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Sonic Generations |OT| What Sonic can learn from Sonic

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Member
I did not know Advance 2 was loved.

I still hate it because it's such a crappy game. The only good level was Music Plant. Every other level felt bland gameplay-wise. I appreciate the art and the music, but mannn the levels were boring. And fuck the special stage rings, UGH.
 

RobbieNick

Junior Member
Look into Rush, Rush Adventure (I think it has better level design than Rush), Colours DS (it was my favourite out of the trio), Sonic Battle and the Advance games (though you could stay away from 3, I guess... *shrug*).

Definitely save Sonic Generations 3DS for the bargain bin. Same with the Rivals games too.

Ehhh. I wouldn't put it on the same level as Rivals. It's better than that. But, it's meat is in the missions and online. Not really the main game.

There's some great unlockables. The artwork when it's not cropped Genesis covers, has production art from other Dimps games, the 3-D models looked as detailed as the HD versions and there's 36 songs to unlock. Sadly, they can't be put into the mission levels. However, you can play all the songs in a row and if you put headphones on and shut the 3DS, it will still play. Making it great for a portable history of Sonic soundtrack.
 

Dark Schala

Eloquent Princess
Ehhh. I wouldn't put it on the same level as Rivals. It's better than that. But, it's meat is in the missions and online. Not really the main game.

There's some great unlockables. The artwork when it's not cropped Genesis covers, has production art from other Dimps games, the 3-D models looked as detailed as the HD versions and there's 36 songs to unlock. Sadly, they can't be put into the mission levels. However, you can play all the songs in a row and if you put headphones on and shut the 3DS, it will still play. Making it great for a portable history of Sonic soundtrack.
LOL, I wouldn't put it on the same level as Rivals either, but I'd think all three are best-suited for waiting for budget pricing. I'm not the biggest fan of Dimps (especially after Tales of the Tempest leaving a bad taste in my mouth), but I thought the Rush games and Colours DS were better efforts than Generations. I guess it's because they didn't have much time to work on it. If they had sufficient time, they'd have more original levels or the Dreamcast levels wouldn't be so utterly boring and uninspired. The modern era levels, though, were fine. Especially Modern Tropical Resort.

It's too bad they don't have more unlockable BGMs, but I guess they can't squeeze much on the cart. As much as I like some of the mission songs, I wish they have more of a diversity of BGM rather than the same stuff repeatedly.

I'm still going through a few missions now (since I accumulated quite a bit of play coins in the past week; I should just take my 3DS with me everywhere, even if I'm not gonna use it). I think... that sometimes, the missions are a lot more fun than some of the in-game levels. It's really too bad no one on my university campus seems to have a 3DS, otherwise I'd be unlocking some of these missions faster. :/

But the game seems to be designed around replayability (earning S-ranks) and Streetpassing. Kinda sucks they took out Super Sonic for in-game levels, though.
 

RobbieNick

Junior Member
I got a question. I keep getting these secret points and bonus points and whatever. What are they used for? do these unlock missions instead of buying them?
 
Does anyone know of a PC version cheaper than $23? Been trying to resist picking this up, but it is hard : (

It's the best Sonic game in years, you're paying less than half the price of the console version for the version with superior framerate and resolution, and you're trying to resist it?
 

SykoTech

Member
Reading the last page or two about the handehld Sonic games, it's no wonder people say Sonic fans can't agree on anything or are never pleased. Everyone's thoughts are all over the place. Not trying to say it's a bad thing, I just think it' funny. At least we all seem to agree that Generations is good....at least to some extent.

