What is Sonic the Hedgehog 4?

[BlazingTales]

OK, so unless you’ve been hiding in a hole for the past week, it’s pretty evident that some people are disappointed by Project Needlemouse’s reveal. Some think it’s far too similar to modern games with the edition of the homing attack and Sonic’s modern design, some think it’s going to have poor level design focused on speed gimmicks and some even go as far as calling it Sonic Rush 3. And some are as happy as a clam.

As Slingerland pointed out, it's thought this backlash is because of the title. We've had over a decade to dream up our own perfect vision of Sonic the Hedgehog 4, so obviously when SEGA showed us it and it didn't fit our visions, there was pain.

But really now? What makes a game Sonic the Hedgehog 4?

Is it classic elements?

We've got the sign-posts, the 2D, the checkerboard environments, the Eggmobile, the spindash, and the badniks. So that can't be it.

Is it the level design?

Well, we don't know enough about the game from the 3 seconds of footage so logically that can't be it... yet.

Is it Genesis-styled graphics?

Obviously, the artistic level design is more akin to that of Sonic's original outtings. The only difference is they are modern-styled graphics, rather than 16-bit.

Then there is Sonic's design, but I'm not even going to get started on that, we have plenty of topics to discuss that in!

Is it the "Robotnik traps animals in robots, Sonic stops him storyline"?

Well, it is taking place after the Sonic 3 & Knuckles' story, so that implies something. Even then, games like Sonic Advance feature similar storylines, so that can't be the case.

So, what is it then, what did/do you feel would make a game Sonic the Hedgehog 4?

[Remynaka]

What makes the game sonic 4? Being called "Sonic 4" What more would anyone need? I just want the game to be good......... thats it. The crying people are doing over greens eyes, spikes, to going as far as to call the game Rush 3....... it's making me happy I wasn't around when this shit came out.

[Frozen Nitrogen]

It can be called Sonic 4 if it reminds you of S3&K before it reminds you of Rivals/Rush/Advance/Unleashed/anything made after S3&K.

1994 isn't the first place MY brain goes on seeing this. And I would be very surprised if that's the first place anyone's brain goes, given, y'know, the 2.5D and the fact that something like Unleashed's model has just been cut/pasted in there.

This looks like a cute Sonic Rush 3, but it does not look anything like a Sonic 4.

Edited February 9, 2010 by Frozen Nitrogen

[BlazingTales]

It can be called Sonic 4 if it reminds you of S3&K before it reminds you of Rivals/Rush/Advance/Unleashed/anything made after S3&K.

1994 isn't the first place MY brain goes on seeing this. And I would be very surprised if that's the first place anyone's brain goes, given, y'know, the 2.5D and the fact that something like Unleashed's model has just been cut/pasted in there.

This looks like a cute Sonic Rush 3, but it does not look anything like a Sonic 4.

I'm not quite sure what you mean, sorry. ^^;

This is what I got out of that: If the game isn't a complete nastalgia trip back 16 years, it's not a Sonic 4? So, because the game has 3D graphics it can't be a sequel to a 16 bit game?

Doing a quick edit of the screenshot provided (just removed the oh-so-controversial model), I think it looks quite a bit like a re-vamped classic Sonic level:

Edited February 9, 2010 by BlazingTales

[speedfreak]

Everyone has their own opinion on what Sonic 4 should have looked like, We've had 15 years to think about it. Like it or not this IS Sonic 4. Your vision of Sonic 4 isn't the definitive version. I happen to think it looks great.

[Remynaka]

I think I'm the only one who never cared about sonic 4 back in the day. So what ever it was POSED to look like means nothing to me. Sega saids this is sonic 4, so therefor unless SEGA ( you know the guys making this game saids something else ) this is sonic 4. I still say sonic rush actually looks BETTER than what we seen in sonic 4, and comparing them is crazy. If THATS the case then sonic the hedgehog for the PS3 plays like sonic adventure which plays like sonic unleahsed. And sonic advance IS classic sonic because it's 2D.

Edited February 9, 2010 by tinokunx

[Barry the Nomad]

Star Wars fans did this exact same thing when the prequels were announced.

Same goes for The Simpsons movie.

In the end, what Sonic 4 turns out to be IS Sonic 4. It's best if one doesn't let years and years of speculation cloud reality.

[Agent York]

It can be called Sonic 4 if it reminds you of S3&K before it reminds you of Rivals/Rush/Advance/Unleashed/anything made after S3&K.

