4.12.2011

Following on from last years platforming masterclass Sonic colours, Sonic Team returns to celebrate 20 years of the blue blur with Sonic Generations. Here Modern Sonic (the long quilled, homing attacking, boosting trickster from Sonic Adventure onwards) teams up with his former self Classic Sonic (the short, tubby, Spin Attacking, Spin Dashing hog of the 16-Bit era) via a time travelling plot involving an outer space beastie know as the Time Eater. As a 20 year celebration each of SG's nine stages have been selected from nine previous games in the series spanning three eras- Classic, Dreamcast & Modern. All redesigned with entirely new layouts.Acts 1 are played with C Sonic as strictly side scrolling 2D levels (albeit stunningly rendered using the hedgehog engine) and Acts 2 are played with M Sonic were you will mostly be running into the screen at ridiculous speeds. A game for every Sonic fan then, genius. The nine stages are unlocked three at a time once you have cleared all acts of the current era as both Sonics in addition to a few of each stages' own Challenge Acts (more about them later).Classic Sonic OverviewThis is what all the old fans have been waiting for. Ever since the release of last years craptastic Sonic 4 Sega fans worldwide have been clamouring for a return of the original hog from the early 90's. C Sonic can run, jump, roll, Spin Attack, Spin Dash and that's it. In the original games Yuji Naka's expert coding created an unrealistic pinball feel to Sonic's physics were he could build momentum bouncing from one enemy to another. For SG C Sonic uses the Havok engine to create a more realistic feeling of momentum and as such the player can no longer build momentum chaining enemy attacks. Also C Sonic's jump is slightly gimped- he can't quite jump as far as he could in the classics after a small run up. But the main area in which ST have dropped the ball is the rolling. The roll friction is too high when going downhill causing Sonic to slowdown when he should be speeding up. Bizarrely this problem does not occur on flats were he can travel in a ball for some distance. To accommodate this deficiency the Spin Dash has been souped up and levels tend to be platform orientated. One noticeable exception to this is Chemical Plant which like the original is a mass of ramps and loops but to get him rolling at the correct speed he is sent through a series of boosters. Another anomaly are the invisible boosts at the top of most ramps throughout the game which overshoot Sonic into the air by meters. You more than build up enough momentum to clear them all without the unnecessary boosts (especially when using the overpowered Spin Dash) so why they exist is a mystery. Overall this is a valiant attempt at re-creating the Classic Sonic gameplay. The speed is there (the running itself improved over the originals), the physics are correct and veterans will get a big kick out of playing as the short spikey once again. But next to the classics? The gameplay is nowhere near as good.Modern Sonic OverviewModern Sonic's gameplay is the best it's ever been in Generations. As fusion of the Unleashed & Colours play styles Sonic primarily sprints into the screen but every so often switches to a 2D perspective to hop platforms. 3D sections revolve around the boost (built up by collecting rings and performing air tricks similar to Colours), the quick step (a lightning fast side step used to avoid obstacles), and of course the homing attack which can be used in either perspective to lock onto and destroy enemies. Due to their incredible speed M Sonic's acts are often more exhilarating than C Sonic, the downside to this being they also feel a lot more on-rails and linear despite the equal amount of branching routes due of the numerous choke points and fixed 3D angle camera making it difficult/impossible to backtrack. If C Sonic's acts are built for exploration M Sonic's are all about speed. The difference being you can also speed run the classic levels but the Modern Acts do not offer the same flexibility if you want to travel in any direction other than forwards. When played as the developer intended the Modern stages are a blast and there is nothing like executing a perfect run through Green Hill Act 2 (probably the greatest Modern Sonic level ever created) chaining boosts/homing attacks/air combos to achieve your best time. Boss/Rival battles of which there are six in the game are mostly handled by M Sonic with only the first two (from the Mega Drive era) played with the little guy. Once you have learnt their patterns Boss/Rivals are quite easy and best played on hard mode. Taking on Sonic Adventure's Perfect Chaos to the tune of 'Open your heart' by Crush 40 being a particular highlight.NegativesAside from C Sonic's roll being broke there aren't too many. On the whole level design is of high quality but both acts of Planet Wisp are a letdown. In Act 1 the player only gets access to the Spikes Wisp, and in Act 2 we only get Rocket. This removes the puzzle element of the original Planet Wisp (Sonic Colours) were the player could use all eight Wisps to find secrets and access faster routes and because the same two Wisps are spammed they're not as fun. Another disappointing aspect is the stage selection. Of the nine stages we get four cities and two 'Hill's and while the cities are all very different a more diverse line up would have been nice. I really could have done without Seaside Hill and Rooftop Run in favour of something more distinct such as Hang Castle & Chun Nan. My final gripe concerns the Challenge Acts. Each stage once complete unlocks a series of challenges that range from races with doppelgangers to treasure hunting. They're a nice extra to help pad out content but being forced to backtrack and complete a few for each stage before the next era unlocks disrupts the flow of the game and feels like a chore.ConclusionNegatives aside Sonic Generations is a spectacular anniversary title the likes of which have never been seen. Making both Sonic's playable was a masterstroke and to finally play as Classic Sonic again, now in glorious 2.5D is a joy to behold. Sonic Team have out done themselves with the level design which often surpasses the Mega Drive games. Standout levels include City Escape Act 1 in which the pursuing GUN truck actually alters level geometry depending on how fast you are and the maddening Crisis City Act 1 which requires precision platforming skills but once mastered provides great satisfaction. S Ranks are easier to attain here than in previous outings and rely on memorising routes. The cut scenes also deserve mention as another highlight where C Sonic's distinct personality comes through despite the fact he is mute. There is a wealth of extra music, artwork & character upgrades awaiting those who unlock all achievements, all stages provide huge replay value and there is a great final boss battle which I won't spoil. Do not listen to negative reviews about this game. Framerate issues are barely noticible and do not affect gameplay at all. If you're a Sonic fan of any era, or even just a casual Platformer fan you can't afford to miss this one. Happy 20th Sonic!