My personal thoughts:

Advance series - Not offensively bad, but not great either. Very forgettable.
Rush series - Pretty good, nothing amazing though.
Battle - Mediocre. Spam same attack to win and battles repeat too often (You beat me! Now lets fight again with twice as many lives as the 1st time!)
Rivals - Screw this AI (never played the second one)

Kinda surprised by how much I like Generations though. I knew it would be good, but it surpassed my expectations. Classic Rooftop Run is such a great level. Slightly hard but not fustratingly so, goes all over the place (streets, rooftops, underground, clocktower, etc.), and has that surprisingly satisfying airship moment. And then there's Modern Seaside Hill. So many great alternate paths. I thought Heroes was very mediocre, but this level alone kinda makes me appreciate it more.

Generations is probably my third favorite Sonic game period. Behind Sonic 3 & Knuckles and Sonic 2.
 

qq more

Member
I love how the game went from BURNING CITY WITH NO SURVIVORS, OH GOD THAT TORNADO IS CARRYING A CAR AND ITS MADE OF FUCKING FIRE AND HOLY SHIT THERES LAVA MONSTERS AND AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA to yay happy city :)
 
Reading the last page or two about the handehld Sonic games, it's no wonder people say Sonic fans can't agree on anything or are never pleased. Everyone's thoughts are all over the place. Not trying to say it's a bad thing, I just think it' funny. At least we all seem to agree that Generations is good....at least to some extent.
I think we're finally seeing the distortion field of suck and disappointment left behind by Sonic 4 lifted. I recall a general attitude of the Advance/Rush games being considered the brightest spot in the greater chunk of Sonic's history in the last decade. Once Sonic 4 came out with it's minecart and momentum, and homing attack and green eyes, it seemed like there was a shift in perception categorizing all of Dimp's past Sonic games as shitty.

I feel like the same thing happened to Sonic Adventure when 06 was released. TSSZ's review was right on the money when it mentioned that putrid games like 06 somehow make previous games in that style seem worse.
 

qq more

Member
Ehh to be fair, I think it's also because some of these games hasn't aged well. Sonic Adventure 1 especially aged really poorly. I don't think 06 had much to do with it. The Advance/Rush games' reception never really changed. The hate for the Advance trilogy (especially 2 and 3) are pretty much the same before Sonic 4 happened, at least in my eyes.
 

Dark Schala

Eloquent Princess
Classic Sonic's Crisis City level is slowly becoming my favorite level in the game.
Yesssss... we need more people to like Generations' version of Crisis City. Actually, I think Classic Crisis City might be my favourite Classic level overall... mostly because of the end of it, lol.

And I effing loathed Crisis City in Sonic 2006. THAT TORNADO'S CARRYING A CAR!

I'm still trying to decide what my favourite Modern level is, though... Might be Sky Sanctuary or Rooftop Run. A lot of the level design in the Modern levels is really good.
 

Pietepiet

Member
I hate the sprites in Sonic Advance.

The Sonic Advance series, especially Sonic Advance 2 and Sonic Battle, have some incredibly detailed sprites. Why the hate?

Sure, when going through a loop it looks like shit because of the rotation, but it goes so fast you barely notice anyway. All of the animations have a ton of detail, with Sonic Battle really standing out here.
 

qq more

Member
The Sonic Advance series, especially Sonic Advance 2 and Sonic Battle, have some incredibly detailed sprites. Why the hate?

Sure, when going through a loop it looks like shit because of the rotation, but it goes so fast you barely notice anyway. All of the animations have a ton of detail, with Sonic Battle really standing out here.
I really think those sprites look great and well animated, but I guess after seeing it being abused for so many shitty sprite comics (and horrible recolors posted all over the internet), it kind of taints the sprites to me.
 

Anth0ny

Member
I really think those sprites look great and well animated, but I guess after seeing it being abused for so many shitty sprite comics (and horrible recolors posted all over the internet), it kind of taints the sprites to me.

Oh man, sprite comics.

Anyone remember fireball20xl? lol
 
I love how the game went from BURNING CITY WITH NO SURVIVORS, OH GOD THAT TORNADO IS CARRYING A CAR AND ITS MADE OF FUCKING FIRE AND HOLY SHIT THERES LAVA MONSTERS AND AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA to yay happy city :)

That's the whole game, really. Just another fault with the level selection. When you think about previous Sonic games, it always feels like you're building towards a conclusion as the levels get more restrictive and more foreboding.

