NP interview w/Jun Senoue

[Chaosmaster8753]

Nintendo Power: What was your reaction when you first heard that Sonic the Hedgehog 4 was finally going to happen after more than 15 years?

Jun Senoue: Takashi Iizuka and I worked together for a long time-from Sonic Adventure through NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams. Before that, the first Sonic game either of us ever worked on was Sonic the Hedgehog 3. So we first met...I think it was 17 years ago now. Anyway, he came to me one day out of the blue and told me that we were going to do a classic Sonic game again! At that moment, we didn't know yet if it was going to be called Sonic the Hedgehog 4. But from the beginning, he wanted me to compose the music in the same style as the classic Genesis games. Both he and I were really excited about the project and had a lot of fun working on it.

NP: How did you change or adapt your musical style for this return to the classic-style Sonic?

JS: Due to hardware limitations of the Genesis, we could only work with a certain number of notes and a certain number of sounds. Sonic the Hedgehog 4 is a game for current consoles, but I tried to compose the tracks the old-fashioned way. I went back to the basics. I didn't actually go back and use the old FM sound tapes, but I tried to compose with as few notes as I could. I went about it largely the same way I did with the music for the Genesis. Actually, I did try to dig up a development kit for the Genesis. But it requires an old Japanese PC from NEC-not a very common PC-and I couldn't find one of those. So all I could do was sample some sounds from the original Sonic.

NP: What was your approach to creating the sound for the various zones in the game?

JS: Splash Hill Zone is the first level in the game and it's very similar to the opening levels in the original Sonic the Hedgehog 1 and Sonic 2. So I wanted the music to be similar; the key word was "fun". Likewise, the second level is a casino-themed world, so I tried to draw from Sonic 2's Casino Night Zone. And I think the special stage music in Sonic the Hedgehog 4 will remind you of the original game's special stage. I tried to compose the songs with a similar beat or similar tempo to the first two games in the series. I want players to get the same kind of impression.

NP: Do you have a favorite track that you've composed for the game?

JS: I'd say the opening level of Splash Hill Zone. When I saw the game for the very first time, that track just came to me immediately. [sonic Team director Toshiyuki] Nagahara really dislikes that song, though. He wanted me to compose a new one, but it was important to me, so I didn't change it. [Laughs] I also really like the music for the first level of Mad Gear Zone.

NP: Since Sonic the Hedgehog 3 was the first game in the franchise that you worked on, does it feel like things have sort of come first circle now with Sonic 4?

JS: Absolutely. There are people I work with now who played Sonic 3 when they were very young children! That's pretty amazing to me.

[Detective Shadzter]

Thanks for the write-up! Should Jun Senoue really be talking about zones that aren't announced officially yet like Casino Street and Mad Gear? XD

[Blue Blood]

Thanks for the write-up! Should Jun Senoue really be talking about zones that aren't announced officially yet like Casino Street and Mad Gear? XD

All four of them were named in an interview with Iizuka a while back.

I agree with Nagahara disliking SHZ1. It sounds really rather lame compared to the rest of the game. It would have been great if he changed it. It's interesting to hear that Senoue wanted to make the music with a Mega drive though, rather than just use some samples.

Edited August 4, 2010 by Blue Blood

[Marcello]

Thanks for the write-up! Should Jun Senoue really be talking about zones that aren't announced officially yet like Casino Street and Mad Gear? XD

Lol, that is weird. xD Still, I have to agree with Toshiyuki Nagahara, though. I don't really like SHZ's Act 1 music. Act 2 sounds cool, though.

I wonder why he's basing the music off the first two, though? Because he didn't work on them and thought it would be a fun experiment or something?

[Chaosmaster8753]

Thanks for the write-up! Should Jun Senoue really be talking about zones that aren't announced officially yet like Casino Street and Mad Gear? XD

Think you might post this on other Sonic news sites or something?

[Detective Shadzter]

Think you might post this on other Sonic news sites or something?

Just wrote up a report -

http://www.sonicstadium.org/news/nintendo-powers-sonic-4-interview-with-jun-senoue

Thanks for the interview!

[mikeblastdude]

Hmm, pretty cool interview. I'm on Jun's side though, I love the track to SHZ Act 1.

