After numerous spinoffs and 3D adventures, players are finally going to get their hands on a 2D Sonic the Hedgehog game (aka Project Needlemouse). Actually, it’ll be one of those hybrid 2.5D games where the gameplay is sidescrolling but the graphics are rendered in 3D. And get this, they’re going to call it Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 and release it via Xbox LIVE, PSN, and WiiWare.
I’m excited. Partly, it’s because I still play the classic Sonic games and the gameplay remains blissful. But more importantly, I long for a return to basics, away from the gun-wielding doppelgangers, werewolf transformations, and annoying supporting cast of animal friends. Sega’s brand manager Ken Balough said that the team is going to “deliver a Genesis-era Sonic game as if it were created today that goes to the core of what classic Sonic fans desire.” I take this to mean that there will be a lot of running through chutes and jumping on bounce pads.
We should thank the people who’ve been supporting retro remakes and episodic games with their dollars. From a developer standpoint, projects to revive old franchises can be risky because nostalgia can only carry a game so far. But the success of titles like Mega Man 9 and Tales of Monkey Island have given them more courage to take these risks. They’re also seeing the writing on the wall — that is, digital distribution is the future of console gaming because of reduced overhead costs and the elimination of middleman markup. For games with a more niche audience, it’s perfect.
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