First Sonic 4 Boss Pic, Fanbase in Disbelief; Obama Demands Change

[Badnik Zero]

About those 17 seconds on the clock... could it be the level starts with an opening area like the small sections in Sonic CD? Or maybe the chase scene is an interactive cutscene like the end of Angel Island Zone. I'll be surprised if the bosses have their own act. I think that's just the way it's set up on the select screen in case you wanna do a boss rush thing. The background is sunset just like the third act, and the name of that act is Sunset Dash, which sounds pretty chasey to me. I guess I'm a little let down that it's another wrecking ball boss, but whatever. If they can add some flair to it I'll be happy. Hope it's the only repeat boss though.

[Blue Blood]

I agree. The character/enemy models look odd; at least at that 1920x1080 resolution. But someone said that the screens were blown up so I hope that's true.

Somewhere amongst all these leaks it was mentioned that only Sonic used a 3D model. All the enemies and such use pre-rendered images so they only look 3D. It's like NSMB DS- only Mario/Luigi/Bosses were 3D and everything else was pre-rendered. Porbably cause this is a download title and they want to conserve space.

[MugiMikey]

It's, uh, called a homage.

It's, uh, not. As far as we know, it's a rehash.

[Badnik Zero]

By the way, moon jump totally destroys this boss. They've gotta be working on that jump, or else it's just dumb.

[DaBatGuy]

By the way, moon jump totally destroys this boss. They've gotta be working on that jump, or else it's just dumb.

Even with proper physics the spindash and Flame dash/homing attack remove most of the challenge from the first encounter so there better be some neat trick in the fight that changes thinks up.

[Chooch]

The developers bust their asses to appeal to classic fans by having tons of throw backs and homages to older shit and the majority of you just spit in their face and call it a 'rehash'.

Hahahahaha

Edited February 24, 2010 by Top Cat

[Tyranno]

So... what makes it a rehash and not a homage is whether or not Eggman is in it?

That's completely and utterly arbitrary.

Ugh.

[jeremycarrier]

The developers bust their asses to appeal to classic fans by having tons of throw backs and homages to older shit and the majority of you just spit in their face and call it a 'rehash'.

Hahahahaha

I know, how fucking silly of us for wanting Sonic 4 and not Sonic 1 HD Remix.

[Djawed]

The developers bust their asses to appeal to classic fans by having tons of throw backs and homages to older shit and the majority of you just spit in their face and call it a 'rehash'.

Hahahahaha

Are they really busting their asses?

[Remy]

Don't care that the ball n' chain is back but this game looks fucking weird.

like art wise, everything is facing a weird diagonal angle and has that whack cel shading on it. not a fan of the style at all.

[W.A.C.]

Although I'm disappointed in this announcement, hopefully the chase part of it is solid. Also, I'm very glad to hear episode one will only be $5.

[speedfreak]

When S&K and Sonic Advance did it they weren't the real boss of that area. There was still an original fight after the throwback boss fights. That's what makes S&K/Sonic Advance fights homages while Sonic 4 is a rehash. Assuming there is no curve ball to the ball and chain fight in Sonic 4 that is.

I didn't mind the reused badniks and the similar level themes but I really hope the boss fights are original. :/

Oh fine......you can rehash the Doomsday zone fight Sega, but that's it!

[JEV3]

The terrain is all blurred like it was taken from a photo while the BG in the boss pic and every sprite used are too sharp, look like straight rips from models. This is particularly evident by the motobug sprite which looks like it was taken from the animations on the site rather than from the leaked video. Also the green around the eyes isn't nearly as prominent as it is on the life icon in the corner.

If you'll take a look at the first boss pic, look at the platform under Sonic's feet. See how there's a little triangle with the shading just at the edge. If you look closely at the bottom you can notice that this triangle is awkwardly repeated 16 times and each one is right by a kind of crease, like when you tile an image that wasn't optimized for it. You have the same kind of issue on the top side of the bottom terrain. This is not present in the floating platforms which dither smoothly.

Also on the second picture the flower has a huge glare on it as if from a camera's flash against a shiny surface... this cryptic glare is repeated once again on another flower in the same picture.

Dunno why SEGA cares about Endri trolling ya'll... but what I see here is a hoax that doesn't even look good by photoshopping standards. If it is official, then SEGA's reached a new low for mockups.

No offense to the reputable sonic members that have been around far longer than me. I'm not interested in being anything more than a spectator to the drama, but I'm just saying what I see... and what I see here appears to be a lazy photoshop. If this is indeed from Endri it is enough reason for me (because I don't know Endri, or Sling who's vouching for him) to doubt his impressions from the so-called "leak". However you lot have more reason to trust Slingerland- and by extension Endri- than I do... so yeah.

EDIT: But I really do want to see the wrecking ball make a return. It still looks like a fangame to me, I guess that's how I'm approaching it. Probably why I'm not as concerned about it as other fans.

Edited February 24, 2010 by JEV3

[Candescence]

OH, DEAR GOD. The background is more hideous than before. The more foreground-y flat 2D trees and the seemingly 3D ocean background clash HORRIBLY. WHAT THE HELL, SEGA. It seems the developers have lost all ability to make even half-decent level art. I wonder how they're gonna screw up the level visuals even more at this rate.

Honestly, the only half-decent looking thing in this game are the actual 3D models, and even then...

Also, rehash for the lose. First the stages, now a boss? Jeezus.

Edited February 24, 2010 by Masaru Daimon

[Tyranno]

If it looks like a boss, fights like a boss, goes down in a determined number of hits like a boss, it's a boss, even if it's in the middle of a level or not.