[Nomad_350]

It's nice to see Jun be so humble, class act, him. And I do enjoy the melody he has going on in those tracks, you can hear how they could sound good but...

...what the hell man. Those instrument choices were terribad. I know I know, "lol Genesis style" but come on, I've heard Tweaker or -insert hacker here- make up better Genesis sounding tracks in their SPARE TIME. There's really no excuse for such sub par quality from him. And no, I can not and will not accept time restraints as an excuse. He has plenty of time to rework these tracks right now if he wanted to.

I'm sorry, Jun, I love ya, but you can do a lot better. You and Dimps both, actually.

</rant>

[JezMM]

I've heard Tweaker or -insert hacker here- make up better Genesis sounding tracks in their SPARE TIME. There's really no excuse for such sub par quality from him.

He wasn't going for Genesis SOUNDING though. He just wanted the melodies to have a similar vibe to them.

Not that I'd know, I've been avoiding the leaked stuff, so I've only heard Splash Hill in gameplay videos, and it sounded fitting enough to me (though funnily enough, certainly much more Sonic 3-ish than Sonic 1-ish).

Edited August 6, 2010 by JezMM

[speedfreak]

I got my new issue of Nintendo Power today and they have two pages on Sonic 4 in the download section. Well the first page is just a giant version of the "cover" of Sonic 4. It's really nice and looks like the cover of the American Sonic 1. The second page is a preview with a few new details and some new Lost Labyrinth screens.

-They played the new build.

-Moving wall section still in act 3 of Lost Labyrinth.

-Much harder moving wall section (it's actually a drill chasing you but same concept) in act 3 of Mad Gear.

-You're able to choose which zones you do in any order.

I'm not sure I like the idea of choosing zone order. Doesn't that mean we'll be taken to the menu every time we finish a zone? That's a real flow killer IMO. :/

[Blue Blood]

-They played the new build.

-Moving wall section still in act 3 of Lost Labyrinth.

-Much harder moving wall section (it's actually a drill chasing you but same concept) in act 3 of Mad Gear.

-You're able to choose which zones you do in any order.

Awesome matey. Thanks. Are you able to elbatorate on these things, specifically...:

- What has changed?

- Naturally, just so long as it isn't so cheap.

- Saw this in the leaks.

- FFFFFFF I was hoping this was just for testing purposes in the leaked build.

[Scar]

Awesome matey. Thanks. Are you able to elbatorate on these things, specifically...:

- What has changed?

- Naturally, just so long as it isn't so cheap.

- Saw this in the leaks.

- FFFFFFF I was hoping this was just for testing purposes in the leaked build.

Ruby Eclipse!!

We need you!!!

I'm sure we can get them to change it...hopefully...

This explains the lack of level transitions.

[Marcello]

-You're able to choose which zones you do in any order.

What?! Why would they do that?! This better change in the end

[Detective Shadzter]

Unless a SEGA rep told them the level select will be that way in the final, I'd disregard it. The E3 demo also allowed you to pick which Act of Splash Hill Zone you would like to play in any order, so this demo is probably set up in the same way for press to explore.

Thanks for the info speedfreak!

[Blue Blood]

Unless a SEGA rep told them the level select will be that way in the final, I'd disregard it. The E3 demo also allowed you to pick which Act of Splash Hill Zone you would like to play in any order, so this demo is probably set up in the same way for press to explore.

Thanks for the info speedfreak!

In the leaked build you have to play SHZ1 first, and after that you're free to play any act of any zone in any order.

[Detective Shadzter]

In the leaked build you have to play SHZ1 first, and after that you're free to play any act of any zone in any order.

I understand that. I just mean that maybe for press purposes they're doing this. The leaked build may have been set up like that for press too until it was put out for sale. I'm not saying that it's not possible for it to be released like that though. If it is released like that, then it will be a tad disappointing. I'd rather the level select be a reward for beating the game, like with Sonic 3 & Knuckles.

