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[Mama Robotnik]

This has popped up on a number of Sonic news sites - from a YouTube user called ArgyleDX:

I was a games journalist in the mid 90's, this is from a tape that Sega gave journalists at that E3. Not sure I have a whole lot of other videos to share but I'll upload anything else I find.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ue-jo2qWiFA

Its a never-before-seen (at least on the internet to this quality) video of Sonic X-Treme inter cut with footage of a traumatised plumber describing the trauma he has endured from an unstoppable hedgehog.

As well as providing some interesting footage of the unique Sonic X-Treme, its also a reminder of the infamous "Sega does what Nintendon't" rivalry of the era. Its interesting that this is two years after the release of the PlayStation, and despite that console's massive successes and competitive threat, Sega were still targeting their videos into combating Nintendo. Force of habit, I imagine.

Given what we know now (Mario 64 came out shortly after this video to be proclaimed the best game ever made by mass parts of the media, Sonic X-Treme will never come out, the Saturn falls into a coma and dies in a desert with a copy of Panzer Dragoon Saga clutched by its skeleton and Sonic will continuing being mediocre until the end of time), I find it a fascinating video.

 

[Nibel]

This would have blown off 6-year-old-Nibel's pants

 

[TriGen]

Cool. I used to love the old insult ads video game companies would do.

 

[EmCeeGramr]

Someone should take this video and overlay "THIS IS WHAT SEGA FANS ACTUALLY BELIEVE" on it.

 

[Dennis]

That music is the worst I have heard in a long time.

 

[Aphallatosis]

Oh-a-no he's-a-back and now with graphics as good as Bug!

 

[CriterionDog]

Is it wrong of me to say that Sonic X-treme look really bad, and as if it was in it's early, really early development stages? Rings weren't even being collected when he ran through them. : /

 

[King of the Potato People]

It's fair to say Sonic lost this one...

Sonic X-TREME looked like such a mess.

 

[RoyalFool]

I guess the big question is was this video sent out before or after they unveiled Mario64 the game at the TGS? I hope it wasn't after - that would just be, embarrassing.

 

[Gilgamesh]

RINGS RINGS RINGS

*gameplay footage without ring collection programmed in*

 

[Easy_D]

Hahaha, I just love how the framerate is absolute shit after the "X-treme 3D!" part.

Edit: Nope, topped by "Rings rings rings!" and Sonic not actually picking them up.

 

[Mama Robotnik]

Is it wrong of me to say that Sonic X-treme look really bad, and as if it was in it's early, really early development stages? Rings weren't even being collected when he ran through them. : /

Sonic X-Treme looks really, really, really bad. Its got an interesting development history to be sure, and I can understand that some people put all their energies into the project only for it to be cancelled, but it looks completely uncontrollable and unplayable.

 

[Canis lupus]

The revolution begins.

 

[Currygan]

Yamauchi: (laughed)

 

[brochiller]

Someone should take this video and overlay "THIS IS WHAT SEGA FANS ACTUALLY BELIEVE" on it.

I actually laughed out loud at this.

 

[Takao]

Is it wrong of me to say that Sonic X-treme look really bad, and as if it was in it's early, really early development stages? Rings weren't even being collected when he ran through them. : /

Reminds me of Bubsy 3D.

 

[JordanN]

Is Sonic even in 3D? He looks like a pre-rendered sprite.

Not something to be proud of back then.

 

[Reversed]

Oh, Sega. Always a seconder. Such is your attitude.

(Let's not forget the Star Fox 64 promo).

 

[Quackula]

Is it wrong of me to say that Sonic X-treme look really bad, and as if it was in it's early, really early development stages? Rings weren't even being collected when he ran through them. : /

It was in it's early, really early development stages. Every development stage of Sonic X-Treme was like that. Every time they started getting anywhere, some internal politics would fuck shit up and they'd pretty much have to start over.

Game pretty much never made it past alpha.

fwiw I hate the fisheye lens thing too and think it just looks odd and disorienting.

 

[TheOddOne]

Sega will crush Nintendo. Bank on it.

 

[Mama Robotnik]

What's really sad is that the Saturn was a fucking powerhouse of a 2D machine.

Sega could have made the perfect 2D Sonic game, with physics of the originals and drawn sprite graphics that would make even Guardian Heroes cry. Levels could have spanned continents, the enemies would have been abundant and detailed, the music could have been the same CD quality of Sonic CD/NiGHTS, and they could have included the classics as unlockables (ala Sonic Jam).

Instead, they chose this utterly misguided direction. Given that at this point Sonic Team had just come off the magnificent Sonic 3K and were releasing the amazing NiGHTS, I think it was an era before the toxic rot and festering vomit that fuelled Sonic Adventure and its successors had grown in Sonic Team's brain.

Such a shame. The Saturn was such a colossal 2D machine.

 

[EmCeeGramr]

It was in it's early, really early development stages. Every development stage of Sonic X-Treme was like that. Every time they started getting anywhere, some internal politics would fuck shit up and they'd pretty much have to start over.

