Sega has a Sonic the Hedgehog surge this year with Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 and Sonic Colors slated for release. When it comes to Sonic games, Sonic Colors is the next major release. Takashi Iizuka, Producer, pointed this out during a presentation and said Sonic Colors is the follow up to Sonic Unleashed. Other games like last year’s Sonic and the Black Knight are branch titles.
Iizuka, who is also the current head of Sonic Team, explained the story. Dr. Eggman used a giant tractor beam to bring a cluster of planets together creating an amusement park-like world. Wisps, colorful aliens live on these planets, and Sonic can gain special powers when he touches them. Iizuka decided to hire American writers to craft the story, which he hopes will be better accepted by a Western audience.
The colorful powers – cyan turns Sonic into a laser beam that zips through fiber optic cables and yellow which lets Sonic drill underground – are designed for exploration. By using these abilities, Sonic can reach new areas and different paths which may be shorter than running through a level. Creating powers “that wouldn’t kill the tempo” was paramount to design.
Tails shows up in Sonic Colors, but Sonic is the only playable character. Iizuka opted for this because he believes that’s what fans want. OK, Sonic fans does is this starting to sound like a Sonic game you want?
