Robert Akio
Sayaka Miki
- Joined
- May 30, 2018
- Messages
- 23
- Reaction score
- 8
Ok, so this is a new one from me. And a post in a very, very long time, and the title itself may be a bit confusing. But don't worry, I'll get to that. First, I believe we should go over some history about Sonic the Hedgehog 4, just so we all know what it is.
So, Sonic the Hedgehog 4 is a game that was released around October, 2010 for the Xbox 360, Play Station 3, Wii and mobile phones. If you were a Sonic fan, and you heard about it, you were no doubt excited to finally get a continuation of the 2d side-scrolling style of the Genesis games. Although, there was some thing that were... peculiar. Green hill again? Eggman reusing old machines? This was a bit before Sonics 20th anniversary. A year to be in fact. This game was released close to when Sonic Colors was, sooo what gives? Me personally? Back when I was 10 years old, I was just excited for the game, and while I still do believe Episode 1 is a good game, I am much more of an expert at games now than I was back then. So with that said, let's get this started.
So, what's the story regarding Episode 1 of Sonic 4? After the events of Sonic 3 and Knuckles, Dr. Eggman has come up with a new plan to try and destroy Sonic the Hedgehog, ridding him of the blue blur forever, and allowing him to take over the world. And that plan is? Go back over his old works and improve on it. Honestly, this does sound like it would be smart of Eggman to do, but in execution? With things like the return of the Wreaking ball, and Lost Labyrinths boss literally only having a section where he tries to crush you, and a nerfed Casino night boss, it's like he isn't even trying. But, in Sonic tradition, in order to fight the mad doctor, you must navigate Sonic through all acts of each zone in order to reach him.
The zones in question are Splash Hill zone, a typical Green Hill like stage, which comes complete with Motobugs, Corkscrews like in Emerald Hill, and vines for one level to swing on. Truly, it took us AGES in order to make an anagram of first zones in the 2d Sonic games. The next zone after it in order is Casino Street zone, and much like how Splash Hill resembles Green Hill, this one wears Casino Night on its sleeve. Even going so far as to essentially look like Casino Night with exception to the background. After Casino Street, there's Lost Labyrinth. Now, I was worried about this zone when I first played it. I never did have an easy time with Labyrinth Zone from Sonic 1 after all. But this zone is much more forgiving than Labyrinth was. In fact, there's only one stage that has you go under water. Finally, there's Mad Gear zone, which is based very much off of Metropolis zone. It even has the Asterons, Shell Crackers and Slicers return. Only the Shell Crackers and Slicers are much easier to deal with due to Sonic now having the homing attack. Oddly enough, this is the only zone where the acts will all retain gimmicks, as act 1 introduces steam vents, act 2 has cogs, and act will have both.
Finally, there's the final zone, E.G.G Station. This is pretty much just a boss rush that ends with the Death Egg robot from Sonic 2. After this boss is defeated, Sonic returns to Splash Hill to strike a pose, just like Sonic 1.
Now, how about the gameplay? As I mentioned when going over the zones, the only playable character in the game is Sonic. Rocking his modern look, he navigates through these stages with a familiar moveset. Like before, Sonic is capable of jumping into badniks, and monitors alike, as well as curl into a ball on the ground. Along with this, Sonic can still do the spindash, but new to him for the 2d games is the homing attack. This move first appeared in Sonic 3d blast, when Sonic had an orange shield, and has been a part of his moveset ever since Sonic Adventure, and had appeared as well in both Sonic Rush, Sonic Rush Adventure, and Sonic Colors on the DS. However, the homing attack is just... weird in this game. It functions well, don't get me wrong. But in a game that's called Sonic the Hedgehog 4, why is this move in the game? All it really does aside from give a second way to gain instant speed, is cause there to be moments where you have to homing chain through a series of badniks in the air. And speaking of control, Sonic is... ehhhhhhhhh? Rather than try to replicate the physics of Sonic 1, 2, CD and 3 and Knuckles, Sonic 4 goes with the physics of Sonic Rush.
