This Is Where I Really Get In Trouble…
Posted by Kwip on February 20th, 2007 6 Comments 
I’m sure I was just asking for it, but I wrote an not-so-kindly piece on Sonic over at the Escapist. I figure once the fanbois see it, they’re going to beat me till the rings pop out, so it was nice knowing you all…
I’m not really sure I conveyed my point very well – that Sonic once meant a very specific sort of greatness, and I can only hope to see that greatness in a Sonic title again someday. I think what most people are going to take out of it is that I hate Sonic.
I also feel a bit guilty that a bunch of the sites where I gathered information from weren’t linked to. I don’t really understand the whole editing process (and if you saw how badly my article had to be kicked around to get to anything resembling presentable, you’d sympathize with the editors), so I don’t pretend to know what is normal for linking, but I did have links in there to a lot of sites where I gathered a bunch of info from. I better not get sued for plagiarism…
February 20th, 2007 at 9:56 am
Hey Shawn,
While I wouldn’t describe myself as a fan-boy (I can actually form sentences that don’t end with the ‘LOL’), I still put myself forward as a huge Sonic fan with a point to make
To say the piece was called “All Hail Sonic”, it seemed strange that the article turned pretty negative towards the end, and seemed to end too suddenly, before it had even discussed how the series could be fixed, or the glimmer of hope that could lie in Sonic and the Secret Rings.
I don’t know how much you liked Sonic back in ‘the day’, but perhaps you’re lost to the Sonic franchise now. A once-fan who won’t go back. I was wondering if you were thinking of picking up Secret Rings… It appears that Sega have actually listened to their fans and have made a game that should hopefully make up for recent.. discrepancies.
There’s also a chance that the mini-game bit of SatSR could make up for Sonic Shuffle too. Incidentally, I loved that soundtrack! Much better than the usual wangley-guitar-cack we have to endure… The sooner Sonic games contain music without vocals the better!
Anyway, It would be nice to have something of a follow-up if you do get round to playing SatSR… Even though the story might be a bit crap, the game-play is said to be fantastic. In fact I’m yet to hear a single bad thing about this game from any media outlet or website. After the vitriol that poured forth after the release of Sonic the Hedgehog on the 360 (a repeat preformance of which is all but guaranteed after the PS3 release) it’s actually quite nice to see game journalists being positive about a Sonic title.
Call me an asshole if you like, I just think that this article was released a little too early. I guess that’s not your fault, if the Escapist were going to be releasing a Sega special today then there was little you could do about it.
I suppose all you did was chart Sega’s mishandling of the series, so you can’t be blamed for the content of the article, but I do feel that it wasn’t very well balanced. With such a misleading title it would appear that you used it to lure in fans simply to slap them dead hard…
Anyway… Longest comment ever… I’ll leave you alone now
Jonic
Actually, I’d -very- much like to get SatSR. I also have heard good things about it – one of the pieces that got dropped in that article was about my fervent hopes that the almighty Wii, with it’s unique controller, could really revive the Sonic gameplay. But first I need to get a Wii… And yes, Sonic games without vocals please!
And I don’t think you’re an asshole at all. But yeah, the title is sort of deliberately misleading. Originally it was more of a tribute piece, but the more I wrote, the angrier I became at what Sonic’s become, so the piece reflected that, and the title kind of changed it’s meaning.
February 20th, 2007 at 11:52 am
Sonic will never be what it was back in the days of the Genesis. It just never will. Why? Because everything today is about eye-popping 3D to drive sales. I haven’t really enjoyed any sonic game since the Genesis games, even though I’ve tried just about every one of them.
I’m tired of 2D games being compromised by a 3D format. Thank god things like Nintendo DS and Gameboy exist, otherwise I’d have no fix for 2D gaming in this day and age (aside from re-playing my old consoles).
Sonic and the Secret Rings might be a good 3D game. But it’ll still be a 3D sonic. While I enjoy 3D platformers, I miss the days of good old sidescrollers.
February 20th, 2007 at 4:07 pm
How Could You?!?!?! Trash SONIC! SONIC! Damn your evil black soul Kwip! And….uh…..wait…..I’ve never actually played a Sonic game, so why do I care? Oh well, damn your black soul anyway, just for kicks
February 20th, 2007 at 5:06 pm
I hate Sonic too. YOU’RE NOT ALONE, KWIP!
February 23rd, 2007 at 10:52 am
I picked up the Sonic Mega Collection for the Gamecube and my kids fell in love. Those games still have it. I enjoyed the flashbacks – still have my Sega Genesis packed up somewhere, going to have to dig it out.