Sonic’s 20th & 25th Anniversaries: Then & Now

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1. On the day of the SXSW panel, I looked up when Sonic Generations, Lost World, and Colors were roughly announced before release. I got 4 to 5 months. I felt a little better about this long wait then.

   There’s still a part of me that says even by previous standardx this is too long a wait, but that’s just a part of me.

   Honestly, I’m just kinda indifferent to all this. I just figure I’ll hear about the game when I do, and that’ll be that. I’m not excited or foaming at the mouth at all the cockteasing, actually, it’s had the opposite effect. But I’m just so tired of all this I can’t focus a strong opinion one way or the other on how Sega is hyping us up.

   P.S. Oh yes, we’re a lot less optimistic and hostile now. I’ll say again that the Sonic fanbase’s theme song right now is “Getting Too Tense” from Doom 2.

   1. Well, it’s a lot more complicated than “SEGA has always announced Sonic games late”. There’s business, industry, and politics behind a lot of this, too. Still, the historical record gave me a much clearer idea of things. After virtually going back in time to 2010/2011, there were a lot of things that happened that I forgot. For example, learning that Johnny Gioeli has dropped a “Sonic anniversary game in the works” bombshell not for Sonic’s 25th, but also for Sonic’s 20th, cuaght me off guard. And I was shocked at how similar 2010/2011 really was to 2015/2016. My original mindset was that it was like comparing apples and oranges. I came out of my research with a new mindset on Sonic’s 25th. I’m still not faulting SEGA for this, nor saying that this is a “bad business move” for them to remain silent and for the cryptic tweets, but the reasoning for it is less about just SEGA’s restructure and more about how much SEGA and the gaming industry has changed in the past 5 years.

2. This was a highly informative read, Donnie. Thank you for the thorough investigation of comparing 2010-2011 to 2015-2016. I did not realize the similarities these years bear. I also am sad to see the stark decline in fan approval over the last five years. I hope you quality journalism is duly noted and already well taken into account by Sega. The transformed environment between then and now requires immediate and careful action to make the needed course corrections–and those may require evasive action!

   1. Thanks! That was the intention of the article, to be informative. There’s theories I propose at the end, but the majority of the article is based on the historical record. And the historical record never lies.

      1. I believe your first theory that SEGA is more tight-tipped is the most likely. We are only seeing a trickle flow of information almost as if SEGA is opening and closing the vault to their top secret information and only giving us a highly cryptic bibliography to the encyclopedia. It almost leads me to believe that they are treating this as if it were Colonel Sander’s top secret recipe and only a select few know only a certain portion of it, excluding even veteran social media employee Aaron. There is clear evidence of damage control when Johnny Gioeli’s comment on possible involvement in the anniversary game was mysteriously removed without a trace that further supports this. I am left to conclude that SEGA has changed their policy and tightened their internal security measures and that we will not hear anything until they are fully prepared to make an official unveiling.

3. If the game does well: Somecallmejohnny should make a new Sonic anniversary animation.

   If the game is shit: Bring back Sonic for Hire

   1. Or better idea, how about no?
      The last thing we need to see more of a series that paints Sonic as a full-on asshole, Tails as a prick, and all around never really references any games besides the Genesis ones and spends more of it’s time just putting Sonic in other random old games.

      1. How about we just hope for the SomecallmeJohnny bit? You know, something that was actually funny as opposed to not at all.

      2. @ROBOTHOBO64 You must be fun at parties

         1. You’re right, a Sonic short on the level of Family Guy is totally something that’s of impeccable comedy material.
            I guess I should also open my horizon to the comedy GENIUS that is Teen Titans GO! while I’m at it.

4. Yeah, that’s about what I expected. Hopefully history repeats and we at least get a teaser this month.

5. SEGA needs to help make a Bayonetta 3 for Xb1 and Ps4 before Nintendo dose. Platinum will see SEGA not caring about Bayo and just go with someone else. And also make new games of the old SEGA games, house of the dead, space Channel, NIGHTS

   1. Fighting Vipers 3 already damnit, we need it.

   2. “Platinum will see SEGA not caring about Bayo and just go with someone else.”