1994 isn't the first place MY brain goes on seeing this. And I would be very surprised if that's the first place anyone's brain goes, given, y'know, the 2.5D and the fact that something like Unleashed's model has just been cut/pasted in there.

This looks like a cute Sonic Rush 3, but it does not look anything like a Sonic 4.

Sonic 1, 2, and 3 & Knuckles were all vastly different in multiple ways. What I can tell you is that the first thing that came to my head was not Rush/Rivals/3 & Knuckles/anything. It's an original title, the only thing that is making you think Rivals or Rush is that it's 2.5D. I will say this over and over again to everyone, positive or negative but this game is just Sonic 4, it looks like Sonic 4 because no matter what you think Sonic 4 was going to be, this IS Sonic 4.

What you think it looks like is perception based on too little information. It's supposed to be too little, SEGA is doing the opposite of what they usually do and revealing little by little instead of huge chunks at a time. Too little to make a real estimate off of.

[E.J. The DJ]

It can be called Sonic 4 if it reminds you of S3&K before it reminds you of Rivals/Rush/Advance/Unleashed/anything made after S3&K.

1994 isn't the first place MY brain goes on seeing this. And I would be very surprised if that's the first place anyone's brain goes, given, y'know, the 2.5D and the fact that something like Unleashed's model has just been cut/pasted in there.

This looks like a cute Sonic Rush 3, but it does not look anything like a Sonic 4.

The only reason it reminds me of rush besides the graphics is the forest in the BG. Replace the forest with a beautiful glistening sea with a small island and what does THAT make you think of?

[Agent York]

I agree with the guy above me.

[Solid SOAP]

A side scrolling Sonic game with momentum based physics and speed working as a reward, instead of the whole game revolving around it. Added bonuses include checkered hills and other classic elements like badniks and sign posts, and this game seems to have 'em all, so I'm happy. The only thing it doesn't have so far from the other games is 16-bit graphics, which would be nice but I like the visuals in this and there's obvious cues taken from all 3 of the originals in it's art style so I can't complain.

Edited February 9, 2010 by Solid SOAP

[EXshad]

Sonic 4, to me, would be a game that carries the spirit of the classics. It would have momentum-based gameplay based around the Genesis games of old, but with a few of Sonic's new moves thrown into the mix. The environments would be surreal and based on the games of old, yet incorporate some unique twists to make this game fresh. The badniks would be a best-of collection, finally giving the Sonic series its own consistent set of zone villains. The graphics also would be made of 3D models, but with a gloss and polish to make it look extremely close to its aforementioned brethren.

The game's progression would be Zone-based, with sign-posts and capsules making a triumphant return. The music would also be like New Super Mario Bros, with classic beats mixed to a new style. And finally, the designs would be more modern-based, but with a strong hint of "classic" (though I still wish Eggman looked like his old self.....)

This is what Sonic 4 is to me, and that is what this game is aiming to be. And personally, I think we should all just except that and grit our teeth until new info comes out so we can judge this game fairly, regardless of our differing opinions on what Sonic 4 should really be. Once we have more than 3 seconds of gameplay, we can rightly praise and/or criticize the game, but right now.... well, y'know what I'm gonna say.

Edited February 9, 2010 by EXshad

[eXtaticus]

It can be called Sonic the Hedgehog 4 if it's a sequel to Sonic the Hedgehog 3. Wasn't that simple?

[Mort]

To be quite frank I don't know why Sonic Adventure wasn't called Sonic 4 in the first place. It comes after it, its in the same canon as the originals ect ect. The fan base's complete rage over not even three seconds of game play and petty details makes me embarrassed to be apart of the fan base actually.

[Chooch]

What is Sonic the Hedgehog 4?

Some game we've seen three seconds of.

Edited February 9, 2010 by Top Cat

[Rusty Spy]

It can be called Sonic 4 if it reminds you of S3&K before it reminds you of Rivals/Rush/Advance/Unleashed/anything made after S3&K.

1994 isn't the first place MY brain goes on seeing this. And I would be very surprised if that's the first place anyone's brain goes, given, y'know, the 2.5D and the fact that something like Unleashed's model has just been cut/pasted in there.

This looks like a cute Sonic Rush 3, but it does not look anything like a Sonic 4.

I will admit that the footage DIDN'T remind me of the classic games...... That's because the only way we can consider something classic is if we can familiarize it with something familiar.

