Including What’s Almost Certainly Stardust Speedway
This week, the latest issue of Famitsu magazine in Japan revealed a newly confirmed zone for Sonic Generations, again in line with what we told you earlier last month: Chemical Plant Zone.
Our Japan correspondent Danny Russell picked up a copy and afforded a scan for all of us. We elected to crop out unnecessary material so you could focus on just the screenshots, and keep in mind that they’re not clean, like what you would expect from Sega’s own releases. Still the result is a gallery of thirteen new screenshots, showing off Chemical Plant, as well as Metal Sonic in action on what appears to be an updated Stardust Speedway racetrack. All indications are you will race Metal Sonic in the boss battle. There are also additional shots from the 3DS version’s Special Stage.
That’s all below.
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@GoldenHedgy:
JAPANESE!
More soul. Less. . . ambience.
I can’t wait to play this zone. This is actually how I imagined the Chemical Plant Zone should have looked like: dark, gritty, and purely awesome. Also can’t wait for Stardust Speedway, and well everything this game will have to offer.
@x
Not that I don’t love Colors and Planet Wisp, but I still can’t fathom what they could do to that level to make it feel fresh/worth including.
I guess this goes back to all the people clamoring for Colors HD, which I always thought was unnecessary – the visuals are already so outstanding, despite the Wii’s hardware, that I honestly don’t even think the upgrade to HD would be significantly noticeable to the average player. Not to mention the fact that we already have a classic-ish mix of the level bgm, thanks to the simulator stages.
Truly, I probably appreciate that level as much as you do, but I still just can’t envision a way to make that level feel worthy of Generations. I can’t think of a single reason why I would want to see it re-done with a marginally different layout (come on, we already HAVE like 5 acts with different layouts) when I could see something old updated to something new instead.
@Legodex
Probably extremely similarly, since the majority of the gameplay in that game IS 2D.
It’s not Stardust Speedway. You can see some of the assets reused from Chemical Plant’s city background in the Metal Sonic screenshots. It’s a shame that it’s not Stardust Speedway, but if you think about it, they couldn’t have picked a better look-alike.
I think all of the bosses and mini-bosses have been built around the level selection, and possibly vice-versa. They chose to use Speed Highway as the Adventure level because they could easily reuse resources to recreate the final battle from Adventure with Perfect Chaos. We’ll probably end up fighting Shadow in a nighttime version of City Escape, for example, and it’s fitting because this is where Sonic and Shadow first met. And, we’ll probably be fighting Silver in Crisis City, since that is the time period he’s from, anyway. The Death Egg appears in Sky Sanctuary Zone, etc. It’s kind of brilliant, for SEGA at least. Saves them a bit of time, and most of the bosses don’t feel out of place.
@ChaotixFox
I see where you’re coming from but don’t forget that every level we’ve seen so far has had a very original spin on the theme of the level. I just think a lot of people are jumping the gun on disappointment. Why don’t we wait and see before we cry foul? There’s no real precedent to site in this situation.
@x
True enough. I’m sure it’ll be gorgeous and unique in it’s own way… but I can’t help but shake the feeling that the game would have been better served by a different choice in stage selection.
I can’t speak for the rest of the disappointed, but personally, while I sincerely wish the game featured different levels, I’m sure every one of them will still be great.
@ChaoticFox
Good Point
@Greg “I do hope you don’t mean that you want me dead over a blue, lanky hedgehog made to rake in cash.”
THIS is why I said that. Don’t just go insulting something that is REALLY important to me.
@sonick123456: I guess that also means that I should stop saying that God is a false deity that only ignorant, gullible little humans have eaten up for the paste millennium in order to keep their ideals of faith and order intact when it barely means nothing when the words of It Almighty are the words writ by chauvinistic males that felt they have power over all, even women, so far to even say that women CAME from men…. Which is bullshit if anything.
I’m sorry for not fearing the idea of insulting other’s beliefs. I’d kindly buzz off of Sonic if it weren’t for the fact that everything I love to escape to (cartoons, video games, movies, and comics) just aren’t delivering like they used to. I’d like to take my mind off of the problems our world has and enjoy a cartoon video game character, but even then he has problems that I can’t ignore. Looking at his current state reminds me of the Capitalist Machine and its desire of money which is nothing more than statistics put into symbolic physical form. So what is money? It’s a number. Thing is people always say money doesn’t grow on trees, but that begs the question….. If money doesn’t grow on trees then where do you get the paper to make money? It’s this silly thing that Sega is after with their franchise and that’s ALL they care about anymore. They think simply bringing back Retro Sonic’s going to make me want to hand over such a silly thing when they have bigger problems to fix in the franchise beyond fixing their character’s design.
