Tag: Sonic the Hedgehog

Sega is bringing a new 3D Sonic game to Apple Arcade

Sega might have wrapped up Sonic Frontiers, but a new Sonic game is already in the works – and it’s launching for Apple devices too

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Sega might have wrapped up Sonic Frontiers, but a new Sonic game is already in the works – and it’s launching for Apple devices too. Sega announced Sonic Dream Team out of the blue on Twitter, and you can play it on Apple Arcade starting Dec. 5, 2023.

“Join a race against time to stop Dr. Eggman’s bizarre dreams from coming true,” Sega said in the brief announcement paired with a half-minute trailer. 

Sonic’s friends this time around include Knuckles, Amy, Tails, Cream the Rabbit, and Rogue, the latter of which is a bit surprising, since she’s usually associated with less heroic Sonic characters. Apparently, she’s had a change of heart, or maybe it’s part of the whole dream world thing.

Either way, Dream Team looks promising, almost like a 3D Sonic Mania. Sonic and co. race across fragmented stages, over roaring rivers, through the clouds, and into surreal versions of classic Sonic stages at high speeds, grabbing rings and thumping bosses as they go.

Apple Arcade is Apple’s game subscription platform, and as you’d probably guess from the name, you can only access it on Apple devices – iPads, iPhones, even an Apple TV.

The platform offers a mix of exclusives, including Final Fantasy-maker Hironobu Sakaguchi’s Fantasian and the cozy, Animal Crossing-like Hello Kitty Island Adventure and games you can play elsewhere. Most Apple Arcade exclusives remain tied to Apple, so it’s unclear whether we’ll see Sonic Dream Team on other platforms.

Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF

The worst Nintendo Gamecube games of all time

Our worst Nintendo Gamecube games list highlights some of the truly awful licensed games, adaptations, and first-party flops on the console

The Nintendo Gamecube stands out for its library of innovative new ideas and impressive sequels, but behind these triumphs lurks a host of the worst Gamecube games. These imprinted themselves on the minds of the elders – us 30- and 40-something folks – who spent their hard-earned cash on a new game, clicked the disc into place, and watched their hopes of joy and excitement wither away in front of them. You can count yourself lucky if you missed out on these – or not so lucky, since we’re forcing them into your consciousness now in our worst Gamecube games list.

Nintendo Direct June 2023 recap: New Mario games, Star Ocean, and more

The June 2023 Nintendo Direct shed plenty of light on the Big N’s plans for the rest of 2023, including a new Mario game and more

The June 2023 Nintendo Direct shed plenty of light on the Big N’s plans for the Switch in the rest of 2023. Headline acts include a brand-new 2D Mario game and a Super Mario RPG remake launching just months apart. Square Enix is remaking Star Ocean, WarioWare is back in town, and there’s even a new Dragon Quest Monsters in the works.

Nintendo also teased a few new Mario projects for 2024, including a Princess Peach game and a Switch remake of a 3DS classic.

There’s a lot to see, and our June Nintendo Direct recap lists it all out for you. 

Summer Game Fest 2023 recap: Final Fantasy 7, Jason Isaacs, and more

Our Summer Game Fest 2023 recap breaks down every reveal, including Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Jason Isaacs in Baldur’s Gate 3

Summer Game Fest 2023 has come and gone, or at least the main event has. The days following will see plenty of additional showcases, including the Xbox Games Showcase, but the initial presentation hosted by Geoff Keighley was bursting with announcements and reveals. Square Enix showed off Final Fantasy 7 Part 2 properly, Insomniac announced Spider-Man 2’s release date, there’s a new 2D Sonic in the works, and RGG Studio’s Yakuza series is coming back again in fall 2023.

There’s a lot to be getting on with, so we’ve broken it all down in our Summer Game Fest 2023 recap.

Sega announced a new Sonic game with a retro twist at Summer Game Fest

Sega is going back to 2D for Sonic Superstars, the next new Sonic game that features multiplayer and more

Sega is going back to 2D for Sonic Superstars, the next new Sonic game that features multiplayer and more. Sega announced Sonic Superstars during Summer Game Fest 2023 and said it’s planned for a fall 2023 release date on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC.

