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[Hot Coldman]

Fair enough. I definitely want to go back and finish the game. I'm not one of those stubborn Sonic fans who don't like the 3D games -- SA2 is my favorite Sonic game as radical as that sounds (hated Unleashed though. One of the worst games I've played this gen).

Yeah, definitely finish it sometime, especially seeing as it's like only 3/4 hours long if you know what you're doing. It's got the least amount of fluff around it of any Sonic game since S3+Knuckles, very to the point. By that regard you shouldn't hate it like you did Unleashed.

 

[MaxwellGT2000]

What in the fuck are you honestly talking about? Colors/Generations had a lot of platforming too. And those weren't the reasons why we didn't like sonic 4. If you're gonna make a convincing argument, at least don't pull things out of your ass.

The reason I'm avoiding getting into this is because it's derailing the thread, so it's best to just voice opinions and be done with it, while taking a discussion of how Colors/Generations is better or worse than Sonic 4 into it's own thread so, THAT one goes down in flames and not this one.

 

[qq more]

The reason I'm avoiding getting into this is because it's derailing the thread, so it's best to just voice opinions and be done with it, while taking a discussion of how Colors/Generations is better or worse than Sonic 4 into it's own thread so, THAT one goes down in flames and not this one.

The whole "hating it just for the sake of it" excuse and making up reasons why people criticized sonic 4 certainly didn't help. Just sayin'.

But yeah, agreeing about ending the derailment. Let's stop.

 

[Lijik]

The reason I'm avoiding getting into this is because it's derailing the thread, so it's best to just voice opinions and be done with it, while taking a discussion of how Colors/Generations is better or worse than Sonic 4 into it's own thread so, THAT one goes down in flames and not this one.

Coming out of nowhere, making up a bunch of shit and then when you're called out on it saying "I dont want to get into it!" instead of actually discussing it is kind of fucking weak.

 

[Combichristoffersen]

Unrivalled shite, maybe. Hate 'em.

I would explain why, but nobody agrees and that's fine.

I like the special stages in Sonic 1 and Sonic 3&K, but the ones in Sonic 2 can fuck right off (I actually liked them much better in Sonic 4 Ep. II).

 

[APZonerunner]

Very much more of the same, but it does feel improved. Shame some things, like the length of the bosses and how disjointed the Tails stuff feels, are worse.

 

[Zen]

I've been looking but wtf how to you apply the native patch?

 

[Azure Dream]

Updated the OP with the price lists (although I saw conflicting stuff for AUD, the PS3 version might be $18.25 and the PC version $19.00?), the fourth trailer, the 1080p patch post (well, the second one that quotes the first), and a Metacritic link. I had hoped some of the Sonic sites had reviews up so I could link to them as more of an "enthusiast" angle, but I couldn't find any so far.

 

[BlazeHedgehog]

Man I just do not get special stages.

Special Stage 5 is setup so that if you know your stuff you can be trapped in a loop of going back and forth between two areas to get infinite rings, making it trivial to even tell the player things like, "GET 300 RINGS!" because you can just loop forever on that first section until you have enough.

Updated the OP with the price lists (although I saw conflicting stuff for AUD, the PS3 version might be $18.25 and the PC version $19.00?), the fourth trailer, the 1080p patch post (well, the second one that quotes the first), and a Metacritic link. I had hoped some of the Sonic sites had reviews up so I could link to them as more of an "enthusiast" angle, but I couldn't find any so far.

I should have mine up sometime during the weekend, I hope.

 

[Shadow Hog]

Special Stage 5 is setup so that if you know your stuff you can be trapped in a loop of going back and forth between two areas to get infinite rings, making it trivial to even tell the player things like, "GET 300 RINGS!" because you can just loop forever on that first section until you have enough.

A... loop? These things loop? A bonus game that by definition should only have you moving forward ad infinitum toward a goal and never backtracking... loops.

What is that I don't even

 

[BlazeHedgehog]

A... loop? These things loop? A bonus game that by definition should only have you moving forward ad infinitum toward a goal and never backtracking... loops.

What is that I don't even

Sometimes there are springs positioned on the track. Sometimes they are mandatory and happen as part of a scripted sequence, sometimes they are optional and can be missed.

