Sonic 4 Episode 1 & 2 being de-listed from mobile stores

[Milo]

I mostly just don't get why nobody was screaming, "Hey, if we're making a sequel to the first three games, shouldn't we play them over and over for a few weeks to get a feel of what the 4th would be like?"

I know Sonic's all about variety and change each game but holy lord, the classic trilogy is a holy grail. They went too far changing that.

[Blue Blood]

Perhaps the biggest indicator that S4 was originally an independent mobile title is its artstyle. The game started development in 2009 when smartphones were (relatively) not very powerful, but having everything in 3D was popular. So to get around it Dimps decided to use low poly models for the characters and pre-renders for everything else. I've seen confusion in the past, so just to clarify a pre-render is basically just a screenshot of a 3D model. They're to make thing look 3D but to save on processing.

This would never have been considered for a second if it was a console title; we'd have gotten something more akin to S4E2 right off the bat. Pre-renders have looked cheap and lazy for a long time now because actual models can do the job much better and can note can easily handle it. Smartphones can now as well, but not so much back then.

Then we move in to crap like the tilt controls, stopping on a dime, "arcade" structure and the general low budget stench and it all becomes very clear.

[Badnik Mechanic]

Another big clue is that listing on the PSN which is something like Sonic D. No idea if it's still there, but that thing pops up and then a few months later Sonic 4 is confirmed.

[Milo]

Another big clue is that listing on the PSN which is something like Sonic D. No idea if it's still there, but that thing pops up and then a few months later Sonic 4 is confirmed.

 

I think that was meant to be "Sonic DL" which was the file name for the first trailer for Episode I (back when it was under the codename Project Needlemouse) and was the given name for the game when it was listed on digital stores, well before Sonic 4 was revealed to be the official title.

[Blue Blood]

I think that was meant to be "Sonic DL" which was the file name for the first trailer for Episode I (back when it was under the codename Project Needlemouse) and was the given name for the game when it was listed on digital stores, well before Sonic 4 was revealed to be the official title.

 Jun Senoue also stated in an interview that he was approached to make music for a classic Sonic game but that at that time it was untitled. Dum dee doo... Thank-you, Google!

 

http://www.sonicstadium.org/2010/08/nintendo-powers-sonic-4-interview-with-jun-senoue/

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.

Also...

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.

 

Nagahara tried to save Splash Hill. I certainly don't agree with Senoue that it sounds "fun". Splash Hill 1 has also sounded droning and kinda depressing to me. 

[TheOcelot]

 Jun Senoue also stated in an interview that he was approached to make music for a classic Sonic game but that at that time it was untitled. Dum dee doo... Thank-you, Google!

 

http://www.sonicstadium.org/2010/08/nintendo-powers-sonic-4-interview-with-jun-senoue/

Also...

 

Nagahara tried to save Splash Hill. I certainly don't agree with Senoue that it sounds "fun". Splash Hill 1 has also sounded droning and kinda depressing to me. 

 

I do like the music for Mad Gear Act1. Probably one of the best tracks in the game, but as for Splash Hill Act1 (and the rest of the soundrack for that matter) it's just so poor. Iizuka may have wanted Sunoue to compose music in style of the classics, but why was it so lackluster ? Maybe because of the limited budget, lack of instruments used or Sunoue just did a bad job.

[jennytablina]

 Jun Senoue also stated in an interview that he was approached to make music for a classic Sonic game but that at that time it was untitled. Dum dee doo... Thank-you, Google!

 

http://www.sonicstadium.org/2010/08/nintendo-powers-sonic-4-interview-with-jun-senoue/

Also...

 

Nagahara tried to save Splash Hill. I certainly don't agree with Senoue that it sounds "fun". Splash Hill 1 has also sounded droning and kinda depressing to me. 

[TheOcelot]

Well, well, well.....................

 

My galaxy android S4 received software update "5.0 lollipop" today. I've just tested Sonic CD, 1, 2, Jump Fever and Runners and the good news is the software update hasn't affected them. They still play absolutely fine. No issues. In fact it actually feels like Sonic 1 & CD are running even more smoothly, but I digress...

 

Now, you guys remember what SEGA said:

 

If you have already purchased a game that is being removed from the store you will be able to continue to play it after it’s been taken down. It will remain in your purchased apps where you will be able to download it again if you delete it or acquire a new device until the game becomes incompatible with the latest phone operating systems or hardware.

[TheOcelot]

I wasn't expecting this.

Episode 2 received an update on Google play on 12th October. 

What's New

-- Bug fixes for Android Lollipop support

-- Bug fixes for Green Throttle support

 So does this mean I will be able to play Episode 2 again on my phone???

Well, it won't let me download the new update. Sooooooo.........

[GuyWithThePie]

Looks like Episode 2's back on the US App Store, and with a brand new update to boot. Wonder if this means they'll update Episode 1 to have HD support on newer phones?

[goku262002]

Huh, so they are back? go figure. didn't think they would ever return.

