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Post by Ex on Jul 4, 2018 19:57:33 GMT -5
It's true, I do love games that break free of paradigms and successfully explore innovative gameplay.
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Post by toei on Jul 5, 2018 17:17:20 GMT -5
I ran through the original Sonic the Hedgehog the other day.
I've said before that I don't really like pure platformers, and it's still true, but this one has nostalgic value for me as I owned it as a kid, and I've always preferred it over the more popular Sonic 2. The level design is more straightforward, though there are still many paths and tons of hidden goodies, and Tails is useless anyway. I found it more enjoyable to actually play it slowly and carefully, doing my best to get the 100 rings life in each level. I've gotta say, though, that I really prefer the first few areas. The water levels have always been a drag, and I guess I'm not nostalgic for the last two areas because I rarely made it that far as a kid, though I remembered the (very easy) final boss quite well. The game has a solid soundtrack, too. I mean, Green Hill Zone?
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Post by Sarge on Jul 5, 2018 17:54:19 GMT -5
I think I'm with you, I like the original better than Sonic 2. As I mentioned in the other thread, I like the Sonic games well enough, but they're not really my jam. I love the Marble Zone theme, myself. And of course, the immortal Ice Cap theme from Sonic 3.
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Post by Xeogred on Jul 5, 2018 18:42:49 GMT -5
I love classic Sonic, LOVE. Sonic Mania had me grinning ear to ear last year from start to finish (I liked it way more than Mario Odyssey). I was taken aback by how much it blew me away and just fortified how much I love the old Sonic's. I replay them probably the most after the Mega Man games.
I like the original Sonic 1 way more than 2, which feels a bit bloated at times. Sure it has more zones overall but I don't like the switch to only two stages per, the art direction isn't as wacky and trippy, music is a downgrade, maybe my least favorite Special Stages, and Tails just gets in my way, etc. Still love it though. Sonic 3 is the only one I really actively dislike because it's got some real stinker levels and music (the Casino).
Sonic CD is off the chain and easy to see how the Sonic 1 team followed up with that before another team did 2. 1/CD are way more my jam aesthetically. For the later style though, I do love S&K.
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Post by toei on Jul 5, 2018 19:11:06 GMT -5
Well, technically, the Sonic 1 team was split between Sonic CD and Sonic 2, and more people got involved. Have you read the recently-translated shmuplations interview with the devs? Really interesting stuff. Yuji Naka had actually quit Sega after Sonic 1's development, because he was tired of the low pay and lack of recognition. The suits thought the game would bomb, and actually gave him a bad employee review for it! In the end it was Mark Cerny, who'd worked on Master System games in Japan and was now at Sega Technical Institute, who called him and convinced him to join him in the US. He agreed under the condition that he wouldn't work on another Sonic game, and ended up being roped into working on Sonic 2, at which point a few more Sonic Team members were sent over to America (including one of the main original planners, Hirokazu Yasuhara). Sonic CD, meanwhile, was helmed by Sonic's original character designer, Naoto Ohshima, along with an all-star team of Sega employees.
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Post by Xeogred on Jul 5, 2018 19:19:31 GMT -5
That makes it sound crazier than I had originally even heard about them over the years. And then 3 and S&K were mostly done by new American teams I believe and both don't seem that well regarded in Japan? They're certainly pretty different in design, for better or worse per player I guess. I like how Sonic 1/CD had a lot of verticality to them and big open spaces, with levels that are more maze-like in design. There wasn't one right or wrong path to the end. Sonic 2 is really streamlined and linear in comparison. Then 3 and S&K get really complicated and with more stage gimmicks, some of the levels drag (as much as I love S&K, the Sandopolis levels go on a bit too long for my liking). Leave it to SEGA for their mascot to basically be a big "accident" of events and troublesome developments.
I wish I could get into Knuckles Chaotix. Visually I love it, but the cuffs/rope gimmick that binds the two characters together utterly kills it for me. I wish we got more 2D Sonic's from the CD/32x/Saturn era.
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Post by toei on Jul 5, 2018 19:50:56 GMT -5
I have the same issue with Knuckles Chaotix. I get that they were trying to set it apart with that gimmick, but it's a drag. Also agreed regarding level design, that's one of the main thing I prefer about 1. The levels are more fun to explore leisurely, you don't have to run blindly. Naka initially intended for players to take it slowly at first, then run through levels when replaying them, but during tests they saw that players just rushed through anyway, which is why later Sonic have more straightforward levels. I've heard that the Master System Sonic 1 is the best of the 8-bit ones (and it's an original, despite starting with Green Hill Zone), have you played it? I spent maybe 20 minutes with it so far, it seemed pretty decent.
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Post by Xeogred on Jul 5, 2018 20:27:41 GMT -5
I've heard that the Master System Sonic 1 is the best of the 8-bit ones (and it's an original, despite starting with Green Hill Zone), have you played it? I spent maybe 20 minutes with it so far, it seemed pretty decent. Yes! Very neat to see them pull off really awesome 8-bit installments for the series. I've only played them both through once and it's been awhile, but I remember being really impressed and enjoyed them quite a bit. A good catch, I don't think they should be as overlooked as they are.
I can't really get into the Game Gear games anymore though, too zoomed in. A lot of them still have killer OST's at least.
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Post by chibby on Jul 5, 2018 21:43:26 GMT -5
I'm not sure if I should post in here or in the summer thread if I beat a summer game. I am sure that I should be ashamed that it took me more than half a week into July to finish my first entry. I posted something of substance in that thread.
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Post by toei on Jul 5, 2018 21:49:38 GMT -5
And another Sonic-related observation, since I've been playing Super Metroid - I'm convinced the Hi-Speed Boots were directly inspired by Sonic (it has you running super fast and turning blue), while the Screw Attack from the original Metroid is definitely the basis behind Sonic's basic jumping attack.
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