In Sonic Generations, later levels are more "we stopped having runny-fasty bits" and don't really develop any sort of "You're nearing the end of your journey." tone. Just all of a sudden it's.. oops, ran out of eras, now here's the final boss.

There are so many better ways the level roster could have and should have been handled. I mean, when you think about it, why do the levels even have to be in chronological order?
 

ThatObviousUser

ὁ αἴσχιστος παῖς εἶ
The problem with Sonic 06's level order was also that because there were three story modes, they probably couldn't make players go through the same levels in the same order, so no matter what, there was always going to be a case of incredibly jarring transitions with no sense of flow.
 

DeVeAn

Member
To all the PC players, the new nvidia beta driver seems to solve all the issues with the frame rate. Chemical plant ran silky smooth after I installed it. Go get it!!
 

JonCha

Member
That's the whole game, really. Just another fault with the level selection. When you think about previous Sonic games, it always feels like you're building towards a conclusion as the levels get more restrictive and more foreboding.

In Sonic Generations, later levels are more "we stopped having runny-fasty bits" and don't really develop any sort of "You're nearing the end of your journey." tone. Just all of a sudden it's.. oops, ran out of eras, now here's the final boss.

There are so many better ways the level roster could have and should have been handled. I mean, when you think about it, why do the levels even have to be in chronological order?

Why do you even have to start with Green Hill?
 

Anth0ny

Member
In Sonic Generations, later levels are more "we stopped having runny-fasty bits" and don't really develop any sort of "You're nearing the end of your journey." tone. Just all of a sudden it's.. oops, ran out of eras, now here's the final boss.

There are so many better ways the level roster could have and should have been handled. I mean, when you think about it, why do the levels even have to be in chronological order?

Yes.

Just another reason why the stages they selected for this game were absolutely brutal. What where they thinking?

I kinda hope this isn't a one time thing, like they've said. Sonic Generations 2, without a "one stage per game!" rule (and a much better selection of stages) would be really interesting.
 

Dark Schala

Eloquent Princess
That's the whole game, really. Just another fault with the level selection. When you think about previous Sonic games, it always feels like you're building towards a conclusion as the levels get more restrictive and more foreboding.

In Sonic Generations, later levels are more "we stopped having runny-fasty bits" and don't really develop any sort of "You're nearing the end of your journey." tone. Just all of a sudden it's.. oops, ran out of eras, now here's the final boss.

There are so many better ways the level roster could have and should have been handled. I mean, when you think about it, why do the levels even have to be in chronological order?
Absolutely. It feels somewhat disjointed and, I keep bringing this up again and again, also less cohesive. It doesn't feel like it's giving the player a sense of urgency or buildup at all.

The levels didn't have to be in chronological order at all.
 
The effort made for "build up" was Classic Planet Wisp's ominous theme, but god help you if you play Act 1 first.

Game could have used a proper final level, either old or original. Death Egg mkII anyone?
 

Berordn

Member
The effort made for "build up" was Classic Planet Wisp's ominous theme, but god help you if you play Act 1 first.

Game could have used a proper final level, either old or original. Death Egg mkII anyone?

There should've just been an Eggmanland segment, given we were already there for the Egg Dragoon fight. Wasted opportunities all around.
 

Dark Schala

Eloquent Princess
By the way, no one has ever asked this I believe but... how is the unlockable music selection in the 3DS version?
36 tracks rather than 50. So far, it seems pretty similar to the console version (so I haven't encountered any Game Gear stuff at all so far if you're wondering).

I haven't unlocked 'em all yet. Trying to accumulate Play Coins this week (they should really raise the per diem cap because I walk waaaaay more than that everyday... in fact, why is there even a cap?). Each mission is unlocked with 5 Play Coins.
 
