Sonic the Hedgehog 4

Sonic the Hedgehog 4
Developer(s)	Dimps Sonic Team
Publisher(s)	Sega
Producer(s)	Takashi Iizuka
Composer(s)	Jun Senoue
Platform(s)	PlayStation Network Xbox Live Arcade WiiWare [1] iOS [2] Windows Phone 7 [3]
Release date(s)	Episode I October 7, 2010 (2010-10-07)[4] iOS WW October 7, 2010 [4] WiiWare NA October 11, 2010[4] JP October 12, 2010[4] PAL October 15, 2010[4] PlayStation Network JP October 12, 2010[4] NA October 12, 2010[4] PAL October 13, 2010[4] Xbox Live Arcade JP October 13, 2010[4] NA October 13, 2010[4] PAL October 13, 2010[4] Windows Phone 7 June 15, 2011 NA November 8, 2010 PAL December 23, 2010 EU November 10, 2010 Episode II 2012 (2012)
Genre(s)	Platformer
Mode(s)	Single Player
Rating(s)	ACB: G[5] CERO: A ESRB: E[6] PEGI: 3[7]
Media/distribution	Digital Download

Sonic the Hedgehog 4 (ソニック・ザ・ヘッジホッグ4, Sonikku Za Hejjihoggu 4^?) is an episodic platform video game and a sequel in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. The game was developed by Dimps alongside members of Sonic Team^[8] and is intended to be inspired by and similar to the original Sonic the Hedgehog titles on the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis.

Episode I was released in October 2010 with slight variations in exact date and price among its six platforms, iOS, PlayStation Network, WiiWare, Xbox Live Arcade and Windows Phone 7.^[3] Episode II is currently in development and will be released in 2012.^{[citation needed]}

Plot

Sonic the Hedgehog 4 is set after the events of Sonic 3 & Knuckles. After Sonic manages to destroy Doctor Eggman's space station, he decides it is time to take a much deserved break. After parting with his companions Tails and Knuckles, Sonic sets off to explore new territories alone.

However, unbeknownst to him, his nemesis, Dr. Eggman, has survived their last encounter, and has revisited and improved some of his very best robotic creations in another attempt to defeat Sonic.^[1] Sonic must travel through a variety of zones to defeat Dr. Eggman once again.

Episodes

Episode I

The first episode sees Sonic traveling through four main zones: Splash Hill, Casino Street, Lost Labyrinth and Mad Gear, facing against Dr. Eggman as he reuses and enhances some of his old creations and contraptions, culminating in a battle in his E.G.G. Station. If the game is finished with all seven Chaos Emeralds collected, a post-credits cut scene is shown, teasing the appearance of Metal Sonic in the next episode.

Episode II

Episode II, which is currently in development, will primarily focus on Sonic's rivalry with Metal Sonic, following on from their last encounter during the events of Sonic CD.^[9]

Gameplay

Gameplay screenshot of "Splash Hill Zone" from Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I.

The game is a 2D side-scrolling platformer reminiscent of the original Sonic games.^[10] Players control Sonic the Hedgehog,^[11] using mechanics such as the original spin dash and power-ups including the Bubble Shield and Speed Shoes. New to Sonic 4 is the Homing Attack, seen in recent 3D Sonic titles, which zooms Sonic towards either an enemy or an interactive object in the field, such as a bumper.

Unlike the first three classic Sonic games, after completing the first act the player is able to freely choose which zone to play via a world map, or choose to play them sequentially one after the other.^[12] Each of the four zones contains three acts followed by a separate boss battle act, rather than the boss being included at the end of the third act. The boss battles, similar to the zones themselves, are similar to and inspired by the boss battles and zones from older Sonic titles, but with variations added.^[13] Once all acts and boss battles within each zone are cleared, players gain access to a fifth and final zone.

Special Stages, accessed by finishing an act with at least 50 Rings and then jumping into the Giant Ring that appears at the end of the stage, are based on the Special Stages in the original Sonic the Hedgehog. The player must tilt the playing field in order to navigate Sonic through a maze within a set time limit to collect a Chaos Emerald, collecting rings to open gates and time bonuses along the way.^[14][15]

Returning for the first time since Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Sonic & Knuckles, Sonic can transform into 'Super Sonic' during regular levels after collecting all Chaos Emeralds from the aforementioned Special Stages, and at least 50 rings within the currect act.^[16]

The game is playable in up to 1080p high definition on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360,^[10] and 480p on the Wii.^[17] The iOS and Windows Phone versions of the game can be fully controlled with either the accelerometers or a virtual d-pad. Certain levels also make specific use of the accelerometers.^[18] Players are also able to upload their game information to online leaderboards to compare level completion times and high scores.^[10]

Development

Episode I

Concept art of Sonic the Hedgehog 4 of Motobug, an enemy originally from the first Sonic game.

