Unless you've just been unfrozen from cryogenic suspension, you've already heard of the upcoming Sonic game, Sonic Generations. This game will let gamers play as classic Sonic who will have 2D levels, and modern Sonic who will have 3D stages. I'm excited about this one, but at the same time, I can't help but feel that there was an explosion of anger caused by the Sonic fanbase when the trailer hit the web.
I'm sure the fans of old-school Sonic are stoked but as my friend Sonichuman said, "Sega seems to be oblivious to the fact that they're forcefully driving a wedge into the fans." While I admit that being able to play as two different versions of Sonic sounds intriguingly cool, the mere inclusion of classic Sonic could very well ignite a fury from Sonic fans the likes of which we've never seen.
Across the interwebs, fans are already bemoaning the game and it isn't even out yet. "Classic Sonic looks fat." "Classic Sonic is too short!" "Modern Sonic gameplay segments will suck! Classic Sonic gameplay will be awesome!" Cripes.
Just why does modern Sonic get such a bad rap? I think it has to do with modern Sonic being associated with some less-than-stellar 3D outings over the last decade. Not everything 3D Sonic has been bad. The recent Sonic Colors received high accolades but that's just one game versus the numerous titles that have ranged from adequate (Sonic Heroes) to horrendous (Sonic the Hedgehog 2006). Of Course Modern Sonic has been in good 2D games as well. There's the excellent Sonic Rush and before that, there was the Sonic Advance Trilogy. They may not have surpassed the Genesis games, but they were not bad titles.
And what about classic Sonic? Though the fanbase may like to pretend otherwise, he's been in sucky games, too. Sonic 3D Blast looked and sounded amazing but those are the only positives I can speak of on that particular isometric adventure. Sonic Blast on the Game Gear, which was a straight up 2D Sonic platformer was an embarrassment to the Sonic name. Then you've also got the Sonic Drift titles, which put Sonic in a go-cart in an attempt to copy Mario Kart, but without all the fun aspects. Some fans might say "But most of the bad classic Sonic games were on the Game Gear." My response to that is, a bad Sonic game is a bad Sonic game, regardless of what platform it's on.
Do not enter Sonic message boards discussing Sonic Generations, even out of curiosity. The hate coming from the classic Sonic side is so raw, so unfathomably powerful that you'd think these people got coaching from Emperor Palpatine. Mind you, there are rational classic Sonic fans out there, but they are outnumbered by the louder voices, voices that will no doubt get louder as we learn more about Sonic Generations.
I could see why there would be a lot of hate surrounding the game. I think people will adjust to it though, mainly because most of the hate would probably be mixing what we all know and love with something that we aren't too fond of, at all. I mean, look at Sonic Colors, people hated that game from the start, and look how good it was.
ReplyDeleteit sounds really good and I think it will be fun
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