Gamer’s interview with Iizuka-san and Nakamura-san at E3 for Mania and Forces

News from 2017.06.14
Archived on 2017.07.14 on Tumblr

CHECK OUT the ORIGINAL ARTICLE first! 

【E3 2017】往年のファンにはたまらない隠し要素が詰まった「ソニックマニア」と、“アバター”を用いた新たな試みが成された「ソニックフォース」を紹介！

http://www.gamer.ne.jp/news/201706140056/

Translation

[E3 2017] Introduction to ‘Sonic Mania‘ full of hidden elements pleasuring classic fans and to ‘Sonic Forces’ with a new avatar system! 

Article written based on interview with Producer Iizuka and Producer Nakamura at E3 2017.

Don’t underestimate it as a remake! Sonic Mania is full of new elements!

‘Sonic Mania’ is the latest work of classic styled 2D side-scroll action in 23 years that not only include selected stages from the ‘Sonic’ series’ origin ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’, ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 2’, ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3’, ‘Sonic & Knuckles’, and ‘Sonic CD’, but also added new elements which will please the fans of Classics.

This time at E3, we were able to play two remake stages including ‘Green Hill’ and two other stages that are brand new to this game.

According to Mr. Iizuka, the number of newly made stages will not reach that of remade stages, but is close to it. Knowing the fact that this kind of collection game is usually made of remakes for the most part, it is surprising that new contents weigh this much.

And that with controls that are exactly the same as earlier works and the freshness and speediness enjoyable with latest consoles. Also, it includes elements that are especially pleasing to fans who remember those feelings.

The changes made in this work are, for example, the bosses who would appear in the end of each stage will now appear in every ‘act’. These bosses are brand-new too, and some stages might have an unexpected character.

Furthermore, it is worth pointing out that other than Sonic, every stage will be playable with Tails and Knuckles too. Since stages that were only playable with Sonic in past works are now playable with Tails and Knuckles, the places you challenged so many times can be enjoyed with a different feeling.

Adding to that, stage gimmicks will change according to the character you play with. For example, playing as Knuckles adds breakable walls that enables proceeding into routes unreachable with Sonic or Tails. Of course there will be hidden routes too, so finding them would be enjoyable too.

Great information for time attackers is here too; in this game you can use online function to share your records in online leaderboards, and also a new action lets you spin as soon as you land on the ground. This reduces time loss and lets you keep your top speed. Why don’t you try to beat your own best record of the past?

The volume of ‘Sonic Mania’ surpasses any Classic series game. Hidden elements, such as collecting Chaos Emeralds which appeared in past works by clearing all the stages, will be included. It looks like this work is going to be fun to complete.

The hero of the story is yourself – ‘Sonic Forces’ reveals new ‘Avatar mode’ 

‘Sonic Forces’ is the latest work of the series with ultra-sonic hedgehog ‘Sonic’ running through 3D fields with beautiful graphics at a high speed.

Additional to ‘Modern Sonic Mode’ in which Sonic runs around in 3D stages and ‘Classic Mode’ in which Sonic with classical design beats 2D side-scroll stages, ‘Avatar Mode’ in which one can create own character to fight together with Sonic and his allies was playable at this E3.

In ‘Avatar Mode’, one can customize animal-based characters with designs unique to ‘Sonic’ series just the way one wishes to. It is yet unknown how broad the customizable parts are, but it seems that its appearance and Avatar specific weapons called ‘Wispon’ can be freely combined.

Other than its usual attack with R2 button, Wispon can perform a special action by consuming the gauge by pressing the triangle button. The Wispon used today was able to throw flame in a long distance as its normal attack, and induce explosion underneath its body as its special attack to attack enemy and to elevate in the air.

This kind of ability seems to be unique to each Wispon, and other than attacking the enemy, some seem to be useful as moving method, so the research for finding out suitable Wispon for each stage would be productive.

One of the interesting parts of the ‘Avatar Mode’ is that the hero is ‘youself’. This mode is not written from the perspective of Sonic but from that of ‘one of the new Sonic characters’ who became Sonic’s allies. How will this self, who is helpless at the beginning while looking at Sonic’s back and being worried by the allies such as Tails and Knuckles, grow up through the story? Find it out by playing the game itself!

http://www.gamer.ne.jp/news/201706140056/

-----------------------------
🍵Please support me through Ko-fi! Or a cup of tea!