Sonic 4 delayed until late 2010, will be released on iPhone

by JC Fletcher on May 20th 2010 6:00PM

Sega just dropped two items of information about Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I, one slightly disappointing and one ... interesting? First for the kind of bad news: it's been delayed from its original "summer" release to "late 2010."

"The additional time will allow the Development Team to focus on ensuring overall high-quality throughout the game by continuing to tune, balance, and maintain the kind of polish that an important title like this demands," the press release reads, "and ultimately providing fans with an unrivalled classic Sonic feel."

The other news: as many suspected, the downloadable game will be released not only on PSN, XBLA and WiiWare, but for the iPhone / iPod Touch as well. You'll have the choice of portability or buttons!

Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1

Source

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

Reader Comments (75)

. . .

Was really looking forward to playing that in the summer. Ah well.

Fix the following

ANIMATION
Starting run cycle is to slow / bland
Jump doesnt have Sonic spin fast enough
Spring jump character pose needs to be more snappy

Music
Please sample music from Sonic 2, 3, and Sonic & Knuckles. From the parts I've heard, the composer has a "good enough" quality. Put some real effort into the tunes.

Level Design
Good Sonic level design has a rhythm when you play. If you get into the flow you can dash thru a level like a blue ninja. Speed isn't enough if you are not in control of the player avoiding obstacles and timing jumps. If you simply fling Sonic with a bunch of springs and fly him thru loops, it will get old the very second the player stops to climb boxes and find the right path. The game play is NOT slowing down the player to solve a 3rd rate puzzle, we have other games for that.
This is NOT for 7 year olds, but for people who grew up with the blue hedgehog. It needed to be delayed from what I witnessed.

no one tell Ludwig... he'll be heartbroken.

I'm glad they're delaying to get the gameplay to feel more classic.

@ iphwne

"Please sample music from Sonic 2, 3, and Sonic & Knuckles."

Sonic 1 had the best music.

shit. i was really hoping for this for the summer too. finally finished college so i'll have free time this summer and was really hoping to get back into gaming more. this one was near the top of my list. oh well, gives me something to play over the winter then i guess.

"You'll have the choice of portability or buttons!"

But the Sony PSP provides both?

I don't get it... an iDevice release, but not one for PSP-PSN or DSiWare? Sure, a DSiWare release would require a further downscale in graphics (maybe? Is it actually 3D, or 3D-looking sprites?), but it'd be better suited than the iDevices ever would.

Learn to read - coming to PSN

@Kragragh, PSN does not imply that you can play it on the PSP. Unless it supports Remote Play, even then that's only suited for slower games like Bejeweled 2...

No iPad?

if iPhone 4.0 specs are as presented, the iPhone after summer will have almost the exact same specs as the iPad. Same CPU and close screen resolution.

iPad sucks.

Sad face.

How about an Android version?

Lol Android

You can LOL all you want at it, Buck. It's still the second best-selling OS right behind Nokia.

Guess whose behind Android?

@Wiizer

Pedobear?

Oh, snap.

Wiizer with the bomb.

sorry, but the shop opportunity was too good to pass up

http://i587.photobucket.com/albums/ss319/supersonic215/OHNOOOOOOO.png

(yes. too lazy to get rid of the jaggies. but my point is made.)

skyblaze.... Can I... have that?

by all means =)

WHAT THE HELL?!! The iPhone's getting TWO exclusive levels?!

http://www.sonicstadium.org/news/live-blog-rubyeclipse-and-ken-baloughs-on-the-spot-appearance

You know what SEGA?....

....

....

I can't even say it. I'd get banned.

"Also, the only new information we’re getting tonight is that the iPhone version will have two levels (that the consoles won’t have) that take advantage of the iPhone’s tilt functionality."

WHAT ABOUT SIXAXIS?!?!?

*looks awkwardly at the sobbing left out 360 controller in the corner

Who's shocked? Honestly.