Springs will spring you to a different special stage track somewhere else, and in the first section of Special Stage 5, there's a spring right before the checkpoint that will let you collect more rings before springing you back to the beginning of the main track.

So you can, if you so choose, just keep springing back and forth between these two tracks, because every time you use a spring, all the rings in the section you spring to respawn.

 

[qq more]

wait wait... loop?

explain, i must know

EDIT: nvm beaten


EDIT: holy shit are you serious? LOL wow dimps

I would understand if it was the first special stage

 

[Kokonoe]

As I've stated before, I purposely don't even enter the giant rings as that's how much I dislike playing them.

To be honest, I didn't entirely enjoy Sonic 2's, but at least I would try to get the Chaos Emeralds when I played.

Blue Sphere will always be my favorite Special Stage.

 

[EuroMIX]

Maybe it's an unpopular opinion, but I always found most of Dimps GBA and DS games to be decent. I actually feel that the original Sonic Advance is a better "Sonic 4" than Sonic 4 actually is.

In fact I think that Sega themselves are just as much to blame for getting Dimps to take on the huge responsibility of creating a game with the name Sonic 4. That was just asking for trouble. Instead of creating an episodic cash-grab Sega should have treated it like a main game and had it developed to that level of quality.

Then again I don't know why I'm so surprised.

 

[Kokonoe]

Maybe it's an unpopular opinion, but I always found most of Dimps GBA and DS games to be decent. I actually feel that the original Sonic Advance is a better "Sonic 4" than Sonic 4 actually is.

In fact I think that Sega themselves are just as much to blame for getting Dimps to take on the huge responsibility of creating a game with the name Sonic 4. That was just asking for trouble. Instead of creating an episodic cash-grab Sega should have treated it like a main game and had it developed to that level of quality.

Then again I don't know why I'm so surprised.

Absolutely agree. Although, I think dimps went downhill with Sonic Advance 2, they changed everything that made the first one great. 3 is okay. I didn't play much of Rush, so I don't have too much of an opinion on it. However, Rush Adventure had all these weird things you had to do so I stopped earlier on at the boating part.

Sonic Colors DS is pretty good, Sonic Generations 3DS is pretty bad.

My top 5 favorite Sonic games of all time are below.

Sonic and Knuckles
Sonic Adventure
Sonic Adventure 2
Sonic 2
Sonic Advance

 

[Azure Dream]

I noticed the loop, but didn't think much of it. Maybe just that it was kind of an amusing detail, I think there's only one spot like that in the 7 stages, so it could've been on purpose.

Unlike previous special stage, the Dash mechanic means these stages are actually meant to be speedrun for Time once you've gotten the Emerald, so it wouldn't benefit you to loop over and over and then still run the rest of the stage., if you were at all interested in the leaderboards for it.

 

[BlazeHedgehog]

Special Stage 7 is garbage and I can't imagine how it's even possible without two people. The entire special stage is designed around the "co-op rope", but if you don't have anyone to control Tails for you, you have to rely on trying to "fling" him so the rope connecting the two characters collects more rings.

Except the final section is full of these challenges where you have to collect magic glowing rings and if you collect all of them, you get a huge ring bonus. Except it is nearly impossible to do without somebody controlling Tails for you, because "flinging" the CPU Tails so you can get them all caught in the rope is stupid and horrible and what were they thinking.

 

[qq more]

Special Stage 7 is garbage and I can't imagine how it's even possible without two people. The entire special stage is designed around the "co-op rope", but if you don't have anyone to control Tails for you, you have to rely on trying to "fling" him so the rope connecting the two characters collects more rings.

Except the final section is full of these challenges where you have to collect magic glowing rings and if you collect all of them, you get a huge ring bonus. Except it is nearly impossible to do without somebody controlling Tails for you, because "flinging" the CPU Tails so you can get them all caught in the rope is stupid and horrible and what were they thinking.

That's terrible. I'm not looking forward to collecting all emeralds.

 

[Zen]

As I've stated before, I purposely don't even enter the giant rings as that's how much I dislike playing them.