The game's existence was first revealed at GameSpot on September 9, 2009, under the code name Project Needlemouse, derived from the name of Mr. Needlemouse, an early prototype of Sonic the Hedgehog pitched to Sega by his designer Naoto Ōshima. The site published a brief teaser trailer,^[19] and an interview with Sega's Ken Balough who acknowledged that "old-school Sonic fans have long asked to see Sonic return to a more 2D style of gameplay" and stated that "Needlemouse is that critical first step that brings Sonic back to his 2D roots".^[10]

On January 11, 2010, Sega of America began a "character countdown" on their blog, removing potential playable characters from a list, which by January 14, 2010 revealed the game would feature Sonic as the only playable character. Also shown was concept art which showcased classic badniks from early Sonic games.^[11] On February 2, Sega updated the front page of Sega of America's website with a short flash animation which featured a sample of music from the game, reminiscent of old Mega Drive/Genesis sounds.^[20] The game's proper title was revealed on February 4, 2010, as Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I, along with debut footage.^[17]

The game was developed primarily by Dimps, with some members of Sonic Team. The project leader is the current head of Sonic Team, Takashi Iizuka, who has worked on various Sonic games – notably as senior level designer for Sonic 3 & Knuckles, to which Sonic 4 is billed as a direct sequel.^[8] Music and sound are composed by Jun Senoue, also a mainstay of recent Sonic games, and were intended to be reminiscent of classic Genesis titles, via the use of drum samples from Sonic 1 and 2 and relatively lo-fi synth samples.^[21]

The decision to create the game using a 2D graphical style was made after considering old Sonic fans' possible reactions to the game versus those of younger players:

“	This is sort of recognition that Sonic is a brand that has a wide variety of fans in a wide variety of age groups. We have a fan base that's very young, and they want a little more of a Loony Tunes-ish [sic] kind of gameplay ... But we also have an older fan base who liked Sonic as he was in the Genesis days. And if we want to keep that fan base happy, we should provide games that cater to them as well. So it's more of a splitting a little bit of the brand.	”
—Ken Balough of Sega

“	A friend of mine who's a prominent executive at a major hardware company sat down with his kids to play Mega Man 9, as a Mega Man fan. He's probably about, say, 45 years old, and his kids just didn't get it – they didn't understand. They just looked at the graphics and instantly tuned out. Whereas he was just overjoyed and in little nerd heaven.	”
—Christian Svensson of Capcom on Sonic 4[22]

Not long after Sonic 4 Episode I was officially announced, rumors surfaced that the game was available to members of the Xbox 360's online game testing service for developers, PartnerNet. On April 3, PartnerNet was shut down overnight due to the leaks. Footage from the leaks received harsh criticism regarding the game's physics and certain levels.^[23]

On May 20, 2010, Sega announced that Sonic 4 would be available for the App Store for the iOS and that the game would be delayed from its original Summer 2010 deadline to Late 2010 to extend development time. Izuka claims that this was because while he planned for all versions to be similar, two levels that worked on iOS did not work as well for consoles. The iOS version retains these levels, which utilise accelerometer controls, while new levels were built for the console versions.^[24][25][26] The announcement of the delay was also accompanied by an interview with Sega's Ken Balough, in which it was explained that Sega had taken note of fan reaction to the game and were incorporating said feedback into the development of the game. Areas specifically mentioned from fan feedback were a reworking of the "floaty" nature of the gravity and physics, and a redesign of some level design and elements in order to accommodate more of a momentum-driven gameplay that was a staple of earlier entries in the series.^[27]

Episode II

In regards to Episode II, Sega Brand Manager Ken Balough has mentioned that "the idea is to introduce new zones with things you haven't seen." He has also hinted that Episode II may have a larger budget than Episode I, due to the latter being received very well commercially.^[28] Sega of America Community Manager Aaron Webber also hinted that Tails may appear in Episode II as well.^[29] On August 23, 2011, Sonic Team head Takashi Iizuka stated that “this year, 2011, is the anniversary, so we’re focusing on the celebration title, but moving forward to 2012, Sonic will still be going, so I’d hope to provide Episode 2 then.” He also said that Sonic Team “knew about the anniversary year," and that "Generations was planned way in advance," therefore "it was always our plan to release Episode 2 after Generations.” He however stated that they couldn't say whether there would future episodes after Episode II.^[30] In preparation for Episode II's release, Sega are re-releasing Sonic the Hedgehog CD to digital platforms in Winter 2011, billing it as a 'prequel' to Sonic 4 as the events of Episode II will rely heavily on what occurred in CD.^[31]