You know? And I always find that the people that always have this inane faith in Sega are often religious nuts who always tell us in their signature that “I believe in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour, paste this in your signature if you believe TOO” yet to have this kind of faith in something as easily corruptible as a human being is just downright, sadistic optimism. I don’t want to hold a grudge either. Before we got a hold of the demo and its assets I was very optimistic and rather excited. And look what I got for my optimism.
I know I just brought religion into this and now there is no way I’m going to be able to escape this debate now. But guys, please stop being hopelessly optimistic. It’s like a beaten housewife asking an abusive, misogynistic husband to take her out to dinner at a fancy restaurant for a change. He’s going to tell her to “Get back in the kitchen and make me a sandwich.” I don’t even think the developers get much of a say in these things anymore. I think the problems take root in the CEOs in Sega’s H.Q. and they’re having the developers rush on the ideas and not take their time despite the 2+ years of work this game has already gone under. Not to mention how much of an overall problem Iizuka is to this franchise.
There’s only so much a fan can take, you know? We’re all fans, but we’re all fans of specific qualities this franchise has had over the years. What’s been a problem is inconsistent direction and the sudden change in Sonic Adventure is a big factor in the big split in the Games Fanbase whereas Mario took what he did best in 2D and did it in 3D and has had very subtle improvements and keeps getting better in quality 3D titles. It also helps that his father Miyamoto has been there the entire time whereas Sega drove Naka and Oshima off (though is it really hard to see why?). The lack of direction has brought in fans of a certain Sonic title to the mix and now we’ve got this mismatched fanbase all in one big cesspool. The thing is this entire fanbase is utter chaos. Everyone has this different view on the franchise because of this incredibly inconsistent direction when they (like Nintendo) should have solidified the structure and continued the direction they had in the Genesis titles over to the Dreamcast. But they didn’t!
So what am I saying? What am I really saying? I’m saying I wish this franchise had had a proper evolution instead of into the trash it’s become. I wish Sega had never redesigned Sonic into the lanky, blue mess we see now. I just wish things had gone better so that I wouldn’t be here telling you why I believe we deserve better games. But ever since Adventure Sega’s been building a Bad Future and it’s only going to stop when they look at the mess that took place and realize what needs to be taken down and build back upwards again.
Or… split the franchise into subdivisions like I and many others would appreciate.
@ Greg “the Cat” Longcrier”:
You make good points, but I don’t think it’s THAT horrible. Look. Sega’s giving all the fans what they want with this new game. Let’s not split hairs and try to understand why. I know what you’re thinking. “Wait. You want to remain ignorant to the whole thing?” No. I just want to play a good Sonic game and enjoy the hell out of it. I haven’t been able to play a “Modern” Sonic game since Sonic 2006 (that’s not counting a crossover game like Sonic and Sega All-stars Racing). Let’s just play the games and enjoy them. That’s partly what’s changed in our oppinions of games, besides the quality of the games themselves. It’s true. Games in the 90s are amazing, homely, imaginitive, and favorites among us who grew up with them. But this is a new generation. Sega has to keep up with the times, but now, they can do whatever they want (considering they’re a “third party” company now), whereas in the 90s, they had to keep up with the market and change. It goes without saying that if Sega were never in the “great console wars”, then sonic might never have changed. Maybe. But that’s not in our power to decide. But also, fans that enjoyed everything in the games Sega had to offer, are now grown up and see all the tiles that make up the landscape, but still look at the game as nostalgic. The fact is, some are criticizing what isn’t like what they grew up with because it “changed” so much. Games do, my friend. I’m not defending any game company, but, there needs to be variety to keep the franchise from getting stale. Sega’s on the right track now. You may have heard this before, but: Sonic Unleashed was a step in the right direction, Sonic 4 was a run in the right direction, Sonic Colors was a sprint in the right direction, and Sonic Generations will no doubt be a full-speed ahead into the right direction. Sonic games are getting much better. Be glad you don’t have a “Sonic and the Count of Hang Castle” or some weird game like that. Just give it time, and I’m sure you will be satisfied. Maybe not with Sonic Generations (but I know I’m going to love it), but another title in the future.
