Sonic X Shadow Generations: Should The Future of Sonic be in 3D or 2.5D?

Sonic X Shadow Generations | PC | Consoles

With the release of the new Sonic X Shadow Generations, fans of the Blue Blur are once again diving into the high-speed world of Sonic. But it also brings up a question that has been lingering in my mind for some time: 

Is Sonic truly built for the world of 3D gaming, or is he better suited for 2.5D adventures?

Sonic's transition to 3D platforming has been a mixed bag for quite a while. While there is an appreciated formula in the 3D adventures, such as Sonic Adventure, the speed of the gameplay, characters, levels, and the camera are not always cohesive to me. I find myself searching for synergy in some of the games, but it can feel a bit off when the flow gets disrupted by awkward areas based on one or more of the factors mentioned above. While challenging response times can be engaging, being on a fixed track (2.5D) can make the experience feel much smoother than having full 360-degree movement during the acts (to be specific).

Sonic and Shadow, with their incredible speed, sometimes feel too quick to handle in certain areas, leading to a less enjoyable gaming experience. When surfing on aerial tracks and using trigger buttons to move from track to track, the gameplay feels much more cohesive in the 3D areas and the standard 2.5D platforming areas because it removes the loose movement that can detract from the experience. The 2.5D stages in Sonic X Shadow Generations and other titles take me back. The controls are tighter, and I think the players can focus more on different moves and quick-time events under these circumstances without worrying about the characters feeling out of control or too fast to manage in terms of accuracy. The original Sonic Generations game garnered support from me because of its 2.5D gameplay, and with the release of Sonic X Shadow Generations, I'm able to get my 2.5D gameplay fix while taking on... Black Doom.

Nintendo successfully took Super Mario to new heights with Super Mario 64 and beyond, but Sega still needs to refine its approach to delivering full 360-degree action with Sonic and friends. While Sonic X Shadow Generations shows promise, it has some of those same challenges that other Sonic games have... that still deliver a level of frustration. Overall, regardless of the route Sega takes, I hope they keep their sights on being better than Nintendo and being the mighty rival we once knew. I want the choice between buying a Sonic title & a Mario title to be a difficult one, because they're both just that bad ass. This isn't about being anti-Mario, it's about us benefitting from great games. Achieving this with a 2.5D game is possible, and Sonic X Shadow Generations does a commendable job of balancing both 2.5D and 3D elements for the most part, even if I occasionally fall off the tracks. Enough of talking about the game, check out the first 30:

Sonic X Shadow Generations:

• Past meets present in SONIC GENERATIONS! Modern and Classic Sonic team up to defeat Dr. Eggman and the Time Eater to restore their timeline to normal!
• Spin dash through a greatest-hits collection of 3D and 2D versions of iconic stages from past Sonic games, now with updated visuals and reworked cinematics
• In this new standalone campaign, Black Doom has reemerged and threatens to take over the world. Shadow must journey into his past, confront his memories, and unlock new dark powers to save the world.
• Harness Shadow's new Doom Powers to battle hordes of enemies and tackle platforming challenges like never before. Surf on water, fly over obstacles, and stop time with the return of Chaos Control!
• Rescue Chao hiding in every level, rack up the highest pinball score in the Casino Nights zone, and check out the museum for behind-the-scenes art, music, and more!

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Back To The Future w/ SEGA!

Before I even jump into this article, take a look at this video which reveals some of the awesomeness I've been waiting to see for quite some time (some of you may have seen it at the Video Game Awards 2023):

If you didn't know, now you know that SEGA is going back to the future... by way of diving into its legacy to bring new games to the forefront from familiar franchises. Crazy Taxi & Jet Set Radio were IP's served up to us on the Dreamcast, and were great titles worth being added to a collector's library (I still have these games for my system). It was great to see the games being brought back on the scene because... there's a place for them. Sega should have peeped game awhile ago (I mean... look at Capcom).