Reception

Reception
Aggregate scores
Aggregator	Score
Metacritic	(Episode I: Wii ) 81/100[32] (Episode I: PS3) 74/100[33] (Episode I: X360) 72/100[34] (Episode I: iOS) 70/100[35]
Review scores
Publication	Score
Edge	8/10 [36]
Eurogamer	(Episode I: PS3) 9/10[37]
Game Informer	6/10[38]
GameSpot	6.5[39]
GamesRadar	9/10 [40]
IGN	8/10 (Console) 7.5/10 (iOS) [41]
Digital Spy	(Episode I: X360) [42]
Escapist Magazine

Reviews for Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I were mixed to positive. IGN gave the console version of the first episode a score of 8.0 and an Editor's Choice award, calling it "short but sweet and well worth downloading."^[41] They rated the iOS version 7.5, criticizing a lack of Retina Display or leaderboard support for that version.^[43] GamesRadar gave the game a score of 9/10, calling it "deserving of the name, Sonic the Hedgehog 4."^[40] 1UP.com gave it a B rank, praising the game's speed while criticizing some occasional poor design such as boss battles and puzzles.^[44] Popzara said the game was "as if a long-lost 'good' Sonic title was left to defrost in today's modern HD, graphics-hungry world.^[45] GameTrailers gave the game a 7.5 score, calling it a worthy investment for Sonic fans.^[46] Digital Spy gave the game five out of five stars, with reviewer Liam Martin saying with regards to living up to the game's hype: "Despite some issues with the size of the game and its difficulty (it's very easy), the answer is yes, but only just."^[42]

Criticism of the game from reviewers included poor physics and lack of momentum, which were not identical to the momentum-based physics from the 16-bit Genesis games.^[47][48]

It holds Metacritic scores of 81/100 on Wii, 74/100 on Playstation 3, and Xbox 360 a 72/100.^[33]

