A few years ago, some company said "hey we can make this better!" How? Bringing it to nextgen consoles, then it would leave us floored, and wondering if we could play the title. Later to find out a demo, that caused a split between gamers. Where did the day / night physics go? What happened to realtime gameplay? Plus where did that awesome fight sequence + sans taking off from buildings, to only see the blue hedgehog winding up kissing dirt = using emerald and taking everything out in sight? I really wish I knew as well.


2006's Sonic entry was something of a mixed conception. From this fan included, who has enjoyed Sega's mascot's adventures since the Genesis. But those days are long gone, "blast processing" and the coveted embrace of speed hasn't been felt in ages. Although Sonic Adventure actually delivered some insane moments, it just missed a few markers with others. And Adventure 2 could have been an opus, besides marketing SEGA's almost near "deatH' if it weren't for its re-envisioning of itself.


Several things I pondered when I wrapped up my time with Adventure pt2. Why did it break the barrier of having both the good / bad guys work together? The idea of Robotnik already playing "second fiddle" teased the fuck out of everyone back in pt1. "Who the hell thought the ending from pt1 didn't dazzle & amaze us as is?!" Every magazine praised "what just happened!" it was an amazing sensation then, and it still leaves some markers till this day. Go ahead, pop in Adventure 1, and tell me you didn't get a chill down your spine when Robotnik actually is a do-gooder (although getting his ass shot out of the sky in the process).


I find it ridiculous how much of the newer fanbase isn't welcome with concepts mixed together. "Why do we need humans in the story?" "We don't need this many characters" Seriously, Adventure 1&2 were meant to veer away from a different perspective. Would we want to "rinse & repeat" what's been done before? Sonic Team's motive was to take its fans on a new type of energetic ride, something that hadn't been taken to such a level. Nowadays its still not even common place, where current titles dare try to make their characters go on a non-stop ride, only to find it end the moment they even take a chance to do something else. (oh yeah I forgot, the games lately are damn near unplayable) And some wonder why gamers these days decide not to plunker down $60+ for some piece of shit (oh wait, some still do I forget about that part).


I remember those crazy days back in grade school where the question came up. "Hey are you a hardcore or casual game player?" Back then, my summers were spent playing games left and right. With friends, and just enjoying every moment. That rush lately is long gone, we've all grown up and rarely see one another. To be honest, I would love to get that feeling back again someday, I miss it.. maybe that's why the Sonic series has missed its mark during the journey. It lost its focus, being tossed so many times, it barely had time to recover. Until recently, admit it that sequence during the new titles trailer doesn't excite you one bit. If it doesn't why are you still playing games anymore? =D

*I kid, even when I attended PAX, that sensation of those long lost summers to being in front of tv screens with gamepads came back. I would so want that to come back every weekend, and just enjoy every moment. Maybe its something we all need after all.