      You mean like the fucking creation of Bayonetta 2? Hello?

6. Really good article. Well done Donnie, nice fact checking and research. I recall all of this. 2011 was a good year for Sonic. it’s just a shame the resurgence didn’t last. My personal opinion here but I would say every single game with the exception of ASR Transformed, obviously, has been a complete bust. The reason people are are fed up and frustrated is because Sega convinced many that they knew what they were doing, but when it was proven they didn’t, they fell flat on their faces (Lost World, Rise of Lyric), 12 months of apologies means nothing when you don’t say or show anything worth being excited about. I just surely hope for their sakes, that whatever this anniversary game is, it’s worth the wait. It’s a shame that April won’t bring us the same reward this year, and the wait continues until June/July, but oh well, there’s nothing that can be done about. All I want at this point is a good game, because I’m tired. I really am tired.

7. If Sega is just doing the same stunts as last time let’s hope that we don’t end up in the same place five years from now or even worst in terms of moral with the franchise!

   1. That was my thought. I was really sad to read all the good things 2010/2011 brought to sonic knowing 2013 was coming to bring an end to that. I still for the life of me can not figure out how sonic team came up with Lost World after Generation’s reception. That’s why the tension is there now in the sonic fan base. I really believe this next game is a make or break at this point. Sega might be aware of this and that’s why they might be holding the reveal back. They might be afraid of facing the consequences of whatever decisions have been made since lost world. Even if those decisions were good, they just might be afraid because the diversity in the fan base and negative reputation in the rest of gaming media, might be siking Sega into thinking any decision they reveal could lead to more bad rep. They have to bite the bullet and show their cards eventually though. Preferably in a couple days or so. Sorry but waiting untill June or July to announce a game for this year is just such an odd and shameful way to procrastinate the inevitable. The time is now, it’s spring, newe things are everywhere, new scents are in the air. E3 is important to show a lot of the gameplay.

      1. Every Sobic game is make or break apparently. This is false. Nothing ever changes whether it ends up good or bad. Everyone someone says that or something along those lines, I preceive the person as crying on the inside like an emotional break up due to being overdramatic.

         Wait until you get Lost World, Heroes, Shadow the Hedgeog, Rise of Lyric, 3D Blast, Black Knight, 06 and then Sonic Labyrinth in that order and consecutively over the span of say 4 – 10 years…. THEN look at the next Sonic as a “make or break” because that’s when Sonic will be royally screwed. Compare that to the list and order we’ve had and we’re obviously doing rather good.

         I mean geez kids, lighten up. :p

         1. Wow. I’d make my point better if I didn’t call him “Sobic” XD lol

         2. No worries. I’m not going to be nit picky over sobic. As long as there isn’t anyone trying to make that name into it’s own character. Sobic the cryhog.
            Anyway. I have never been at a point where I thought it was make or break before. So this isn’t a boy cried wolf kind of case. I’ve stood by bad release and good release and i am finally feeling sea sick from all the up and downs. Given the list of bad games you provided. It’s ridiculous to expect a fan base to require that low quality of games to then decide the next one would be make or break. It’s ridiculous without the list, to expect a fan base to have such low standards of it’s franchise, that only the perfect storm could make them let it rest in peace. Now let’s take that list of games and ask what good games are spacing them apart chronologically… 3 or 4 games maybe? Unleashed, 4 ep.1&2, colors, and genereations. Sonic 4 being highly debatable. Theres a lot more lows than highs and the reason I’m finally calling fowl now is because the two games the count for good the most (colors, generations) came out back to back and made the suggestion that sega finally knows what they’re doing. Clearly that was false hope which makes it that much more heart breaking because the next two games (lost world, boom) showed that they had no idea what made the fans praise colors and generations. (Hint: it was the consistency/evolution in decent gameplay not the light toned story and vibe). So here we are yet again hearing promises, anticipating, getting excited. Sure this next games could be good, but my point is that this next games NEEDS to be good and not just colors or generations level of good, but a level of good that lets us know “Ok they get it now, there’s no reason to expect another low point in the future”. Sonic simply can’t afford a mediocre or worse game at this point or else risks a permanent stamp of “mediocre to bad” franchise. Sonic deserves better than that and we the fans should hold him, sonic team, and sega up to higher standards and hold them accountable when they slip up. So yes, I’m officially at a point as a lifetime sonic fan (sonic 1 being my first ever video game) where it’s make or break. I’m don’t have the patience to deal with another lost world and I’m very certain I’m not alone.

