Sonic Colo(u)rs Impressions, Help, and Discussion Topic

[jonathan]

SWEET!! that is awesome, I mean it's not game of the year or anything but still good to have him get some recognition.

[The Tenth Doctor]

Um, I'm wondering about something that i know you guys can help me with. I'll be getting the game for Christmas and i was wondering can you watch cutscenes after the game is done? Or do I have to watch them on Youtube after I'm done?

[Blue Blood]

Um, I'm wondering about something that i know you guys can help me with. I'll be getting the game for Christmas and i was wondering can you watch cutscenes after the game is done? Or do I have to watch them on Youtube after I'm done?

Edited December 16, 2010 by Blue Blood

[JezMM]

^ Not just that, but it automatically unlocks the alternative versions of cut-scenes (since the events at the second generator can take place at either Sweet Mountain or Starlight Carnival) regardless of which one you got on your playthrough of the story.

And yeah, Sonic 4, Colours and Free Riders all lacked the traditional sound test. As an OCD-tradition-fanatic it made me a bit sadface.

Edited December 16, 2010 by JezMM

[Gabz Girl]

I enjoyed the game, but I do think that was one of the big downsides. No sound test? Wth??

Sonic wins "Best Quick Fix" on IGN

Awesome sauce! =D

[Candescence]

Okay, I got this game for my birthday, and my verdict so far?

Okay, I really want to enjoy this game, the visuals and music are pure awesome, but... Argh. This game is only marginally better than Unleashed. What really lets this game down is the controls. In the 3D sections, Sonic controls like a really shitty car, and in 2D, the platforming controls are absolutely horrendous, too loose and floaty. (and before you say "change the control scheme", I'm using a Gamecube controller.)

And the kicker? Unleashed's fake difficulty is back with a vengence. Not as bad as the HD versions of Unleashed, mind you, but, Christ, it's still bad.

I got Final Fantasy 13 for my birthday as well. I never thought I'd say this, but I might actually enjoy that game more.

Edited December 19, 2010 by Masaru Daimon

[sonfan1984]

And the kicker? Unleashed's fake difficulty is back with a vengence. Not as bad as the HD versions of Unleashed, mind you, but, Christ, it's still bad.

I thought the whole game is pretty damn easy.

[Candescence]

I thought the whole game is pretty damn easy.

I said it wasn't as bad as Unleashed, not to the point of frustrating, but the majority of my deaths are due to the crappy controls rather than the level design, which was a surprise to me. Doesn't make it any less excusable, however.

[Saint Nathan]

Seriously I have no control issues. The jump seems floaty if you spam double jump every time you jump (honestly it's hard NOT to do) but otherwise I've never had a time when Sonic didn't jump where I wanted him to.

[Emmett L. Brown]

Nope. Gotta agree with Santa Man, because it's Yuletime, so I kinda have to. But I also never experienced any control problems whatsoever. These controls are as tight as back in the good old days. When you mess up in this game, it's largely your own fault. I won't deny that there are a few cheap pitfalls, but for the 2D platforming the controls are rock solid.

[Blue Blood]

Seriously I have no control issues. The jump seems floaty if you spam double jump every time you jump (honestly it's hard NOT to do) but otherwise I've never had a time when Sonic didn't jump where I wanted him to.

The jump is floaty with or without the double jump. The double jump merely allows you to change your direction and speed (even stop horizontal movement), because otherwise it's difficult to control.

[Emmett L. Brown]

I'm sorry, but if you miss a jump in this game it's because you suck at it. That's a good thing. Platformers should always have a small learning curve until you learn how your character moves. It was true in Super Mario Bros, and it's true today.

[Blue Blood]

I'm sorry, but if you miss a jump in this game it's because you suck at it. That's a good thing. Platformers should always have a small learning curve until you learn how your character moves. It was true in Super Mario Bros, and it's true today.

If the jump doesn't work properly it's because the game sucks. See? I can sound like a twat too.