25.11.2011

It's been 20 years since Sonic The Hedgehog made his debut, and this year is his big 20th Anniversary celebration. Sega have been celebrating this occasion big time throughout the year and not that long ago we had the outstanding Sonic Generations grace the home consoles. Now the 3DS version developed by Dimps has finally landed, bringing some different levels from the console version as well as some gameplay differences. Can the 3DS version stand up to its big console brother?The story is the same as the console version with some differences. Tails has been preparing a party for Sonic's birthday, and Sonic shows up much earlier than expected spoiling the surprise.His friends haven't arrived yet so Sonic starts to celebrate early with Tails while waiting. Suddenly a strange purple monster appears out of the sky and transports them to a strange dimension where places from Sonic's past have lost their life and colour. Sonic along the way runs into his younger classic self and the two of them work together to restore time and space and figure out what is this strange new foe.The story takes a route similar to the classic Sonic games in that it is very basic and there isn't many cutscenes in the game. The story is presented with text and character models similar to past handheld Sonic games like Rush Adventure and Sonic Colours DS. It's so basic to the point that you sometimes wish there was proper cutscenes. The character models do animate and have small voice quotes which are a nice touch.The gameplay is separated into two styles. Classic Sonic plays like he did in the days of the Mega Drive. The perspective is in 2D and he is armed with his original moves the spin jump and the spin dash. What the developer Dimps have vastly improved on from their last game Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode 1 is the physics. The momentum feels much better and the rolling doesn't completely slow you down like it did in Sonic 4 EP 1. These are easily the closest the physics have ever been to the classic games.Modern Sonic's gameplay is different to the console version. It plays like the Sonic Rush games and the perspective is kept in 2D. Modern Sonic's moves carry over from the other games such as the homing attack and the boost, making his gameplay much faster than Classic Sonic's. The camera does change occasionally to give the feel of 3D which works well and gives it a dynamic feel. Later on, both Sonics acquire 1 new skill that can be used for the rest of the game. Both gameplay styles are great and will please those who enjoyed the classic games and the Sonic Rush titles.The 7 levels in the game all come from past Sonic games in the series. Classics such as Green Hill, Casino Night and Mushroom Hill are present along with some modern stages such as Water Palace from Sonic Rush. Each level is separated into 2 acts with Act 1 levels being for Classic Sonic and Act 2 for Modern Sonic. The level designs are nicely done, but some levels are clearly better than others. Classic Sonic's stages of Green Hill, Casino Night and Mushroom Hill all are faithful recreations of the exact same level designs from the games they came from. Where as the console version took some classic stages and completely revamped them with new level designs, Generations 3DS recreates the same level designs for some levels. While it probably would have been much better to have completely new level designs, the recreations of the same designs are nice for those who never played the classic games. Thankfully not every act in the levels copies the same designs from past games as some do have new designs. The levels are fun to play through and the replay value is fantastic. At the end of each stage, you are graded with a ank, with S ranks being the highest. Replaying each stage to get the highest rank can become very addicting.After beating both acts in a level, you unlock a special stage in that level that you can play to acquire a Chaos Emerald. The special stages are taken from the Sonic Heroes special stages and they play with the same rule. Race through the stage to catch the Chaos Emerald before time runs out. The special stages here beat the original Sonic Heroes ones as the controls and physics are much better from the Heroes version. While they are the easiest special stages I've played in a Sonic game, they are great fun to replay.After you finish the main story which will take roughly 2 hours to complete there is plenty to do after your done. There are 100 different missions you can unlock which each give you a certain rule such as collect a certain amount of rings, beat a level without destroying any enemies, beat a level without getting hit and so on. You can unlock missions from playing the game or using the StreetPass feature. By beating missions, you can unlock extras in the collection menu such as music from past Sonic games, models and artwork. You can even edit your StreetPass profile card to show how long you've been a Sonic fan and what is your favourite Sonic game and Sonic character. There is a ton of things to unlock so it will keep you busy for a while. There is also a VS multiplayer local and online in which you race your opponent to the end.The graphics look really nice for the 3DS. The levels are colourful and pretty each matching the feel of the games they came from. The character models also look nice and have some animations from the console version. The 3D effect looks great, giving the levels extra depth. It's easy on the eyes compared to other 3DS titles which is nice.The music as usual with Sonic games is brilliant. Music throughout the game are remixes of classic and modern music from the 20 years of the series which will please the ears of many fans. There is hardly any voice acting despite the small voice clips.Overall this is another great handheld Sonic game from Sega and Dimps. Despite it's very short length and a few empty areas of level design which might put some people off, it's a great adventure that has high replay value. While the console version is the far superior game, it's still worth giving this version a look. It's been a long 20 years for Sonic the Hedgehog. May he always continue on for many more Generations to come. Happy 20th to you! 9/10

