Sonic Lost World and Mario & Sonic at the 2014 Olympics Games

[Larz T]

I liked the trailer but to me, it kinda looked like what Sonic Xtreme could of been. That's just me...

 

[Final Radiance]

YES.

Sonic: Lost Worlds is the kind of thing I've been WAITING for. (That is, if Shadow Hog's theory could be correct)

This is a BRILLIANT take on what's been a "mach 7 uncontrollable vehicle on ice" rut for the past.. Seven years I wanna say?
I can't really make judges and observations now since it's just a somewhat vague trailer, but from what's been previewed it looks like it has a plethora of potential given this new formula (finally!);
but I do wanna say one thing.

WHY THE HELL ARE THERE STILL 2-D SECTIONS?!
SEGA, are you kidding me? You're still in this mindset where 2-D will be the only time Sonic will be good? With this formula, you have an absolutely PERFECT opportunity to create an absolutely stunning, COMPLETELY 3-D experience dammit!

 

[Autosaver]

The following info comes from an IGN interview and eyes-on session with producer Takashi Iizuka...

“We wanted to create an all-new design for 3D Sonic games with Sonic: Lost World. Ever since the first day of development, we were focused on creating new and unique levels to best fit this new style.”

- gameplay involves twisting, turning and jumping along floating constructs suspended in mid-air
- some stages focus on slower speeds with more platforming
- some stages focus more on speed
- grassy setting comes from Wind Hill
- Desert Ruins 1 features cakes, cookies, donuts and candy
- Desert Ruins 2 doesn't feature the food items mentioned above
- Desert Ruins 2 is a ‘tunnel racing’ concept
- wide range of branching paths and exploration options
- Sonic's controls have been adjusted to fit the new design

“Exhilarating and dynamic speed can sometimes conflict with [intuitive] controls, so we're constantly trying to improve the balance between the two. (Improving control was) of the utmost importance.”

- the two key ideas are being able to control Sonic’s speed and a ‘Parkour system’
- this allows players to automatically accommodate basic obstacles when Sonic runs
- Sonic now walks until the GamePad’s triggers pop-up, which engage his running speed
- holding down the second trigger will pull Sonic into a ball
- Sonic is at full speed in ball form

“In previous 3D Sonic games, even if you're running through a level at top speed, if you hit an obstacle you stop instantly. To avoid this, we added a new action to keep Sonic running, even when you hit an obstacle. To make sure it only happens when you want it to, it's triggered by the player holding the run button.”

- On Wii U, the GamePad is specifically used to activate various Whisp-based “Color Powers”
- these feature touch-based controls
- use these to gain access to side paths and area
- GamePad is also used in ‘Support Mode’
- this mode lets one player to use the GamePad for assistance while another controls Sonic via Wiimote/Nunchuk
- Sonic is the only character players will directly control
- Tails, Knuckles and Amy will make appearances in the story
- Sonic is chasing after Eggman when he happens upon a mysterious planet called “Lost Hex”
- that's where the new enemies live
- these foes will bring a “sense of danger and humor” to the story
- Sonic will once again save animals throughout levels
- game will keep track of the animals you save on a level-basis as well as overall
- the more you save, the more bonus content you can unlock
- includes Red Star Rings (collected for unlockable content) and gold cannons (which access hidden paths)
- 3DS version will use full 3D levels

Fantastic. Multiple paths, multiple exits, return to platforming, 3D levels in the 3DS version, and wisp powers?

 

[HisuiChan]

The game looks cool and all, but exactly whatever happened to all the other characters in Sonic...I mean now its just Sonic and Tails, Knuckles and Amy are fading away, and the others are almost completely forgotten. I miss all those characters, it sucks that they take away all the other characters for just Sonic. (I think my love for all the characters in Sonic History is why SA2 would be my favorite game. ^-^')

 

[Eliwood]

I wish people would just get a Wii U or a 3DS. Yes, the consoles may seem expensive, but not once have I ever seen Nintendo fail to disappoint with fantastic titles. This one being an added reason to get one. You play a game that can't be offered on the PC which I think is great.

 

[Burning-Fox]

I absolutely hate the boost with a passion anyway. I don't care if Sonic is supposed to be fast, it's completely overpowered and unnecessary to have it just to make a fast paced game. It's only use REALLY is for wide open sections which are going straight forward forever (Which are ridiculously boring and overused to me) or a cheap way to get to full speed and destroy enemies. Seeing how easy it is to control too ticks me off. It's more overpowered then Super Sonic. Unless of course he's boosting too, then you're fucked.

I HOPE they don't have a boost in the game, because to me, it's becoming nothing but an overused gimmick. What happened to the old gameplay, where you had to actually build up momentum first?

 

[WellDoneSnake]

The game looks cool and all, but exactly whatever happened to all the other characters in Sonic...I mean now its just Sonic and Tails, Knuckles and Amy are fading away, and the others are almost completely forgotten.

Sonic and Tails were always suppose to be the main aspects/characters in a Sonic game. It seems quite hard to bring the rest of the characters into most of the modern Sonic games in my opinion (Sonic Generations having the worst storyline). I have a strong feeling that Amy is going to be there, she often finds a way into modern sonic games. The other Sonic characters are always appearing in other games, such as: Super Smash Bros Brawl, Sonic Riders, Sonic and Sega All Stars Racing and that Sonic tennis game (I keep forgetting the title). So they're not exactly fading.