Jumping in Colours isn't refined and works rather strangely. Humour me, and try out a jump heavy level without double jumping, and specifically take the more difficult routes (Aquarium Park 2 or Planet Wisp the one where you're climibing a tower, for example). It doesn't feel right and some jumps will be needlessly difficult. The double jump doesn't fix all problems, but it makes everything much better where there shouldn't be a problem in the first place.

[Saint Nathan]

If the jump doesn't work properly it's because the game sucks. See? I can sound like a twat too.

Jumping in Colours isn't refined and works rather strangely. Humour me, and try out a jump heavy level without double jumping, and specifically take the more difficult routes (Aquarium Park 2 or Planet Wisp the one where you're climibing a tower, for example). It doesn't feel right and some jumps will be needlessly difficult. The double jump doesn't fix all problems, but it makes everything much better where there shouldn't be a problem in the first place.

The Tower part of Planet Wisp gets EASIER if you use the double jump as little as possible. The jumping in Colors isn't perfect by any means, but it works better than you're saying it does. I haven't ever missed a jump unless I double jumped past where I was going (and since i double tap on instinct it gets annoying) so I have no clue what you're talking about.

[Blue Blood]

The Tower part of Planet Wisp gets EASIER if you use the double jump as little as possible. The jumping in Colors isn't perfect by any means, but it works better than you're saying it does. I haven't ever missed a jump unless I double jumped past where I was going (and since i double tap on instinct it gets annoying) so I have no clue what you're talking about.

Sounds like you're using the double jump all wrong then. It's for stability.

[Scar]

The jump isn't floaty at all. In fact it feels weird in a different way.

its obviously based on Unleashed jump. The problem with that was, it was too heavy. You'd jump up and fall down way too fast. This may have something to do with the animation though, but thats what it felt like. I prefered the method they used when Sonic's spinning speed was similar to his actual velocity. It looks cleaner. Second issue was its trajectory, you'd go forward, but the distance you covered was less than you would hope, its like Sonic was running into a lot of air resistance.

They tried to compensate for this in Colours by giving a higher jump height, but instead of arcing naturally, you'd reach the original hieght cap from Unleashed, then stay at that height for a millisecond, then contiue rising breifly. This looks and feels odd. The Double-jump was a way to compensate for the compensation, so you can change trajectory to land a jump.

The one thing they need to work on above else is the jumping. Its not broken, but it still does need a little work. Its an improvement from before, but still flawed, but hey, at least they tried to improve it, instead of copying it wholesale.

[Carbo]

Yeah, the jumping in this game feels more or less just adaptable and alien than broken or floaty. Personally it never got in my way.

The double jump feels terribly stiff though. I dont have anything against its height or real purpose, but it shares the Castlevania problem of having a terrible mobility, especially if you let go of your stick and try picking up motion from there. It's fucked me over so many times trying to get that down considering stopping dead in your tracks is terribly awkward.

Edited December 19, 2010 by Carbo

[Saint Nathan]

Sounds like you're using the double jump all wrong then. It's for stability.

No, see, I double jump without thinking about it, usually when I don't want too.

So like, I'll jump, get to the platform, then double jump and throw myself away from it at high speeds because I was holding left/right.

So generally I just try and jump normally. Makes the game easier to control for me. It's weird.

[Emmett L. Brown]

If the jump doesn't work properly it's because the game sucks. See? I can sound like a twat too.

Jumping in Colours isn't refined and works rather strangely. Humour me, and try out a jump heavy level without double jumping, and specifically take the more difficult routes (Aquarium Park 2 or Planet Wisp the one where you're climibing a tower, for example). It doesn't feel right and some jumps will be needlessly difficult. The double jump doesn't fix all problems, but it makes everything much better where there shouldn't be a problem in the first place.

You're such a cheerful little ray of sunshine, Blue Blood.

I'll certainly admit that the jumping feels a little strange at first, but I don't see why anyone should have such a hard time adjusting to it. Frankly, both the levels you cite as examples were easy to me because by then I'd long since learned how to expect how Sonic's momentum would carry him. Sure I died a few times, but if I got through every level on the first try without dying once, then it would be a boringly easy game.

