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[BlazeHedgehog]

An iPhone port of Sonic CD running on his Retro Engine.

Taxman took the original pitch video down but TouchArcade still has their mirror up

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

 

[Orayn]

Ideally, they would actually port the game from the source code, put the FMVs in their highest quality, and allow you to select sound tracks.

I would be okay with this. I want my Sonic Boom intro, Goddammit!

 

[Blueblur1]

I'd love to play Taxman's port on my iPhone. Surprise me Sega.

 

[Drkirby]

I would be okay with this. I want my Sonic Boom intro, Goddammit!

You have to realize, that is the likely best case, expect far worse.

 

[RobbieNick]

Actually, this is one of my least favorite 2-D Sonic games (there's much worse 3-D ones). Outside of Stardust Speedway, the level designs are horrible and amateur. Spindash works worse than Generations and seems like a last minute edition. There's no good places for speed runs. The special stages are weak compared to others in the series. Trying to get a good future on any level is tortuous. Especially if you want to check out the good future level. "Oh, ya wanna go into the past? Sure! Just hit this pole and keep running! That's it keep running and OH SHIT! A FUTURE POST JUST AS YOU WERE GOING! Now you're in the future. Sorry."

Other than the music, Metal Sonic level and the anime, it's the nostalgia that makes people remember this fondly IMO.

 

[lazybones18]

good. I can finally play this game

 

[The Power Of Snap]

Nice! Psychedelic stages in 1080p!

5.1 sound of the euro soundtrack? My ears are ready.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdvASsxtIks&feature=related

 

[Data West]

Let me guess. They won't redo the resolution or put any real effort into it and still charge 800

 

[BlazeHedgehog]

Let me guess. They won't redo the resolution or put any real effort into it and still charge 800

Taxman left sort of a cheeky comment in the Sonic Retro thread about this XBLA port.

Now, at least one person close to Taxman who has worked with his Retro Engine SDK (what his iPhone version of Sonic CD was running on) is also acting kind of funny about it:

You know, depending on the quality of the port and other factors, you might consider getting it just to be supportive.

That's a pretty "wink wink, nudge nudge" sort of comment, if you ask me. (The underline bits were originally italics, but all quotes are italicized anyway so I changed them to underline)

If this really is Taxman's "Retro Engine" version of Sonic CD, that means a full, complete, from-the-ground-up rebuild of the game. A brand new, custom physics engine specifically designed around the Sonic Retro Physics guide. It would also allow them to much more easily include extra features, if they had any.

If this is Retro Engine, the potential is there for this to be a better version of Sonic CD than it was even on the original Sega CD.

But I won't believe it until I see it.

 

[Satchel]

Fuck me, this generation is giving me less and less of a reason to hold on to all my old consoles.

Between my Wii, PS3 and 360, I can cover almost any decent game from every generation past.

 

[Sciz]

I still think this is just going to be a stright up emulated version of the Sega CD game. I will be shocked if this is a real port.

I'm fairly certain Sega has never emulated the Sega CD. Certainly never for Sonic CD, anyway, for which they have the PC source which would be much easier to work with.

 

[XLant]

Finally, a Sonic game that deserves more ports.

PC version or Sega CD version? M2 or Backbone? My interest pretty much hinges on this.

My purchase hinges on this. Hope it's based on the Mega CD version.

Spoiler

Expecting it to be PC, for reasons faster+cheaper

Also: just my imagination, or was Backbone actually putting out quality emulation under Digital Eclipse?

 

[bangai-o]

Let me guess. They won't redo the resolution or put any real effort into it and still charge 800

Let me guess. Gaf will bitch.

 

[RobbieNick]

Let me guess. Gaf will bitch.

GAF?! Bitch?! Surely you jest.

 

[AbsoluteZero]

But I won't believe it until I see it.

Tentatively excited.

 

[Mihael Mello Keehl]

so release date predictions??

 

[_Alkaline_]

XBLA (and PSN/VC) are such wonderful parts of this generation, not just in the vast array of quality new titles but the fact that people get to experience great games like this one.

 

[RedSwirl]

Aw shit. I still ain't played it. I was thinking about getting that one Sonic Gamecube collection that had it.

 

[Anticitizen One]

SUPER EXCITED. At last I can play the best sonic game again!

JP/EU original soundtrack PLEASE.

don't listen to this man

 

[Muchi Muchi Pink]

OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG. Is this true? Oh yeah.

 

[Nuclear Muffin]

PC version or Sega CD version? M2 or Backbone? My interest pretty much hinges on this.

Come on, you already know the answer to this one. Who have SEGA used for all of their Megadrive/Arcade re-releases on XBLA/PSN?