That's an inherent flaw in us humans. We sometimes fear unfamiliar things and, as instinct, behave hostile towards it. But let me tell you that there is nothing to fear or act hostile towards in this regard, because the most Sonic 4 should do, given the fact that this is a continuation of Sonic 3&K, should give you the sense that this area could be located next door to any of the environments found in the classic games. And in that regard, it succeeded very well.

But you wanna know what DOES remind me of the classic games? The way Sonic rolls(see ROLLS, not RUN) up the hill at the very beginning of the gameplay clip. THAT felt like a classic game.

[JEV3]

Seriously, every single time I see the words "Sonic the Hedgehog 4", I think of that one fangame with so-so gimmicks, a metal sonic boss, a waterskiing act 2 ala SRA, and four loading screens to one act.

Needless to say, I don't have to worry about Sonic 4 disappointing me because of my preconceived notions. It's what I conceive now that its no longer a fangame that might be a problem. *wink*

[AuroraRedwinters]

I just want to know why Sonic is farting every few feet. D:

[DaBatGuy]

I just want to know why Sonic is farting every few feet. D:

Chili dogs.

See, they didn't abandon everything from the classics.

[Thirsty Pocket]

Sonic Advanced 1 was my Sonic 4. It played like the classics, had some good levels design, introduced a new OPTIONAL playable character ( ...well okay. Amy wasn't new, but she was new to the classic formula ) had Baniks unique to it's zone, had Eggman as the final boss. Typical Eggman bosses at the end of act 2. Decent music. Throw in a third act or a miniboss, and scene transitions frome Sonic 3 and I'd have to punch Sega for not calling it Sonic 4! ( okay....so maybe a new story that isn't the same as Sonic 1 wouldn't hurt either. ) I wouldn't count Sonic Advanced 2 as Sonic 5 so much as I would count it as Sonic Rush Negative one.

Sonic Rush showed potential to be the NSMB equivalent to Sonic. The problem was that it kept up with the extreme speed trend of SA2, introduced the ever so cheap boost, and the levels were not designed very well. Chemical plant and Starligh Zone had those tons of loops and suspended skinny paths, but Sonic Rush is littered with them. I know this is only astetic, but I'd like it if the ground Sonic and co run on to look like it's actually connected to the ground, and suspended hundreds of feet above, F-Zero style. As I said before, design is important too. Chemical plant was fun because it was the stage you got to have the most speed on. But the other zones were tests of your platforming prowess. A game with nothing but chemical plant type levels with some ramps and swings in them is not appealing at all.

[GameFarnsworth940]

To me, Sonic 4 is, well, Sonic 4. I never had expected a Sonic 4, nor had really wanted one at first. I thought that it would be done after S3&K, and I was fine with that. The game looks promising, though, and hopefully, after 2-3 episodes, Sonic 4 and other numbered sequels of such manner will be done. If they keep going after that with 5, then what makes 4 special in the surprise sense won't be there anymore.

Basically, Sonic 4, to me, is just as it claims. A new 2D-styled successor to 3. Not more, not less

Edited February 10, 2010 by Mr. Blonde

[Carbo]

Sonic 4 is a game.

It can be called Sonic 4 if it reminds you of S3&K before it reminds you of Rivals/Rush/Advance/Unleashed/anything made after S3&K.

It does.

[Solid SOAP]

Honestly, it doesn't remind me of anything but a new 2D Sonic game, it shouldn't have to remind me of anything else. It has a look of it's own with a heavy emphesis on classic visuals, when I look real hard the checkered hills remind me most of Sonic 1 but that's it, I'm fairly happy with the visual style of this game.

[Unknownlight]

To make a game Sonic 4, for me...it just has to be called Sonic 4. I don't mind if it's nothing like the classics, nor do I even mind if it plays like Sonic Rush 3. Hell, I've been waiting for a Sonic Rush 3 for a good long time, if this is it then I wouldn't mind.

This is just another Sonic game, in my opinion. The name is not affecting my hype.

[SuperStingray]

I think the biggest mistake they have made with this game so far is calling it Sonic 4. Now, I'm not saying that won't be worthy of comparison to the original trilogy, because there is a chance it may. My problem is that the name implies it's SUPPOSED to be a successor when it's trying to be a reboot. If it was to be a successor, Sega would have picked up right where they left off. And I mean literally. 1995 technology, classic design, new ideas, etc. But they're not going that route; what they want to do it all over from Sonic 1. This game's already massive risk; they want to glue together the shattered fanbase by making a game that's friendly to old school fans with an image that's accepted by modern fans. And trying to make it look like something it's not isn't helping.