         3. There’s a lot more lows than highs… now that’s where I’m gonna have to disagree.

            For starters, the majority of the lows are in less impactful games to the series. And secondly, 3 or 4 to 1 seems bigger to me.

            I listed 8 games… so let’s see if I could also list 8 games that progressively get better. Now the first list started from “some like and some don’t” kind of mentality to games less and less people like. So to be fair, let’s start with the same thing.

            Sonic Lost World, Sonic Riders, Sonic Sonic 1, Sonic Adventure 2 Sonic Generations, Sonic 2, Sonic Adventure, Sonic 3 & Knuckles.

            And that was actually hard to find an order for because after Sonic Riders, most of those games are VERY subjective as to which is more popular than the other. SA2 and Sonic 3 & Knuckles are SUPER popular. At the same time, Sonic 2 is super popular and some think SA1 is better than SA2. Some prefer Generations over the Adventure series. I didn’t even remember to add Unleashed and Colors and they’re both pretty up there as well.

            That being said, it feels complicated to do the same amount of games on the list because there are so much more to go with that it’s not as straight forward or easy to point out.

            But the order I chose was an example of the progressive slump in quality that I would expect before the next game could potentially make or break Sonic’s entire run. Realistically, they didn’t come in that order and it is pretty up and down. It’s hard to pinpoint that as well because I can’t base it on my own preference. But at the same time, your perspective of the series is based on yours. Maybe you see more downs than up.

            Personally, I see more ups.
            Sonic 1, CD, 2, 3, S&K – Up.
            Sonic Spinball, Sonic 3D Blast, Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine, all the Game Gear titles and Sonic Fighters, middle.
            Sonic R, down.
            Sonic Adventure, Sonic Adventure 2, Sonic Advance, Sonic Advance 2, Sonic Advance 3, up.
            Sonic Shuffle, Sonic Battle, Sonic Heroes, middle.
            Shadow The Hedgehog, Sonic 06, Secret Rings, down.
            Sonic Rivals 1 and 2, middle.
            Sonic Rush, Sonic Riders, Zero Gravity, Rush Adventure, Unleashed, Colors, Generations, up.
            Sonic Chronicles, Colors DS, Generations 3DS, Lost World, middle.

            That’s my personal list. There are some games I don’t fancy preferably for Sonic but I don’t think are bad at all or at least not that bad. Those are in the “middle” for me. The downs are the ones that make Sonic look bad (to me).

            I have a lot of ups and that’s because… well… the games are fine to me. I enjoy the graphics, the gameplay, the music, and all around just like the game and had fun. I see Sonic as having mostly success, a few hiccups, and a few more so-so moments. But when I played Generations and the only games that it borrowed from in Sonic’s mainstream history that I thought were originally not that great were 2/9 titles (and one of those 2 I thought were at least okay) then I can’t turn around and say that I view the majority of Sonic’s run as negative. Otherwise, why am I even still interested? There’s a reason…. :3

         4. Yeah i need to clarify. When i said more Down’s than Up’s, I meant the games on your first list. Starting from Heroes untill now.
            I love all the sonic games that are pre heroes. Even a lot of the early bad ones like shuffle. So from 1991 – 2002, no one could really say that sonic was a “bad” game franchise. A couple of misses here and there was acceptable and when sonic was good, people admitted it and gave him his props.
            So then what i was saying was that, From 2003 – Right now (13 years), there’s been maybe 3 or 4 good games not counting the portable games and depending on who you talk to. 2 of those (Colors and Generations) universally praised. Those aren’t great numbers, especially compared to other classic franchises like pokemon, zelda and mario. The pressure is definitely on for sega and i hoping for the best, but i’m also ready to let go if things don’t work out like they need to.