Spoiler

here's a hint, it's not M2

Actually, this is one of my least favorite 2-D Sonic games (there's much worse 3-D ones). Outside of Stardust Speedway, the level designs are horrible and amateur. Spindash works worse than Generations and seems like a last minute edition. There's no good places for speed runs. The special stages are weak compared to others in the series. Trying to get a good future on any level is tortuous. Especially if you want to check out the good future level. "Oh, ya wanna go into the past? Sure! Just hit this pole and keep running! That's it keep running and OH SHIT! A FUTURE POST JUST AS YOU WERE GOING! Now you're in the future. Sorry."

Other than the music, Metal Sonic level and the anime, it's the nostalgia that makes people remember this fondly IMO.

100% truth. It's easily the weakest of the Megadrive/Genesis Sonic games by a landslide.

The bosses are quite interesting though. Instead of being easy to hit (but taking a lot of hits), they're hard to reach and die quickly with few hits.

Other than that though, the whole game is sloppily designed and the whole time travel mechanic is underutilised (teetering on the edge of pointless)

 

[Dabanton]

Sonic R next please.

 

[BocoDragon]

Isn't the PC version at a higher framerate or something? I think it broke the underwater color, and the "Past" music is a redbook audio track instead of real-time Genesis chiptunes, but it's not like it's a total loss if it's based on the PC version. The FMV is full SD resolution, unlike the postage stamp-sized "animated GIF" that was the Sega CD intro, so there's that!

The real thing is the US soundtrack, which I think a lot of PAL gamers associate with the PC version. But it really could be either soundtrack depending on their choices.

If they fix the underwater color effect (and even if they didn't, frankly..it's not too important), the PC data would not actually be awful to port from...

 

[Walshicus]

Sonic 3 & Knuckles was the best one for me.

Should have done a Sonic CD & Knuckles...

 

[dreamcastmaster]

The 3D bonus stages really will need some work to be acceptable today. They were poor at the time and now would be seen as a buggy, choppy mess.

 

[BlazeHedgehog]

Isn't the PC version at a higher framerate or something? I think it broke the underwater color, and the "Past" music is a redbook audio track instead of real-time Genesis chiptunes, but it's not like it's a total loss if it's based on the PC version. The FMV is full SD resolution, unlike the postage stamp-sized "animated GIF" that was the Sega CD intro, so there's that!

The real thing is the US soundtrack, which I think a lot of PAL gamers associate with the PC version. But it really could be either soundtrack depending on their choices.

If they fix the underwater color effect (and even if they didn't, frankly..it's not too important), the PC data would not actually be awful to port from...

As far as I know:

- The framerate problems were in S&K Collection on PC (the game runs way faster than its supposed to)
- The water was fine in the PC version, it's only broken in the Gems Collection port
- The FMV on the PC version is still postage-stamp sized (320x240 or less), it's just full color this time.

 

[JustAnotherOtaku]

Great news! Love getting the chance to replay this as, even though I love Sonic 1-3 + Knuckles, it feels like they're the ones that always get ported ahead of CD, which is a great game.

 

[Spruchy]

As someone who has never played this consider me excited.

 

[Lord British]

I used to hate Sonic CD, and was baffled by all the praise it got. The level designs felt so aimless to me, so sprawling and empty. I hated it and was vocal about this.

Then I actually tried getting a Good Future on every level, and almost instantly it became one of my favourite Sonic games. That is really the only way to play.

 

[Data West]

Let me guess. Gaf will bitch.

Just because you like being ripped off doesn't mean the rest of us do. You're probably why all Arcade games release at 1200 now.

 

[Deleted member 81567]

I'm glad XBLA is still supporting Sonic. This is a day one purchase.

 

[dark10x]

Hopefully this version runs properly. The Sega CD version has serious framerate issues that really damage the fluidity of the experience. The other versions run smoother, but have other issues instead (such as loading screens and some of the aforementioned glitches).

 

[Rickenslacker]

I used to hate Sonic CD, and was baffled by all the praise it got. The level designs felt so aimless to me, so sprawling and empty. I hated it and was vocal about this.

Then I actually tried getting a Good Future on every level, and almost instantly it became one of my favourite Sonic games. That is really the only way to play.

I'll have to try that when this comes out. Sonic CD never "clicked" with me before.

 

[Azure Phoenix]

I hope they don't pull the same crap as with Sonic Gems Collection and leave the US soundtrack for Europeans then lock the soundtrack to your console region.

 

[Snookie]

i have absolutely no doubt that sega will somehow screw this up as well.

 

[TimmiT]

Skyler from Sonic Retro said that we "shouldn't worry" about this being a Backbone port:

For those of you worrying about Backbone, all I'm going to tell you is this: You have nothing to worry about, and this will be worth every penny.

