Sonic and Knuckles 3D fan video is all sorts of rad

by Griffin McElroy on Aug 25th 2010 5:30PM

Before you get your hopes too high, we feel morally compelled to inform you that the video posted after the jump, a purported gameplay clip from Sonic and Knuckles 3D, isn't culled from any upcoming licensed game. In fact, it's not even from a fan-made game -- rather, it's just a pre-rendered video from a skilled 3D artist and YouTube user by the username of BlobVanDam.

Spin-dash past the jump if you want to see the Mushroom Hill Zone Act 2 that never-will-be. Actually, that's a pretty defeatist attitude to adopt. We're sure that someday, in the fullness of time, this delightful vision will be realized. Until then: Sonic 4!

Via: Sega
Source: Sonic Stadium

Tags: fake, fan-video, sega, sonic-and-knuckles-3d, sonic-the-hedgehog, video

Reader Comments (48)

Wow.. that actually looks really cool. It looks a lot like Sonic 4 though..?

Thumbs up'd for 90's not-anime Sonic.

@TRONdll
Comment system broke and made this a reply dangit.

@xTetheredWingsX

No no no no no...

This is what sonic 4 Should look (and play) like..

I know some people, will enjoy it. But some how, I could imagine that if sonic 4 was released on mega-drive (genesis), with graphics similar to 3, i would be thoroughly disappointed. It seems to me that the flow of the game has been broken with things like homing attack and lack of blury legs (:p)..

Rant over.. I am yet to play it, so opinion may change =/

@xTetheredWingsX I think it looks like Sonic 4 too. I think the video looks great, but as many commenters pointed it out, it's pre-rendered, not an actual engine.

And I don't get all the Sonic 4 hate. Just admit, all of the haters will buy it day one...

@PiccoroDaimaoh

It's a process. Some of the fans have been dragged into deep depression because of what's happened to Sonic. Time and time again their hopes have been raised, and have been quickly crushed with many sonic releases.

If we (and I have to agree that I am an irrational hater of this game :p) continue to hate Sonic 4, and are pleasantly surprised.. then think of the euphoria!

@ClarkyAC
lol... deep depression...

Goddamnit.

People do this stuff just to tease us. =/

Uhm... Why can't SEGA do this? I mean, I know Sonic 4 is coming out, but it better be on par with that video, damn it.

@HelloDentist

It won't.

@HelloDentist I know, SEGA has disappointed me for awhile now. I don't know if I cant trust them anymore.. I love me some sonic.

Woah! The detail.... such beautiful detail! This is what hard work and dedication can do!

@Hayatoblaze91x
Both of which are foreign concepts to Sonic team! *rimshot*

Damn, that's jaw dropping, the light coming between the trees is just awesome.

"Completely browned up for the next-gen hue of choice!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3brewFc7kAE#t=11m

Damn, I want to play it so bad!

That's really cool!

"Sonic and Knuckles"? This video has about as much to do with Knuckles as Sega does with making good Sonic titles.

@Ruinkind

Did you...actually play Sonic and Knuckles?

@Ruinkind

You do know that Knuckles is a character, right?

@theprabh

Right, and a character we see none of in the video. I liked how Sonic was presented here and I would have liked to see some Knuckles too.

Judging from how my previous post was down-voted, I guess this makes me look like some kind of monster, but I assure you that I'm just an evil-looking robot containing an adorable fuzzy animal in my center.

@Ruinkind

Ah, I see the point of confusion. this video is a remake of a specific level from the game Sonic and Knuckles, which is why it's titled Sonic and Knuckles 3D. :)

(however, I do hope that the people that made this video might considering making a Knuckles video as well- he always progressed along more interesting routes IMO)

IMO, looks quite a bit better than Sonic 4 - the light through the trees effect was especially nice.

Sega needs to hire this guy immediately and promote him to visuals director.

@Brother Unit No 4 yes that is a fact but sadly they won't

Now that's what I call a true next-gen Sonic game!

I will link to this whenever someone tells me that another retro game should continue to look horrible. People keep telling me Megaman couldn't work with updated graphics. Ditto Castlevania. But updated graphics don't preclude solid gameplay. So while Megaman continues to return to the NES well, gorgeous (but great playing) 2D games like Bionic Comamndo: Rearmed, Shadow Complex and Limbo will be some of the more memorable 2D games of this generation for me.