26.3.2014

**Background**"Sonic Generations" was released to commemorate the 20th birthday of the 'blue blur'. From the game's origins on the Sega Mega Drive (Sega Genesis in the US) all the way through to the latest addition on the 3DS and Wii U, Sonic the Hedgehog has served his purpose as Sega's company mascot.For those unfamiliar with a Sonic game (Seriously? It's been twenty years!), Sonic is a blue hedgehog with the ability to run at the speed of sound. He is usually tasked with trying to save the world from the evil plans of Dr. Robotnik (later Dr. Eggman) with help from a variety of friends, including Miles "Tails" Prower and Knuckles the Echidna. To this day,"Sonic the Hedgehog 2" for the Mega Drive is still my second-favourite game of all time (just behind "The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time").**Synopsis**Sonic faces his most dangerous foe yet: a creature that can manipulate the very fabric of time and space. After his friends are kidnapped and scattered throughout time it seems as if the hedgehog is completely out of his depth. That is, until help arrives in the unlikely form of...Sonic. The blue blur must join forces with his past self to face an adventure too big for just one super-fast hedgehog...**Review**Just as previous games in the series did before it, "Generations" uses the idea of Acts to represent parts one and two of each level or 'zone' (veterans note: "Sonic 1" for the Mega Drive actually had three Acts to each zone). The game takes full advantage of this idea and brilliantly expands on it to allocate Act One to 'Classic Sonic' and Act Two to 'Modern Sonic', ensuring players get their fair share of past and present hedgehog.The graphics have been enhanced to accommodate the more powerful console generation, with 'Classic Sonic' stages resembling 2010's "Sonic 4" more than the games of the Mega Drive era. In this aspect, "Generations" avoids the issue of appearing outdated when compared to other new games on the most recent iteration of consoles (though I challenge anyone to play the early "Sonic" games and not be entranced by their charm).The control system accurately matches that of both the older and the newer games, although those who have played the recent Sonic games might agree with me that this isn't necessarily a good thing. 'Classic Sonic' zones are fantastically simple to operate just as they always have been. The levels are two-dimensional which drastically reduces the chance of going off-target, though falling off the side of a platform to Sonic's untimely demise can happen to the more novice of players.In contrast, 'Modern Sonic' zones are frustratingly difficult to navigate without encountering at least one issue. The speed at which the game progresses does nothing to alleviate this problem, and I regularly found myself falling off platforms and walking directly into an enemy's line of fire because of its temperamental accuracy. Amusingly, I found "Sonic 3D" for the Sega Mega Drive easier to control than 'Modern Sonic' in "Generations" ("Sonic 3D" came out in 1996). It becomes even trickier to steer Sonic with his 'Boost meter' active, though it's as exhilarating as driving a car 200mph down the motorway.The soundtrack revives many of the legendary melodies from the Mega Drive games and gives them a significant upgrade in the process, replacing the synthesized instruments of the Nineties with the auditory force of a live orchestra. I found myself humming along to the ‘Green Hill Zone’ score as I was blasting my way through it in “Generations”, getting goosebumps as I recalled the first time I played through the same level in the original game.One of my favourite features of “Generations” is the addition of Challenge Gates. These gates appear at certain points throughout the game and provide additional challenges set within the realms of each zone. There are around five challenges to each level, which is plenty to keep you interested in the game long after the story’s conclusion. You are rewarded with additional content for each challenge you complete, ranging from concept art to music tracks from Sonic’s past. You can use these tracks as a replacement for the default music of any levels you go on to play. It's a welcome bonus, especially for veterans of the Sonic franchise such as myself.I also noticed something in the Xbox 360 version that wasn't available in the PC game: the full game of "Sonic 1" from the Sega Mega Drive. This was a fantastic addition to the game as it proudly shows off the origins of Sonic to younger players who may not have been lucky enough to play the first games. I would've liked it if they had included the rest of Sonic's back catalogue from the Mega Drive (especially considering that "Sega Mega Drive Ultimate Collection" is available rather cheaply for the Xbox 360 these days and includes all Of these) but the decision not to add them is by no means a chink in the armour of "Generations".**Conclusion**"Sonic Generations" shows off the very best of what the twenty-year franchise has given to gamers: fast-paced, high-action adventure with a variety of enemies and challenging end-of-level bosses. The levels are as bright and colourful as they always were whilst retaining the fierce and exciting challenges that originally kept you hooked way back in 1991, and the references to past games lend an amusing nod of nostalgia to those who grew up with Sonic back when Sega was proud that they do "what Nintendon't".

