Sonic Generations demo out now, gone in 20 days; iOS App out in Japan

by Ben Gilbert on Jun 23rd 2011 10:36AM

Sega's going all out for Sonic's 20th birthday, buying him an enormous balloon, building him an iOS App, and releasing a demo of Sonic Generations on Xbox Live and PlayStation Network. You can charge through a new(ish) Green Hill Zone with original (chubby) Sonic, and can sample the stereoscopic 3D mode while you're at it. Based on what we played, it doesn't appear as though the flipside of that level could be played with modern (skinny) Sonic. Luckily, we have 20 days to see if it's buried in there as an easter egg.

Sega released a free iOS App as well, though it's only found its way to the Japanese App Store thus far -- we've checked with Sega to make sure it's coming here as well. According to Andriasang, it'll only be available for the next six months. The app is composed of the first stage of Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode 1, a minigame named "Sonic the Sketchhog," a news feed, and an area for "weekly wallpaper downloads."

Sales are also kicking off on a variety of Sonic titles for XBLA/PSN, which run from today through July 28. And yes, this Thanksgiving, Sonic -- in his skinnier form -- will once again appear in the Macy's parade, taunting our turkey-swelled bellies with his simultaneously svelte and inflated figure.

Source: Andriasang, Sega

Tags: app-store, ios, macys-thanksgiving-day-parade, microsoft, mobile, playstation, playstation-network, ps3, psn, sonic-generations, sonic-the-hedgehog, sonic-the-hedgehog-4-episode-1, xbla, xbox, xbox-live-arcade

Reader Comments (45)

Awesome, Sonic goodness.

You'd think with the time limit they'd at least remove the need for xbox live gold.

@kyte420

>> You'd think with the time limit they'd at least remove the
>> need for xbox live gold.

It seem odd to have a time limit. Sure, there is only one level,
but sometimes, in rare cases, the demos have content
not found in the regular game.

Anywho, it seem strange to have a time limit. If someone
like playing the demo, let them play.

"You can charge through a new(ish) Green Hill Zone with original (chubby) Sonic"

This a quite deceptive ploy SEGA have going on here

I liked it when joystiq posted the link to the demo directly from xbox live so people can queu it up before going home. Anyways, here's the link:

http://marketplace.xbox.com/en-US/Product/SONIC-GENERATIONS-Demo/66acd000-77fe-1000-9115-d8025345885f?cid=search

@PedoJokerBear

They also forgot to mention that there's a Sonic Birthday bundle on the PSN that comes with Sonic 1, 2, 4, & Adventure plus a premium theme for your PS3 which saves you $20 if you bought them all seperately.

@PedoJokerBear

Thanks! I went looking for this on xbox.com and couldn't find it - I appreciate the link!

I don't ever remember playing a sonic game and I'm only 2 months younger than him!

@BrianZeluz

I think you're on the wrong website..

@ClarkyAC
How am I on the wrong website? Is not playing sonic some form of gaming sacrilege?

@BrianZeluz

Yes, so it is written in the holy book of D Pad.

@RokenR
Awh man I'm on the wrong side of another holy book. Mohammed and Jehovah are gonna be angry with me!

@BrianZeluz

Yes.

@RokenR
You mean, as was detailed in the book of Sega Genesis.

Nice... i gotta check out the demo as well as the deals to pick up any classics I may have missed.

I'm gonna be speed ballin' today!

My childhood demands Angel Island Zone. The first two Sonic games came out when I was too young, sadly. Sonic 3 is more nostalgic for me.

whose gonna go and be a "blue ballon handler" at this yr's Macy's Thanksgiving parade? THIS GUY!!!!

Just played the demo. Wow. I feel like I'm six years old again.

Played the demo and the physics are almost perfect, but I feel Sonic doesn't jump high enough and lands too quickly. But the level design is excellent!