 

[Label]

Just because you like being ripped off doesn't mean the rest of us do. You're probably why all Arcade games release at 1200 now.

Weird I bought 2 arcade games at 800 points over the weekend...

 

[FreeMufasa]

How come these SEGA games (this, Dreamcast collection, Rez HD) are always exclusive to the 360?

 

[BlazeHedgehog]

How come these SEGA games (this, Dreamcast collection, Rez HD) are always exclusive to the 360?

PS3 gets exclusive stuff. Yakuza, for example. House of the Dead Overkill Extended cut. The Dreamcast Collection games were just disc-versions of downloadable stuff, which are available on PSN - plus PSN got an exclusive "Sonic Anniversary" pack back in June that was like 4 or 5 games for $20.

There's also interactive XMB themes that are PS3 exclusive, etc.

 

[TimmiT]

How come these SEGA games (this, Dreamcast collection, Rez HD) are always exclusive to the 360?

We don't know if this is XBLA exclusive. Sega hasn't announced it yet, Major Nelson mentioned it in a blog post about PAX.

 

[DeVeAn]

Skyler from Sonic Retro said that we "shouldn't worry" about this being a Backbone port:

Please be true. They must do this game justice with a meaty port. Next Knuckles Chaotix.

 

[Lord British]

Next Knuckles Chaotix.

I understand the desire for the obscure, but Knuckles Chaotix really is a dreadful game. Nice music, graphics and special stages, but it is such a numbingly dull experience.

 

[Stephen Stills]

I see no reason why they can't give us both soundtracks. Other than them being modern day Sega, of course.

All we need now is a Snatcher port and I can throw away my Mega CD.

 

[qq more]

I've never played enough of Backbone's ports of the Sonic games. Aside from that awful input delay, what were the other issues?


And by the way, I have a feeling that Taxman has something to do with the Sonic CD re-release, which is a very good thing since he's pretty good at programming. I remember a few years back he was making an iOS port of Sonic CD and showed it to SEGA.

 

[Upsidedown Fuji]

I see no reason why they can't give us both soundtracks. Other than them being modern day Sega, of course.

All we need now is a Snatcher port and I can throw away my Mega CD.

The only real reason I can see SEGA not being able to keep both would be music rights privilages. Older games seem to come up against this problem a lot.

 

[TimmiT]

And by the way, I have a feeling that Taxman has something to do with the Sonic CD re-release, which is a very good thing since he's pretty good at programming. I remember a few years back he was making an iOS port of Sonic CD and showed it to SEGA.

It looks like he does. Like Sega1991 said, he left a cheeky comment at Sonic Retro.

 

[.la1n]

I understand the desire for the obscure, but Knuckles Chaotix really is a dreadful game. Nice music, graphics and special stages, but it is such a numbingly dull experience.

Yeah even back when it came out and I was all about some Sonic and/or related games I could not bring myself to even finish it. Luckily I also had Ristar and it didn't let me down.

 

[G0523]

I've never played enough of Backbone's ports of the Sonic games. Aside from that awful input delay, what were the other issues?

I'm not sure what other complaints there were for the ports of Sonic 1 & 2, but when Backbone ported Sonic 3 they completely took out the in-game save feature! So when you finished getting all of the Chaos Emeralds, you can't replay the game with Super Sonic! This affected Sonic & Knuckles as well when you locked the two games together. Taking out features that are already in the game is completely asinine. It's actually one of the main reasons I just kept Sonic Mega Collection Plus for the original Xbox.

 

[east of eastside]

What happened to the Dreamcast re-releases, btw? They just froze after the cheap and easy ports.

When the hell are they going to do a JGR/JSRF digital release?

Never mind, they'll have gimped sound tracks and other glaring flaws.

 

[BlazeHedgehog]

I'm not sure what other complaints there were for the ports of Sonic 1 & 2, but when Backbone ported Sonic 3 they completely took out the in-game save feature! So when you finished getting all of the Chaos Emeralds, you can't replay the game with Super Sonic! This affected Sonic & Knuckles as well when you locked the two games together. Taking out features that are already in the game is completely asinine. It's actually one of the main reasons I just kept Sonic Mega Collection Plus for the original Xbox.

That's generally the case with Backbone ports. They're basically functional, but they always seem to be kind of sloppy and cut weird corners. They removed all sorts of little things from their XBLA port of Super Puzzle Fighter (See "Differences and Omissions" on this page).

Their work has never really been terrible, just... lackluster. Disrespectful, maybe, in the sense that they seem to put in the bare minimum of effort and call it a day.