25.11.2011

AMAZING GAME!If you grew up playing the Sonic series you will immediately feel right at home, as this takes our favourite blue hedgehog right back to his roots with a high-speed side-scrolling platform adventure that's been given a 21st century makeover thanks to the power of the 3DS.Each level is split into three stages: Classic, Modern and Special. Unlike the PS3 and 360 versions of the game which give you both side-scrolling and free-roaming versions of the same areas to explore, the 3DS version sticks to the retro side-scrolling gameplay we all know and love. Rest assured though, that the Modern levels do feel very different to the Classic ones,

15.11.2011

Sonic Gnerations is the next Sonic game in the series, and it is as fun as prevous games.The story for this game is that its Sonics birthday and this huge monster comes and takes his friends, and so Sonic travels through time, meets up with his younger self and together try and save his friends. As you can tell, not the best Sonic story.Its fun to play as either Classic Sonic or Modern Sonic, but if you're like me and prefer to speed you're way through levels as Modern Sonic, then you'll find you're self playing more as Modern Sonic. But you do have to play as Classic Sonic as well (of course). The missons are fun to play-like in other Sonic games-but you still find the missions that you just

2.12.2011

Personally, I have found most of the recent Sonic the Hedgehog games extremely poor overall to the point that I decided to stop playing them completely. However, when I saw that Sonic Generations contained "Classic Sonic" as well as levels from the older Sonic games of the 1990s, I decided to give this one a go for the nostalgia factor. So far, I have played a few levels of the game and have been pleasantly surprised. The Classic Sonic levels are brilliant - they have stuck to the original layout of the levels such as the Green Hill Zone from Sonic 1 and remakes of the original music scores are also used. The controls for Classic Sonic are the usual run,

13.6.2013

I didn't have high expectations of this game, considering platform games on anything other than Nintendo have fallen short over the years (even some of nintendos output hasn't been that good). Then this came along. Considering there are two sonics, there are now two ways to play this game. Classic sonic which is an updated, graphically at least, side scrolling style. And then there's modern sonic, which is a more head on style, with some side scrolling and more moves than classic sonic. What impressed me the most about this game is how instantly easy it is to pick up and play (without even going to the instruction manual) and how graphically great it is. Colours and backgrounds are lush and full of colour,

24.12.2011

I've been playing the Sonic The Hedgehog series since I was 8 years old in 1991, I was a huge fan of the original and I still believe that Sonic 2 was the series' finest hour. I still play the originals to this day.After years of below par Sonic games (Some were o.k, but not great) I was a little sceptical when I heard about Sonic Generations being released. But after seeing a trailer and some gameplay videos on youtube I decided to order a copy and let me tell you, I was not disappointed.As soon as you start the first level, you know you are playing something special. From the redux of the Green Hill zone music and the fast paced action that reminded me of the days of Sonic 1/2,