Crazy Taxi on the Dreamcast + Arcade focused on picking up people... and getting to their locations in time by any means necessary, while racking up bonuses for drifting, etc. The game was buttery smooth, wacky, and fun and I hope to see the locations expand in the pending game along with the various challenges that take advantage of the online multiplayer. Back then, SEGA took a bold step to make the console capable of connecting to the internet, but... it wasn't there yet. So I'm curious what modes are going to be available today, now that online multiplayer is a major staple in games now.

Jet Set Radio was so fun and also ran buttery smooth. The art style was undeniable, and... the music kept you rocking as you tagged the various locations (with graffiti) and took on rival crews. The fun factor was through the roof, and I had to force myself to put the controller down for various titles on the console. 

Those titles included Crazy Taxi + Jet Set Radio, so Christmas came early for me with these two reveals, not to mention the Streets of Rage reveal.

Granted there was an awesome 2D Streets of Rage 4 game released in 2020, but It's great to see that Sega is keeping the party going by bringing it back in a new way. This adds to the multiplayer fun that each of the mentioned games is going to bring... and this actually takes me back even further because we played the crap out of these Streets of Rage games on Sega Genesis and Sega CD (via Final Fight CD). My cousin and I played Final Fight CD's survival mode for hours. I can hear the music now, good times.

I'm going to keep the focus on multiplayer for now... with Golden Axe. I remember playing the 1989 game in the laundry mat. It was a fun multiplayer game and did things that were quite impressive to me for a 2D game. Not only could you mount various animals, but you could arm yourself with melee weapons at the same time + use magic and all that good stuff. The victories were rewarding because it truly felt like a battle from stage to stage, so I'm curious to see what the results will be in the upcoming installment.

Last but not least... the Shinobi reveal looks fantastic as well and appears to have 2D comic-style art (which may contain some 3D cel-shade elements... which appears to ). It seemingly has a depth served up at a nice scale, including various platforming challenges to put fans and newcomers to the test. I can't predict what any of these games will play like, but if they serve up new experiences with great controls and fun factors that make us come back for more... it's safe to call these a win.

This could be a move that Sega is making to have the resources to develop even better Sonic games as well. Remember... they want to take on Mario to a serious degree, so we shall see where all this goes. Either way... I'm excited, and what made it even better... is the fact that it wasn't a rerelease of old games. The classics are saluted, but it's great to get something new by way of the classics (remakes are a beautiful thing) and I can't wait to see the trajectory of Sega over the next decade.

If you haven't seen The Video Game Awards 2023... grab some popcorn, click play, and... enjoy!

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SEGA takes aim at Nintendo and it's a good thing!

Sega is fully embracing its roots and bringing back the old-school feel that made it a head-turning brand that rivaled Nintendo. As Nintendo's mainstay is the beloved Mario franchise, Sega has grown tired of the blue blur living in his shadow and wants to revamp the Sonic The Hedgehog franchise to surpass Mario in terms of quality and reach.

In a recent interview with Osamu Ohashi, Division Manager at Sega, he expressed his desire for Sonic to finally achieve the goal it was originally created for... to compete with Mario. Ohashi's vision is for Sonic to become a global phenomenon, just like Mario. He even envisions Universal Studios Japan creating a "Sonic Area" for fans to immerse themselves in the world of Sonic. It's clear that Ohashi and the entire team at Sega are passionate about making Sonic a household name once again. However, the question remains - is Sonic being held back by Mario's success, or is Sonic simply tripping over its own Sega-themed shoelaces? Only time will tell if Sega can revitalize Sonic and bring him back to his former glory and then some.

When it comes to video games, there's no denying that Mario's adventures are far more memorable, and it's not because people just want Mario to have better installments. There are Sonic fans who desperately want Sonic to catch his stride and not have this hit/miss reputation going on, they want Sega to go hard... to the degree that supporters can take a step back in awe.

Sega will have to study Mario games, especially the 3D ones... but Super Mario World is certainly one to take notes on also based on the depth it has. I can still go back and play that game but at the same time... I can go back and play certain Sonic games too. What has Nintendo done differently though? 

They've kept it cohesive, borrowing from the past (Mario's movements from Super Mario 64... can be seen in Super Mario Odyssey), but... they kept things moving forward in solid ways that decrease frustration and rev up the fun factor. Put the necessary time in to make everything smooth on a fluid level, and bring in a writer who can draw someone in with a captivating story or something. 