[GuyWithThePie]

I'm pretty sure Episode 1 was never removed from the US App Store, but Episode 2 definitely was.

[Shiny Gems]

So, they are back. What do you guys think this may mean? Just curious.

[Haalyle]

Doesn't surprise me with them being back, since they didn't really leave certain other stores.

[Rey Skywalker-Ren]

That "the sequal you waited 16 years for!" still makes me laugh haha

[GuyWithThePie]

That "the sequal you waited 16 years for!" still makes me laugh haha

Sonic 4 as you truly imagined it.

[molul]

Oh, my... This thread made me revive those days at Sonic 4's official forums, when we were crying for this game not to be released with that name because:

-Stages, badnicks, and bosses were rehashes of Sonic 1 and 2.

-Special stage was Sonic 1's.

-No Tails and no Knuckles.

-No elemental shields.

-Physics. You know...

-No insta-shield.

-No bonus stages.

-Sonic's running animation (hadn't the "red circle" in his legs).

-The unwanted homing attack, which should have been a shield.

-The whole game was really poor, in terms of sound, graphics, level design...

 

Although we were promised this was "Sonic 4 as you truly imagined", we slowly discovered this was some kind of cheap Sonic mobile market test game, that some dumb person at Sega thought that calling it Sonic 4 (a game I'm sure he never played) would just help sales. I wasn't into modern Sonic, but I didn't mind Sonic 4 had new Sonic's design. That's ok, but the rest? Sega, it was really difficult to do it that bad. I mean, REALLY difficult.

Sonic 4 proved that Sega's product managers aren't aware of the company's legacy. Not only they're forgetting a lot of franchises that could give a lot of money (Ristar, Golden Axe, Streets of rage, Alex Kidd...), but also they don't know how to make a proper sequel of one of Sega's highlights (Sonic 3 & Knuckles), which is as easy as getting everything from that game and adding some more stuff. Going backwards is not making a sequel. Rehashing levels, bosses and special stages is not making a sequel.

Even sadder was watching Ken Balough calling some fans to discuss about what Episode 2 should have to fix all the disaster that was Episode 1. And some things were improved, but still, it wasn't Sonic 4 as we truly imagined. Stage 1 was Marble Garden with Aquatic Ruin, there was Sky Chase and Wing Fortress... Some levels looked a little new, but still, half the game was a rehash. Oh, and what about the special stage? Sonic 2's updated! LOL.

Sega really screwed it big time with Sonic 4. A game directed by someone that clearly didn't know the games that this game was supposed to build from. Or didn't have the talent to make it right. Fans won't forget.

[GuyWithThePie]

At least Episode 2 was pretty nice.

[Idon'tcare]

Ah Sonic 4, a game I didn't even finished. I beat Sonic 4 episode one with all emeralds, episode two I just gave up on doing Oil Desert act 2, partly from getting too frustrated with the forced Tails gimmicks and partly from the games love of cheap death traps. Nothing like getting wasted by an off screen enemy or bottomless pit because the camera can't keep up with you.

Quote

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.

Ehh, that's pretty low on the scale for music I liked in that game. In fact I found it to be a pretty depressing first zone theme for a brand new Sonic. I did like the Mad gear zone music and a few other tracks but mostly the music was really lackluster. I guess they tried to hard to bring back the 16bit music feelings on a vastly superior piece of sound hardware not built for midi/mp1 style music.

Worst sound stage however was the final boss music, a grand 8 second repeating techno tune that felt like ice cold needles getting stabbed into my ears.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaBgb2T1MnA

12 hours ago, Mikyeong said:

That "the sequel you waited 16 years for!" still makes me laugh haha

It makes me weep a bit that SEGA's PR department went with that line. It's like they just wanted to be an extra bit patronizing towards their customer base before closing up shop for the day.

 

[GoldfishGroup]

Episode 1 still doesn't work on Android.

[goku262002]

5 hours ago, GoldfishGroup said:

Episode 1 still doesn't work on Android.

What phone and android version do you have?

[Badnik Mechanic]

So what does this update do? Just compatibility or does it actually do anything?

[BlueTidalGamer]

Just bug fixes really. Oh and my data was deleated with the update so it's back to the beginning again. 

[Milo]

36 minutes ago, BlueTidalGamer said:

Just bug fixes really. Oh and my data was deleated with the update so it's back to the beginning again. 

Funny, the exact same thing happened with an update for Episode I iOS (Ver. 1.3) back in 2012. The update said it had "bug fixes and enhancements" but all it did was insert an ad for Episode II while deleting whatever save data existed on the device. :v

[GuyWithThePie]

Wonder why they never bothered to give Episode 1 a graphical update for newer iPhones? They did that with the iPad version where they updated nearly every model to not use the cel-shading effect anymore. Why couldn't they do that with the iPhone version, especially since it could handle Episode 2 which was much more advanced?

EDIT: Looks like I predicted the April 4th update.