In speaking with VG247, Sega West CEO Mike Hayes has stated that Episode 1 cleared over a million downloads across all the platforms.^[49]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I Official Site". Sega. http://www.sega.com/sonic4/us/index.html. Retrieved 2010-02-03. 
2. ^ "Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Announced For ‘Late 2010,’ iPhone Confirmed « The Sonic Stadium". Sonicstadium.org. 2010-05-20. http://www.sonicstadium.org/news/sonic-the-hedgehog-4-announced-for-late-2010-iphone-confirmed. Retrieved 2011-06-21. 
3. ^ ^{a b} "Xbox Live's Major Nelson » Gears of War 3 Beta update and much more just announced". Majornelson.com. 2011-02-24. http://majornelson.com/archive/2011/02/24/gears-of-war-3-beta-update-and-much-more-just-announced-long.aspx. Retrieved 2011-06-21. 
4. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k} Johnny Cullen (September 28, 2010). "Sonic 4 dated for October". VG247. http://www.vg247.com/2010/09/28/sonic-4-dated-for-october-13/. Retrieved September 27, 2010. 
5. ^ "Classification Database – Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode I (G)". Office of Film and Literature Classification (Australia). http://www.oflc.gov.au/www/cob/find.nsf/5c2433d416948a0bca25759f00820d25/0adb30a242dbd8cbca2576c000581512!OpenDocument. Retrieved 2010-02-28. 
6. ^ "Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I". ESRB. http://www.esrb.org/ratings/synopsis.jsp?Certificate=28344&searchkeyword=Sonic%20the%20Hedgehog%204. Retrieved 2010-02-28. 
7. ^ "Sonic 4 UK Page". http://www.sonicthehedgehog4.com/en/index.html. Retrieved 2010-05-21. 
8. ^ ^{a b} SEGA Forum – View Single Post – Who's making Sonic 4? Well, since you asked^{[dead link]}
9. ^ http://www.tssznews.com/2011/08/27/ken-balough-on-sonic-cd-as-sonic-4s-prequel/
10. ^ ^{a b c d} "Sonic the Hedgehog Q&A". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. 2009-09-08. http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/projectneedlemouse/news.html?sid=6216990. Retrieved 2009-09-11. 
11. ^ ^{a b} RubyEclipse (2010-01-15). "Project Needlemouse Character Countdown – Finale and Concept Art!". http://blogs.sega.com/usa/2010/01/15/project-needlemouse-character-countdown-finale-and-concept-art/. Retrieved 2010-01-26. 
12. ^ "Sonic City Blognik | Sonic 4 Update Blog – Part 1.5". Blogs.sega.com. http://blogs.sega.com/sonic/2010/09/16/sonic-4-update-blog-part-1-5/#more-1590. Retrieved 2011-06-21. 
13. ^ Bloom, Ryan (2010-08-18). "Lost Labyrinth revealed by Sonic 4 JP Site | tssz|news". Tssznews.com. http://www.tssznews.com/2010/08/18/lost-labyrinth-revealed-by-sonic-4-jp-site/. Retrieved 2011-06-21. 
14. ^ Martin Robinson IGN UK (2010-03-25). "Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I Preview – Xbox 360 Preview at IGN". Uk.xboxlive.ign.com. http://uk.xboxlive.ign.com/articles/107/1079808p1.html. Retrieved 2011-06-21. 
15. ^ "Gamespot’s E3 Sonic 4 Interview With Gameplay Footage". Sonicstadium.org. 2010-06-12. http://www.sonicstadium.org/news/gamespots-e3-sonic-4-interview-with-gameplay-footage. Retrieved 2011-06-21. 
16. ^ "Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I Achievements". Xbox360achievements.org. http://www.xbox360achievements.org/game/sonic-the-hedgehog-4-episode-1/achievements/. Retrieved 2011-06-21. 
17. ^ ^{a b} Sinclair, Brendan (2010-02-04). "Sonic the Hedgehog 4 goes episodic this summe". GameSpot. http://www.gamespot.com/news/6249457.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=topstory&tag=topstory;title. Retrieved 2010-02-03. 
18. ^ "E3 2010: Hands-On with Sega's 'Sonic 4'". Touch Arcade. 2010-06-15. http://toucharcade.com/2010/06/15/e3-2010-hands-on-with-segas-sonic-4/. Retrieved 2011-06-21. 
19. ^ Thorsen, Tor (2009-09-09). "All-new 2D Sonic rolling out in 2010". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. http://www.gamespot.com/news/6216991.html. Retrieved 2009-09-09. 
20. ^ RubyEclipse (2010-02-02). "Happy Hedgehog Day!". Sega. http://blogs.sega.com/usa/2010/02/02/happy-hedgehog-day/. Retrieved 2010-02-03. 
21. ^ Oliver, Tristan (2010-03-09). "Scans of the Sonic 4 Nintendo Power Interview | tssz|news". Tssznews.com. http://www.tssznews.com/2010/03/09/scans-of-the-sonic-4-nintendo-power-interview/. Retrieved 2011-06-21. 
22. ^ Pigna, Kris (March 2010). "Back From The Second Dimension". Electronic Gaming Monthly (238): p. 61. 
23. ^ Oliver, Tristan. "Report of XBOX PartnerNET Shutdown over Sonic 4 Leak | tssz|news". Tssznews.com. http://www.tssznews.com/2010/04/03/report-of-xbox-partnernet-shutdown-over-sonic-4-leak/. Retrieved 2011-06-21. 
24. ^ computerandvideogames.com Andy Robinson. "News: iPhone delayed Sonic 4 – Sega –". Computerandvideogames.com. http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=264336?cid=OTC-RSS&attr=CVG-General-RSS. Retrieved 2011-06-21. 