[Candescence]

If it looks like a boss, fights like a boss, goes down in a determined number of hits like a boss, it's a boss, even if it's in the middle of a level or not.

No, what Sonic&K and Sonic Advance 1 had weren't separate bosses, just the first two forms of a boss that ditches those strategies immediately and uses its REAL form, the first two forms in both games were one-off distractions that just happened to take a bit of nostalgia, a small bonus. This basically rips the first boss from Sonic 1 and shoves it into a Green Hill remake in a game that already has blatant rehashes of other Sonic 1/2 levels.

[JaidynReiman]

Adding in a chase seen is a bit of a different gimmick for this boss, though... Still don't know how it would play out, but really, as long as its an homage, and DOES deviate from the original battle, I'm fine with it. Heck, through some twists in there to make it more difficult, such as Eggman swinging the ball more wildly, or flying off screen and come crashing down. If its identical to the original boss in every way, that sucks. Just don't do it a second time. If its more original, cool, a nice nod to Sonic 1. Again, don't repeat this trend with repeats of past bosses.

[Marcello]

I think the chase scene will be something like fleeing from the Ship on Angel Island Zone in Sonic 3...

Anyway, is it ust me or does the chain seem shorter than it used to be? I know its not, but it looks it. It makes me think this boss will be alot easier, because the chain barely reaches Sonic, making it easier to dodge. That and Homing Attack spamming. :-/...

I wish SEGA would've made a new boss instead of using Sonic 1's...I almost always have fun with Sonic bosses (Except those ones that your are running after the whole time, like in Sonic Advance 2 and Unleashed's daytime bosses. Oh and that one from Rush Adventure that you have to hit the balls the whole time. That one is just boring >_>. I think it was the MAchine Labyrinth Boss..)

[Tyranno]

No, what Sonic&K and Sonic Advance 1 had weren't separate bosses, just the first two forms of a boss that ditches those strategies immediately and uses its REAL form, the first two forms in both games were one-off distractions that just happened to take a bit of nostalgia, a small bonus. This basically rips the first boss from Sonic 1 and shoves it into a Green Hill remake in a game that already has blatant rehashes of other Sonic 1/2 levels.

Isn't Mecha Sonic's "own style" basically just his bit from his previous form in Sonic 2?

[Meow]

Personally I think the screens are fake. Looking at them, Sonic is standing in two different 'heights' on the ground, if that makes any sense. One of them he is standing closer to the top of the platform, the boss screenshot his feet are more aligned with the shine on the grass. I don't really know how to explain it, it just looks like he was cut and paste sloppily.

It could be real, but I dunno - I kind of doubt the authenticity of these screens, or at least the boss one.

[The-Master-Board]

The Egg-o-matic looks awesome, but I kinda hope that they have a little something more than just that ball and chain, hopefully there will be a few twists to make this different and hopefully the following bosses will be a bit more original.

What does worry me is the background... o__O That looks terrible, the 3D islands in the background contrast too much with the flat 2D trees and greenery of the closer background, they really should've picked one idea and stuck with it 2.5D is annoying, make it all old school or all 3D render or all drawn style, a mix looks terrible, or at least this does. I reckon all drawn style kinda like Wario shake it would've looked alot better, a lot smoother and not odd looking.

Also, is it just me or does Eggman look queer in that shot? Like he's shrunk in size because compared to Sonic he doesn't look much taller yet we know he is quite alot bigger....perhaps this is a problem they faced when making this game? Scaling Sonic and Eggman to their modern proportions would've looked strangely out of place in classic side on style, so they shrunk Eggman?? Another reason why this should be classic Sonic and Robotnik!

Edited February 24, 2010 by The-Master-Board

[Marcello]

I think the Eggmobile is a bit too big...

[Carbo]

Still dont see much the complaint here from just the boss pic. No one complained when NSMB reused the very first boss from SMB and then blasted a plethora of original bosses but oy I guess that is comparing apples to oranges. SEGA sucks afterall.

Unlike most other things this didn't really wind me up that much at all. In fact I was rather pleased, I enjoyed that boss, will be nice doing it up again in HD.

Oh well. Part of me somewhat still hold up the skeptical candle but for entirely different reasons than most other people hold.

[Ekaje]

The developers bust their asses to appeal to classic fans by having tons of throw backs and homages to older shit and the majority of you just spit in their face and call it a 'rehash'.

Hahahahaha

Personally, I don't care, but from what I understand, they don't want level concepts, Badniks, and bosses from the classic games stuffed into a new one, they wanted an entirely new game in the style of the classics.

Or maybe I should have paid more attention before this was announced as Sonic 4.

[azoo]

The only thing that's bothering me is that color scheme looks awkward, even for a picture of the stage at dusk. Well, that and Sonic's stomach looks to have been shaved off.

Other than that, the Eggmobile looks awesome, and so does Robotnik. Heck, the ball and chain looks pretty cool. In fact my only real beef about this is that they're reusing stuff..again. It has been said that the boss has a chase scene BEFORE the boss though, which is what worries me. Why not after or in the middle of it? That would be much more interesting as a surprising climax; rather than the S1 boss BEING the climax. That's just.. Anticlimatic.

Either way, i still have high hopes for this game. It looks pretty (and yes I am well trained with an eye for the art department thank you), the music sounds nice although a little irritating with the overuse of the Genesis DAC drum samples, and if it plays like a mix of S3K/Sadv1/Sadv2 then I'll be fine.