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Fans and developers energise for Sonic 3 & Knuckles Remastered

So you all remember Taxman and Stealth's proof of concept video for Sonic 3 & Knuckles Remastered. There's now an energy and drive originating from Sonic Retro to which Taxman and Stealth are active members to petition and communicate with Sega to green light Sonic 3 & Knuckles Remastered. Though the movement only began recently it's very rapidly gathering speed and momentum. The movement comprises of a fan-supported petition and letter writing campaign targeted at Sega Networks.

Here's the latest updates and important links:

Sonic3Remastered.com; the site generated by the project's originator.
Change.org petition; currently standing at 2.8K signatures.
Stealth's Tumblr post; one of the primary developers of the previous ports showing their support.

It's worth noting that in that third link Stealth who developed Sonic 1 and 2 Remastered with Taxman showed his support behind the movement with a lengthy blog post that goes into detail about the project and includes a pledge to support the movement's efforts to encourage Sega to green light the project. News coverage and press attention is thus far in its infancy though the movement has been covered by a couple of notable sites such as Touch Arcade, TSSZ News, Sonic Retro itself and Sega focused sites such as Segabits and Seganerds. The drive now is to generate as much press attention as possible and shine light on this project in the hopes that Sega will take notice.

Finally it's also worth noting that Stealth and Taxman's initial plans and designs for Sonic 3 & Knuckles Remastered include far more than just a straight port. In addition to being based on Taxman's proprietary Retro engine (that powered Sonic CD, Sonic 1 and 2 Remastered) the duo has the intention to implement enhanced stages including new areas for each character, new special stages, enhanced graphics, remastered music and beyond this "Blue Spheres 2" which is an idea for an evolution of the Blue Spheres special stage, new story scenes and an advanced and more developed online 2-player mode.

All of the above and potentially even new levels in the same way that with Sonic 2 Remastered Stealth and Taxman were given the creative freedom to implement Hidden Palace Zone.

So would you be interested in playing a remastered version of Sonic 3 & Knuckles?
 
I like Sonic 2 more than any version of Sonic 3 but sure I would play it but, Sega shuts down stuff like this don't they?

Didn't they get Sonic 2 HD or whatever shut down? (I can't remember who was making that one though.) That is if it's all just fan stuff.
 

HUELEN10

Member
Before we get a "Christian Whitehead's Sonic The Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles", we need "Christian Whitehead's Sonic The Hedgehog" AND its sequel on something besides mobile.
 

Nanashrew

Banned
I'm definitely interested in a remaster. However, I'd like to see that remaster on more platforms outside of iOS =/
 

TimmiT

Member
I like Sonic 2 more than any version of Sonic 3 but sure I would play it but, Sega shuts down stuff like this don't they?

Didn't they get Sonic 2 HD or whatever shut down? That is if it's all just fan stuff.
I don't think that SEGA has ever shut down a Sonic fangame. Sonic 2 HD was cancelled cause of other reasons and now a new team is making it.

Also this is a petition not a fan game.
 
Sega shuts down stuff like this don't they?

Sega's usually pretty cool about this kind of thing, at least in regards to Sonic. Streets of Rage Remake is the only big Sega related fan project I can recall that they shut down.

Before we get a "Christian Whitehead's Sonic The Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles", we need "Christian Whitehead's Sonic The Hedgehog" AND its sequel on something besides mobile.

As port happy as Sega's been with the series, the fact that the Taxman remasters of the first two games are still mobile exclusive is mind boggling.
 

@MUWANdo

Banned
I'd like for them to remaster the game, I can live without extra cutscenes and redesigned special stages and whatever other half-baked "enhancements" they have in mind.
 

InfiniteNine

Rolling Girl
I'd be more up for supporting it if I knew if it was coming to something other than phones. /:
Nothing else got the Sonic 1 and 2 remasters so I've never gotten to touch them.
 

MrBadger

Member
As I've said before, It needs to happen. Sonic 3K is one of the best platformers of all time but it needs a release that clearly shows the two games are one, a handheld version that isn't crap and something to fix that gosh dang barrel. 3K was the most necessary one to remaster under CD.

I like Sonic 2 more than any version of Sonic 3 but sure I would play it but, Sega shuts down stuff like this don't they?

