I haven't played Shadow the Hedgehog enough to judge it, nor have I played Sonic the Hedgehog '06. But what can I say concerning my favorite game series---one that I have followed religiously since 1993? That Sonic Adventure 2 is the Sonic 3 and Knuckles of this generation; that Sonic Heroes is the Sonic the Hedgehog 2. When I look at Sonic Adventure, Sonic Adventure 2: Battle, and Sonic Heroes I see fast-paced games that are not without their faults, just like the original 5 Genesis titles. Springboards, corkscrew spins, loops, ring monitors, electric shields, they're all there, not to mention with plenty of new moves. Well designed areas with challenging special stages and the chalenge of replaying each stage for the best speed possible all add up to a very rounded out gaming experience. Is Sonic Adventure 2 and Sonic Heroes Miyamoto experiences---are they Super Mario Sunshine? No. But few games are. In my honest opinion, if you want to talk about a game series imroperly adapted into the 3D generation, there's more evidence stacked up against the Metroid Prime series than there is here. I simply don't understand how people who claim to have played the old games "to death" can be so displeased with everything up to Shadow the Hedgehog (which, again, probably does suck like everyone says it does, but I haven't played it, so I personally cannot judge it).

Electronorgtechnica

Shadow the Hedgehog does not get nearly enough credit though; sure, it was ridiculous that when you load a save file, you hear a gunshot, and he can use guns and stuff, but people overlook the fact that it got some things right about the Sonic engine that most of the other 3d games lacked.

ryoshi

You want them to stop making crappy Sonic games? Stop buying them. Don't buy it to find out if it's any good. Don't buy it period.

I agree 100% with you. I think you just misinterpreted whet we mean by nail in the coffin. We mean in terms of respect for the series on the fan side of things, not "How are our sales numbers doing? lets cancel the series!"

Many of us are putting our foot down after this game. I've been though this before with the Megaman franchise as well. Three crappy Megaman X games in a row and I was ready to check out. I got over it and if Sonic Wii isn't any good I'm sure I'll get over the sonic series as well. If it does manage to shine then good for Sega AND Nintendo.

Rioracer916

TheBeff

I for one am hoping for the best.

Ichidou

stop

Copyright issues. The team like the original name better too.

zealousd

Karttikeya

All of you saying this game is the final nail need to realize that no developer holds a game up to a guage and say "Oh, not good enough. Better retire this character."

Well, unless that guage is a measure of sales. And the question is actually "Did we make enough money?" not "Was the game actually good."

You want them to stop making crappy Sonic games? Stop buying them. Don't buy it to find out if it's any good. Don't buy it period.

xerxes7

xpnet

xpnet

furiku

PTTSeven

I don't know how to handle the 'too many characters' problem, however, as we all have our favorites, and limiting them to 2 or 3 characters would probably upset fans of the characters not picked. The lion's share of levels should definitely be Sonic's, I think, and the other characters playing the support role.

Of course, I haven't played a (new) Sonic Game since Adventure (1) on the Dreamcast, so I've been happily ignorant of the changes made. I take that back, I did play a demo of Sonic Heroes, and that sucked. The theme song got stuck in my head though.

So-nic He-roes! (Sonic He-roes....) Oooooooh......

PTTSeven

I'm crossing my fingers for Sonic on the Wii, it's truely Sega's last chance to rescue the franchise.

abigsmurf

I bought a Dreamcast for Sonic Adventure, had fun and moved on. Then Sonic Adventure 2 came out and I wanted write Sega a letter telling them to cease and desist with the Adventure games...then they release the HD Sonic game. That game is probably the best example of how better graphics on the supposedly "technially superior systems" still can't make up for crappy gameplay mechanics that seemed to have taken a step back since 1999.

Sonic Heroes was trash, the DS sonic wasn't very impressive...I feel sorry I even bought it as a present for someone close to me. Now Sega is desperately whoring out their classic sonic titles because they actually sell.

I think Sega needs to get a clue and take look at why those games STILL sell. Here's a hint, it doesn't involve saving a princess and adding inane characters and physics gimmicks.

It's sad, times are changing, Sega, once a formidable company is now a lame duck. Don't get me started with Sony, I'm pretty upset with the slide they've taken the past 17 years as well.

Seems like the only one who in it to win is Nintendo and Microsoft, judging by their work thus far in appeasing their customers.

Rioracer916

And boo... i was hoping for Shadow to be unlockable... HMPH!

Ultrasinc

LunarAura

Rather easy not to with the quick dash in the air to not fall down in one of those as well.

Kenofthedead

It's going to have to be brilliant, loads of fun, new and original. And I'm not seeing any of these qualities.

And Sonic Rush was good, as long as you enjoyed falling into pits of death every five second. The old Sonic games had on the Genesis/Megadrive had good level design, Rush did not. It required you to know your way through the levels and the obstacles that were coming up in order to finish it.

WinterSnowblind

CrimemasterGogo

Kenofthedead

Do you mean "twist of fate" because Sonic used to be Sega's weapon against Nintendo in the console wars of old? Or because every Sonic game since the 16-bit era has sucked so unbelievably bad that I'm surprised Consumer Affairs haven't yet gotten involved. Who is Sega bribing, I wonder? Seriously, I feel ripped off even though I haven't ever spent any money on any 3D sonic game, ever. I still feel personally violated, somehow.

dowingba

Hopefuly it does well just to show SEGA they can do something new every now and then and that it will work out.

As for the game, I had fun with the demos through a few versions of it, so I have hope.
If it isn't good, well there is always the DS and PSP.

Kenofthedead

I would've never fathomed such a thought during the 16-bit war.

Ivan M.

Anyhow, I have a young cousin who will always buy Sonic. He loves it. Eats it up with a spoon.

Heck, he bought a 360 just for the last Sonic game. Yeah.

Dyuta

toinfiniwii

LedRush

Torusan

Wait... I could have sworn I said the same thing when Heroes came out.

Dammit!

Tensong

Avinash_Tyagi

majatt

cmoody17

I appreciate the kudos, -emory- :)

But, honestly, as a lifelong Sonic fan and Wii-owner, I can only pray this resurrects the glory of a series that I once held as the pinnacle of game design.

I actually played Shadow the Hedgehog recently, out of curiosity, and, to my utter horror, it really was as bad as reviewers had said. I know it was supposed to be -- I don't know -- fan service, or something, but it really felt more like a middle finger to the the fans.

sidescroller

JibbyJam

Kyouryuu

Please Sonic Team, for once deliver!

geoffcbassett

Avinash_Tyagi

Fett Fetterson

-emory-

dowingba

The other half of me can't wait to see if and how much Sega cocked up this latest iteration of Sonic with inconceivable excuses for minigames.

Draconis

stop

Scazza

(I think Yoda said that during one of the last SW's.)

Wernstar

Ein Stein

Cosmos

If it succeeds, maybe Sega will take notice and finally start to make Sonic games that stop sucking.

If it fails, 3D Sonic games are officially dead and will never be good no matter how many redesigns they go through.

We'll either see the death or the rebirth of a mascot, here.

zealousd

sniffychimp