Topic: Mr. Needlemouse! (Read 8275 times)

Lobst · « **on:** February 03, 2010, 06:27:42 AM »

So, is anyone keeping up with the excruciating hype SEGA's dragging out of their new project?

First, there was this trailer, which was produced without any actual game art assets to speak of.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-MTCp3wHBI

Next, there was a five-day countdown, made to assuage the fears anyone might have that Froggy or Tikal would be playable characters in the game. The information was bled out over the course of several days, and only under the condition that Sonic fans demonstrate their dedication by getting (x) amount of trivia answers right on official Sega messageboard threads, comments on blog posts, and Twitter tags. Tails, Knuckles, Rouge, Amy, Blaze, Silver, E-123 Omega, Eggman, and Cream have not been denied as playable characters so far.

Last week, SEGA initiated another countdown! Sonic fans were to send in pieces of fan art: what enemies would you add to a brand new 2D Sonic game? The requirement: send in 100 pieces of enemy concept art, and we'll reward you with two new pieces of art and a bonus! They ended up getting three hundred fifty pieces; as expected, they delivered exactly what they promised:

This thread will be updated with new information as it's painfully extracted from SEGA's game development hive! Here's hoping the 'bonus' they have yet to release is a picture of a grass texture, a silhouette of Dr. Robotnik, or the announcement that the game will cost 1200 Points on XBLA/$14.99 on PSN.

Walker · « **Reply #1 on:** February 03, 2010, 06:33:21 AM »

Quote from: Lobst on February 03, 2010, 06:27:42 AM

They ended up getting three hundred fifty pieces; as promised, they released not one but two pieces of concept art:

Does anyone else feel like Sega's just trolling the hell out of the fanbase at this point?

Niku · « **Reply #2 on:** February 03, 2010, 08:45:24 AM »

so because i am actually getting vaguely hopeful about needlemouse, i've been replaying the old sonic games. I played through Sonic 1 and 2 in their entirety on consecutive nights.

Sonic 1 and 2 are very bad games and people only think they're good because the 3D Sonic games are so much worse. The end.

Zaratustra · « **Reply #3 on:** February 03, 2010, 09:02:20 AM »

Dude, you don't understand.

Those pieces of concept art obviously mean they are remaking the original Sonic 1.

Lobst · « **Reply #4 on:** February 03, 2010, 10:59:00 AM »

That would only be acceptable if Sonic 1 wasn't already immediately available on every platform known to man! (The DS port comes out later this year).

Anyway, the most substantial rumor is it's Sonic 4. Evidence: domains for sonicthehedgehog4 through 10 were just registered to SEGA's community director. They all led to SEGA's website until just a day ago; now you suddenly require a username and password for something called "SEGA West Staging".

Of course, this doesn't necessarily mean anything -- and the 4-through-10 may just be a publicity stunt... but considering the loud, abrasive shouting from the community has been "MORE OF THE SAME, PLEASE", I wouldn't put it past them.

Unrelated pictures ahoy! My posts are fun to look at

Zaratustra · « **Reply #5 on:** February 03, 2010, 11:30:51 AM »

oh god fuck can't stop laughing

Phenwah · « **Reply #6 on:** February 03, 2010, 01:24:40 PM »

Quote from: Walker on February 03, 2010, 06:33:21 AM

Does anyone else feel like Sega's just trolling the hell out of the fanbase at this point?

I want to believe it's real! When Capcom unveiled this box art for Mega Man 9, it actually got me really excited about the game, because Capcom was poking fun at their own roots and, at the same time, acknowledging that those roots existed. The Sega blog has been doing the same thing with their Sonic retrospectives, and they're hyping up Project Needlemouse with an unbridled and genuine enthusiasm that you don't see very often from game companies.

What we need is a 16-bit screenshot of Sonic riding on top of a killer whale beneath a true blue sky.

Brentai · « **Reply #7 on:** February 03, 2010, 02:23:20 PM »

Capcom was affectionately parodying itself, though. SEGA is coming off as unbearably cynical about this, in the same way they've done everything that drove them to this point.

Detonator · « **Reply #8 on:** February 03, 2010, 05:32:41 PM »

Classic · « **Reply #9 on:** February 03, 2010, 05:38:56 PM »

I think at this point, even if it's good, I'll be so used to hating on sonic games that I'll do it without meaning to.

But actually, watching the Sonic: Unleashed LP that's on the lparchive, it looked like they'd almost gotten making a fun, fast, 3D sonic game. I'm OK with the running sections basically being extended QTEs with traditional QTEs thrown in for good measure. It was awesome to watch and looked like it would even be fun to play.

Walker · « **Reply #10 on:** February 03, 2010, 05:45:23 PM »

It's a game entirely dependent upon your ability to memorize stage layouts through the course of multiple deaths, because the only way you'd actually be able to react fast enough to dodge obstacles is if you happened to be able to see into the fucking future.

And that's WITHOUT upgrading Sonic's speed at all.

Lobst · « **Reply #11 on:** February 03, 2010, 06:22:21 PM »

Oh, man! Bonus is incoming: they'll be 'unveiling' Needlemouse tonight at midnight!

Pacific time!

So, you know -- if you're up that late on a weeknight, tune in to... do we have a link for this?

Oh, "GameSpot"? Anything more specific, like a URL or-- no? Okay, then!

Quote from: Classic on February 03, 2010, 05:38:56 PM

But actually, watching the Sonic: Unleashed LP that's on the lparchive, it looked like they'd almost gotten making a fun, fast, 3D sonic game.

The ideas behind Sonic Unleashed are spot-on! The werehog segments can even be pretty fun sometimes. In the hands of a developer like Sucker Punch, that game would have been easily a 4 out of 5 on everyone's scale. It still has too many bottomless pits for me, though. :\

Walker · « **Reply #12 on:** February 03, 2010, 06:23:43 PM »

Yes, the problem with most Sonic games these days is that Sonic Team is the one making them.

Alex · « **Reply #13 on:** February 03, 2010, 06:57:18 PM »

Man, what was wrong with Sonic's new shoes?

Walker · « **Reply #14 on:** February 03, 2010, 07:09:18 PM »

Yeah, like, I don't mind the -design- of the recent games, but just the gameplay itself is abhorrent.

Brentai · « **Reply #15 on:** February 03, 2010, 09:09:21 PM »

Honestly if you're going to make a really fast 3D game you need to give it to AM2, the "really fast 3D games" department. Sonic Team's hits tend to be either fast-paced 2D games, or excruciatingly methodical 3D ones (sup PSO, the only game in history to turn clunky-ass gameplay into a strength).

Romosome · « **Reply #16 on:** February 03, 2010, 11:04:45 PM »

if this is Sonic the Hedgehog 1 HD for XBLA I'm going to laugh so hard

Phenwah · « **Reply #17 on:** February 04, 2010, 12:10:39 AM »

They're calling it Sonic The Hedgehog 4.

http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/sonicthehedgehog4episode1/news.html?sid=6249457&mode=news

Also, here is a site full of countdowns.

Lobst · « **Reply #18 on:** February 04, 2010, 12:16:34 AM »

And it's sweeping the nation! :O

Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1, to be more precise -- though it's supposed to be "episodic" in a way that compares to Sonic 3 and Sonic & Knuckles! As long as each episode comes to a reasonable climax, I see absolutely no problem with this.

Roger · « **Reply #19 on:** February 04, 2010, 12:29:23 AM »

Oh boy, Sega selling you half the game at full price, fun fun.

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Author Topic: Mr. Needlemouse! (Read 8275 times)