Personally, I’m glad our beloved hedgehog never ended up like poor Spyro, one of my favorite games and game characters of all time . . . .
This thread is now like watching a turd get run over by a lawnmower
@Greg
“I guess that also means that I should stop saying that God is a false deity that only ignorant, gullible little humans have eaten up for the paste millennium in order to keep their ideals of faith and order intact when it barely means nothing when the words of It Almighty are the words writ by chauvinistic males that felt they have power over all, even women, so far to even say that women CAME from men…. Which is bullshit if anything.”
Fuck you, you inconsiderate asshole. You act like you’re not offending people like me by saying that.
@X:
. . .
?
@Brandon
Greg is just spraying turds left and right now.
“I don’t respect your opinion on Sonic the Hedgehog. Hey, here are some other things I don’t respect that have 100% nothing to do with what we’re talking about!”
Ugh, I had a whole thing written up, but what’s the point. Greg, that whole post was the dumbest thing I’ve ever read on a Sonic site. And brother, that’s saying something. Generalizations and speculations and aimless wishing accomplishing nothing. Way to raise the ignorance bar.
wow people are still posting here. Geez this article is like what, 3 days old?
@Sonick
“I do hope you don’t mean that you want me dead over a blue, lanky hedgehog made to rake in cash” isn’t an insult. It’s a straight up fact.
Look, Sonic’s AT LEAST as important to me as he is to anyone else here, but that doesn’t change the facts. Hell, that quote’s not even snarky or condescending – it’s a completely neutral unbiased statement. If you choose to take offense to something like that you are really fucking warped, dude o.o
@Darkgomu
What does the age of the article have to do with anything? These comments sectons are practically like a forum and are basically treated as such. People return to these “old topics” for the active conversations, not for the content of the article.
@Greg
…lol XD
@Stephan
Words on the internet. Big fucking deal.
@Stephan: No sir. I know full well that I am insulting you by saying such things. Too bad I don’t care. Maybe you should imploy the logic of a Vulcan and be level headed with me.
I brought the religion point in due to the blind optimism and faith that surrounds this fanbase. It’s very much like religion in which if you have a problem you think your best option is to sit in your comfortable little computer chair and pray. Or just eat anything you hear about It and then try to play him off as a benevolent father. What I’m saying is “be realistic”. Sega makes Sonic games. They don’t give them to you though. It’s not a gift. It’s one lemon after the other. The problems of the games and the franchise originate from the company. You have to deal your problems to them, which I know plenty of people probably have plenty of problems with Sega and (maybe) their business management.
@x: Sure I’m spewing shit. Because I certainly don’t have a point, right?
@ChaoticFox: Laughing? Well, that’s an odd response. Though I take it you’re metaphorically laughing with me given your past comments.
And finally… BrandonTH, thanks for being level headed. Nice to see someone who isn’t going out of his mind that someone decided to say something controversial in the midst of this mad house.
I’d like to point out there’s a difference between changing something to keep it from being stale, and changing something so, so, so much that it no longer resembles the thing you enjoyed in the first place bar a few superficial similarities. Not to mention that most of the games past the ’90s, whether they were trying something new or trying to stick close to its roots were shoddily made.
“Be glad you don’t have a “Sonic and the Count of Hang Castle” or some weird game like that”
Didn’t a rep from Sega of Mexico say there was going to be a third entry in the storybook games?
@Greg
While I certainly agree with you, I was just laughing at how… over the top it some of it seemed.
No Greg, you don’t have a point, What IS your point? Don’t believe with blind optimism? Granted that’s a foolish thing to do. But to prevent what exactly, disappointment?
In lieu you recommend cynical caution? To achieve what, /premeditated/ disappointment?
How does your stance on a forthcoming video game help you arrive at a different location than anyone else, exactly? You both play the same game at the end. One of you may like it, the other may not, but for all your scrutiny did it change the end product?
“There’s only so much a fan can take” you say, but it certainly hasn’t become the case with you. You aren’t changing the course of these games’ future with your diatribes on the internet and you’re certainly not swaying anyone’s minds with your choice of argument.