4.11.2011

It's only taken 10 years for Sega to release a game as good as the 3d Sonic Adventure series. This game pays homeage to all the best levels from all the Sonic games fans love the most, everything from the Sega Megadrive era to Dreamcast to more recent games on the Xbox 360. Fans will rejoice at hearing Green Hill Zone again, you can play each level in classic 2d mode or the more standard 3d mode. You will need to do both to complete the game.Some of my favourite levels in the game are:Green Hill Zone (Sonic 1)Chemical Plant (Sonic 2)Speed Highway (Sonic Adventure 1)Sanctuary Zone (Sonic 3)City Escape (Sonic Adventure 2)Seaside Hill (Sonic Heroes)There are many more levels and infinite amount of achievements to complete so expect to take quite a few weeks to get everything in the game.

20.8.2012

When i first started up this game, i was filled with anticipation to finally play a good 2.5d sonic game, i definitely was not dissapointed. There are so many good things that i could say about this game but i doubt i would fit it into a review anyone would want to read. So here goes, this game is a refreshing break from all the rubbish Sonic games, i'm looking at you Black Knight, it stays true to the original platformer-type Sonic games but it looks better graphics-wise, i'm sure many of you know that in Sonic Generations you can re-visit some stages from old Sonic games and also, not-so-new Sonic games such as Sonic (2006) and Sonic Unleashed, while i enjoyed the gameplay and graphics just as much as any other hardcore Sega fan,

19.10.2013

Sonic Generations is a great game ! It was the first game I received for my xbox 360.The minute I turned this incredible game on,I was fascinated when the breathtaking graphics and the awesome remakes of the original tracks of the other games,I knew I was in for somethig unique. The main plot revolves around Sonic trying to resque his friends.While doing that,he comes across a monster that sucks him back in time where he meets his past locations and even himself.The gameplay is split in two parts: Classic Sonic,who focuses on platforming and puzzling elements while Modern Sonic spins,jumps and rolls around at the speed of sound.I personally prefer Classic Sonic's gameplay.

8.9.2012

This is my third Sega title for the 3DS, and those who have read my reviews, will know that I have been less then impressed with them. However, I love Sonic games and was really hoping that this would be a vast improvement. I am delighted to inform Sonic fans that my wish has come true, and this is a very good game. It does have a few issues, for example, once classic Sonic gets the lock on targeting, both Sonics are too similar to play as. But apart from that, the game plays well, it has nice graphics, and you can clearly tell that Sega do care about their Sonic franchise. So if you like Sonic, and have been disappointed with the 3DS Sega games you have, give this one a try.Just as a foot note,

24.3.2016

This game is the first 3D sonic game to come out in a long time that is how 3D sonic games are supposed to be. Up until now, its all been a bit ... terrible. And largely Nintendo based, which is frustrating.But this is the first 3D sonic game I have enjoyed since I played Sonic Adventure 2 on the Dreamcast. Sadly, it seems they did not keep up with the form in this game on thier next Nintendo only releases, but I still have hope. I am a lifelong sonic fan, and despite dissapointment after dissapointment, we still hold out that maybe the next one will be better .... please?As for the purchase itself, I had no problems with that, and the game runs fine on my Xbox 360.

16.12.2012

This game is amazing. Much better than the console counterparts in my opinion. The game plays a lot like Sonic rush in the modern stages and sonic advance in the classic stages (classic sonic also gets the homing attack). The special stages play a lot like the ones in Sonic Heroes too. The stages have a harder ranking system so you'll actually have a challenge getting an S rank on all stages. The level select in this game is much easier to navigate and most levels are different to the console counterparts. There are 100 missions in the game to make sure you don't get bored too quickly and unlike the console versions, the 3DS version has its own Online race mode, which is very fun.

16.11.2013

Look Who's Back-Play as Classic Sonic and Also Play as Morden Sonic.Two Sonic's One Epic Adventure-SONIC GENERATIONS.Sonic Generations is a 2011 Sonic Game made exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS & 3DS XL Systems.In Sonic Generations you get to play as 2 Sonic's Classic & Morden as you Play you will relive the classic 2D stages with Classic Sonic and high speed with 3D action stages with Morden Sonic. Anyway the 2 Sonic's on a quest to Collect The 7 Chaos Emeralds, Defeat The Mysterious Time Eater and Restore the flow of Time.So can the 2 Sonic's Win and Restore time there's only 1 way to find out you must play Sonic Generations and experience the epic adventure.SONIC GENERATIONS.

Sonic: Generations - Reviews

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