Did the Boost Formula ruined Modern Sonic?

[Axolex53]

Alright! Let's get to the point

Spoiler: If you want history

The Boost Formula was implemented in a DS game called Sonic Rush that was released on 2005 and in every modern game (except Lost World) on forward. Basically makes you go full speed and with invincibility, but you must watch the boost bar, if reachs zero, you can't boost. There are many ways to refill this meter, from doing tricks and beating enemies, to collect rings and free aliens.

This boost formula is something like a double edged sword, makes you go fast to end the level (which is fine, being a Sonic) but at the same time, make it too OP (at least in Forces) wiping all the enemies in your way, making them... forgettable and less challenging if the level is a straight line.(considering the homing attack that we have to beat flying enemies) ..

In Rush we have it, but well worked! Balancing between Speed and platforming pretty well (even you need it in order to access Sonic's Special Stages), in Colors (especially DS version) the only way to refill the boost was chaining badniks or free wisps, here, the boost can attract nearly rings and, like Rush, was well implemented, even dealing more damage to the bosses!

In 3D, Boost formula was implemented within the Wii version of Colors, and i think that wasn't too OP, because Sonic has to use Wisp's abilities and was well balanced...

I could opine the Unleashed Boost but i only have the Wii Version (The non-City Empire Version)

I made this thread because was a question that soon or later will face... What do you think? Did the Boost ruined Modern? It can be fixed? How?

 

[Chimes]

as someone who played unleashed a monstrous load during 2009 and got generations at december i feel that this "boost formula" is not actually all that bad, it's just implemented wrong.

with generations the implementation really feels stiff and hoarse against the level design focused around platforming and it feels like gameplay tweaking was a afterthought
the best i can describe it would be super smash brothers melee where in adventure mode there's these platforming sections but smash was designed for you to be in one place, not go in a linear path in a sidescroller so movement feels sloooooow and unnatural

similarly i feel the "boost formula" is more suited for speeding across wide areas and flying across places and never for traditional platforming and unleashed DOES do that with rooftop run and cool edge coming to mind...
but generations... god, almost everything about its gameplay feels wrong! its already enough that classic sonic always feels like he's on rails but modern sonic's level design is a far cry from unleashed's even with the latter's flaws

in short NO it has not ruined sonic, it just needs proper implementation

 

[Morphized]

I feel like the Boost formula was a gameplay style which ruined Sonic's past gameplay, in which you need to platform well and take advantage of the rolling mechanic in order to gain speed; however, in doing so it introduced a new style, which makes way more sense with Sonic's marketing and canon.


It did create new possibilities for Sonic's gameplay, and indeed a new style of platformer. However, in doing so, it eliminated any opportunity for Sonic Team to attempt to finish their goal of bringing the classic momentum-platformer gameplay into 3D. Essentially, the Boost formula is almost Sonic Team saying that they believe that traditional 3D Sonic is impossible. As proven by projects such as the Bumper Engine, this conclusion is objectively wrong.


In conclusion, the Boost formula created a new paradigm for Sonic's gameplay, and is a perfectly valid style. However, what should be done is that Boost games should be side games, while they focus on the main objective of finishing what the Adventure games started, that being transitioning Sonic's 2D gameplay into 3D.