SAGE 2009: Sonic Gemini Joins the Fray

These Are Your Tag Teammates

There will be one new entity coming to this year’s Sonic Amateur Games Expo, and two familiar names are behind it.

DM Ashura and Sonic Warrior TJ are together heading up a demo of Sonic Gemini for this year’s SAGE.  But, in total, two dozen people are contributing to the project. If and when finished, Gemini will feature at least five levels, and a strange bedfellow–Metal Sonic.

Here’s a teaser statement from the Sonic Gemini blog about the game:

Are you ready for a Sonic experience unlike anything you’ve seen before?  You’d better be!  Sonic Gemini sets out to be what just about any Sonic fan game would want to be: a high-quality Sonic game.  Gemini has its roots in the classic Genesis titles, with the blue blur’s signature moves intact, and level design inspired by the old Zones you know and love.  However, rather than just being the same game with a few new tricks here and there, Gemini seeks to add a fundamentally unique element to the experience by introducing tag-team gameplay, with a teammate in the form of Sonic’s longtime rival, Metal Sonic.

Metal isn’t quite as quick as Sonic, but don’t think for a moment that means the action will let up!  His air boost compensates for his only slightly lower speed, and his ability to hover may make him a better choice for the more intense platforming challenges.  He can also attack with a variety of projectiles (which vary depending on which Shield he holds).  These can be used to hit switches and enemies that are out of Sonic’s reach, and can even shoot as he hovers in midair.  Sonic can switch with his steel doppelganger on the fly, and will need to in order to stop Dr. Eggman and his dangerous new creation, Egg-Robo 2.0!

Each Zone is designed with both characters in mind, and will make sure that you master every one of each hedgehog’s moves.  The environments have maximum effort and thought behind them, taking full advantage of each level’s motif for the obstacles you will face.  These obstacles are a balanced blend of classic, modern, and original contraptions, if you will: loop-de-loops and bumpers coexist with grind rails and dash panels, and brand-new challenges range anywhere from rising and falling tides to poisonous pools to melting steel platforms to roulette wheels – the list goes on and on!  The art and music styles are unique and definitive, a marriage of old and new that completes the unique experience!

Prepare yourself for Sonic Gemini!

To help you prepare, the team has released a few teaser screenshots of the game.  You can have a look at them below.  Gemini will be among several SFGs on display at this year’s Sonic Amateur Games Expo, which we will be covering extensively beginning next Saturday.