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Sonic Lost World may have only just launched a couple of months ago on Wii U and 3DS (you can read our reviews of both versions here and here), but as is typical of the Blue Blur, he won’t be sitting still for very long. During a special press conference in New York City today, Sega announced that the iconic hedgehog will be starring in another brand new adventure exclusively for Nintendo consoles dubbed Sonic Boom.
Sonic Boom marks the third and final title in Nintendo’s exclusive three-game partnership with Sega. Like Namco’s Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures (which was based on the cartoon of the same name), the game will tie in to the upcoming Sonic Boom CG series that is scheduled to air on Cartoon Network during the 2014/2015 season. Both the game and the cartoon star the series’ four most notable heroes– Sonic, Tales, Knuckles, and Amy– each of whom boasts a new, more stylized look to better reflect their personalities and abilities– Sonic, for instance, wears athletic tape and a neck scarf to signify his love of adventure, while Knuckles, the powerhouse of the group, is much larger to emphasize his strength. (Sonic’s arms are also blue to further differentiate him from other incarnations of the character.)
The Wii U version of Sonic Boom is being developed by Big Red Button, a new studio co-founded by Naughty Dog veteran Bob Rafei, and runs on CryEngine 3. The brief footage displayed at the event highlighted Boom’s emphasis on exploration and collaboration. Sonic and his friends were shown running and zip-lining their way through large, ancient environments, recalling the adventure aspects of Sonic’s Dreamcast titles. Boom also seems to place a greater emphasis on combat than previous games, allowing players to pummel enemies with a “simple yet addictive” combat system. Sega promises that the 3DS version of Sonic Boom (developed by Sanzaru Games) will be a completely separate adventure, with its own distinct levels and storyline.
You can check out the first trailer for Sonic Boom below:
Are you interested in a new Sonic adventure? What do you think of Sonic and gang’s new designs? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!
Source: Sega
Sega, like Capcom, is so far out of touch with their fanbase that they have no idea what their fans really want. The recent Sonic games didn’t sell enough here since they weren’t geared towards a western audience? When Sega says that they wanted to make a Sonic game just for us, and then those changes are made, that’s exactly what they are saying. “If we make Knuckles huge, he’ll be more popular with American gamers.” I think Capcom probably thought the same thing with Chris Redfield. No recent Sonic games didn’t sell because enough time wasn’t spent polishing them. Recent Sonic games like “Lost World” could have been fantastic if Sega had taken more time with them. They didn’t, and the game suffered. This new Sonic game will most likely fail too, thanks in part to it being on Wii U, with it’s low install base, unless MK8 and Smash create a drastic turnaround. Interestingly enough, Sonic Team is going to continue to make Sonic games as well. Plus, on the Sonic announcement page there were PS4 and One logos too…. so does this mean that Wii U owners will get this “new” Sonic, and the other console owners will get a Sonic game of their own, but possibly featuring the traditional Sonic?
I don’t see the need to change the style, but I also see no harm done. While I agree with James that many Sonic games could use another round of polish, I really enjoy Lost World (occasional warts and all) and am curious to see how this turns out. Here’s hoping for the best!
Not feeling that Knuckles redesign at all, but the video looks awesome. Gorgeous graphics and an interesting feel. I’m gonna keep an eye on this one. Probably the most intrigued by a Sonic game that I’ve been since Generations on PS3.
I have a vague dislike for Sonic that I can’t really explain. That being said, a game like this being developed by former members of Naughty Dog gets me VERY excited. The Crash Bandicoot trilogy and Crash Team Racing are some of my favorite games of all time. Even some of the concept art for this game has many similarities to the PS1 titles.
I think the fact that I’ve never played a Sonic game outside of a Sega console makes me a lot more open to the redesign. In any case, I look forward to seeing more about the “exploration” aspect of this game.
Oh boy. Sega announced that the Sonic in “Sonic Boom” is not replacing the current Sonic design. My first post might turn out to be true; traditional-looking Sonic games on PS4 and One, and “Boom” on Wii U. Hopefully Wii U will get all Sonic games, not just the “Boom” ones. But if they don’t… they’re getting the short end of the stick.
Based on the leaked poster that first tipped off PS4 and One versions of the next Sonic game, I think it’s a safe bet that one will be headed to Wii U, as well. Plus, Sonic has done better on Nintendo platforms than on any other.
Someone got Nickelodeon’s TMNT in my Sonic, lol.