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IGN Review of Sonic Generations
There's a sad bit of irony in the fact that, for years, Sonic the Hedgehog fans have taken refuge in the embrace of Nintendo handhelds while their beloved hero took a clumsy 3D diversion on the consoles. But then, when Sonic finally gets his sh-- together, it becomes the 3DS version that is now falling behind, chasing after the console game instead of blasting ahead of it like it's done for nearly a decade.
Aside from the basic premise, the 3DS Sonic Generations bears little resemblance to its console brother. There are still two Sonics that get stolen by some purple monster thing and forced to run back through levels from their pasts, but the two hedgehogs are not all that different. Modern Sonic on handhelds has stuck to the roots of 16-bit Sonic, so the difference between the two hedgehogs is mostly limited to a boost meter, slide attack, and attitude.
Sonic Generations on the 3DS approaches the hedgehog homage from an alternate angle, a love letter to Sonic from a different, but no less fervent, admirer. This is a Sonic game built by people with fond memories of the Chaos Emerald stages in Sonic 2. People who saw Yuji Naka's sadistic level design as the pinnacle of 16-bit platforming. If the idea of getting game overs and fighting your way to an A or S ranking sends delightful shivers down your spine, then you're one of those people, too.
Instead of recreating all the levels, many of Sonic Generation's worlds are nearly exact replicas of classic levels. Classic Sonic runs through the original Green Hill and Casino Night zones, triggering nostalgia for bouncy neon chili dogs I didn't know I had. Modern Sonic visits the Emerald Coast, the quintessential Sonic level for the younger generation of fans. I love it because it's more than just inspired by older Sonic games, it's a greatest hits album with a bunch of new added content added on top.
The caveat with using iconic levels from Sonic's past is that the new levels need to match the quality, and unfortunately for the large part they don't. The levels do a fair job of capturing that classic Sonic feel, with alternate paths for you to find, many of which require lightning fast reflexes and a keen eye. And each level is sprinkled with exhilarating twists, loops, and occasional killer whale. But at the same time there are numerous moments where the level feels less like a playground and more like a Double Dare obstacle course. It's hard to get into a groove, even when I knew a level well, thus c---blocking the satisfaction of a perfect run.
©2011-12-06, IGN Entertainment, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Aside from the basic premise, the 3DS Sonic Generations bears little resemblance to its console brother. There are still two Sonics that get stolen by some purple monster thing and forced to run back through levels from their pasts, but the two hedgehogs are not all that different. Modern Sonic on handhelds has stuck to the roots of 16-bit Sonic, so the difference between the two hedgehogs is mostly limited to a boost meter, slide attack, and attitude.
Sonic Generations on the 3DS approaches the hedgehog homage from an alternate angle, a love letter to Sonic from a different, but no less fervent, admirer. This is a Sonic game built by people with fond memories of the Chaos Emerald stages in Sonic 2. People who saw Yuji Naka's sadistic level design as the pinnacle of 16-bit platforming. If the idea of getting game overs and fighting your way to an A or S ranking sends delightful shivers down your spine, then you're one of those people, too.
Instead of recreating all the levels, many of Sonic Generation's worlds are nearly exact replicas of classic levels. Classic Sonic runs through the original Green Hill and Casino Night zones, triggering nostalgia for bouncy neon chili dogs I didn't know I had. Modern Sonic visits the Emerald Coast, the quintessential Sonic level for the younger generation of fans. I love it because it's more than just inspired by older Sonic games, it's a greatest hits album with a bunch of new added content added on top.
The caveat with using iconic levels from Sonic's past is that the new levels need to match the quality, and unfortunately for the large part they don't. The levels do a fair job of capturing that classic Sonic feel, with alternate paths for you to find, many of which require lightning fast reflexes and a keen eye. And each level is sprinkled with exhilarating twists, loops, and occasional killer whale. But at the same time there are numerous moments where the level feels less like a playground and more like a Double Dare obstacle course. It's hard to get into a groove, even when I knew a level well, thus c---blocking the satisfaction of a perfect run.
©2011-12-06, IGN Entertainment, Inc. All Rights Reserved