Y’know, when someone stops believing in God they stop going to church.
@X
As a matter of fact, Sega has proved (and straight up admitted) that bitching works. Our cynicism has helped bring Sonic out of the dark ages and start to show some promise again. Granted, there’s still a lot of work to be done and stubborn people like Iizuka like to resist it, but on the whole Sonic’s on his way toward bigger and better things, and you can bet your sorry ass it’s because of bitching.
@chaoticfox
Prove that correlation, please
Wow Greg, way to sink this fanbase even lower, and its beacuse of people like you that give athiest a bad rap.
I sincerly wish you’d take your rants and screw off, good lord what an embarassment
Specifically the correlation between bitching here on TSSZ and any effect on Sonic games
@x:
Bitching about Sonic Unleashed (werehog, medals, etc) —> the more positively received Sonic Colors
Bitching about Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 (physics, music, graphics, nearly everything): —> The more positively received Classic Sonic acts in Sonic Generations
Bitching about Sonic games in general (Sonic 06) : —> the more positively received Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 (is not a completely rushed pile of dung)
Each of them still have problems, no doubt (which could possibly be fixed by MOAR bitching ;D ), but they’re much better games than almost everything in the past decade or so; fans, gamers, and critics alike have all noticed the increase of quality in Sonic games recently.
@Soniman032: And how exactly is Greg sinking the fanbase even lower/giving atheists a bad rep?
@Teacher
Ok what I said was uncalled for, to an extent. I just wish he would dial it back on the (frankly condesending) rants
@Treacher
That isn’t really proof, is it? You didn’t tie the correlation to the causation. You only stated two things that happened but didn’t prove the correlation. There could have been any myriad of effects to alter the outcomes of those situations. Just because people bitched does not prove that the bitching affected the games. Letters to SEGA, critical review, internal changes, these are all things to take into account.
@X
Are you really going there? Really? Wow.
I suppose the fact that Sega has flat out SAID that many of the changes they’ve made to the series throughout the years have been the result of fan feedback isn’t enough for you.
And for the record, bitching on TSSZ is a form of critical review. We may not have big fancy website sponsors, but we’re doing the exact same thing (and in some cases *cough*Sterling*cough* we’re doing it better).
Sega has community teams and people who lurk forums and places like here/stadium/retro in order to get a pulse on the community. Trust me dude, they’re listening. Bitching here is every bit as effective than writing a goddamn letter.
And let’s not forget the fact that metacritic allows for user ratings, and Sega has officially said that they intend to pay very close attention to their metacritic scores. Honestly dude, do you even READ the articles here or do you just like to hang around getting all wound up by the comment sections?
@ChaoticFox
I’ll take your word that they have people going around reading comments in every Sonic fan page. I reckon you don’t have proof of that, but I don’t have proof of the opposite either.
You also have a consistent habit of answering points that nobody is arguing in order to strengthen your stance. I.E. Fan Feedback and Metacritic.
Also, who’s wound up? Buddy, you need to go back and read your own comments.
I can’t prove that they read every single comment on every single article, but I can reference you back to someone like, say, Aaron Webber who just so happens to pop in here now and then and has made clear on numerous occasions that he does, in fact, keep tabs on the community. That’s kind of his job, lol.
The Metacritic thing is just further proof that Sega pays attention to criticism and adjust their games accordingly. Completely relevant to what I was saying.
Besides, strengthening one’s “stance” is a pretty normal part of any argument/debate/two-sided conversation. Bringing relevant information to the table in support of your position doesn’t require having somebody trying to discredit or argue with you beforehand.
@X:
You won’t be satisfied until you get a link or two, will you? -_-
Let’s just forget the “proof”. Sega said themselves. It’s because of the fans that major changes are happening. Let’s forget about Sonic for a Second. Let’s focus on another of Sega’s superstars: NiGHTS. Now. NiGHTS was going to be altogether forgotten from Sonic and Sega All-Stars Racing. NiGHTS fans wouldn’t have it. They complained to Sega day and night until Sega put NiGHTS in the game. The result? NiGHTS was the flagman (which sounds like something they would’ve done anyway, but didn’t for some reason : / ).