Didn't they get Sonic 2 HD or whatever shut down? (I can't remember who was making that one though.) That is if it's all just fan stuff.

I've seen love for Sonic fan projects from Sega insiders. I can't recall any Sonic projects shut down, despite what happened to the Streets of Rage remake.
 

HUELEN10

Member
As I've said before, It needs to happen. Sonic 3K is one of the best platformers of all time but it needs a release that clearly shows the two games are one, a handheld version that isn't crap and something to fix that gosh dang barrel. 3K was the most necessary one to remaster under CD.
I will never understand how anyone gets stuck on the barrel; it makes sense once you think about it!
 

MrBadger

Member
I will never understand how anyone gets stuck on the barrel; it makes sense once you think about it!

it really didn't though. The thing moves when you jump on it and up until that point in the entire franchise, jumping and spin dashing on stuff were the solution to all problems. I consider it a blip in an otherwise perfect game.
 
If Sega gives the greenlight, it'd totally be ok.
Yeah I would be all up for it.

I don't think that SEGA has ever shut down a Sonic fangame. Sonic 2 HD was cancelled cause of other reasons and now a new team is making it.

Also this is a petition not a fan game.
Ah okay, I thought Sega got it taken down. Thanks for telling me that.

My bad everyone.

And yeah I know it's petition but this stuff always makes me question how it will go down.
 
I like Sonic 2 more than any version of Sonic 3 but sure I would play it but, Sega shuts down stuff like this don't they?

Didn't they get Sonic 2 HD or whatever shut down? (I can't remember who was making that one though.) That is if it's all just fan stuff.

Stealth and Taxman were the official Sega supported and contracted developers of Sonic CD, Sonic 1 and Sonic 2 Remastered. This is a concentrated effort to petition Sega to green light and support the project as opposed to a rogue independent effort to develop the game without Sega's approval.
 
Stealth and Taxman were the official Sega supported and contracted developers of Sonic CD, Sonic 1 and Sonic 2 Remastered. This is a concentrated effort to petition Sega to green light and support the project as opposed to a rogue independent effort to develop the game without Sega's approval.

Gotcha, hope it actually happens then.
 

TreIII

Member
Before we get a "Christian Whitehead's Sonic The Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles", we need "Christian Whitehead's Sonic The Hedgehog" AND its sequel on something besides mobile.

But that's the thing.

I'd like to think that if Sega was at all thinking this through, they'd just be biding time until all of the games are available, and then just market those games (plus CD) as part of a "Sonic HD Retro collection" or what-have-you. Downloadable versions for Eshop/PSN/Live while also having retail versions that can still be sold in stores.

I remain hopeful, due to how Sega has been pretty slow when it comes to their usual (and immediate) porting of Genesis hardware to new hardware as soon as its available.
 
Before we get a "Christian Whitehead's Sonic The Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles", we need "Christian Whitehead's Sonic The Hedgehog" AND its sequel on something besides mobile.

I'm guessing they held off on that because Sonic 1 and 2 were already out on XBLA and PSN. On iOS/Android they were a free update; but I don't think Microsoft and Sony would be on board with that.
 
it really didn't though. The thing moves when you jump on it and up until that point in the entire franchise, jumping and spin dashing on stuff were the solution to all problems. I consider it a blip in an otherwise perfect game.

It made sense to me after stopping and thinking about it; I figured the trick out immediately.
 
I'm for everything there but the idea of new story scenes even if they'd likely be brief, Sonic 3 & Knuckles managed to hit just the right spot with that and even then towards the end I'm kind of wanting the hidden palace business to just get over with so I can get back to playing.
 

Trojan X

Banned
If Sega gives the greenlight, it'd totally be ok.

Sega ALWAYS shut things like this down. If something makes sense for the best of everyone including themselves then they'll shut it down because... it makes sense! SEGA loves operating in the opposite direction opf people's thinking so I have no hope for this unless those devs just create and leak it out.

Anyhow... One can hope.
 
Sega ALWAYS shut things like this down. If something makes sense they'll shut it down because... it makes sense. That's SEGA so I have no hope for this unless those devs just create and leak it out.

Except this exact team already released Sonic 1, 2, and CD for sale on nearly every device.
 