@dagamer34
i think you are absolutely right. i played through the demo about 10 times, just to make sure i gave it a fair chance- and i have to say that they've got the physics pretty close- but his jumping still isn't right. not high enough- and he lands REALLY abruptly from a jump- losing his momentum. it's quite jarring. i know that it's just a demo and is subject to change- but really, when was the last time a final game came out significantly improved from the demo? also- the music has a really bad loop and the track just starts over after a couple minutes. it's pretty terrible. i wish Sega would just push this game back a year and make it the RIGHT WAY. but i'm not really expecting Sega to change anything, since they've proven quite clearly over the past 15 years or so that they have their heads up their asses.

@laser beams I wouldn't worry, during the production here Sega's been careful to address everything. They took extra care to specifically notify the player that the demo is for a game that is still in development and does not reflect the final product. Even watching previews you can see some of the flaws you addressed aren't present in some footage. My guess is they did not initially wish to release this demo, at least not yet, but did by overwhelming demand for one, and this is more than likely not even an up-to-date demo. They've got it this far, I have a feeling they'll have this thing ready to go by the set date. Even in unfinished choppy form I was impressed with what I saw. A polished up, finished project can only go even further.

I'm partial to classic Sonic of course, but I'm a little disappointed that they didn't include a "new" Sonic level with the demo.

So, they're limiting the availability of the demo to make sure less people play it?

I really don't see the logic in this.

@Perfidious Sinn Has SEGA made sense to you lately?

Thoughts on people playing it? I'm at work and won't get a chance till Saturday--'CAUSE I'M GETTIN' HITCHED!!!

But I'm also excited for the demo.

@romevi

Congrats!!

@romevi
Congratulations on your upcoming nuptials! i'm coming up on my first anniversary, myself :)
i have played through the demo several times- it's definitely the best feeling sonic game i've played in years, but it's far from perfect. don't get your hopes up too high, since this demo is lacking a LOT of polish. it's missing enough polish that i worry about them releasing it this year. a choppy camera, jumps that aren't quite high enough, etc. the physics are almost there, but sonic comes to a dead stop when he lands and it's jarring. also- the music is pretty amazing- except that it's on a short loop that just stops mid-song and starts over after a couple minutes. i guess i should have known that Sega would continue to jerk fans around...

Tried the demo. It was short but it was really good. I might buy the whole game.

did anyone feel like there was too much going on in the background at times? When the level first loaded, I was a bit taken aback

@blkhatpersian I felt the same way. I hate to say it, but I kinda think they need to use depth of field or something.

Another thing that may help, is keeping the camera zoomed in at the same distance throughout the game. It seemd harder to track Sonic when it was too zoomed out.

The screens look amazing. The color pallet and art style just make me happy. Definitely looking forward to checking this out.

Played it. Not really good, not really bad. There's a lot of nice graphical polish, and it's fun to play, so long as you don't treat it like the Genesis games. The leaked level list really killed any interest I had, though.

Anyone notice it's called Green Hill Zone Demo #1 ? Maybe Sega has more in store for us!

@Gregzilla The next demo is just a big piece of interactive poop. You can poke the poop, smell the poop, taste the poop, pick piece of corn out of the poop. Everyone will be furious because Sega got the poop physics wrong.

@DrDrew Pinsky pieces*

OK, it's really really nice, but does anyone else feel that the jumping is unresponsive? For me there's a noticeable delay between pressing the button and Sonic jumping up.

I think they're close too, but I'm not sure if it's the jumping thats off, or the fact that the camera zooms in and out. I think he might be jumping the same height, but with the camera zoomed out, it doesn't feel like it.

Seeegaaaaaa!!!!