[Candescence]

Allow me to butt into the argument I inadvertently started...

Jumping in this game doesn't feel like how it should be. Besides Sonic not jumping when I want him to sometimes (it became extremely evident even at the beginning of the friggn' game), he manoeuvres like a bloody cow - that's what I mean by too loose. Sure, Sonic generally isn't the fastest in the air, but for pete's sake, this is ridiculous. Very few times I have died through platforming that was actually my own fault. The double jump, while occasionally useful for getting extra height, is generally not nearly as useful as it should be, either. And no, that's not the reason why I thought the jump was floaty, either.

[Scar]

Allow me to butt into the argument I inadvertently started...

Jumping in this game doesn't feel like how it should be. Besides Sonic not jumping when I want him to sometimes (it became extremely evident even at the beginning of the friggn' game), he manoeuvres like a bloody cow - that's what I mean by too loose. Sure, Sonic generally isn't the fastest in the air, but for pete's sake, this is ridiculous. Very few times I have died through platforming that was actually my own fault. The double jump, while occasionally useful for getting extra height, is generally not nearly as useful as it should be, either. And no, that's not the reason why I thought the jump was floaty, either.

Sonic's actual movement is based on momentum. If Sonic is going fast, he becomes harder to turn and control. Based on the laws of physics, that is how he should control. Its better than the slippery Heroes and the twitchy SA2, but is by no means perfect. They are getting there though.

The jumping is obviously the modified Unleashed Jump, so they clearly heard about the complaints people had with it in Unleashed, so they changed it.

It has a fair way to go as yet, but they do seem to be aware of the flaws and I assume they will continue to develop the mechanics further.

[Blue Blood]

Sonics inability to turn in Colours and Unleashed is only beneficial on those long, straight paths in said games. If he controlled like that in any other game it'd be damn awful. There's a line between practicality and realism games.

[Emmett L. Brown]

Allow me to butt into the argument I inadvertently started...

Jumping in this game doesn't feel like how it should be. Besides Sonic not jumping when I want him to sometimes (it became extremely evident even at the beginning of the friggn' game), he manoeuvres like a bloody cow - that's what I mean by too loose. Sure, Sonic generally isn't the fastest in the air, but for pete's sake, this is ridiculous. Very few times I have died through platforming that was actually my own fault. The double jump, while occasionally useful for getting extra height, is generally not nearly as useful as it should be, either. And no, that's not the reason why I thought the jump was floaty, either.

Well, I'm at a loss here. It honestly sounds like we've played completely different games. I've played through the game twice now and the amount of controll response failures never went above zero. I've honestly never touched the jump button without Sonic jumping, so I have no idea what you're talking about. Again, the jumping momentum and usefulness of the double-jump make it sound like you're playing a different game - those statement simply weren't true during my playthroughs. Using the double-jump to correct the momentum made precision platforming easy.

I guess player impressions really can be set so far apart with this game. It would explain why it's getting almost nothing but extremely good and extremely mediocre reviews.

[Scar]

Sonics inability to turn in Colours and Unleashed is only beneficial on those long, straight paths in said games. If he controlled like that in any other game it'd be damn awful. There's a line between practicality and realism games.

Its kind of a by-product of proper physics though.

I do agree with you that his controls should be tightened up, but that will come through continuous improvement on Sonic Teams part.

Nonetheless he is still more controllable in Colours than he was in Unleashed HD. They are learning and they are improving it.

[Blue Blood]

Its kind of a by-product of proper physics though.

I do agree with you that his controls should be tightened up, but that will come through continuous improvement on Sonic Teams part.

Nonetheless he is still more controllable in Colours than he was in Unleashed HD. They are learning and they are improving it.

Moving Sonic left and right at high speed worked absolutely fine in both the Adventure games, and was made far too slippery by Heroes through to 06. If he has the quick step in his arsenal then he doesn't need to turn so slowly, because all that results in is a game that's unplayable when the paths are anything but simple straights.

Edited December 19, 2010 by Blue Blood