A trailer for the game has been unveiled, and also a 36-minute video, entitled Sonic: The Birth of an Icon (named Sonic: History Of An Icon on Youtube), that celebrates more than 20 years of the spiky blue blur.
Computerandvideogames.com quotes Sega of America executive, Haruki Satomi, who said: "The first entry in the Sonic 4 saga was a major success. We've listened to the fans and been hard at work making sure we recapture that same spirit of fun in Episode II. We hope the fans will enjoy it."
Sonic the Hedgehog 4 harks back to the classic side-scrolling format of the series’ 1990s heyday, with the story taking place immediately after the Mega Drive title Sonic & Knuckles from 1994.
While the developers have tried valiantly in recent years to prove that Sonic can work as a 3D platformer, he’s never seemed quite as at home than in his native 2D habitat.
More than two decades have passed since Japanese developer Sega decided that burger-scoffing Alex Kidd was to be given the boot as the company mascot.
In the early ’90s Sega sought a greater market share from a dominant Nintendo, and the company’s designers were tasked with creating a mascot that could rival Mario.
It was felt that the hyperactive hedgehog in the company logo’s blue, designed by Naoto Oshima, was the answer.
In Sonic: The Birth of an Icon, Tom Kalinske, President of Sega of America from 1990-1996 said about the hedgehog: “He wasn’t your laid-back soft, nice guy. He had a little bit of edgyness to him and a little bit of smart-ass-ness to him, if you will. I think that made him very appealing to kids and teens.”
Sonic the Hedgehog, released in 1991, was a title that finally gave Sega’s Mega Drive console (Genesis in North America) something truly defining.
It also took full advantage of the system’s capabilities for graphics and sound.
Also in Sonic: The Birth of an Icon, Yuji Naka, the programmer tasked with building the title said: “I like fast things and I thought it would be nice to create a game where the more skilled you became, the faster you complete a stage.”
He added that speed was a factor that would help differentiate Sonic from Mario.
This wasn’t Sonic’s first game appearance, however, he had debuted as a rear-view mirror hanging toy in Sega’s 1991 arcade title Rad Mobile.
After the successful first outing, a great deal of hype begun to build for the unveiling of Sonic the Hedgehog 2, which was labelled “Sonic 2s day” for the European and North American releases, on Tuesday November 21st 1992.
More Sonic sequels followed, as Sega looked to embed their spiky hero into the public consciousness.
However, beyond the Mega Drive, Sonic’s transition to 3D platformer has stumbled along the way, with some mixed reviews.
While the Sonic Adventure titles were lauded, games like Sonic the Hedgehog from 2006 have received strong criticism.
Eurogamer said about Sonic the Hedgehog (2006): “What should have been a dramatic return to form for Sonic…has turned out to be an absolute mess.”
However the blue hedgehog is on a decent run of form at present, and after the well received Sonic the Hedgehog 4 in 2010, Sonic Colours, released the same year for Nintendo Wii, was called “…the best Sonic game in 18 years.” in a review on ign.com.
Sonic Generations, released in November 2011, celebrated Sonic’s 20th birthday with a triumphant mix of nostalgia and adrenaline-fuelled action, that really brought the series‘ best 2D and 3D elements together.
And although the 3D-level Sonic experience has been greatly improved, it seems that Sonic’s greatest asset is still that undeniable side-scrolling charm.
Alteration 02/02/12: The words "It also took full advantage of the system’s 16-bit graphics and sound." were changed to "It also took full advantage of the system’s capabilities for graphics and sound."
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