By the way, Mario rolling around... totally feels like something borrowed from Sonic (but he moves much smoother with it). What can Sonic borrow?

Oh yeah... the city from Super Mario Odyssey... totally reminds me of Sonic Adventure.

That's not to say that Sonic can't be as thrilling without using pointers from Mario's adventures, but Sega needs to get serious about what they want to do with him if they're going to take on Nintendo. While games like Sonic Colors, Sonic Generations, and Sonic Frontiers have their merits, Sonic Adventure is the stand-out game for me that they should honestly consider exploring again but... in an all-new way and building upon it. I'm reminded of Sonic's movies and despite him living in a city, he has the ability to travel through rings. They can totally play on that and other emeralds from the past (see what I did there?). By the way, Super Mario Bros. Wonder also feels like the second coming of Super Mario World to me.

Mario has his adventures, but story isn't something Nintendo goes in-depth on by way of a script using voice acting. They let the captions and action do the talking. You play and proceed, and while you do get to enjoy progression as you make your way to big bad Bowser... an epic story showcasing Sonic's personality can help him win with little differences such as that. Add real comedy in there... Sonic has way more personality... and people saw it in the films.

This isn't to crap on Mario, he's the more squeaky-clean character... whereas Sonic was more of that cool character who's a little rough around the edges. By the way, Sega has other dope games... so it's not like they don't know how to deliver solid games, they just need to break things down to a science with Sonic.

Sega has tried in the past and continues to try in regards to the story... which is something I don't think they should abandon.

Anyway, Sega it's good to see this energy from Sega. Sonic Superstars is a step in the right direction, and if they continue to maintain a competitive spirit... we win. Sonic is still around for a reason, and it's because gamers want to support it. So keep on going Sega... keep what works while finding ways to wow the audience with new gameplay mechanics and exciting adventures. No longer should Sonic simply fly through environments though (I've always said this)... unless the section justified it. He needs to bring back the sense of wonder and excitement that made players fall in love with him in the first place.

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Bomb Rush Cyberfunk: The Second Coming Of... Jet Set Radio?

Bomb Rush Cyberfunk screams... Jet Set Radiooooooo with even more Hip Hop influence... in a funky super stylistic game that puts rival crews against each other while taking on the cops for the sake of either group taking full control of the five boroughs to become the all-city crew of New Amsterdam.

Start your own cypher and dance, paint graffiti, collect beats, combo your tricks, and face off with the cops to stake your claim to the sprawling metropolis of New Amsterdam.

Red is a graffiti writer who lost his head and instead uses a cyberhead to get around. In search of his roots, he joins the Bomb Rush Crew, Tryce and Bel. Together they decide to go All City, to become the best graffiti crew in the city. The more territory they gain, the more they discover who it was that cut-off Red's head and how deeply his human side is linked to the graffiti world (shout out to the legendary graffiti artist... Cornbread).

Features:

Explore the 5 main boroughs of the city to hit graffiti spots and get REP. You'll need it to challenge the rival crews to a Crew Battle.

Find new members to join your crew around the city. Spread around are also new graffiti pieces to paint, outfit colors and music to play on your flip phone.

Use skateboarding, inline skating or BMX-style tricks in the unique environment-based trick system. Extend your combos with manuals and get even higher scores by incorporating special Boost Tricks.

You can get boost power for doing long combos so the fastest way to move is also the most stylish.

Dynamic militarized police that scale up as you vandalize.

This game totally has Jet Set Radio written all over it, and makes me crave a new official installment from SEGA, which... if you didn't know, is currently in the works alongside a new Crazy Taxi. As some of you know (because I've spoken with some of you face to face about it)... I freaking love these games. I still own them for the Dreamcast and felt for a long time that sequels or full remakes were rightfully deserved. So if Sega truly goes big... get ready to scarf up some gaming gold (as long as they don't lose what made these games great). Going bigger works, but my fingers are crossed that they knock them out of the park and may be better than ever before. Holy crap, I still have to share these games with my daughter. I know what we're doing with a portion of the weekend... time to take an adventure into the vault.

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