To be honest, I didn't entirely enjoy Sonic 2's, but at least I would try to get the Chaos Emeralds when I played.

Blue Sphere will always be my favorite Special Stage.

I always liked playing them in Rush because of the stylus.

I've really been enjoying the game, but the levels tend to have a density problem to the point that I think Episode I had better level design. So often in II you're just going through loops and loops and loops. The first area didn't have this issue, but once you further than that... holy crap! There are a few times where the game legitimately made me smile, so it's not like I;m saying it's shit. It's a solid 7-8/10

 

[BlazeHedgehog]

Whew, finally cleared Special Stage 7. That must've been close to an hour. Thank goodness for being able to select "Retry" from the pause menu.

PROTIP:

Spoiler

The tube near the end of section 2 is a make-or-break moment. Make sure you hold down the X button to "boost" so you can run along the ceiling. If you can drag Tails along properly with the co-op rope, you should come out of that section with 430 rings or more, which makes the climb to 500 a lot easier.

Also, are you serious?

Spoiler

Using team-up moves when you're Super Sonic forces you back down to regular Sonic again.

 

[Combichristoffersen]

Man I just do not get special stages.

Special Stage 5 is setup so that if you know your stuff you can be trapped in a loop of going back and forth between two areas to get infinite rings, making it trivial to even tell the player things like, "GET 300 RINGS!" because you can just loop forever on that first section until you have enough.

That accidentally happened to me, making SS #5 a breeze :lol Got stuck on SS #6 though. I just can't complete it.

And, uh, I completed Sky Fortress act 1, but didn't get the trophy for defeating Metal Sonic. Anything special you have to do to get it?

 

[RagnarokX]

Maybe it's an unpopular opinion, but I always found most of Dimps GBA and DS games to be decent. I actually feel that the original Sonic Advance is a better "Sonic 4" than Sonic 4 actually is.

In fact I think that Sega themselves are just as much to blame for getting Dimps to take on the huge responsibility of creating a game with the name Sonic 4. That was just asking for trouble. Instead of creating an episodic cash-grab Sega should have treated it like a main game and had it developed to that level of quality.

Then again I don't know why I'm so surprised.

Of course Sonic Advance is a better Sonic 4; it actually uses Genesis physics. It's still a pretty horrible game, though, because the level design and music are just awful. It's a very very very boring game. Dimps is just plain awful at level design.

 

[BlazeHedgehog]

That accidentally happened to me, making SS #5 a breeze :lol Got stuck on SS #6 though. I just can't complete it.

And, uh, I completed Sky Fortress act 1, but didn't get the trophy for defeating Metal Sonic. Anything special you have to do to get it?

Spoiler

Use the Tornado's boost to knock his cannonballs back at him. After five or six, he'll go down in flames and the stage will end early, and the achievement will pop.

 

[The Xtortionist]

Spoiler

Use the Tornado's boost to knock his cannonballs back at him. After five or six, he'll go down in flames and the stage will end early, and the achievement will pop.

That's not totally unintuitive.

 

[Combichristoffersen]

Spoiler

Use the Tornado's boost to knock his cannonballs back at him. After five or six, he'll go down in flames and the stage will end early, and the achievement will pop.

I see, thanks. Will do it tomorrow when I'm less irate about that awful

Spoiler

Sonic CD copycat race section in Death Egg Mk. II act 1

 

[Dark Schala]

Just woke up and will start Episode Metal in a sec. But...

Yeah, the majority of the people complaining about this game in this thread have enjoyed previous Sonic games. I'm a huge fan of both Colors and Generations (console/PC version).

Not to mention that the majority of people playing this game and finding things to criticize about it--because... you know, not every game is perfect--frequent the Sonic Community Thread. The place where we talk about the games almost every day, and watch and discuss LPs of the games? One of the least-hostile threads I've posted in? Ahahaha.

I guess you're not a fan of the series if you don't like every single one of the games. Ignore their flaws!

Also, are you serious?

Spoiler

Using team-up moves when you're Super Sonic forces you back down to regular Sonic again.

Aw. I have one more emerald to get and that's a little disheartening.

Though I wonder if the combo of the two would break the game?