This presents a problem. I don't think I have to go into it, but look up Sonic the hedgehog 4 physics on Google, or Youtube, and you'll find numerous videos and images of Sonic running up walls with little to no speed with ease, or just standing on walls or the side of a loop. Sonic will even stop moving forward in the air if you don't hold forward. That's not how it's supposed to work. And Sonic doesn't even manage to gain speed while rolling down slopes without holding forward. Why the heck is this? Well, there's a reason for this. As I said, the game uses the same physics as Sonic Rush, which was created by Dimps. The same people who also made the Sonic Advance games had come back to work on this game. Now, the physics themselves aren't the problem. It's the fact this game is called Sonic the Hedgehog 4... Episode 1? Wait, why is this an episodic release?
In order to answer this, we have to go into some prototype stuff for the game. While we don't know much, what we can theory is that this was originally going to be a game of a different title. And what is that title? Sonic the Portable of course.
In Casino Street zones ferris wheel, you can see some blurred words on it. And those words read...
Sonic the Portable. Even in Episode Metal from Sonic 4 episode 2, when you see the ferris wheel, the words Sonic the Portable are still there. The theory here is that Sonic the Hedgehog 4 was initially going to be a new series of mobile games done by Dimps, much like how they did the Sonic Advance series and the Rush series. And with this, the game would have some challenges that involved the use of the gyroscope in cell phones, explaining why the mobile version has this level in Lost Labyrinth that revolves around tilting it to tilt the screen. You can even still find this stage in the Beta 9 version of the game, which can be played on Dolphin. This is likely also why the special stages in the wii version include an option for using motion controls in the special stage, which was most likely in Episode 1 on mobile, and is certainly in Episode 2. At some point, Sega had decided this shouldn't be exclusive to mobile phones, but in doing so, the name Sonic the Portable no longer fit for it. And so, Sega decided to rename the game to Sonic the Hedgehog 4.
Speaking of, why don't we go on to the next episode, which if the theory is correct, would make it Sonic the Portable 2. Being the sequel to Sonic the Portable, Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode 2 was released after Sonic Generations, in the year 2012. Unlike Episode 1 though, Sonic 4 episode 2 is not available on the Wii. Only the PS3, Xbox 360 and mobile phones. But, good luck getting it to work on mobile phones. I have it, and it crashes on the very first boss of the game.
Now, how about that story? Being after Episode 1, Eggman is still trying to take over the world when Little Planet from Sonic CD makes a return. With its return, comes the return of Eggman's greatest rival to Sonic, Metal Sonic. The mad doctor revives this mechanical monstrosity, and uses the Mad Gear zone to power him back up. Then, Metal Sonic takes a purple orb of energy from Lost Labyrinth and chases Sonic and Tails. With the side story that is Episode Metal done, now we can focus on the rest of the game. And wow. Episode 2 does have quite the visual improvement. Even on mobile phones, this game looks much better than how Sonic 4 Episode 1 did.
Along with this comes 4 new zones for Sonic and Tails to speed through to stop Eggman's scheme, and rescue Little Planet. Those zones being Sylvania Castle zone, a zone based on both Marble Garden and Aquatic Ruin. White Park, which has both the ice zone aesthetic, and an amusement park setting, Oil Dessert, and Sky Fortress. These zones certainly don't wear what they're based on right on their sleeves. Except for Sky Fortress. That zone even starts off with Sky Chase, and then has you on the airship for act 2 and 3.
Finally, there's the Death Egg MK. 2, which is being used by Eggman to contain Little Planet. This zone only has 2 acts. One to deal with Metal Sonic in the only re-hashed boss of the game, and act 2 has you battle the heart of the Death Egg, and once Sonic and Tails beat the mad doctor... nothing seems to happen. The Death Egg powers down, but that's about it. And since there's no Episode 3, we'll never know what could have been beyond it.
Now, how's the gameplay? Like Episode 1, Sonic retails all the same abilities he had in Episode 1. Although, Dimps did modify the physics somewhat to allow Sonic to gain some speed when rolling down slopes. But beyond that? Well, Sonic and Tails have tag abilities much like in Sonic Advance 3. Those being having Tails carry Sonic in the air, Tails carrying Sonic underwater, which he couldn't do in Sonic 3, and Mania, and a rolling combo, which is essentially a super spindash of some kind that makes you invulnerable. Now, if you're playing co-op, you may be happy to see that Tails is not only playable, but player 2 can make Tails fly on his own.