Game pretty much never made it past alpha.

fwiw I hate the fisheye lens thing too and think it just looks odd and disorienting.

I think you mean the REFLEX LENS™ thank you

 

[Quackula]

I think you mean the REFLEX LENS™ thank you

Oh of course, what was I thinking.

You know, the early days of 3D gaming are kinda fascinating. I mean it was sad to see all these game franchises try and fail to make the jump to 3D, but the different ways they tried to do it were all pretty creative. Terrible, but creative.

 

[SmithnCo]

He's definitely bigger and badder than before.

 

[sixteen-bit]

1995 CES Sega Video with seemingly a bunch of drug addicts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8WDIJCpvgQ

1994 MTV Sonic and Knuckles Special
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgjafuDOwjc

 

[EmCeeGramr]

I was looking for videos of Sonic X-Treme and that SATAM game when suddenly I was reminded that this thing existed for the 32X:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOeGqi8eTgU&feature=relmfu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_DQfU0qJWg


Look at that. It's just the goofiest fucking thing.

 

[Quackula]

I was looking for videos of Sonic X-Treme and that SATAM game when suddenly I was reminded that this thing existed for the 32X:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOeGqi8eTgU&feature=relmfu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_DQfU0qJWg


Look at that. It's just the goofiest fucking thing.

Those animations are amazing.

Actually Sonic's model at the end of the last one doesn't look all that bad.

 

[King of the Potato People]

Their mascot sticking to 2D would have looked embarrassing for Sega in the era of 3D innovation. At least we got the sublime Nights.

 

[Qurupeke]

So extreme.

 

[G-Fex]

they really should've stopped at "Genesis Does"

 

[alfredofroylan]

That's so 90's that it hurts. I really hated this "extreme" attitude from that era.

 

[revolverjgw]

I really don't miss the 90's at all.

 

[CriterionDog]

I was looking for videos of Sonic X-Treme and that SATAM game when suddenly I was reminded that this thing existed for the 32X:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOeGqi8eTgU&feature=relmfu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_DQfU0qJWg


Look at that. It's just the goofiest fucking thing.

Who would even play that, especially after the other great sonic games?

...I know...

Spoiler

the same people who played the Sonic games after the Adventure games. At least they got much better with Unleashed.

 

[forknknife]

I am happy they never released that shit, it saved as all from huge disappointment

 

[Refugio]

I love these kind of videos.

I was looking for videos of Sonic X-Treme and that SATAM game when suddenly I was reminded that this thing existed for the 32X:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOeGqi8eTgU&feature=relmfu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_DQfU0qJWg


Look at that. It's just the goofiest fucking thing.

Reminds me of those sonic walking like an idiot gifs.

 

[Platy]

Cool. I used to love the old insult ads video game companies would do.

...do you mean SEGA only, right ?

The closest thing I remember existing was a Nintendo video joking those SEGA ads with Star Fox rumble pack ... but it included a tortured Mario plushie ... so .. yeah =P

 

[Damian.]

I actually laughed out loud at this.

Shit, me too!

 

[KojiKnight]

Wow, if I needed any more evidence as to why Sega canned this game, this thread sure delivered.

 

[brinstar]

I remember looking at screenshots of Sonic X-Treme in magazines as a kid and trying desperately to figure out what kind of game it was even supposed to be.

 

[michaelius]

Sega advertising was amazing

 

[Mama Robotnik]

I remember looking at screenshots of Sonic X-Treme in magazines as a kid and trying desperately to figure out what kind of game it was even supposed to be.

I remember as a kid seeing this image (or one very like it) in the official Sega Saturn Magazine.

I kept trying to understand what it was, and why there was so little coverage of it.

 

[XANDER CAGE]

That footage looks slightly better (in terms of detail or having lighting at all) than any other XTREEEEEME footage I've seen before.

 

[Supermanisdead]

Reggie???

 

[djlr181]

Wait a minute. Was there supposed to be a Pico version of Sonic 3D Blast?

 

[Stencil]

1995 CES Sega Video with seemingly a bunch of drug addicts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8WDIJCpvgQ

Wow, I had to stop watching that. Did Sega really release that video feeling ok about the all the canned and scripted lines?

 

[IrishNinja]

buncha kids missed out on the 90s up in here

if you aint had a genesis, your parents aint love you

Spoiler

i was far too poor to have a saturn though =/

 

[Zee-Row]

Sonic X-treme looked like crap even in 1996 , that camera angle the game played in looked like a complete eyesore.

 

[Sapphire Dreams]

I am kind of glad it was cancelled, it looked really bad and unplayable, though I wished they did make a mainline Sonic game for the Saturn

 

[ckohler]

Wait a minute. Was there supposed to be a Pico version of Sonic 3D Blast?

I saw that too. Made me chuckle they would even mention it.

 

[apesh1t]

Looks like Bug! (the exclamation is used for the title, not to convey excitement)