What I'd like from a new Sonic game

[molul]

Lately I've been playing a lot Sonic 1 and 2 remasters, and 3&K through emulation. I also gave another chance (4th?) to Sonic 4 I and II (very short, I'm afraid), and finally got back to Sonic Generations, which I've found much better than what I remember when I first played it. At the same time, I've been playing SNES' Donkey Kong Country 1, 2 and 3, and New Super Mario Bros Wii.

All this mix of new and old games of classic characters have kind of created or organized (as some thoughts were already there) a lot of ideas about what I think a good new Sonic game could be, and I'm surprised with how much it has changed from what I complained about Sonic 4.

Of course, this is just my opinion Here we go:

-Modern Sonic model should be used. For me, Classic Sonic would have totally made sense for Sonic 4, but only in that game, and I don't expect a Sonic 5 (if anything a New Sonic The Hedgehog with Modern Sonic). I actually like Modern Sonic better, although Classic model was the one I grew up with. And Sonic Boom, I really hope it dies as soon as possible...

-Stages could be 2D or 3D, but each stage would better be only one thing or the other. I find modern Sonic stages in Generations (or in Colors) a bit confusing when the level switches to 2D/3D.

-Physics in 2D stages should be much closer to classic games physics than in Generations. I don't like those giant badnicks that they made to compensate the physics.

-Collectibles are cool, but they should give something worth the effort. For instance, if collecting all Chaos Emeralds bring Super Sonic, being Super Sonic could open certain paths in stages with otherwise unreachable Red Rings. And collecting all Red Rings should unlock new stages in a full new zone (as in New Super Mario Bros Wii or DKC3). Also, collectibles should be placed in a way that you don't always need to replay the whole level again to TRY to get it (that's a bit stressing in games as fast as Sonic games), but you can try over and over while in the zone (DKC was really good at this).

-I like how power-ups were managed in Generations, through Chao's shop. An improvement on that system would be more than welcome.

-Special stages should be easily accessible, as in Sonic 3&K (there were giant rings all over the place and you didn't need to have 50 rings to access them).

-Homing attack should be a power-up shield in 2D stages. In 3D stages, it could be an infinite power up, as it really makes sense (it's like in DKC when kongs could transform in one of the animal buddies for the whole stage). If could also be infinite in certain 2D stages, but then level design should be based on using it in a smart way. For me, Sonic 4 Episode II had certain parts in which using Homing Attack wasn't an "offense" but an enjoyable gimmick (Bubbles chains weren't one of them).

-Some stages could be played with a character different than Sonic, but I wouldn't use ALL characters. Maybe Knuckles, Tails and Amy. Also new characters with new levels could be added through DLCs later.

-A 2-player versus mode (local or online) like Sonic 2's would be really fun, either in 2D or 3D.

 

On the other hand, a fully 2D sprite-based Sonic game would be perfect for me as well

 

[sonicDX]

I agree with you in almost everything. But here is my opinion:

I think having to collect 50 rings to access a Special Zone is not a bad idea, because it gives you a not easy challenge. Collecting (and keeping) the rings is a great challenge. A special stage is a level that you should have to win, so if you just have to jump into a big ring, it would be like 'you didn't win that level'. I think a Special Zone is some kind of a prize that you get for completing a challenge (collecting 50 rings in this case).

Also, I would love to play both 2D/3D games with all or a lot of rarely used characters. Here I mean Shadow, Silver, Blaze, Espio, E-102 Gamma/E-123 Omega and much more. I think having a lot of characters is a great advantage of the Sonic franchise, but it should use it more. I am quite getting tired of only playing as Sonic, Tails and Knuckles (and/or a few more, common characters). I love them too, but they make Sonic games really repetitive. And they could also use the other characters' abilities in the gameplay: for example Shadow's gun, or that Silver can move objects by his mind. I wondered a lot of times about a Silver The Hedgehog game would be really awesome, where you could move objects, and complete the levels by using this ability (for example solving puzzles or building stuff).

And the last thing about multiplayer... I think that it would make Sonic games much better, too. I have some theories for it: in simple platformer 2D games, a 2 Player cooperative mode would be pretty cool. But I would love to see Sonic Heroes with a 3 Player local, or even Online multiplayer mode! That is a game where you could use teamwork, and every player would have their task in the game (such as flying, destroying objects, I think you know them). I'd also love to see a polished version of Sonic Battle, because I think the idea of a fighting Sonic game is great. Multiplayer would work awesomely with that, but I don't mean a 2 player Mortal Kombat-like game, but a team-fighting game where you could play as various Sonic characters.

So these are all that have come to my mind about this topic. I really agree with the rest you have said!

[Hyp3hat]

On 1/25/2016 at 0:54 PM, molul said:

1) Modern Sonic model should be used.

2)Stages could be 2D or 3D, but each stage would better be only one thing or the other. I find modern Sonic stages in Generations (or in Colors) a bit confusing when the level switches to 2D/3D.

3)Homing attack should be a power-up

4) Collectibles are cool, but they should give something worth the effort. For instance, if collecting all Chaos Emeralds bring Super Sonic, being Super Sonic could open certain paths in stages with otherwise unreachable Red Rings. And collecting all Red Rings should unlock new stages in a full new zone (as in New Super Mario Bros Wii or DKC3). Also, collectibles should be placed in a way that you don't always need to replay the whole level again to TRY to get it (that's a bit stressing in games as fast as Sonic games), but you can try over and over while in the zone (DKC was really good at this).

 

Ok... I agree with basically everything else you said, btw

1) Sonic 4 Ep 2 would like a word. 

2) Colours generally does a great job at differentiating 2D and 3D, with wholly dedicated 2D stages and all that - Modern stages in Generations get a bit worse with that, Planet Wisp in particular. I'm fine with racecar Sonic in Unleashed, Colours and Gens if the 2D bits work, and Gens is the only one where it doesn't imo.

3) It was, in Generations. Granted, it broke the game, but it was there. The homing attack for Classic Sonic really highlighted a lot of shortcomings in those stages design, imo, and it would be difficult to get it work sensibly as a powerup.

4) This is seriously a legit point - Super Sonic is not worth getting in Colours and Lost World, for example, because at that point why play the game? You've done literally everything there is to do. Super Sonic is there for bragging rights only, I think, and having collected every red ring (and beaten every Sonic Land) is not worth bragging about outside of a speedrun.I love Colours, and I don't want to get all those red rings!