Sonic Rush Duology Discussion

[klasky]

What do you think about Sonic Rush and Sonic Rush Adventure?
Personally, Sonic Rush is a good game. It's fun to boost through the stages and try to get a higher rank! It has pretty graphics aswell. What I like about the game is that it's made for the Nintendo DS. DS games on emulators run fine on my not-so-powerful PC, which means I can enjoy playing the game without any major latency.
About Sonic Rush Adventure, I haven't played it yet. Maybe I will once I'll complete Rush. I did! Scroll down for my post about SRA.

 

[time gear]

Rush is cool in concept, but it suffers from some serious level design issues later into the game that kill the enjoyment factor a lot. Rush Adventure is generally better, but it shoehorns in a lot of vehicle sections between levels and features a lot of replaying levels over and over to grind for materials needed to craft more vehicles to progress. If you have the patience for that, it's a great game, otherwise it gets old fast.

I do feel like both games would have benefitted greatly from sticking to the character sprite style from the Advance Trilogy rather than using 3D models for Sonic and Blaze, other than perhaps in the 2.5D boss fights. Other than that though, there's a lot of novelty to the series such as the great music, the music changing a bit when you're underwater, the great enemy and level sprites, etc.

 

[Icarus]

You're talking about the Trilogy right?

Just joking, but some are considering Colors as the 3rd Rush game.

I do feel like both games would have benefited greatly from sticking to the character sprite style from the Advance Trilogy rather than using 3D models for Sonic and Blaze, other than perhaps in the 2.5D boss fights. Other than that though, there's a lot of novelty to the series such as the great music, the music changing a bit when you're underwater, the great enemy and level sprites, etc.

Sonic and Blaze's low poly models are pretty good.

 

[klasky]

You're talking about the Trilogy right?

Just joking, but some are considering Colors as the 3rd Rush game.

I would rather make a seperate thread for Colors.

I do feel like both games would have benefitted greatly from sticking to the character sprite style from the Advance Trilogy rather than using 3D models for Sonic and Blaze, other than perhaps in the 2.5D boss fights.

I like that 3D models are being used in the games. Actually, did you know that in the E3 beta, there's a sprite sheet of Advance Sonic? I've heard it could have been used instead of models during development. TCRF says that "These can be seen in-game by exploiting a camera glitch (which doesn't work in the final game) or a savestate corruption that is saved at the split second the sprite appears that causes Sonic's model to disappear."
Not only sprites, but music that's Advance-styled, a 1-up sound and Advance 3 voice clips are left in the beta! There are also the sprites of Sonic Advance 3's Akatento and Aotento badniks in the final game, for some reason. TCRF says that it's found alongside the enemies.

 

[time gear]

Actually, did you know that in the E3 beta, there's a sprite sheet of Advance Sonic? I've heard it could have been used instead of models during development. TCRF says that "These can be seen in-game by exploiting a camera glitch (which doesn't work in the final game) or a savestate corruption that is saved at the split second the sprite appears that causes Sonic's model to disappear."
Not only sprites, but music that's Advance-styled, a 1-up sound and Advance 3 voice clips are left in the beta! There are also the sprites of Sonic Advance 3's Akatento and Aotento badniks in the final game, for some reason. TCRF says that it's found alongside the enemies.

Wow, that's all really interesting actually, this is the first I've heard of this. This kind of behind the scenes dev stuff is always really cool to see.

 

[Icarus]

I would still open a debate about whether Colors DS should be considered to be Rush 3 or not because I saw many agreeing with that.

But I still wish Sega allowed Dimps to make a proper 3rd Rush game that would've concluded the Sol Dimension story arc.

And on another hand I wish the Advance trilogy got a common theme but they are mostly separate games (except Advance 3 being somewhat connected to Battle).