The final level should have been something original made just for the game.

People would've bitched though.

To be honest, that's what I expected. After Planet Wisp, a "final", completely original stage would open up that either had its own unique themes or was some kind of bizarro mixture of every stage previous.

Like, oh no, parts of Chemical Plant are mixing with Green Hill Zone and there's Egg Robos from Sky Sanctuary in it

Suddenly there's huge San Francisco-style hills and the GUN truck chases you in to Crisis City which is full of big turtles swimming through lava and you hitch a ride on a hot air balloon to get out of there except it turns in to a giant rocket that drills through the roof of a factory

And you'd have to switch between Classic and Modern Sonic with the Y Button, switching between 2D and 3D perspectives on the fly, sort of like Super Paper Mario.
 

Dark Schala

Eloquent Princess
I think they should've expanded on what they sort of did for the boss, make a final level (Clockwork Zone) that's a jumble of different elements from different stages, segmented and perhaps twisted darkly.

A little like the final stage in Super Mario Galaxy.

Edit: Beaten while typing.
Exaaaactly. That's what I was thinking while I was doing the final part of the hub world. Even better:
for every two Chaos Emeralds, you'd get sucked into a stage that represents a "twisted" version of an Era
.

Too bad that final stretch of the game seemed rushed. A squandered opportunity where they could have produced some style, flair and endgame buildup a la Terminal Velocity, Death Egg/The Doomsday, etc.
 

qq more

Member
Planet Wisp Act 1 really reminds me of a Scrap Brain style theme, so that works for me.

Same. I am very disappointed at how the 3DS version apparently handled Tropical Resort as the final level. From what I've heard, they've actually ripped the layout from Colors DS for Classic Sonic's act...


Seriously. :/
 
Same. I am very disappointed at how the 3DS version apparently handled Tropical Resort as the final level. From what I've heard, they've actually ripped the layout from Colors DS for Classic Sonic's act...


Seriously. :/

My memory of Colors DS isn't the best, but from what I've heard it's about half of the level, the other half is technically new, but not particularly creative.

And Tropical Resort feels even less like a final level than Planet Wisp does. It just has slightly longer acts for the two of them, and suddenly spikes a little in difficulty at the end for each. Then you're off to the rival boss, the era boss, then if you've got all the emeralds, the final boss.
 

qq more

Member
My memory of Colors DS isn't the best, but from what I've heard it's about half of the level, the other half is technically new, but not particularly creative.

And Tropical Resort feels even less like a final level than Planet Wisp does. It just has slightly longer acts for the two of them, and suddenly spikes a little in difficulty at the end for each. Then you're off to the rival boss, the era boss, then if you've got all the emeralds, the final boss.
This sounds so... weak. :/ Such a shame the 3DS version seems very mediocre/average. I'd love to get it just for the different level selection, but almost everything about it looks so wrong. And it's a big slap in the face that Classic Sonic is FORCED to have the homing attack, which makes his gameplay less classic and more modern.


By the way, I've set up the IRC Sonic Community GAF chat for those interested. It's at rizon.net's server and the channel is #SonicGAF.
 

qq more

Member
Is that so we stop talking about Sonic Advance in this thread

Not at all. (I like Advance 1 and 3 to tell you the truth) It was something I've been wanting to do for a while. No one wanted a Sonic community thread so I thought an IRC would be better.
 

DeVeAn

Member
Hmmm, apparently my PC monitor has a bad refresh rate? I know my Sony TV is a 120hz and after installing a beta driver is ran PERFECT. I move the PC back to the desk and the issues came back WTF? Does this make sense or what the hell is going on?
 

qq more

Member
Why wouldnt anyone want one?
I remember a while back (in this thread maybe?) that people didn't want a Community thread. I forgot the exact reason why since my memory is pretty shitty sometimes.


If anyone really wants to make a Community thread though, that'd be fantastic. I'll be there :D
 
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