8. Good read btw Donnie. I Appreciate the research.

9. Great article, Donnie. It’s a very interesting read. I plan to just wait and see what happens. Sega has its own problems to deal with and I understand that, which is why I expect future Sonic games to smaller in scale from here on out. Even if they are seemingly taking their time with this one, I’m just gonna sit this ‘hype train’ out and wait for the game to actually be announced whenever Sega is ready to announce it; which, shouldn’t be much longer, anyway. I’d say later this month at the earliest, and June for E3 at the latest.

10. Can anyone tell me what fan mod exactly this is? I am relatively sure this is just a fan mod for Sonic Generations, but I am leaving this here just in case it is a legitimate leak:

    1. 1. That second one, Chao Garden, is a fan-made build in Unreal engine.

          1. Thank you! Indeed. The Unreal Engine-based Chao Garden has those very tall circular stone columns that make up the waterfall, and the pond’s waves are also telling. It looks like this person is just trolling by trying to make this look like a legitimate leak. I will say that they have done a commendable job fixing the shading errors that original fan-made Chao Garden had.

    2. The first one is a terrible asset flip made with the Sonic GDK pack for the Unreal Editor.

11. That was pretty well said. I’m sure that once things kick into Boost Level Maximum Overdrive with the eventual teaser/announcement of the anniversary title, things will start to resemble the festivities of the Sonic 20th anniversary celebration, if not even better than that. This article really helped bring some perspective back into the topic of the anniversary, thanks for being so thoughtful Donnie.

    1. As long as in terms of celebration and results things go the same way, I’m alright. But what I’m really worried is the GAME itself becoming just Generations 2 but with slighty more stuff but not a ton. Generations was fun, and honestly better than Colors imo, but sooooo much potential was missed that I hope is made up for in this installment. And with how they say they’re listening, I hope these words haven’t fallen upon deaf ears.
       And please SEGA/Sonic Team, don’t give us a final boss where about 95% of the cast state the obvious and it’s literally just a straight “move forward to win” The “Doomsday Zone” style of final boss is cool without a doubt, but the likes of Time Eater and recent bosses just don’t do it for me. Rush Adventure’s Deep Core tho, now THAT’S the shit mang.
       That or make the final boss a 1vs1 against Oni.
       It is Street Fighter II’s anniversary as well this year, they could pull an Azura’s Wrath with bonus Ryu/Akuma fights. (Iknowthisisfantasywishesrightherebutletmedream,ifSonicandRyucouldmetinSmashthananything’spossible)

       1. Honestly if all they did was a Generations 2 with more levels, the previous levels, LONGER LEVELS, a more fitting final boss, and better story and dialogue writing, I would be satisfied. I’d probably still prefer something relatively newer or fresher than another Generations, but at least if they did that I’d know I would have at least some fun with the gameplay. If it allows them to correct mistakes they made with the last one than so be it. But if anything, I’d like to see such lessons applied to whatever game they release this year and the years beyond.

12. “The social media PRing that Aaron and Gene, the new intern, is having to handle is almost all of Sonic’s PRing now,”

    Yeah, tweeting/blogging meme images on Tumblr and Twitter is such a hard job.

    That being said, I refuse to be excited for anything at all until we get something. I won’t be brought onto this hype train again, lest I be brought down.

    Get excited if you want, just remember you’ve all been played for a ruse in the end.

    1. Where did I say it was a hard job? I said that they have the sole responsibility now. And he has put out more than just images. Especially on Facebook. They respond to fans on there all the time.