 

[Linlam]

I consider Sonic Rush a good game, though there are some big problems. The thing I like the most about Rush is the style, I love Jet Set Radio, so having Hideki Naganuma as the composer of Rush is amazing to me. The zones are also pretty interesting in concept and the artwork is neat. However, gameplay wise I think Rush has some problems, I think there are too many sections where Sonic just boosts through everything. These sections can be fun, but every act of every stage has 2 or 3 of those, so it becomes boring after some time. I think that's the only complaint I have that covers the whole game about level design, but I have some nitpicks. I could say that the game is too fast and the player can't react to things, but honestly every boost game is like this, and I don't see people talking trash about Generations. Some nitpicks I have about the gameplay of Rush is that I don't feel like I'm going fast when I'm boosting, the sections where Sonic has to destroy badniks should have never been there, and I hate the level design of the 6th stage. Rush Adventure and, specially, Colors improved on the things Rush didn't do well. Overall, I think the Rush duology + Colors is a pretty good series, would love to see a Rush 3.

 

[time gear]

I would still open a debate about whether Colors DS should be considered to be Rush 3 or not because I saw many agreeing with that.

But I still wish Sega allowed Dimps to make a proper 3rd Rush game that would've concluded the Sol Dimension story arc.

Colors DS is the DS version of Colors. Colors Wii isn't Unleashed 2, and Colors DS isn't Rush 3. At most, Colors in general fits into the "Boost Formula" alongside the Rush games and Unleashed, though the 3D boost games have enough differences that I hesitate to group them together with Rush under the same formula. Perhaps it would be more accurate to refer to it as two formulas; "3D Boost" and "2D Boost".

A Rush 3 would be incredible, though. I don't know about concluding the Sol Dimension in general, I feel like there's a lot of potential to expand on things there. I do feel like a proper conclusion to Blaze's story arc followed by her actually being relevant from then on would have been great though.

And on another hand I wish the Advance trilogy got a common theme but they are mostly separate games (except Advance 3 being somewhat connected to Battle).

I actually think the Advance trilogy being mostly separate works to it's advantage. The story in all three games is much more simplistic, very reminiscent of the other 2D Classic Sonic formula games. If not for the at times worse level design, I'd actually consider the Advance trilogy to be the best evolution on top of the existing 2D Classic formula present in Sonic 1-3&K. As much as I like it when a story is well done in the Sonic series, the simplicity present in the Advance trilogy works out quite well.

I do really wish there was an option to go solo in Advance 3 though. The team mechanic is cool but it also does sometimes get in the way a bit. It would be nice if teams were optional and the characters could go solo, with their movesets from Advance 2 returning.

 

[Icarus]

Colors DS is the DS version of Colors. Colors Wii isn't Unleashed 2, and Colors DS isn't Rush 3. At most, Colors in general fits into the "Boost Formula" alongside the Rush games and Unleashed, though the 3D boost games have enough differences that I hesitate to group them together with Rush under the same formula. Perhaps it would be more accurate to refer to it as two formulas; "3D Boost" and "2D Boost".

A Rush 3 would be incredible, though. I don't know about concluding the Sol Dimension in general, I feel like there's a lot of potential to expand on things there. I do feel like a proper conclusion to Blaze's story arc followed by her actually being relevant from then on would have been great though.

I actually think the Advance trilogy being mostly separate works to it's advantage. The story in all three games is much more simplistic, very reminiscent of the other 2D Classic Sonic formula games. If not for the at times worse level design, I'd actually consider the Advance trilogy to be the best evolution on top of the existing 2D Classic formula present in Sonic 1-3&K. As much as I like it when a story is well done in the Sonic series, the simplicity present in the Advance trilogy works out quite well.

I do really wish there was an option to go solo in Advance 3 though. The team mechanic is cool but it also does sometimes get in the way a bit. It would be nice if teams were optional and the characters could go solo, with their movesets from Advance 2 returning.

Maybe people are nicknaming Colors DS to be "Rush 3" or the final game of the "Rush Trilogy" in the same way some called Advance 1 "Sonic 4", Heroes/2006 "Adventure 3" or even Forces "Generations 2" because of simplicity/as a semantical shortcut.

We still barely know anything about the Sol Dimension other than the Jeweled Scepter and big ocean from Rush Adventure so there's a lot of mystery around this world. Maybe Blaze should've gotten her own game where she goes against Eggman Nega for once and for all.

The Advance Trilogy could've had an equivalent to the "Death Egg Saga" from the Classics where a common element would've been there (like Gemerl in Advance 3 being a reference to Emerl from Battle).

I'd even go to say that a remaster of the trilogy a la Mobile Sonic 1, 2 and CD with some QoL improvements (especially for the special stages) would be great but I still doubt Sega would care to bring back the Advance trilogy in any form.

