Sonic the Hedgehog demo on Xbox Live

360 News | Try out the spiky blue hedgehog for yourself.

The official demo for Sonic the Hedgehog has been released on the Xbox Live Marketplace. The demo weighs in at 341MB, and lets you take control of the spiky blue hedgehog. This isn't the only demo planned in the imminent future, either; within the next 24 hours we expect Microsoft to unleash even more trials.

We recently had an opportunity to go hands-on with Sonic the Hedgehog, so whilst you're waiting for the demo to download why not have a read? We'll have more information on Sonic the Hedgehog shortly.

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19 Comments

slapshakle

5 years ago

I dont find it to be that good, its like a hyperactive version of Crash Bandicoot.

theory

5 years ago

Come on 360 owners, try this out and let us know what you think. After reading the PALGN playtest it seems we could be up for something alright (not expecting greatness here).

Michael Kontoudis

5 years ago

Hmmm.

It's not a big demo but from what I played this game is complete dodginess wrapped in a smelly bow of unfulfilled nostalgic yearning.

The graphics seem reminisicent of the nicest PS2 game ever made (sounds good, but nah) but the real killer here is the twitchy controls.

Sonic is not meant for 3d. I enjoyed Sonic Adventure 1 and 2 a fair bit, and even Sonic Heroes gave me a bit of joy, but i'm so over 3d Sonic.

For those who haven't played it, let me give you a rundown of the next-gen Sonic experience:

Run really quickly and jerkily along narrow platforms with little sense of control as you try to stop the pathetic camera from sending you off the edge.

Engage enemies in 'combat' which consists of jumping and then trying to home in on them, the result of which is usually faulty collision detection and an untimely fall into the abyss below.

Take 2: make Sonic run like a hyperactive lunatic along tiny narrow walkways until you come to a line of rings. Press 'X' to travel along the line, the game helpfully informs you. You do so, and Sonic proceeds to glide through the air halfway along the line, but then due to faulty collision detection simply decides to plummet to his doom (see above for info on 'the abyss').

You then gather up the courage to try again, knowing full well that you shall regret it.

Rinse, repeat.

Bottom-line: Sonic in 3D is silly. Like Castlevania, nobody has figured out how to adapt this awesome 2d series into 3d.

Very, very disappointing, but will sell on nostalgia alone. Bah, thank you Xbox Live Marketplace for saving me yet again.

theory

5 years ago

Word. I'm not a fan of the Sonic Adventure games either, but Sonic Rush is cool. Just goes to prove the point really. Some games should stay 2D forever... and that's not a bad thing, some of the best games of all time are 2D.

Karai Pantsu

5 years ago

sidzed2 pretty much drove the point home like a brick to the face - the gameplay is buggy and flawed by the hateful camera. The graphics are nice (not great), but there isn't much to see in the demo.

I'd like to think that there is hope yet for this new Sonic title. I loved Sonic Adventure, it basically drove me to buy a Dreamcast - but this XBL demo doesn't even hold a candle (let alone a wet match) to SA.

Gutsman Heavy

5 years ago

its not there! *sob*

Zarnoss

5 years ago

sidzed2 wrote

Bottom-line: Sonic in 3D is silly. Like Castlevania, nobody has figured out how to adapt this awesome 2d series into 3d.

Yeah it's easy, do it in a style like Klonoa or Pandamonium but with much sharper 3D.Why the hell they don't implement that style baffles the hell out of me!
They could still have awesome 3D environments with sweeping camera pans etc but remain the original point to point objective from a side on perspective.

Game developers these days suck harder than v8Turbo hoover.

Yeah, Sonic Failed hard.

GooberMan

5 years ago

theory wrote

Sonic Rush is cool. Just goes to prove the point really. Some games should stay 2D forever...

What, that a 2D game can be done with 3D elements?

The boss battles were in 3D, EXCEPT that the movement was restricted to 2D. Likewise, there were elements in the main stages that were done in 3D (the zone-special rotating objects). As Xcs:sIVE said, Klonoa or Pandamonium is a good template to stick to. I'll go one further and put Gish up as an example on how smart usage of 3D (amongst many other modern niceties) can greatly enhance a 2D platform game.

Infested Jibbs

5 years ago

Goemon 64, the second one, was a WONDERFUL example of how to do to justice to a traditionally 2d game;overhaul the look and make it in 3d, but keep it on a 2d plane, but still incorporate 3d elements like branching pathways, enemies attacking from different angles(attacking from the screen, into the screen etc)and sweeping camera views and junk like that.

That was a superb, under-rated game, which had 2 player(and 4 player unlockable) co-op to boot.**** fantastic.It sounds like sonic would work much better in an environment like that.

theory

5 years ago

GooberMan wrote

theory wrote

Sonic Rush is cool. Just goes to prove the point really. Some games should stay 2D forever...

What, that a 2D game can be done with 3D elements?

The boss battles were in 3D, EXCEPT that the movement was restricted to 2D. Likewise, there were elements in the main stages that were done in 3D (the zone-special rotating objects).

3D elements are fine. The boss battles and special stages work because Sonic is restricted to 2D. Sonic running around freely in a 3D landscape (a la Sonic Adventure) is not so great. I'd like Sonic to keep his speed and not have to worry about him falling off the sides of platforms.