Finally, in both episodes, you're able to access the special stage. How you do so is the same as Sonic 1 and CD, where you gather at least 50 rings, and then reach the end of the goal. But you better get in that big ring ASAP. Because if you don't, then Sonic will just run off, ignoring it, which is frustrating. Now, in Episode 1, the special stage is based on Sonic 1, with you rotating the maze much like the Sonic 1 prototype, gathering rings to open gates, and reach the Chaos Emerald before time runs out. You can also run into the ! orbs, with boot you out of the special stage like a time over. But, you can pause the game and restart it before either of those happen.
Now in Episode 2, the special stage is akin to Sonic 2. In fact, Episode 2 is just the Sonic 2 special stages, complete with you needing to collect rings before reaching a check point in order to progress. If you don't, then you'll be ejected from the special stage and have to try again. But like in Episode 1, you can pause the game and restart before that happens. But as for things in it that make it be Sonic the Portable 2? Well, there's actually very little in Episode 2 that are different between the mobile version, and console version of this game. Aside from it being a visual downgrade, the only thing Episode 2 has on mobile is tilting your phone as an option in the special stages. However, consider the fact Episode 2 advertised Tails greatly, just like how Sonic 2 had advertised itself as having Sonics new partner, Tails. And if Sonic the hedgehog 4 Episode 1, or Sonic the Portable is the Sonic 1 of this series, that would mean Episode 2 is supposed to be the Sonic 2 of the Sonic the Portable series. And if that isn't enough, remember how people were reacting to Sonic Mania, and how the elevator at the end of the animated trailer didn't have a button for Sonic 4? What if that is absent, not because of the views people had on Sonic 4, or Sonic Mania being "the real Sonic 4", but because it was supposed to be a different thing entirely, and the title of Sonic 4 was forced upon it?
But yeah. That's Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode 1 and 2. A Saga that never got completed due to low popularity by the fans, and Sega forcing it into a position it never belonged in the first place. What do you all think of this? And also, what do you all think of this video game retrospective I did? Was it done well? Please, be sure to tell me how I can improve on these.
So, Sonic the Hedgehog 4 is a game that was released around October, 2010 for the Xbox 360, Play Station 3, Wii and mobile phones. If you were a Sonic fan, and you heard about it, you were no doubt excited to finally get a continuation of the 2d side-scrolling style of the Genesis games. Although, there was some thing that were... peculiar. Green hill again? Eggman reusing old machines? This was a bit before Sonics 20th anniversary. A year to be in fact. This game was released close to when Sonic Colors was, sooo what gives? Me personally? Back when I was 10 years old, I was just excited for the game, and while I still do believe Episode 1 is a good game, I am much more of an expert at games now than I was back then. So with that said, let's get this started.
So, what's the story regarding Episode 1 of Sonic 4? After the events of Sonic 3 and Knuckles, Dr. Eggman has come up with a new plan to try and destroy Sonic the Hedgehog, ridding him of the blue blur forever, and allowing him to take over the world. And that plan is? Go back over his old works and improve on it. Honestly, this does sound like it would be smart of Eggman to do, but in execution? With things like the return of the Wreaking ball, and Lost Labyrinths boss literally only having a section where he tries to crush you, and a nerfed Casino night boss, it's like he isn't even trying. But, in Sonic tradition, in order to fight the mad doctor, you must navigate Sonic through all acts of each zone in order to reach him.
The zones in question are Splash Hill zone, a typical Green Hill like stage, which comes complete with Motobugs, Corkscrews like in Emerald Hill, and vines for one level to swing on. Truly, it took us AGES in order to make an anagram of first zones in the 2d Sonic games. The next zone after it in order is Casino Street zone, and much like how Splash Hill resembles Green Hill, this one wears Casino Night on its sleeve. Even going so far as to essentially look like Casino Night with exception to the background. After Casino Street, there's Lost Labyrinth. Now, I was worried about this zone when I first played it. I never did have an easy time with Labyrinth Zone from Sonic 1 after all. But this zone is much more forgiving than Labyrinth was. In fact, there's only one stage that has you go under water. Finally, there's Mad Gear zone, which is based very much off of Metropolis zone. It even has the Asterons, Shell Crackers and Slicers return. Only the Shell Crackers and Slicers are much easier to deal with due to Sonic now having the homing attack. Oddly enough, this is the only zone where the acts will all retain gimmicks, as act 1 introduces steam vents, act 2 has cogs, and act will have both.