I seriously don't understand this. Episode 1 has been finished for months now. I've seen the entire game leaked and everything's finished. They haven't done anything to it. It's almost like they did this on purpose because of the leak.

Though if they say they're taking the time to fine tune it even more, then that's great. Since Sega seems to always love to rush their titles.

You could say they love to Sonic Rush their titles, even.

Only a matter of time before a certain group of knee-jerk Sonic fans declare the lack of buttons on the iPhone version a cardinal sin.

I think I'd find more time to play it on a portable device actually. Too many titles taking up my time that can't be played on a bus full of bewildered pensioners.

I'm glad they're delaying it I ratter it be delayed and good than rushed and crappy.

my thoughts exactly... my only outrage is that the iPhone's getting 2 extra levels. ugh..... bad enough it doesn't have buttons and they should've went with the PSP or DS, but now there's EXTRA content that people who don't go for Apple will miss. way to anally rape us, SEGA -__-

@ trevor The extra levels in the iPhone version are just gonna be crappy tilt levels similar to the awful mine cart level that's in the console versions.

Wish Sega had done that with the last dozen sonic team games that came out before. Could sega's upper management be begining to- gasp... CARE!

Glad to hear about the delay. I'm excited for Sonic 4, but the leaked gameplay videos made it look like the game isn't quite where it could/should be in terms of quality.

If a bit more time polishing and tuning can fix that, I'm all for it.

haha i get it

I can't help but think this was triggered by the media leak of the second level.

Poor choice. This one's going to get very lost this holiday season, while this summer is more of an open field (not a wasteland, but clearer)

I call shenanigans. When has Sega EVER worried about the quality of recent Sonic games?

it's a shame no one put 'cue the self righteous hipsters ranting about people ranting about something that hasn't been ranted about yet'

Theyd've had you right on the money.

If they own one of the consoles this game will appear on, then they can more than likely afford an iPhone (unless we go down that "parents buy everything" road). Hating touch screens can't be used for not being able to afford one. Sure, it may be like that for some bitter peeps out there, but to me, the touch screen craze is crazy. If people want it (which it seems they do) then let'em have it, but I just don't see why. I really can't stand it and don't see how it is better than buttons and joysticks and d-pads and all that, especially on a game like this. I will say though, that the touch screen is perfect for select titles but definitely not for a majority of the games out there.

I don't think people are saying that touch screens suck. The touch screen has proved itself to be a fantastic interface for many games. But for standard button-controlled games, a touch screen isn't a suitable alternative. The iPhone's faux-button technique on its touch screen can't really provide the same tactility, feedback and satisfaction of button controls.

But apparently you can't have buttons, portability, AND Sonic 4, unfortunately.

I wish Apple would release a 1st-party button controller, so that there would be some standard for people to work off of / start adopting. An iPhone with a little cradle would be the same size as a PSP, and the button plates could slide behind the phone when not in use. Virtual buttons are so annoying.

A Sonic game without buttons sounds incredible.

Really.

it's alright, I already have an iPhone 3GS and love it. I just don't make the rest of the fanbase look bad by acting like a complete tard on the internet.

Aww, Frank is insecure because not everyone worships Apple.

Isn't that cute!

Sorry what was that? I couldn't hear you over the sound of how awesome my iPhone is.

Honestly, based on Episode 1 being leaked, I'd say the game could stand to go through some fine-tuning.

They weren't fooling me with that ''leaked'' footage.

They were just fishing for responses, and now the game is delayed cause those responses were not good. By the time we see the game again that mine cart level may be gone

Sucks, was looking forward to Sonic 4 in June/July in the coming months. Hopefully it releases before December.

PSN, does that also entail the PSP?

Just wondering...

I'd much rather have it on PSP than iPhone.

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Sonic 4 delayed until late 2010, will be released on iPhone

Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1

Reader Comments (75)

Posted: May 20th 2010 6:04PM Repo Man said

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