Also, for NiGHTS 15th anniversary, Sega posted a blog on facebook that asked fans DIRECTLY how they would feel about a port of the original NiGHTS into Dreams game and if so, on which platform? The reason for this? There were over 6,000 votes for a campaign that would port the original NiGHTS into Dreams on a newer system. 6,000. Sega more than likely wouldn’t have done that without such a high number. Now. I’m not saying, “GO BITCH TO SEGA LULZ THEY WILL IMPROVE GAMES”, however, they appreciate feedback. Sometimes, constructive criticism will help improve the quality of games (and sometimes, create a new game altogether based on expectations in the franchise) if the officials will listen to it, and Sega is listening a LOT more now that fans have a voice.
Link: http://www.nid15.com/?p=1
Here’s concrete evidence that Colors was based on fan feedback:
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/the-colour-of-sonic-interview
There are other articles and videos saying similar things, but I can’t find them at the moment.
But either way, the games are indeed influenced by fans. We didn’t claim it was influenced solely from us, but there’s really no denying it as a factor.
Here: Sega themselves:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150304755556796&set=a.133608051795.134727.28248536795&type=1&ref=nf
http://myfacewhen.com/300/
You guys, I didn’t say flat out that SEGA doesn’t listen to fan feedback. It’s the method I’m calling into question.
The method of bitching in comment sections here rather than their godawful joke of a forum?
How else do you expect them to GET fan feedback? One would think they’re a lot more likely to go find fans where they congregate and listen in on them there rather than expecting hand written essays to be mailed to their corporate office.
As someone who has worked for several video game companies, yes. Sadly, that is exactly what I imagine. Spokespeople use vague terms like “fan feedback” so that people can fill in the blanks themselves and assume a much broader effort.
I’m not saying that’s what SEGA has done, but it’s my informed speculation.
I don’t doubt the intentional vagueness of the phrase, lol. And I’m certain they’re not out there reading every single comment on every website… but I do know for a fact that there are people keeping tabs on the Sonic community in a variety of different ways, and one of them IS active interaction with online communities, including comment sections like this.
Even if it’s only occasionally that they stop by, it makes the bitching worthwhile – because the more widespread it becomes, the more likely Sega is to hear it and take action. It’s worked in the past (I’m positive I’ve read statements/articles/interviews supporting this, but I don’t have the time or desire to go hunt them down merely to appease your skepticism) so why stop now?
As for your informed opinion… I’m not sure whether you were referring to the hand-written letters bit (if so, then that is absolutely horrid and sad, and I sincerely hope your involvement with the companies was more significant than being the guy who has to sift through the fan-written snail mail XD) or the part referring to their godawful forums.
The forums thing makes sense for a lot of companies, I suppose… but have you SEEN the Sega forums? XD It’s like a bunch of 8 year old kids arguing over which side character would win in a fight. It’s like fan-fiction in forum form… uuuuuugggghhhh. lol
@ChaoticFox
Yeah, don’t EVER say you hate Shadow and think he’s overrated in the same forum a bunch of crazy fangirls talk in. lol
@Stephan, ChaoticFox
Oh god… I tried some time ago to argue with people on some SEGA forum, about Shadow and Silver being, — for me –, overrated and only there to please emo kids that listen to simple plan. (Ok, I was more politically correct thant this).
But MAAAN! They started to treat me like shit “SHADOW IS AWESOME, BITCH!!!” “HE’S LIKE, SO DARK AND HAS A DEEP STORY!!!”
Anyway… It saddens me to see that today, Sonic fans are more into style over substance. And they don’t seem to see the difference anymore between quality and wow factor..
Sometimes I envi Mario fans…. he’s aging gracefully…
@ChaoticFox
I don’t expect you to go through the trouble of tracking down anything like that. I wouldn’t. I’ll take your word for it, based on your examples, that there is more merit in these comments than I originally gave credit.
And then I wrote some big thing about going back to my original point but ohhh, I think we’re all tired of this thread by now.
@x
Amen. Definitely think this horse has been beaten to death here XD
What I’m thinking is that each boss you fight is goiong be were you they were they first fought like this.
Metal sonic-star dust
Shadow- fianl rush
Silver-city of solinoa or kigdom valley
Perfect chaos-staion squer
Death egg-???
Egg dragon-core or opening Scene
That’s what i’am thinking.