I loved this. I played it for more than an hour, and eventually got my completion time to 59.07 seconds. I was hoping of it was completed under a minute there would be a bonus stage or something. Oh well. :(

Original Sonic design >>> modern Sonic design

@Rymix
I prefer his modern/most recent look actually. Just an evolutionary advancement of his character design from basic shapes to something a bit more complex. He looks awesome in Unleashed and Colors.

fill the rest of the the game with this and this would have my game of the year vote...

lets hope that new sonic doesn't screw it all up on us(which i think it will sadly)

iOS app only in Japan? What the-

I somewhat agree with you, I mean look at Mario. I often will say I prefer his old short tubby blue-shirt-red-overalls design, but would playing mario galaxy with that design fit? I'm not against the new design and I'm sure less people would be if it hadn't been for that the modern era is the one which held the most flops. (*cough* Sonic 2006 *cough*)

eiei

Sonic Generations

Sonic Generations demo out now, gone in 20 days; iOS App out in Japan

Reader Comments (45)

Posted: Jun 23rd 2011 10:47AM Juri said

Posted: Jun 23rd 2011 10:52AM kyte420 said

Posted: Jun 25th 2011 7:29AM GlassAgate said

Posted: Jun 23rd 2011 10:55AM oOWallaceOo said

Posted: Jun 23rd 2011 10:56AM PedoJokerBear said

Posted: Jun 23rd 2011 11:16AM Mrguy you know that guy said

Posted: Jun 23rd 2011 12:21PM wpxbla said

Posted: Jun 23rd 2011 10:56AM BrianZeluz said

Posted: Jun 23rd 2011 11:01AM ClarkyAC said

Posted: Jun 23rd 2011 11:11AM BrianZeluz said

Posted: Jun 23rd 2011 11:26AM RokenR said

Posted: Jun 23rd 2011 11:30AM BrianZeluz said

Posted: Jun 23rd 2011 12:14PM Shockwave said

Posted: Jun 24th 2011 4:55AM mcnichoj said

Posted: Jun 23rd 2011 10:58AM Papsky said

Posted: Jun 23rd 2011 10:59AM The Only Girl said

Posted: Jun 23rd 2011 11:02AM NGaleano77 said

Posted: Jun 23rd 2011 11:09AM Mrguy you know that guy said

Posted: Jun 23rd 2011 11:12AM dagamer34 said

Posted: Jun 23rd 2011 9:21PM laser beams said

Posted: Jun 24th 2011 1:45AM drquesadilla said

Posted: Jun 23rd 2011 11:25AM Kait said

Posted: Jun 23rd 2011 11:48AM Perfidious Sinn said

Posted: Jun 23rd 2011 12:19PM yomachaser said

Posted: Jun 23rd 2011 12:00PM romevi said

Posted: Jun 23rd 2011 1:49PM omgwtf said

Posted: Jun 23rd 2011 9:30PM laser beams said

Posted: Jun 23rd 2011 12:08PM Meghterb1985 said

Posted: Jun 23rd 2011 12:33PM blkhatpersian said

Posted: Jun 23rd 2011 1:43PM BizarroPete said

Posted: Jun 23rd 2011 1:22PM Truant said

Posted: Jun 23rd 2011 1:27PM DrDrew Pinsky said

Posted: Jun 23rd 2011 1:31PM Gregzilla said

Posted: Jun 23rd 2011 1:41PM DrDrew Pinsky said

Posted: Jun 23rd 2011 1:46PM DrDrew Pinsky said

Posted: Jun 23rd 2011 1:38PM StubbornMinion said

Posted: Jun 23rd 2011 1:45PM BizarroPete said

Posted: Jun 23rd 2011 2:10PM The black suit said

Posted: Jun 23rd 2011 2:23PM Daman09 said

Posted: Jun 23rd 2011 2:27PM Rymix said

Posted: Jun 23rd 2011 8:06PM picxel said

Posted: Jun 23rd 2011 4:30PM lyons said

Posted: Jun 23rd 2011 8:29PM mguniverse said

Posted: Jun 24th 2011 1:49AM drquesadilla said

Posted: Aug 8th 2011 2:20PM jokeParzang said

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