 

[time gear]

Maybe people are nicknaming Colors DS to be "Rush 3" or the final game of the "Rush Trilogy" in the same way some called Advance 1 "Sonic 4", Heroes/2006 "Adventure 3" or even Forces "Generations 2" because of simplicity/as a semantical shortcut.

If it's about simplicity, it does the opposite by muddying the waters from an outside perspective. Calling Colors DS "Rush 3" will make people unfamiliar to the franchise think that it actually is, even though it just shares the same gameplay formula. It gets even more confusing the more you try to extend the logic. If games sharing the same formula count as numbered sequels, that makes Generations "Unleashed 3" and therefore Forces "Unleashed 4", despite people using terms such as "Generations 2" to describe Forces.

It doesn't work as a shortcut either, as people will understand faster if you simply refer to the game by it's direct title rather than by a fanon title that requires further explanation.

We still barely know anything about the Sol Dimension other than the Jeweled Scepter and big ocean from Rush Adventure so there's a lot of mystery around this world. Maybe Blaze should've gotten her own game where she goes against Eggman Nega for once and for all.

My understanding is Nega is actually from the future as revealed in Rivals, and that he simply lied about being from Blaze's dimension in Rush. If the two were to undergo a final confrontation, it would likely be in regards to Blaze finally managing to force him out of her dimension, which could be great material to connect to the plot of another game featuring him as the explanation for how he got there.

 

[Icarus]

If it's about simplicity, it does the opposite by muddying the waters from an outside perspective. Calling Colors DS "Rush 3" will make people unfamiliar to the franchise think that it actually is, even though it just shares the same gameplay formula. It gets even more confusing the more you try to extend the logic. If games sharing the same formula count as numbered sequels, that makes Generations "Unleashed 3" and therefore Forces "Unleashed 4", despite people using terms such as "Generations 2" to describe Forces.
It doesn't work as a shortcut either, as people will understand faster if you simply refer to the game by it's direct title rather than by a fanon title that requires further explanation.

Eh, Forces is pretty close to be a Generations 2 because of it reusing Green Hill, Chemical Plant and Classic Sonic... but I would agree that Generations isn't really Colors 2.

But then again some reviewers still called 2006 Adventure 3 and even SomeCallsMeJohnny said that he included Colors DS as the 3rd Rush game.

My understanding is Nega is actually from the future as revealed in Rivals, and that he simply lied about being from Blaze's dimension in Rush. If the two were to undergo a final confrontation, it would likely be in regards to Blaze finally managing to force him out of her dimension, which could be great material to connect to the plot of another game featuring him as the explanation for how he got there.

Is Nega basically doing the same as Eggman in Shadow the Hedgehog when he told Shadow that he lied about him being an android in the fight against Black Doom?

Anyway, Rivals seems to be a pretty ignored sub-series as well, not even Sega really acknowledged it (like they did for the Rush games).

 

[Icarus]

So... what do you think of Blaze, Johnny and Whiskers as the newly added characters for that specific sub-series?

I kinda wish Robotnik and Nega didn't show up at the end because it was kind of a lame plot twist even if Egg Wizard was a cool final boss.

What do you think of the way Rush made you play the same game twice? Did you prefer the way Adventure did with the material gathering?

 

[klasky]

So, a few days ago, I have beaten Sonic Rush as Sonic. My opinion is still that it's a good game, but... the level design COULD be better, to be honest.
After beating Sonic Rush, I went playing Rush Adventure. It's a really fucking good game! The boost gameplay is still good here, but it has been improved. I can now use the B button to do tricks on the rail, and sometimes, doing tricks gets sped up! I also like the level design more, it definitely improved from Sonic Rush. I also REALLY like the vehicle sections, and... I actually like the fucking Special Stages. Best ones atm for me are the Waterbike and the Hovercraft. I currently have no favorite zone, they are all so good. The OST also bangs! I really like the boss theme, A New Venture and Waterbike! I have 4 emeralds atm. I will be going to the zone after Haunted Ship, dunno what's the name of it. I went trying to find Johnny, and I went into the 4th Hidden Island, I think. It's a Coral Cave-themed one.
Anyways, I'm sure that SRA's my favorite handheld Sonic game!