New Sonic 4 screens capture sundown in Splash Hill Zone

by Randy Nelson on Mar 25th 2010 2:15PM

Click to enlarge

Feeling blue today? Maybe it's because you sensed that Sega was going to make your eyes tear up (in a good way) with these razor-sharp new Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 screenshots. Or maybe you're just down in the dumps; in which case, we're sorry to hear it -- and we really hope these screens cheer you up.

The new images feature the already revealed Splash Hill Zone, this time with Sonic racing through it at sunset. Of course, without any more information, we don't know if this is a later act in the stage, or if the time of day will change dynamically mid-level. We can tell you that we think the lighting looks great, even if Sonic's true blue coloring appears to be unaffected by it (probably due to a clause in his contract).

Check out the full set of screens in the high-res gallery below.

Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1

Tags: dimps, Microsoft, Nintendo, psn, screenshots, sega, sonic, sonic-team, sonic-the-hedgehog, sonic-the-hedgehog-4, sonic-the-hedgehog-4-episode-1, Wii, wiiware, xbla, Xbox-360

Reader Comments (49)

You're really sorry to here it? ):

Ah, fixed. :D

You know, I love the Sonic Games and all, And i'm somewhat excited for this one, but I still think they should have just left it with the semi 3-d graphics from the genesis, but in HD style. This kinda seems like an attempt to remake a side-scrolling Saturn game.

That, and it shouldn't be episodic.

I don't see the problem. The gameplay looks nearly identical to the Genesis games, and it's not like it looks bad, just different.

However, I get the feeling that this is the look they wanted with the Genesis but obviously the tech wasn't there yet.

Well thats what I mean though. I don't think it looks bad in the least. Now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure what it throwing me off is the character animation from what I've seen, as well as the character models. Like remember when FF7 came out and the backgrounds for everywhere were super pretty, but the characters were all blocky? Not that I'm saying Sonic looks blocky or anything, the characters just look different from the pre-rendered backgrounds. ya-mean?

I know some people are hung up on certain animations or the way Sonic looks and I know there's fairly decent chance Sega is going to burn me, but the more I see the game the higher it moves up on my list of anticipated titles.

Same. It's a good time to be a gamer. Sooo many good games coming out.

I agree with this completely. I keep trying to not get excited because, well, Sonic hasn't done right by me in a long time... but the more I see of this game the more excited I find myself becoming.

I hope they have remixed or even kept some of the music. I always thought sonic had some catchy stage songs.

Sonic 3 had the best music ever... Hopefully they can improve in 4

RIP MJ

GODDAMMIT DAVID

I'M STILL ALIVE

Why are you guy's downranking David, I know it seems out of the blue. But he said Rip MJ, because Michael Jackson helped compose some of Sonic 3's music.... go look it up

http://kotaku.com/5418198/yes-michael-jackson-did-work-on-sonic-the-hedgehog-3

aye dog...dey be hatin cuz dey be bitches..na mean? dun let dem haturs get 2 u dawg..

PANTHER POWER!

@ Seanross

"I know it seems out of the blue"

Pun not intended I imagine? =P

The levels in Knuckles Chaotix would progressively pass through the day and end up darker by the end of the set of stages, so it's not unheard of.

I am getting one serious case of deja-vu here.

this reminds me, whatever happened to the rocket knight adventures reboot? haven't heard anything about that in a while.

Must...contain...fanboyism...

The previous video dampened my interest, but these screens are getting me excited again. Don't mess this up Sega!

If Sega does mess this up, I might just be tempted to show up at their office and harass them. Dressed in a Crash Bandicoot costume. With a megaphone.

That'll show 'em.

Except that was done to Nintendo...

The video was a pre-alpha build. That's why Sega took it off.

The Good: The "checkerboard-textured" world matches the classic's look and feel.
The Bad: The dust clouds and lighting effects don't look 2D-sprite enough.

Eh, as long as the gameplay remains in tune with the older 2D games (Genesis era) I think it's better that they take advantage of the rendering power the newer platforms can provide.

My biggest gripe is that Sonic looks like he is suffering from anorexia. It would have been nice if they had used the old Sonic model.

that looks smashin'..can't wait :)

Makes me want a chilidog.

squeeeeeeee! >_

Is that a targeting system I see?? You know sega, if it's not in 3 then it shouldn't be in 4..

Would have thought that "press button to air spin to target" will make things a little easy.. (i think there's a name for the "move", just forgot it :p)

Now I can't expect me to get frustrated at landing on an edge to be unexpectedly hit with a monkey throwing a coconut throwing me back into a pit of death..

Yes . . . how unfortunate . . . .

The SpinDash Move? That was all the way back in Sonic CD.

I recall spin dash being the move where sonic crouches and spins on the spot for a speed boost, which first found in 2. I never played Sonic CD, but I haven't seen a targeted homing attack in the game-play videos I've seen..

That move is called the "Blast" attack. It was introduced in Sonic 3D Blast.

Homing Attack. It's been a staple since 3D Blast (though it may have been called Blast attack then, Blight may be right there), but in Adventure and on ahead, it has been Homing attack.

I will protest this game by purchasing it. Take that, Sega!!

My only nitpick so far is that Sonic's legs don't turn into little wheels when he runs, a la Speedy Gonzales and the Road Runner. He ran that way in all the old games. Without it, he looks kinda off to me.

Yes they do.

Well, I've yet to see it in any of the videos or screenshots...where have you seen it?

I like how the game is looking for the most part, but I really wish they would lose the dust trail from Sonic's run.

i think they should of made it like megaman 9 and 10, old school 8bit

Considering that Sonic originated on and was the mascot for a 16-bit game system, what you're saying doesn't make a lot of sense. True, he appeared on the Game Gear and SMS, but those were after his *ahem* genesis on the Genesis (rimshot!).

So...Sonic was on the PlayStation? Is that what you're implying?

That would have been highly impossible. It's like saying "I hated those goddamn Blue Shells so much i split my DualShock in two"

My wife will play the SHIT out of this game.

hrmmm...

I wonder if that means I'll get more sex, or less? *raises an eyebrow*

Doesn't the word wife already imply NO sex?

It can only go up from there!

damn sonic needs to eat something

I still don't think you get it. Breaking a dual shock while playing a Mario game isn't possible because there were NO Mario games on PSX. Breaking a PSX while playing Sonic is also not possible for the same reason, there are no Sonic games on PSX. Sonic is Sega's mascot, and Sega didn't make games for non-Sega hardware. I think your meaning to say Genesis. You know, the Sega Genesis? The one Sonic was birthed on?

Well, there was a person me and a few other people were resonding to that seems to have dissapeared. Hum.

New Sonic 4 screens capture sundown in Splash Hill Zone

Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1

Reader Comments (49)

Posted: Mar 25th 2010 2:18PM wtfitsrick said

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