Jibbs wrote

how to do to justice to a traditionally 2d game;overhaul the look and make it in 3d, but keep it on a 2d plane, but still incorporate 3d elements like branching pathways, enemies attacking from different angles(attacking from the screen, into the screen etc)and sweeping camera views and junk like that.

Exactly.

GooberMan

5 years ago

The 3D Sonic talking just reminded me of a fan game made with a modified Doom Legacy called Sonic Robo Blast 2. I haven't played it for years (the last time I played it was when only the first zone was available), but I remember it being a pretty decent attempt at incorporating 2D gameplay in to an unrestricted 3D environment. I'm going to give it another go when I get home.

Nev

5 years ago

I think you guys are giving too much credit to the developers here.

Is there a fundamental reason why Sonic couldn't work in 3D?

Camera problems, glitchy collision detection... these are the fault of the programmer, not of the concept of the game.

Take Jet Set Radio, for example. Replace the skaters with a blue hedgehog, and bam... 3D game, fast gameplay, fun as hell to control.

There's simply no excuse for slowdown, bad animation, camera problems and glitches. Sega have had enough practice at making 3D games, they should've gotten the hang of it by now.

As for Sonic Rush, I found it overrated. Yes, it was cool... for a DS platformer. But as a Sonic game, it was focused on all the wrong areas, and the blast-move basically did away with the need for any of Sonic's spinning moves... You could've removed the rings and replaced Sonic with any other generic character and no one would've even noticed.

Also, does no one else see the irony in complaining that the 360 version has you falling off platforms, when Sonic Rush is probably the Sonic game MOST guilty of that?

D.Dark

5 years ago

If the forumplanet reviews are anything to go by, the game is complete ****. I'm just interested in how well the Wii version plays ( i already knew the 360/PS3 version will be ****).

Chris

5 years ago

Blergh, what a mess. Movement is twitchy, the homing attack is unpredictable, the combat is often awkward while the camera is generally too close to Sonic which limits the view ahead. The whole level is pretty much a lesson in trial and error from start to finish too and while it can be quiet fun when you've played through it a few times and learnt what is ahead I really can't imagine enjoying a whole game like this. There's very few points to actually get to run at speed too, it's all very stop/start like Sonic Adventure 2 and Sonic Heroes were. Try harder next time SEGA, the search for a truly great 3D Sonic game continues...

theory

5 years ago

Nev wrote

Hell no there is no reason why it couldn't work. From all evidence it seems it can only work if Sonic is moving on one set path like the special stages in Sonic Rush. So lets stick with that and maybe make it a little more 3D so that he can also move forward and backward.

Jet Set Radio is a good example though, great point.

Correct about Sega, if they can't do it well in 3D then they should stick to the tried and true.

Finally, if you reread my message prior to this one you will see that I strictly said "falling off the sides of platforms"... falling into the abyss between platforms is fine with me, it's always been like that.

Jim Dash

5 years ago

How disappointing. Next-gen Sonic could've been something awesome, but they obviously havn't learnt from the fault they made in Sonic Adventure 1 & 2. Good visuals will only get you so far.

What a way to kill Sonic. This was his time to step up and open up a can of whoop ass on next-gen conoles. Instead he stinks like b.o. and nobody will stand near him.

David

5 years ago

Having just played it, I agree with sized2's post. Except for this line:

sidzed2 wrote

Like Castlevania, nobody has figured out how to adapt this awesome 2d series into 3d.

Yes they have. Castlevania 64 and Legacy of Darkness were near perfect replicas of traditional Castlevania gameplay in 3D, and great (if slightly patchy) games to boot.

The PS2 Castlevania games were poor dungeon crawlers that bore little resemblance to the series' gameplay proper, showing that it's just IGA (the current Castlevania producer) who has a problem with 3D, not the series itself.

Similarly (and as Nev mentioned), it's not anything to do with the series why Sonic sucks in 3D. It's just that the developers are chimps. 3D isn't Sonic's only problem...

Michael Kontoudis

5 years ago

David, I should have remembered your infamous views on Castlevania 64 and it's 'sequel'!

Well, they're only 'infamous' to me because I thought the 64 Castelvania games were quite 'meh'. To me, they are no better than the Sonic Adventure-style games in termws of the quality of the switch to 3d: passable, but not classic (fiddly controls, muddy graphics, a touch boring).

Of course, we'll have to agree to disagree!

Plus it isn't as if I think Sonic and Castlevania COULDN"T make for wonderful 3D games, it's just me saying that so far, Sonic and Castlevania in 3D have been silly.

I think Sega needs to go back to the drawing board and reconceptualise what a 3D sonic game should be like, because next-gen 'Sonic the Hedgehog' is certainly not it - why doesn't ANYBODY playtest the damn thing and say 'huh, this is kinda crappy!" ?

GAH.

Zarnoss

5 years ago

Chris wrote

and while it can be quiet fun when you've played through it a few times

Heheh that is quite a funny typo there.

I think quiet fun sums it up perfectly. (silence)

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Sonic the Hedgehog

Pre-order or buy:
PALGN recommends: www.Play-Asia.com

Australian Release Date:
  Out Now
European Release Date:
  Out Now
Publisher:
  Sega
Developer:
  Sonic Team
Players:
  1

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