 

[RagnarokX]

Just woke up and will start Episode Metal in a sec. But...


Not to mention that the majority of people playing this game and finding things to criticize about it--because... you know, not every game is perfect--frequent the Sonic Community Thread. The place where we talk about the games almost every day, and watch and discuss LPs of the games? One of the least-hostile threads I've posted in? Ahahaha.

I guess you're not a fan of the series if you don't like every single one of the games. Ignore their flaws!


Aw. I have one more emerald to get and that's a little disheartening.

Though I wonder if the combo of the two would break the game?

Super Sonic would probably burn Tails' mouth.

 

[Combichristoffersen]

Super Sonic would probably burn Tails' mouth.

Maybe he could burn Tails to death so that little shitnugget wouldn't keep blocking my view, and generally just be useless, in the special stages.

 

[Box of Bunnies]

What the christ at this Oil Desert Zone boss. It takes 45 seconds to even get the fight started and then it's just. so. slow.

 

[Azure Dream]

Maybe he could burn Tails to death so that little shitnugget wouldn't keep blocking my view, and generally just be useless, in the special stages.

Yeah, that whole "collecting extra rings for you, doesn't even lose rings this time, can charge ahead to grab the last timed rings while you're stuck on an electric mine," real useless.

 

[Combichristoffersen]

Yeah, that whole "collecting extra rings for you, doesn't even lose rings this time, can charge ahead to grab the last timed rings while you're stuck on an electric mine," real useless.

Sonic: 220 rings
Tails: 11 rings

Until Tails runs into a bomb and loses all his rings.

Yup, real useful.

 

[Lijik]

Sonic: 220 rings
Tails: 11 rings

Until Tails runs into a bomb and loses all his rings.

Yup, real useful.

Yeah I have to agree, Tails is generally not very useful unless you frustratingly force him to do stuff.

 

[Azure Dream]

Sonic: 220 rings
Tails: 11 rings

Until Tails runs into a bomb and loses all his rings.

Yup, real useful.

I don't think he loses rings when he hits bombs, in Single Player anyway.

And if that's all you're collecting as Tails, you're probably doing it wrong, at least on the later stages anyway. He's not AI, he's replaying your movements with about a second or so delay, just like in the main game, just like how it worked in the Genesis games. So you can plan for exactly where he's going to be by leading your movements.

Edit: I'll take that back a bit, it's really only the last two stages where he's likely to pick up a significant amount of rings without a co-op player.

 

[BlazeHedgehog]

Tails doesn't drop rings if he hits a bomb in special stages, to my knowledge. If he does, he certainly doesn't make the ring drop sound. He also seems to have a super tiny hitbox compared to Sonic's, so he slips through rows of bombs a lot easier. They really went out of their way to make sure Tails doesn't drag you down in special stages.

 

[Combichristoffersen]

I don't think he loses rings when he hits bombs, in Single Player anyway.

And if that's all you're collecting as Tails, you're probably doing it wrong. He's not AI, he's replaying your movements with about a second or so delay, just like in the main game, just like how it worked in the Genesis games. So you can plan for exactly where he's going to be by leading your movements.

I got that he follows my movements, but since there's a tiny delay between my movement and Tails' movement, he usually ends up barely getting any rings at all, and the few rings he grabs go to waste when he ends up running into a bomb or those electrified thingamajigs (I think he loses rings on those, at least). And he keeps blocking my view, that little fucker. I wish I could turn him off for the Special Stages, like you could by playing Sonic 2 as Sonic only.

 

[Azure Dream]

I got that he follows my movements, but since there's a tiny delay between my movement and Tails' movement, he usually ends up barely getting any rings at all, and the few rings he grabs go to waste when he ends up running into a bomb or those electrified thingamajigs (I think he loses rings on those, at least).

I just tested both, Tails doesn't lose rings on either.

And he keeps blocking my view, that little fucker.

Unless you're wildly swinging around the level, I don't really get this. Most of the time he's behind you, or pretty close to it, and further back than Sonic is.

 

[BlazeHedgehog]

Techokami on Twitter tells me that the loop in Special Stage 5 is not infinite and if you loop too many times the spring eventually disappears.