       And yes, we know. You’re not going to be hyped. You’ve made that clear for the last month now.

       “just remember you’ve all been played for a ruse in the end”

       How can you be “played for a ruse” when absolutely nothing has happened, outside of some cryptic teasers?

       1. “Where did I say it was a hard job?”

          Do you really have to take everything so literal Donnie? You’re a god damn journalist aren’t you? Read between the lines, Christ. It’s my mocking of what Webber does. Can’t believe I have to spell that out for you.

          “How can you be “played for a ruse” when absolutely nothing has happened, outside of some cryptic teasers?”

          TO be completely fair, and I’ll contest at least this much, all of the teasers have been hinting at Adventure themes. There’s way too much pointing towards it to not at least be related.

          It’s either going to end up being Adventure 3, a reboot of Adventure, or something in the opposite direction just to mess with the fanbase again.

          In my experience SEGA loves to pull the ARG but they’re no Valve. They’re not very good at misdirection, because everything they’ve hinted at has been pretty direct/on the nose towards what they’re doing.

          1. “Do you really have to take everything so literal Donnie? You’re a god damn journalist aren’t you? Read between the lines, Christ. It’s my mocking of what Webber does. Can’t believe I have to spell that out for you.”

             Excuse me for not being able to read minds, for not thinking like you, and for having to rely on just letters on a computer screen. The hostility wasn’t necessary, nor was talking down to me like I’m an idiot. And seeing how I’ve warned you multiple times to drop this hostility and you’re still doing it, you’re not getting anymore chances.

             “all of the teasers have been hinting at Adventure themes.”

             I wouldn’t say that. Over half of them were teasing that 25th event in July.

13. Man, I can’t believe it’s been three years since I played a Sonic game and longer since an actual good one. Sad times.

    1. It is even sadder when many people have praised Freedom Planet as the best Sonic game in ages. I am hoping SEGA can do something turn around the low fan approval and low general regard of Sonic. Sonic the Hedgehog 4, Sonic Lost World, Sonic Boom. Sonic is showing signs of slipping and we need SEGA to recapture and reuse, and reinvent and redeem itself to turn the franchise ship about.

       1. HIFIHEDGEHOG, this is not directed at you by any means, but:

          “many people have praised Freedom Planet as the best Sonic game in ages.”

          I am so sick and tired of hearing people try to compare Freedom planet to classic Sonic.

          Freedom Planet is not a Sonic game. It’s more of a hodgepodge of various SEGA genesis games ranging from Pulse Man to Gunstar Heroes.

          If Freedom planet was a Sonic game using the Sonic characters and aesthetics, I guarantee you the fanbase would largely hate it. If it was You’d hear things like “Why is there combat and motorcycle gameplay? Sonics 1-3&K never had these things.” and “They still didn’t get the rolling right!”

          Sonic is only one of many things that influenced Freedom Planet. I don’t think Galaxy Trail intended for the game to appeal to just sonic fans. They made the game to appeal to fans of SEGA genesis games in the 90s in general.

          End rant.

          1. ^Agreed. It is definitely not a Sonic game nor should it be considered one. I see it as Sonic, Metroid and Megaman and many other 16-bit era games mixed in. I am only stating what I see as posts online at places like non-Sonic forums and Twitter. People tend to compare it without even consciously realizing there is much more than just Sonic at its core.

          2. What? No. It was a Sonic fan game and then tried to branch away. That is probably the association as it is still very Sonic-oriented in style.

             Also, being made by a fan instead of Sonic Team or another SEGA-hired Development studio, I’m sure it’d get a lot of love unless it was actually awful. Because they always praise fans for the smallest things and criticize SEGA and Sonic Team for even their greatest things. lol

    2. But hey! Freedom Planet 2 is coming! Announced like more than a year before it’s release to gain hype and boy I AM hyped!