Finally, there's the final zone, E.G.G Station. This is pretty much just a boss rush that ends with the Death Egg robot from Sonic 2. After this boss is defeated, Sonic returns to Splash Hill to strike a pose, just like Sonic 1.
Now, how about the gameplay? As I mentioned when going over the zones, the only playable character in the game is Sonic. Rocking his modern look, he navigates through these stages with a familiar moveset. Like before, Sonic is capable of jumping into badniks, and monitors alike, as well as curl into a ball on the ground. Along with this, Sonic can still do the spindash, but new to him for the 2d games is the homing attack. This move first appeared in Sonic 3d blast, when Sonic had an orange shield, and has been a part of his moveset ever since Sonic Adventure, and had appeared as well in both Sonic Rush, Sonic Rush Adventure, and Sonic Colors on the DS. However, the homing attack is just... weird in this game. It functions well, don't get me wrong. But in a game that's called Sonic the Hedgehog 4, why is this move in the game? All it really does aside from give a second way to gain instant speed, is cause there to be moments where you have to homing chain through a series of badniks in the air. And speaking of control, Sonic is... ehhhhhhhhh? Rather than try to replicate the physics of Sonic 1, 2, CD and 3 and Knuckles, Sonic 4 goes with the physics of Sonic Rush.
This presents a problem. I don't think I have to go into it, but look up Sonic the hedgehog 4 physics on Google, or Youtube, and you'll find numerous videos and images of Sonic running up walls with little to no speed with ease, or just standing on walls or the side of a loop. Sonic will even stop moving forward in the air if you don't hold forward. That's not how it's supposed to work. And Sonic doesn't even manage to gain speed while rolling down slopes without holding forward. Why the heck is this? Well, there's a reason for this. As I said, the game uses the same physics as Sonic Rush, which was created by Dimps. The same people who also made the Sonic Advance games had come back to work on this game. Now, the physics themselves aren't the problem. It's the fact this game is called Sonic the Hedgehog 4... Episode 1? Wait, why is this an episodic release?
In order to answer this, we have to go into some prototype stuff for the game. While we don't know much, what we can theory is that this was originally going to be a game of a different title. And what is that title? Sonic the Portable of course.
In Casino Street zones ferris wheel, you can see some blurred words on it. And those words read...
Sonic the Portable. Even in Episode Metal from Sonic 4 episode 2, when you see the ferris wheel, the words Sonic the Portable are still there. The theory here is that Sonic the Hedgehog 4 was initially going to be a new series of mobile games done by Dimps, much like how they did the Sonic Advance series and the Rush series. And with this, the game would have some challenges that involved the use of the gyroscope in cell phones, explaining why the mobile version has this level in Lost Labyrinth that revolves around tilting it to tilt the screen. You can even still find this stage in the Beta 9 version of the game, which can be played on Dolphin. This is likely also why the special stages in the wii version include an option for using motion controls in the special stage, which was most likely in Episode 1 on mobile, and is certainly in Episode 2. At some point, Sega had decided this shouldn't be exclusive to mobile phones, but in doing so, the name Sonic the Portable no longer fit for it. And so, Sega decided to rename the game to Sonic the Hedgehog 4.
Speaking of, why don't we go on to the next episode, which if the theory is correct, would make it Sonic the Portable 2. Being the sequel to Sonic the Portable, Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode 2 was released after Sonic Generations, in the year 2012. Unlike Episode 1 though, Sonic 4 episode 2 is not available on the Wii. Only the PS3, Xbox 360 and mobile phones. But, good luck getting it to work on mobile phones. I have it, and it crashes on the very first boss of the game.