Not that it matters, because after the two loops I did, I had roughly 250 rings, meaning I had both the first and second checkpoints covered. By the time I needed 300 rings for the third checkpoint, I think I was approaching 400.

 

[Kokonoe]

Amusing watch.

Although, I agree with most of his points.

 

[Diablohead]

Played this a lot on my 360 and about 1/4 way through on my ipad, well today I stuck it on my ipod touch 4g and the game still looks really nice and even keeps the god way lighting, it has some slowdown in spots but it's a rather stable 30fps on a 2 year old ipod touch, really impressed.

Some screens:

BTW that SS loop is not infinite, tails doesn't drop rings so really having him is a bonus, you can jump and hit metal sonic's cannon balls back without using the tornado and yes dropping super when you use tails in levels is beyond dumb and I see no reason as to why they did that.

 

[EuroMIX]

It's still a pretty horrible game, though, because the level design and music are just awful. It's a very very very boring game. Dimps is just plain awful at level design.

Regarding the bolded, seriously? I mean I wouldn't rave about the game, but I'd say that it's at least better than you make it sound. It's fine if that's your personal opinion though.

 

[Kokonoe]

Regarding the bolded, seriously? I mean I wouldn't rave about the game, but I'd say that it's at least better than you make it sound. It's fine if that's your personal opinion though.

Well, least it did pretty well on metacritic as it has a 87/100 from 22 positive reviews.

http://www.metacritic.com/game/game-boy-advance/sonic-advance

By the way, thanks for posting those. I happen to like those a lot. I need to download a Sonic Advance soundtrack.

 

[Dark Schala]

At least the music isn't... uh...

*checks if Professor Beef's around*

Well, you know, from that game.

Anyway, it isn't very memorable, which contrasts with the majority of Sonic soundtracks in general.

 

[Seven Force]

Regarding the bolded, seriously? I mean I wouldn't rave about the game, but I'd say that it's at least better than you make it sound. It's fine if that's your personal opinion though.

I definitely wouldn't say the music is horrible, but it's definitely pretty forgettable.

At least the music isn't... uh...

*checks if Professor Beef's around*

Well, you know, from that game.

You know he's just going to post it now, right?

 

[Aaron Strife]

Tails just picks up the rings you missed.

It was really your fault for missing them in the first place.

 

[Professor Beef]

At least the music isn't... uh...

*checks if Professor Beef's around*

Well, you know, from that game.

You know he's just going to post it now, right?

I have conditioned GAF so much, I bet this music is comforting now.

 

[Kokonoe]

I have conditioned GAF so much, I bet this music is comforting now.

The intro is the worst part.

From that link

"The theme song of the Bioware writers who penned the Mass Effect 3 ending."

 

[Dark Schala]

You know he's just going to post it now, right?

I have conditioned GAF so much, I bet this music is comforting now.

I feel like I've opened Pandora's Box and now I feel bad.

 

[Rikkun]

Ok I played some levels and random thoughts:

- Camera is too close for me
- Spindashing is unuseful
- Flying with Tails is boring
- Bosses are a pain in the ass, not intuitive and stupidly long
- Special stages suck because of the sprint button and having to use that to roll out. And I loved Sonic 2 SS.
- Homing attack: why do you give me the red logo on the enemy if I can't reach it? And why to I have to be not too high to perform it? Or why did you put those damn reversible platforms?
- Why did they limit Tails flight? I personally would've put Tails as optional and a nearly endless flight distance.
-Boss fights that require you to constantly fly to hit Eggman are the worst


Sky Sanctuary Act 2, 3 emerald in my pocket.
To me, now, it's not better than Episode 1.

PS: Professor Beef, yes. Yes.

 

[Professor Beef]

I feel like opened Pandora's Box and now I feel bad.

Too bad Hope isn't in there anymore.

Spoiler

Iizuka ate it.

 

[EuroMIX]

Forgettable doesn't necessarily mean it's bad though. Pretty decent for a side game on a handheld considering the probable lack of power/budget/focus/nostalgia.

I do understand that the Sonic fandom is a shining example of how diverse opinions can be though. That's why I typically stay out of it these days. Please excuse me.