Aaron Webber: "Sonic 4 is about as challenging as the other 3."

[Jason the Jackass 506]

Source: http://sega-addicts.murnaumusic.com/?p=4198

Aaron Webber (RubyEclipse) was a guest on the Sega Addicts podcast. During E-Mail questions, one reader brought up the difficulty of Sonic 4. Aaron said that the difficulty of the game is on par with those in the original trilogy. He says that Splash Hill is fairly easy, but it gets progressively harder from there. "Some of the boss battles near the end gave me a real challenge and I died quite a few times."

On the homing attack, he had this to say (Not exact quote. Going on memory): "Some people think the homing attack is some kind of instant win button taking challenge out of the game, but that's not true. There's actually some detriment to using the homing attack. When you do a homing attack and hit a target, there is a quick moment afterward when you have no control. It's during that instance when could get hit." He was using the first Eggman boss battle as an example in which you could be in a mid-air animation and the ball might hit you because you just did a homing attack and your timing was bad. "In this case, it may be better to hit Eggman with a regular attack."

[Derg 16]

Come to think about it, the original trilogy didn't have any specific learning curves, with each having their own route of difficulty. Sonic 1 was good for the most part, except that Starlight zone was easier than what was before it. Sonic 2 was easy for the most part, but had trouble with difficulty spikes. I think Sonic 3 (and Knuckles) were good for the most part, but apparently had gimmicks that some people had "trouble" overcoming, in the middle of each part of the games no less. I haven't looked too much into the leaks, but if the difficulty curve can be consistent, then that's good to hear.

(Related to leaks)

At the moment, I have to disagree about the final boss though, it seems to be more about patience instead of difficulty; compared to the one it was based off in Sonic 2. Hopefully it can be tweaked to be better in the final.

[Scar 4798]

(Related to leaks)

At the moment, I have to disagree about the final boss though, it seems to be more about patience instead of difficulty; compared to the one it was based off in Sonic 2. Hopefully it can be tweaked to be better in the final.

(Related to spoiler in the above quote)

Well, that "Final Boss" isn't really a final boss, because its just Episode 1. Kinda like how the Sonic 3 Final Boss wasn't really as hard as the Sonic 3 and Knuckles Final Boss (and Doomsday)

[Rusty Spy 2643]

Who here bets that none of the detractors are gonna heed his words?

[Blue Blood 16573]

I dunno. What the classics weren't particularly difficult, but then again I mastered the classics as a child so I don't have a good perspective on how hard they were. Apart from some cheap sections, the levels look fun. Mad Gear is definitely harder than the stages before it. Either way, this is just E1. E2 and so should hopefully be progressively harder.

[ChaosSupremeSonic 6912]

Who here bets that none of the detractors are gonna heed his words?

Given this fanbase, I'd be surprised if that didn't happen at least once.

I personally think this game is would be easy no matter how you want to cut it (even if it didn't have the homing attack in it), but I'm willing to see for myself in due time.

Edited 15 Aug 2010 by ChaosSupremeSonic

[Marcello 6207]

Without counting CD, I think they got easier each time. Sonic 1 was hardest because of Labyrinth Zone and the lack of saving, Sonic 2 was easier and the only part that made it somewhat "hard" was that it had no saving and Sonic 3 and Knuckles was easiest, because getting a game over didn't matter anymore (Although, I never have this problem anymore. Lives are really easy to get) and the levels seem a bit easier than the other 2 games.. But maybe it's just my imagination.. Oh and the emeralds were easier to get in Sonic 3 since it saved them and you could just go back..

[BlueHammer 0]

I found the original games challenging but by far means not hard, if it's challenging it's fun but when it's hard it can be too frustrating.

[Candescence 2186]

To be frank, this really doesn't mean anything because the original games were a bloody cakewalk compared to every other platformer at the time.

[Legendary Aqua 1530]

The original games were fairly simple affairs except for Metropolis Zone, and everyone's favorite barrel.

[MrROBOTO1988 124]

To be frank, this really doesn't mean anything because the original games were a bloody cakewalk compared to every other platformer at the time.

Maybe to us because we played them to death. I've seen some of my friends who were never into Sonic as kids try playing on my mega collection, and they don't do so well their first few times. There definitely is challenge to the games, we're just so used to everything in them.

[ChaosSupremeSonic 6912]

Maybe to us because we played them to death. I've seen some of my friends who were never into Sonic as kids try playing on my mega collection, and they don't do so well their first few times. There definitely is challenge to the games, we're just so used to everything in them.

I'd say that for a beginner, the first stages are always the easiest. (well, no duh right there)

After that, the second or third stage actually ends up being where the real challenges start arising. Marble Zone in Sonic 1 shouldn't be too hard for anyone, but simply getting throught the second acts of Chemical Plant and Hydrocity in Sonic 2 and Sonic 3&K respectively can be quite a nuisance for someone just getting into the game. I remember my first times playing throught those stages; I kept falling through the floors in Chemical Plant and killing myself, and the wall in Hydrocity kept killing me until I figured out where I needed to be in order for the wall to stop.

I wouldn't say a cakewalk for any normal player, but they aren't exactly the hardest games for there times until after you get past certain levels in the game.

Play it too much, and you're not really going to feel the challenge any more.

Edited 23 Aug 2010 by ChaosSupremeSonic