       Sonic? Eh… I’ll leave this one here for those who are willing to see beyond the edge (OMG!!!!) of their noses. It’s pretty informative.

       http://soahcity.com/2016/04/08/sega-the-overprotective-parent/

14. Option A: Nothing exists hence no leaks, social media jokes and teases are used to keep fans engaged while cooperate turmoil goes on inside Sega involving holding anything Sonic that isn’t Sonic Boom back.
    Option B: Whatever it is is being held back because of more exclusivity nonsense
    Options C: Sonic Generations 3, The Dark Eyes Return, Sonic Adventure 5, Sonic 4 Episode 3 The Farce Reawakens, Sonic Jam 2 whichever it actually it is get’s announced before E3 and is multiplatform. The more this drags on the more I see this as the least likely option

    @Adventurous Andrew
    Great that means certain people and mainstream gaming sites can act like once again that it’s the return to classic Sonic that they’ve always wanted despite it having barely anything in common with classic Sonic. And oh that article what a gem “Gameplay is mentioned first. I don’t like the implications. But that’s just a minor issue.” what a fantastic treat you have shared thank you for such a great laugh, the article is like staring into the very core of the ranting about story direction since 2010 and it’s very fitting that has reached it’s boiling point a decade after Bubsy 3D finally got it’s soulmate. Right on cue is the false narrative pushing that Colors introduced breaking the 4th wall to the games because of the dastardly new writers when Unleashed did it in the exact same style in the post CG intro cutscene, the game which also introduced lots of gags and comedy bit moments like Chip turning into a cartoony ghost like something out of Looney Toons for no reason and Eggman acknowledging and obsessing over his previous losses to Sonic all things that would carry unto future games suggesting this direction was always the intent of Sonic Team and not because of the new writers brought on for Colors. Why is it that the people that say this will almost certainly be scratching their head over the focus away from multiple playable characters, here’s a hint for you the change in story direction and focus on Sonic as the sole playable character are the result of the spectacular failure of a single game. Still even Sonic Team was a bit timid to do this in Unleashed hence the loophole of the werehog and it’s bag bootleg God of War gameplay still being Sonic and dark elements like the Perfect Chaos of the week spewing gratuitous green blood, the response to both of those would also shape things going forward. Time Eater was one of the most effective bits of humor that Sonic Team has done over the years mainly because they don’t explain the joke to you, Time Eater isn’t a monster of the week that upstages Eggman and is related to some other time related monster of the week though you might have been made to think that leading up to the game’s release and during until the end of the game where it’s revealed to be a meaningless mcguffin used by Eggman and nothing more, this was Sonic Team ribbing on a trope they had worn to death since Sonic Adventure but it would sadly fall flat as the boss fight would be riddled with poor design and the return of nonstop annoying voice clips.

    1. “Time Eater was one of the most effective bits of humor that Sonic Team has done over the years”
       Yeah, but it also made for probably the most boring final boss in the entire series and one hell of a lackluster way to end a 20th anniversary game.

    2. Really, with the switching between 2 characters, I find it more a overly slimplified version of Rush’s Extra Zone final bosses.
       That did the whole “Doomsday Zone” style boss but still kept it relatively fresh by having the two characters switch out and having to reflect projectiles as Sonic or getting the right shot in for Blaze’s fireball (aka her not Shinku Hadoken)
       And I don’t even need to get STARTED on the badassery that is Deep Core.
       Hell, really, Generations is like Rush Adventure, but with less content and nowhere NEAR as much of an interesting plot.
       That and ALL the zones in Rush Adventure are awesome whist it all goes to shit when it comes to Planet Wisp.

    3. Also, I should note that almost all the Advance/Rush games (aside from Advance 3) had Eggman himself as the final villain in the overall grand scheme. Same goes for the Rivals games even tho I’m not too big on them (Eggman Nega is from Blaze’s dimension not the fucking future)
       So yeah, “Eggman always getting shown-up by the big monster in every game” my ass.

15. I don’t know who this “Gene the Intern” fella is, but he sounds like trouble.

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