25. ^ "RECAP: RubyEclipse and Ken Balough’s “On the Spot” Appearance [iPhone Gets Exclusives] « The Sonic Stadium". Sonicstadium.org. 2010-05-20. http://www.sonicstadium.org/news/live-blog-rubyeclipse-and-ken-baloughs-on-the-spot-appearance. Retrieved 2011-06-21. 
26. ^ Oliver, Tristan. "Exclusive: Sonic 4 Gimmick Acts Bumped to iPhone/iPod Touch Release | tssz|news". Tssznews.com. http://www.tssznews.com/2010/05/28/exclusive-sonic-4-gimmick-acts-shifted-to-iphoneipod-touch-release/. Retrieved 2011-06-21. 
27. ^ Bloom, Ryan (2010-05-20). "Sonic 4, "Today on the Spot" | tssz|news". Tssznews.com. http://www.tssznews.com/2010/05/20/sonic-4-today-on-the-spot/. Retrieved 2011-06-21. 
28. ^ Oliver, Tristan. "Sonic 4: Episode II Now "In Early Development", Says Ken Balough". TSSZ News. http://www.tssznews.com/2011/02/25/sonic-4-episode-ii-now-in-early-development-says-ken-balough/. Retrieved 2011-06-21. 
29. ^ Oliver, Tristan. "Sega Celebrates Hedgehog Day, Hints at Tails in Sonic 4: Episode 2?". TSSZ. http://www.tssznews.com/2011/02/03/sega-celebrates-hedgehog-day-hints-at-tails-in-sonic-4-episode-2/. 
30. ^ http://www.sonicretro.org/2011/08/sonic-4-episode-2-in-2012-episode-3-unlikely/
31. ^ http://www.tssznews.com/2011/08/28/ken-balough-pax-video-interview/
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33. ^ ^{a b} "Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I for PlayStation 3 Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More at Metacritic". Metacritic.com. http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-3/sonic-the-hedgehog-4-episode-1. Retrieved 2011-06-21. 
34. ^ Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I for Xbox 360 Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More at Metacritic. Metacritic.com (2010-10-13). Retrieved on 2010-11-30.
35. ^ http://www.metacritic.com/game/ios/sonic-the-hedgehog-4-episode-i
36. ^ "Sonic The Hedgehog 4: Episode I Review - Edge Magazine". Next-gen.biz. 2010-10-18. http://www.next-gen.biz/reviews/sonic-hedgehog-4-episode-1-review. Retrieved 2011-06-21. 
37. ^ Ellie Gibson. "Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I PlayStation 3 Review – Page 1". Eurogamer.net. http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2010-10-12-sonic-the-hedgehog-4-episode-i-review. Retrieved 2011-06-21. 
38. ^ http://gameinformer.com/games/sonic_the_hedgehog_4_episode_1/b/ps3/default.aspx
39. ^ Petit, Carolyn. (2010-10-13) Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 Review for Xbox 360 – GameSpot. Uk.gamespot.com. Retrieved on 2010-11-30.
40. ^ ^{a b} Words: Justin Towell, GamesRadar UK. "Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I – review, Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I Review, PS3 Reviews". Games Radar.com. http://www.gamesradar.com/ps3/sonic-the-hedgehog-4-episode-i/review/sonic-the-hedgehog-4-episode-1-review/a-20101008112650143032/g-20090909115153197035/p-3. Retrieved 2011-06-21. 
41. ^ ^{a b} Hilary Goldstein (2010-10-08). "Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I Review – Xbox 360 Review at IGN". Uk.xboxlive.ign.com. http://uk.xboxlive.ign.com/articles/112/1126734p1.html. Retrieved 2011-06-21. 
42. ^ ^{a b} Martin, Liam (13 October 2010). "'Sonic The Hedgehog 4: Episode I' (XBLA)". Digital Spy. http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/gaming/gamingreviews/a282463/sonic-the-hedgehog-4-episode-1-xbla.html. Retrieved 17 October 2010. 
43. ^ by Levi Buchanan (2010-10-08). "Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I iPhone Review – iPhone Review at IGN". Uk.wireless.ign.com. http://uk.wireless.ign.com/articles/112/1126803p1.html. Retrieved 2011-06-21. 
44. ^ "Sonic 4: Episode I Review for PS3, Wii, iPhone from". 1UP.com. http://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=3181842. Retrieved 2011-06-21. 
45. ^ "Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 Review (Wii, XBLA, PSN, iOS) – Popzara". Popzara.com. http://popzara.com/pages/1369/. Retrieved 2011-06-21. 
46. ^ Sonic The Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 Video Game, Review Pod | Video Clip | Game Trailers & Videos. GameTrailers.com (2010-10-15). Retrieved on 2010-11-30.
47. ^ http://www.wired.com/gamelife/2010/10/sonic-4-review/
48. ^ Sterling, Jim. "Sonic Team justifies Sonic 4's notorious physics". Destructoid. http://www.destructoid.com/sonic-team-justifies-sonic-4-s-notorious-physics-188594.phtml. 
49. ^ Cullen, Johnny. "Sonic 4: Episode 2 info coming "very soon," says Sega West boss". VG247. http://www.vg247.com/2011/08/11/sonic-4-episode-2-info-coming-very-soon-says-sega-west-boss/. 

External links

	Sonic portal
	Video game portal

• Official English Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Website
• Official Japanese Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Website