PixlBit

I channel my inner '90s mascot attitude and explore a recent troubling trend.

At last year’s PAX East I attended a panel hosted by one of the marketing magicians for Sega of America in the '90s, Al Nilson. At that panel I got up to ask a question about the NEMO project he worked on in the late '80s, but before I did I told this quick story about the time I borrowed the first Sonic the Hedgehog game off my friend when it was first released:  While I was at home being blown away by the technical achievement of Sonic Team’s new baby, my friend called me and said his mother was mad he lent out his new game and was making him come by in a couple hours to pick it up. Since my time was now limited to how much of this amazing new game I was going to be able to play,  I decided to hunker down and try to beat the game before he came to get it. I focused and played as carefully as I could. I ended up beating the game without continuing and with all the Chaos Emeralds. I had the honor of telling Al Nilson it was one of the best "Gaming Zen" moments of my life. He appreciated my story and my love for Sonic.

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I've lived and learned that some things are better left in the past.

I have fond memories of Sonic Adventure 2. The revision, Sonic Adventure 2: Battle, was the first game I ever played on a Nintendo Gamecube, and I remember that moment very clearly. At the time, I swore it was one of the coolest games ever. Running down the side of a building at high speeds? It was awesome to me at the time. On top of that you had two parallel stories that lead to an epic final chapter. I made it a priority to eventually own the game and I did, and I enjoyed it a lot. From the campaign to the Chao garden, I spent a lot more time playing Sonic Adventure 2 than I should have.  Looking through the lens of Sonic Adventure 2 HD, it’s kind of hard to see why I enjoyed the game so much in the first place. 

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Is Tails the foil that accomplishes what Episode 1 couldn't, bringing Sonic back to his former splendor?

When Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I was released in 2010, it was meant to be a return to form for the blue blur, taking inspiration from the original Genesis titles. The results were mixed. So Sega went back to the drawing board for the next episode and fixed a few of the problems plaguing the first game. Although Ep. II evokes some of Sonic's previous glory, Sega still hasn't been able to fully capture the magic of the Genesis games, apparently content with yet another platformer that is only slightly above average in nearly every respect.

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Over the weekend, an incomplete version of the game was briefly introduced and quickly removed.

Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II isn't due to be released until the middle of next month, but this past weekend Steam users were accidentally granted access to the unfinished game. Though quickly taken down, some were able to capture footage of the game in action. One such user, ShadowofRuki of YouTube, has released a number of videos that reveal more details about the game.

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