Now, how about that story? Being after Episode 1, Eggman is still trying to take over the world when Little Planet from Sonic CD makes a return. With its return, comes the return of Eggman's greatest rival to Sonic, Metal Sonic. The mad doctor revives this mechanical monstrosity, and uses the Mad Gear zone to power him back up. Then, Metal Sonic takes a purple orb of energy from Lost Labyrinth and chases Sonic and Tails. With the side story that is Episode Metal done, now we can focus on the rest of the game. And wow. Episode 2 does have quite the visual improvement. Even on mobile phones, this game looks much better than how Sonic 4 Episode 1 did.
Along with this comes 4 new zones for Sonic and Tails to speed through to stop Eggman's scheme, and rescue Little Planet. Those zones being Sylvania Castle zone, a zone based on both Marble Garden and Aquatic Ruin. White Park, which has both the ice zone aesthetic, and an amusement park setting, Oil Dessert, and Sky Fortress. These zones certainly don't wear what they're based on right on their sleeves. Except for Sky Fortress. That zone even starts off with Sky Chase, and then has you on the airship for act 2 and 3.
Finally, there's the Death Egg MK. 2, which is being used by Eggman to contain Little Planet. This zone only has 2 acts. One to deal with Metal Sonic in the only re-hashed boss of the game, and act 2 has you battle the heart of the Death Egg, and once Sonic and Tails beat the mad doctor... nothing seems to happen. The Death Egg powers down, but that's about it. And since there's no Episode 3, we'll never know what could have been beyond it.
Now, how's the gameplay? Like Episode 1, Sonic retails all the same abilities he had in Episode 1. Although, Dimps did modify the physics somewhat to allow Sonic to gain some speed when rolling down slopes. But beyond that? Well, Sonic and Tails have tag abilities much like in Sonic Advance 3. Those being having Tails carry Sonic in the air, Tails carrying Sonic underwater, which he couldn't do in Sonic 3, and Mania, and a rolling combo, which is essentially a super spindash of some kind that makes you invulnerable. Now, if you're playing co-op, you may be happy to see that Tails is not only playable, but player 2 can make Tails fly on his own.
Finally, in both episodes, you're able to access the special stage. How you do so is the same as Sonic 1 and CD, where you gather at least 50 rings, and then reach the end of the goal. But you better get in that big ring ASAP. Because if you don't, then Sonic will just run off, ignoring it, which is frustrating. Now, in Episode 1, the special stage is based on Sonic 1, with you rotating the maze much like the Sonic 1 prototype, gathering rings to open gates, and reach the Chaos Emerald before time runs out. You can also run into the ! orbs, with boot you out of the special stage like a time over. But, you can pause the game and restart it before either of those happen.
Now in Episode 2, the special stage is akin to Sonic 2. In fact, Episode 2 is just the Sonic 2 special stages, complete with you needing to collect rings before reaching a check point in order to progress. If you don't, then you'll be ejected from the special stage and have to try again. But like in Episode 1, you can pause the game and restart before that happens. But as for things in it that make it be Sonic the Portable 2? Well, there's actually very little in Episode 2 that are different between the mobile version, and console version of this game. Aside from it being a visual downgrade, the only thing Episode 2 has on mobile is tilting your phone as an option in the special stages. However, consider the fact Episode 2 advertised Tails greatly, just like how Sonic 2 had advertised itself as having Sonics new partner, Tails. And if Sonic the hedgehog 4 Episode 1, or Sonic the Portable is the Sonic 1 of this series, that would mean Episode 2 is supposed to be the Sonic 2 of the Sonic the Portable series. And if that isn't enough, remember how people were reacting to Sonic Mania, and how the elevator at the end of the animated trailer didn't have a button for Sonic 4? What if that is absent, not because of the views people had on Sonic 4, or Sonic Mania being "the real Sonic 4", but because it was supposed to be a different thing entirely, and the title of Sonic 4 was forced upon it?
But yeah. That's Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode 1 and 2. A Saga that never got completed due to low popularity by the fans, and Sega forcing it into a position it never belonged in the first place. What do you all think of this? And also, what do you all think of this video game retrospective I did? Was it done well? Please, be sure to tell me how I can improve on these.
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