There’s no firm release date yet, but Sonic Superstars will cost $59.99 when it does launch.

“New thrills. Classic feels,” Sega said in a press release. “Adventure through the mystical Northstar Islands in this all-new take on classic 2D Sonic high-speed action platforming. Play as Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Amy Rose and harness all-new Emerald powers to move and attack in dynamic new ways.”

Superstars follows Sonic, Tails, Amy, and Knuckles to the Northstar Islands, a brand-new setting, on a mission to stop Eggman, Fang, and a mysterious new villain from putting their nefarious plans into action. Sega promises a twist on classic 2D Sonic, including a blend of 3D visuals in 2D environments. 

Chaos Emeralds are back, and while Sega didn’t mention what some of those new Chaos Emeralds are, but they did say Superstars will include new abilities and features, one of which is the option to play the entire game with up to three friends in multiplayer mode.

Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF

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Team Sonic lead says 2022 was the biggest Sonic year ever

Sonic had a red letter year in 2022, Team Sonic lead Takashi Iizuka said, with even more in store for the blue blur in 2023

Sonic had quite the year in 2022, with a new Sonic movie, the speedy hedgehog’s first foray into open worlds in Sonic Frontiers, and even a Sonic Netflix series, and if all that seems like a lot for the typically-dormant hedgehog, that’s because it was. Team Sonic lead Takashi Iizuka told Famitsu (translated by Gematsu) it was the biggest year ever for Sega’s mascot.

“This past year was the biggest year in Sonic history, including the release of the movie sequel, new titles Sonic Origins and Sonic Frontiers, and the Netflix animation Sonic Prime,”  Iizuka said. “We are preparing a second wave to keep the fans happy and maintain that momentum going into 2023. We already announced additional content for Sonic Frontiers, but there is a lot more outside of that, so please look forward to it.”

That Frontiers DLC includes a photo mode and new challenges, along with celebrations marking Sonic’s birthday, a new challenge zone, and, later in 2023, new playable characters and a new story scenario. The third Sonic the Hedgehog movie is set for 2024, and while Sega is already using Frontiers as the blueprint for a new Sonic game, 2023 seems a bit early for another full, Frontiers-sized release. 

Sega might be taking the Nintendo route and planning Sonic Lego sets, though. Lego news site Promo Bricks found images of several unannounced Sonic Lego sets recently, so you can likely expect news about those in the near future.

Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF

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Sonic Frontiers is the future of new Sonic games, Sega says

New Sonic games will follow Sonic Frontiers’ open zone format, as the hedgehog goes fast into a new generation of style

Sonic Frontiers is the blueprint Sega will build new Sonic games on moving forward, Sonic Team lead Takashi Iizuka told Sector (first spotted by TheGamer). The blue blur has entered a new phase of existence, with the Open Zone format as its “cornerstone,” Iizuka said.

“Just like Sonic Adventure, our goal for Sonic Frontiers was to create a game that would be the cornerstone of future Sonic games,” Iizuka said. “It is a brand-new approach for the franchise, but we have been conscious to honor Sonic‘s roots as well – the game still needs to feel like a Sonic game.”

“We know many players love exploring expansive worlds with no predetermined path and that’s what we set out to achieve with our new open-zone platforming concept. I am very excited for Sonic to join this revolutionary step in immersive gaming worlds.”

Iizuka also commented on how much the team appreciated writer Ian Flynn’s work on Frontiers’ narrative and its prequel comics.

While Frontiers might be the inspiration for new Sonic games, the future likely still holds plenty of innovation and experimentation. Sonic Adventure prompted a direct sequel, but after that, Sega tried an on-rails experience with The Secret Rings, a rather bizarre narrative experiment in Sonic 06, dubbed the “woman kissing simulator” by fans, since it sees Sonic fall in love with a human princess because of course it does.

Then it was back to basics with Generations and the officially approved Sonic Mania as well, so if there’s one thing you can expect from Team Sonic, it’s that they typically won’t do what you expect.

Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF

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Sonic creator Yuji Naka arrested for alleged insider trading

Yuji Naka, creator of Sonic and Balan Wonderworld, was arrested in Japan after being accused of insider trading connected to Dragon Quest

Yuji Naka, creator of Sonic the Hedgehog and, more recently, Balan Wonderworld, has been arrested in Japan on suspicion of insider trading. Japan’s Fuji News Network first reported on Naka’s arrest, which Bloomberg’s Takashi Mochizuki translated on Twitter.

The report accuses Naka and two others of using knowledge regarding the mobile game Dragon Quest Tact, knowledge obtained during Naka’s time working at Square Enix, to inform their decision to purchase stocks in Tact’s co-developer, Aiming. Naka reportedly learned of a major new development regarding Tact that the trio believed would increase Aiming’s stock value.

Also accused were former Square Enix employee Taisuke Sasaki and their friend, Fumiaki Suzuki. The trio purchased 10,000 shares for 2.8 million yen, approximately $19,000, though the report didn’t say whether they had already sold their shares or if the information they acted on turned out to be legitimate.

Naka had a public falling out with Square Enix earlier in 2022, where he accused the publisher of derailing his vision for Balan Wonderworld and publishing what he called an unfinished game with no regard for the people playing it. He also said Square Enix removed him from his role as director six months before the game launched. The conflict resulted in Naka suing Square Enix, though details of the case were not disclosed

Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF

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Sonic the Hedgehog 3 gets theatrical release date

Sonic will return to the big screen much sooner than many were expecting, though it’s unclear if Jim Carrey will return.

There’s no question that the Sonic films have been pretty fantastic. Far better than most other big-screen video game adaptations, and it appears the blue blur is warming up for another outing. 

On Monday, Paramount Pictures announced that Sonic The Hedgehog 3 will arrive in theaters on Dec. 20, 2024. There aren’t any details regarding the cast or crew yet, but many from the previous two films are expected to return. Ben Schwartz, who voices Sonic, was already teasing that he would reprise his role. James Marsden, Tika Sumpter, and Natasha Rothwell probably should too. Idris Elba likely will as well, especially since he’ll voice Knuckles again in the spinoff TV series.

It’s questionable whether Jim Carrey is going to return as Dr. Robotnik, though. During the promotional tour for Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Carrey told Access Hollywood that he’s relatively serious about retiring from acting.

“If the angels bring some sort of script that’s written in gold ink that says to me that it’s going to be important for people to see, I might continue down the road. But yeah, I’m taking a break,” Carrey said. “I really like my quiet life, and I really like putting paint on canvas,” Carrey said. “And I really love my spiritual life. And I feel like, and this is something you might never hear another celebrity say as long as time exists, I have enough. I’ve done enough. I am enough.”

Whether the legendary actor dons those goggles and mustache again is anybody’s guess. The second film quickly became the highest-grossing video game adaptation ever, so maybe some producers can coax him out again.

Written by Kyle Campbell on behalf of GLHF.

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Sonic Origins trailer shows off new game modes

Fans can kick it old-school or revisit classics from a fresh perspective.

The wait for Sonic Origins is almost over, and a lot of worthwhile additions are coming in this collection.

On Thursday, Sega released a deep dive trailer detailing game modes in Sonic Origins. Every title in the collection, including Sonic The Hedgehog, Sonic The Hedgehog 2, Sonic CD, and Sonic 3 & Knuckles, will have anniversary and classic modes. The former supports modern widescreen resolutions and helpful boons like infinite continues, while the latter is for those looking for an old-school presentation.

Check out the latest Sonic Origins trailer for yourself below. It’s pretty impressive how well these games hold up even while in 4:3.

Hard to believe that the blue blur secretly wears a hedgehog suit. Apologies in advance for ruining your weekend – it’s quite a rabbit hole.

Sonic Origins will be available on June 23, 2022, for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store, and Nintendo Switch.

Written by Kyle Campbell on behalf of GLHF.

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