[Blue Blood]

The format is intentional, in the view that this game is a simple XBLA/PSN/WiiWare game meant to play right away with no holds bar. Also, it's not just "choose any stage" as you guys may think; there's an already built-in system in the game for unlocking the levels: You are meant to obligatory play Splash Hill Zone ACT 1 the first time you play thhe game. After you beat it, you'll be able to select between the acts of any of 4 main zones. Upon beating an ACT, you unlock the Time Attack mode for said ACT. If you complete the 3 ACTs of a zone, you unlock the Boss ACT of said Zone. If you beat the Boss ACT of each of the 4 main zones, you then unlock E.G.G. Station Zone.

If it was "just for the demos" as you implied, them they would have unlocked everything right from the begining, for testing puroses. Remember that the games goes to PartnerNet for auditoring, meaning that the games are evaluated as how the product for the final user is meant to be. The development houses don't upload "demos" on PN. As for the E3 build, that's indeed a demo for testing purposes, and as such, it has everything unlocked from the start (except you can only play the ACTs and Boss of Splash Hill Zone, and you start with 999 lives).

It's like that on purpose.

[JezMM]

It's still pretty obviously for testing purposes. It's possible they want to give the press some freedom but not too much. (So you CAN check out other zones, but you have to play a fair bit to see everything).

You're being really silly if you want to be adament that a level select will be in the final game from the start. I'd almost be tempted to accuse such a person of being a nerdy version of a drama queen, as if you want to believe this just because you want something new to complain about the game. 8I

[Blue Blood]

It's still pretty obviously for testing purposes. It's possible they want to give the press some freedom but not too much. (So you CAN check out other zones, but you have to play a fair bit to see everything).

You're being really silly if you want to be adament that a level select will be in the final game from the start. I'd almost be tempted to accuse such a person of being a nerdy version of a drama queen, as if you want to believe this just because you want something new to complain about the game. 8I

Jez, please don't try to stir shit with insults.

S4E1 in the state it was originally was a terrible excuse for what SEGA were claiming it to be, so the fact that it has been delayed due to negative reactions from the fans actually pleases me. This design is something I'd rather not have because it breaks the flow, but it's not the biggest problem in the world because you can opt to play the stages in the correct order. It's been brought up a few times in the past so there's every chance it'll get fixed, especially since it's only something minor. The level select is not an unusual feature, and wasn't left in for the press or testing.

[JezMM]

Jez, please don't try to stir shit with insults.

I never do. Insults are terrible to stir shit with. Use a big spoon like any normal sewage worker.

S4E1 in the state it was originally was a terrible excuse for what SEGA were claiming it to be, so the fact that it has been delayed due to negative reactions from the fans actually pleases me. This design is something I'd rather not have because it breaks the flow, but it's not the biggest problem in the world because you can opt to play the stages in the correct order. It's been brought up a few times in the past so there's every chance it'll get fixed, especially since it's only something minor. The level select is not an unusual feature, and wasn't left in for the press or testing.

But we don't know that there will be a level select in the final version. People seem to treat every single leak of Sonic 4 as the complete version, but such a thing doesn't exist until it is in our hands being played. And the ability to play levels in any order has never appeared in a Sonic game before and is a pretty damn unbelievable concept that they'd put in, especially considering they'd announce this kind of thing.

Edited August 25, 2010 by JezMM

[Dr. SEGA Monkey]

Sonic Rush also dropped you back into the menu after every act. So it's safe to assume this game will do it too.

I really wish they would let you play all the zones and acts without bringing you back to the menu, but that's not going to happen.

[speedfreak]

Damn it. Can't they get anything right with this game without having the fans tell them they're doing it wrong first? Getting kicked back to the menu after every stage is a huge flaw for a classic style game IMO. It completely kills the flow and takes you out of the experience. I really hope it's not like that in the final build.

[Blue Blood]

But we don't know that there will be a level select in the final version. People seem to treat every single leak of Sonic 4 as the complete version, but such a thing doesn't exist until it is in our hands being played. And the ability to play levels in any order has never appeared in a Sonic game before and is a pretty damn unbelievable concept that they'd put in, especially considering they'd announce this kind of thing.

We know, it just got officially revealed in the latest NP like 5 minutes ago.

[JezMM]

We know, it just got officially revealed in the latest NP like 5 minutes ago.

And they said you can play them in any order? With an official statement from SEGA?

[Marcello]

They said after Splash Hill you can choose freely. You have to beat them all to get to the Final Zone though.

Edited August 26, 2010 by MarcelloF