So any pictures of this remaster?

There's an entire video showing the concept

I think some people are already confused on what this is concerning.

This isn't some fan project, this is the developers for the official remasters trying to get the go ahead to finish Sonic 3.



Anyway, in the event that the soundtrack is the issue, I wouldn't mind an all new soundtrack. Falk would be fantastic for that position. If they did have to use the PC version, then that's fine, but I'd really love an all new take on it.

I'm for everything there but the idea of new story scenes even if they'd likely be brief, Sonic 3 & Knuckles managed to hit just the right spot with that and even then towards the end I'm kind of wanting the hidden palace business to just get over with so I can get back to playing.

I don't think any additions would be made, just improvements. Like the scene with Knuckles is just a different location than the one in the original.
 

xemumanic

Member
Goddamnit Sega.
LLShC.gif

Always some stupid problem with them.
 

Maedhros

Member
it really didn't though. The thing moves when you jump on it and up until that point in the entire franchise, jumping and spin dashing on stuff were the solution to all problems. I consider it a blip in an otherwise perfect game.

I discovered it with when I was 5 years old.

Just trying everything on the controller.

It's non intuitive, but not really unsolvable.
 

Biker19

Banned
Sega's usually pretty cool about this kind of thing, at least in regards to Sonic. Streets of Rage Remake is the only big Sega related fan project I can recall that they shut down.

Because the folks who made the remake of SoR wanted to profit from it. That was why they got a "Cease & Desist" warning from Sega to shut it down.
 

Shojx

Member
This is my favorite Sonic game, so I'd definitely be behind a remaster with said features, as long as it gets a non-mobile release.
 
How did these guys improve the previous games, besides the Hidden Palace in Sonic 2 ? And are the games only available on iOS ?
 

Sciz

Member
We can worry about getting these games off mobile later, for those bothered about that. The remaster has to exist at all first.

How did these guys improve the previous games, besides the Hidden Palace in Sonic 2 ? And are the games only available on iOS ?

Widescreen support, locked 60 fps, more playable characters, remastered music and sound, much higher quality special stages, minor additional secret content.

iOS/Android.
 

hodgy100

Member
How did these guys improve the previous games, besides the Hidden Palace in Sonic 2 ? And are the games only available on iOS ?

Well the games were proper ports so you got proper wide screen support. In sonic CD they let you choose between the two soundtrack versions and you could also play as other characters in the games. Many effects were improved such as proper transparencies and rotation effects. Special stages were re done so they ran at 60fps they added the sonic 2 spindash into sonic CD and sonic 1. All the games were just excellent and faithful ports. Sonic CD is on iOS android ps3 360 and PC. Sonic 1 and 2 are just on android and ios.

Sonic 3 and knuckles really deserves this treatment as it is arguably the best sonic game and one of the best 2d platformers of all time.
 

Maedhros

Member
Well the games were proper ports so you got proper wide screen support. In sonic CD they let you choose between the two soundtrack versions and you could also play as other characters in the games. Many effects were improved such as proper transparencies and rotation effects. Special stages were re done so they ran at 60fps they added the sonic 2 spindash into sonic CD and sonic 1. All the games were just excellent and faithful ports. Sonic CD is on iOS android ps3 360 and PC. Sonic 1 and 2 are just on android and ios

It's incredible how the worst one is on PC and the other two not. :(

I want to play these with good controls one day. No way in hell anyone can convince me the android/ios controls are any good.
 

hodgy100

Member
It's incredible how the worst one is on PC and the other two not. :(

I want to play these with good controls one day. No way in hell anyone can convince me the android/ios controls are any good.

You could always get them for android then play them in your PC using bluestacks :)
I would love it but it would help if this was available to more platforms other than just iOS...still bummed the Sonic 2 one is still mobile only.

They are on android too! And its quite possible to play the android versions on a PC :) not ideal I know but better than nothing!
 
I would love it but it would help if this was available to more platforms other than just iOS...still bummed the Sonic 2 one is still mobile only.
 
You could always get them for android then play them in your PC using bluestacks :)


They are on android too! And its quite possible to play the android versions on a PC :) not ideal I know but better than nothing!

I already tried the pc option, results left much to be desired.
 
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