You're still in this mindset where 2-D will be the only time Sonic will be good?

There's nothing wrong with a bit of 2-D elements in the gameplay, it shows a certain style that makes it unique. I really like the 2-D element as it shows that classic gameplay can never lose its style (IMO). The camera actions in 2-D as seen in the trailer also copy the Sonic 4 Ep.I camera (on Iphone or Android) that follows you around loops.

What happened to the old gameplay, where you had to actually build up momentum first?

Wasn't the creator of the original Sonic games (which I think is supposed to be Yuji Naka) obsessed with speed. My point is that I wouldn't be surprised if boost was in it but if it was in this game they would have showed it off in the trailer already - like they did with Sonic Colors, Sonic Unleashed and Sonic Generations. Tons of Sonic fans loved the boost system, it showed his true ability (speed), it also challenges the fans, however it does seem very overpowered in Sonic Generations especially when you go Super Sonic.

Another thing about Sonic Lost Worlds is that the new bad guys in this game seem like a bunch of older school kids who skip lessons and bully flickies.

 

[Shiron]

I absolutely hate the boost with a passion anyway. I don't care if Sonic is supposed to be fast, it's completely overpowered and unnecessary to have it just to make a fast paced game.

Glad to know people still have some common sense.

Anyway, why is everyone like "oh why is sega bringing dimps on this aaa dammit sega you chould have lernt this theyre a bad company aaa"? It's not like SEGA/Sonic Team would listen to us anyway. How would they know we hate Dimps? And even then, there's no hard proof that Dimps is working on the 3DS version.

 

[Monster Iestyn]

Wasn't the creator of the original Sonic games (which I think is supposed to be Yuji Naka) obsessed with speed.

Didn't he leave SEGA after Sonic Heroes or something?

 

[SSNTails]

It'll be interesting to see how they handle the Mario-Galaxy like mechanic. I built a proof-of-concept game a few years ago similar to the 2D sections shown, and with pretty much all of my testers they either:

a) felt like throwing up
or
b) kept losing track of where they were

 

[WellDoneSnake]

Didn't he leave SEGA after Sonic Heroes or something?

All I know is that he left SEGA to create his own game studio Prope. I can't really find the actual date he left SEGA.

It'll be interesting to see how they handle the Mario-Galaxy like mechanic. I built a proof-of-concept game a few years ago similar to the 2D sections shown, and with pretty much all of my testers they either:
a) felt like throwing up
or
b) kept losing track of where they were

I'm sure they managed to have a certain control of how the camera would react to the movement of the character's gameplay and the surroundings.

 

[Shadow Hog]

All I know is that he left SEGA to create his own game studio Prope. I can't really find the actual date he left SEGA.

It was in the middle of Sonic 2K6's development, which probably contributed to the final outcome of the product (ie: being one of the worst games in existence, let alone one of the worst in the series).

That said, Naka was only one piece of the puzzle... Naoto Ohshima created the character design, and Hirokazu Yasuhara did the level design. Incidentally, Yasuhara now works for Nintendo.

 

[WellDoneSnake]

This what I found on Wiki: "In news released on March 16, 2006, Naka announced that he intended to create his own game studio, Prope, and that he would be leaving Sega to do so. Following Naoto Oshima's departure in 1999 and Hirokazu Yasuhara's departure in 2002, Yuji Naka was the final member of the original creative core that created Sonic the Hedgehog to leave Sega."
This is old news but I thought I might as well post it.

If Naoto Ohshima created the character design back then (since he now works for Artoon/AQ Interactive), who's doing the character designs now?

 

[Sky The Destroyer]

Logo:

Wii U Boxart:
3DS Boxart:

Another 3DS screen:

(Click for higher resolution pics)

 

[Shiron]

 

[Larz T]

I'm probably not the first but did anyone notice this during the trailer?

Spoiler

EDIT: Plus if anyone is interested, GameXplain, a channel that updates people on the latest games and analyses gameplay trailers, goes in depth on what we could expect in Lost Worlds. Plus, that is where I got the image from.

Here's the video: http://tinyurl.com/o5b4esa

 

[Terra]

I heard that the story is that Sonic and Eggman work together to defeat the deadly six? What? Is this true?

 

[Daywalker]

I heard that the story is that Sonic and Eggman work together to defeat the deadly six? What? Is this true?

It is true.

http://blogs.sega.com/2013/05/29/rise-against-the-deadly-six-in-sonic-lost-world/

“We are proud of the strong relationship between Nintendo and SEGA and look forward to continuing success with Sonic Lost World on Wii U and Nintendo 3DS,” commented Hiroyuki Miyazaki, Chief Content Officer, SEGA of America. “The game marks an evolution of the Sonic series and fans –both old and new — will be excited by a story which sees two of video games biggest adversaries, Sonic and Dr. Eggman, joining forces for the first time to help defeat a new deadly threat.”

 

[SSNTails]

It's so funny... Eggman hasn't been the penultimate bad guy since Sonic 3 & Knuckles...

 

[Scizor300]

It's so funny... Eggman hasn't been the penultimate bad guy since Sonic 3 & Knuckles...

Colors and Generations exist, you know. :V