@eudaimo

There are Mega Man remakes done in 3D on the PSP and they look (and feel) great.

@eudaimo

I think the difference here is that you think retro games look horrible. Which is perfectly fine.

I don't think retro games look horrible. I love Mega Man 9, and I think it looks great. Great sprite work within the bounds of what they were aiming for.

However, I also love Bionic Commando, and wouldn't be opposed to a Mega Man sequel that looked like that. I just don't require it either. It'd be different, but not necessarily better (or worse) IMO.

Back on topic, this video will likely serve your purposes well.

I've been screaming screw 3D for a while and Clash of the Titans didn't help but this video is bringing me around. Time to go see Avatar!

@(Unverified)

Er. It's not that kind of 3D.

This looks way better than Sonic 4...starting a discussion here: http://dylanljmartin.wordpress.com/2010/08/25/i-want-to-play-sonic-knuckles-right-now/

How many years has it been? Sega couldn't even do this well.

Yep, a 2,5D Sonic game - exactly what I've been wanting for the last 10 years.

Hello, Sega?
THIS is how you do a Sonic game the RIGHT WAY.

I'm willing to put down $10 that Sonic 4 sucks.

To every single person saying "why can't SEGA do this?" or a similar complaint, if you read the article you'd know this is a pre-rendered video.

In essence, this is the equivalent of a cut scene. It's gorgeous and it's made to look like gameplay, but it's not.

Okay, so polygons would have to be reduced, texture resolutions lowered, lighting reduced.

It'd still be better than what Sega is putting out.

Just remake Sonic 1-3 + Sonic and Knuckles with current gen 3D graphics, but don't change the gameplay, music, or controls a bit. Pack them all together, and sell as a full priced game.

Everyone wins. Old school Sonic fans get the only Sonic game that could ever please them, new school Sonic fans get yet another Sonic game, and Sega make a game for cheap that sells loads and makes them lots of monies.

@WiNGSPANTT from TopTierTacticsco

true, but hey the gameplay can be transferred for the most part unlike the graphics portion of it..depending on the console it should look decent enough.

@WiNGSPANTT from TopTierTacticsco

I am not sure how it's not plausible though. The foreground visuals in Little Big Planet are awfully close to the foreground visuals here.

The parallax scrolling background does not show much for perspective (just like the original Genesis/Megadrive version). So those scrolling layers could be pre-rendered. The only complex thing about it is the sun effect, which is basically a light pointing at the screen. Same thing is accomplished when you quickly "look at the sun" in a FPS.

So.. though it is pre-rendered, if you really analyze it, it's completely feasible on today's hardware.

Wowzers. Too bad we can't get something like this.

somebody needs a job and fast

I would play the HELL out of this if it ever became a playable game!! The graphics look smooth and crisp, I love the little subtleties like leaves getting tossed up, sun rays through the trees from the background to the foreground, and the lighting on all the objects. Sadly, seeing this little pre-rendered video clip has made me that much more iffy about Sonic 4.

I didn't expect my jaw to drop like it did.

this is the SEGA version of the Mega Man 2.5D blueballs.

PAY THE MAN!

Wow...somehow this made Sonic & Knuckles seem...boring. Still, the first couple of levels in S&K weren't exactly thrilling.

Regardless I like what the guy has done here and would love to see an extended version.

Theres a tent in my pants now! Thanks!

I'd love to see high-res screens from that. It looks like the same sort of crispness as LBP.

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Sonic and Knuckles 3D fan video is all sorts of rad

Reader Comments (48)

Posted: Aug 25th 2010 5:35PM xTetheredWingsX said

Posted: Aug 25th 2010 5:43PM TRONdll said

Posted: Aug 25th 2010 5:43PM TRONdll said

Posted: Aug 25th 2010 5:51PM ClarkyAC said

Posted: Aug 25th 2010 7:32PM PiccoroDaimaoh said

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Posted: Aug 25th 2010 7:01PM WiNGSPANTT from TopTierTacticsco said

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