't like at all. However, while there was no real "platforming" in this level, I know it exists thanks to multiple interviews and the first gameplay video we got, so that doesn't worry me.

So yeah, all SEGA's gotta do is up the difficulty and I'll be pleased. Maybe add some length to the level as well, it seemed really short. But... perhaps it was just a segment, due to it being a demo? or maybe there really are multiple acts, like in the classic games?

Oh, and the animal pods seem to be back in the 3D games, only this time, they hold captured Wisps!

Edited June 16, 2010 by EXshad

[Phos]

I find it unfair that your disregarding the fact that the 3D sections actually have some slow platforming elements in them rather than being just flat running sections, ala Unleashed, which is how most previews described them. It's a step up from recent Sonic games.

As I said, it's not a matter of speed. It doesn't matter how much crap you throw in Sonic's way if it isn't interesting to get around. The designers seem to agree, because the cyan wisp seems to have been made for the purpose of skipping large chunks of the level.

Edited June 16, 2010 by Phos

[Ferno]

Looks great. But, as always, I fear that it won't be well received because of the wisps...

High point for me: 60FPS!!! XD

[EXshad]

As I said, it's not a matter of speed. It doesn't matter how much crap you throw in Sonic's way if it isn't interesting to get around. The designers seem to agree, because the cyan wisp seems to have been made for the purpose of skipping large chunks of the level.

But how is making it streamlined uninteresting? The entire point of Sonic is to keep things moving at a fast-pace. Not necessarily run fast, as evidenced in the first gameplay video, put keep the pace going. By keeping things more streamlined, the player has less distractions and can keep things going while running very fast. Before Unleashed, most critics complained about the lack of level designs like this, and now I can see why. At a game going this fast, I definitely do not want a vague and overly large level design.

What IS uninteresting is the lack of obstacles, challenges, and general lack of content in place, but the level motifs, power-ups, and gameplay-style itself are anything but, IMO. It's like a hybrid racer/platformer, which I think is a perfect style for current Sonic games.

...as a side-note, I love how much stuff is going on in the level's background; it feels far more lively than Unleashed. In my book, that already 1 ups it!

Edited June 16, 2010 by EXshad

[Badnik Zero]

It looks to me from the video that the laser-Wisp is like the new light speed attack.

The opening level makes it seem like a whole game made of Eggmanland. I mean come on, this looks fun.

I'd compare the first video to the 3D ground portion of Mazuri. You know where you go through the little market looking area with the zip lines? But better. I like his double jump a lot. I never liked the hold-to-jump button, you have more range with a double. I've also been against corridor-platforming in the past, but I realize these aren't open world games. If they're giving us things to jump over and weave between it's better than the flat empty spaces from Unleashed Wii. I see in no way how the Sonic CD special stages are more complicated than this. Corridor games are more like the Chaotix special stage, which were indisputably awesome.

Oh, and the level end mini-game reminds me of the SEGA screen in Vectorman. And was that a QTE I saw...

Edited June 16, 2010 by Dabnikz

[Ruby Havoc]

Yeah this pretty much is Unleashed 2. From Sonics move set to the level gimmicks to some of the enemies. (The spinning purple one is from Unleashed.)

[PC the Hedgehog]

Definitely looks to strike an interesting balance between the Wii and 360 versions of Unleashed.

[Unholy Sonic]

Laser wisp is nothing like the light speed attack since it doesn't home on any enemies also uncontrollable since the light speed attack could be canceled.

[Rusty Spy]

As I said, it's not a matter of speed. It doesn't matter how much crap you throw in Sonic's way if it isn't interesting to get around.

That's all a matter of opinion. Frankly, I find having to jump across elevated stretches at the right time to avoid giant missiles that explode into jellybeans to be interesting.

The designers seem to agree, because the cyan wisp seems to have been made for the purpose of skipping large chunks of the level.

If by large chunks you mean ricocheting off of enemies in a relatively short area, than yes, that looks to be the case.

No worse than every high speed section in nearly every game since Sonic 1 which required just as much input.

[CrownSlayers Shadow]

Graphics aside, I'm with the party who sees this as Unleashed 2.

I'm actually disappointed in seeing it as straighfoward as it is, tho I can live with it. If anything, I can get over it being as linear as it is, but I do wish we got a more open field.

Oh well. At least it seems to be taking visual cues from Ratchet and Clank the way I see it. Mario Galaxy had planetoids, but Ratchet and Clank had more structures to it. (I haven't played SMG2 tho. )

[Ruby Havoc]

Considering that this is the first level I have hope that the levels get less straightforward and harder.

[Hedgehog Unleashed]

and nintendo thought that they could bring Monsters Hunters Tri graphics? Really Nintendo can go with the graphics up to SMG or Zelda TP or brawl they can't even do better and then they thought they could bring monsters hunters Tri graphics?

SEGA Beats Nintendo in every possible way , Sonic Team are So Skilled.

Considering that this is the first level I have hope that the levels get less straightforward and harder.

well the stage had dozens of multiple paths the player just didn't use them

the grinding parts and the flying enemies he could have homed attacked ...etc

[Unholy Sonic]

Moar challenges will come with the later stages as long as it doesn't do like unleash:

Easy:

Mazuri, Apotos, Spagonia, Chun-Nan, Holoska

Medium:

Shamar, Abadat, Empire City

WTFHAXHURD:

Eggmanland

Also no gay missions ala http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qyPSoZC2qc. Please.

[Ekaje]

and nintendo thought that they could bring Monsters Hunters Tri graphics? Really Nintendo can go with the graphics up to SMG or Zelda TP or brawl they can't even do better and then they thought they could bring monsters hunters Tri graphics?

SEGA Beats Nintendo in every possible way , Sonic Team are So Skilled.

well the stage had dozens of multiple paths the player just didn't use them

the grinding parts and the flying enemies he could have homed attacked ...etc

However, some of them sent you along the same path as if you ran.

Edited June 16, 2010 by Ekaje