Knuckles Trailer, My Thoughts

In 1994, Sega released the third game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series: Sonic the Hedgehog 3. This game saw the debut of a red anthropomorphic short-beaked echidna named Knuckles. In the game, Knuckles was an antagonist to Sonic and Miles "Tails" Prower. He wasn't really evil, just the victim of manipulation by the villainous Dr. Robotnik. The 1994 game Sonic & Knuckles would see his debut as a playable character, having the mechanics of gliding and climbing walls to differentiate himself from Sonic. 

Knuckles would go on to be a popular character in the franchise, and he would appear as one of Sonic's regular allies in various non-video game Sonic media, including cartoons and comics. He would make his live-action debut in the 2022 film Sonic the Hedgehog 2, voiced by British actor Idris Elba. Elba is set to reprise the role in a six-episode spinoff miniseries that will also help presumably set up his status quo in the upcoming film Sonic the Hedgehog 3. This series will see Knuckles help try and train Green Hills deputy sheriff Let's look at the trailer!

"No, I am not this 'Superman' person! What even is a Superman?!" 

He also likes to do a bit of revenge. Gotta change things up on occasion. 

Knucks is totally gonna punch that dude out at some point. 

FALCON PAWWWWWWWWNCH!

You know Knucks, Sonic has a point. Even the greatest warriors value rest and relaxation. Helps keep you happy and healthy.

Knuckles has good taste in chips. Doritos makes great chips. Cool Ranch and Nacho Cheese are the best! Mmm...Cool Ranch and Nacho Cheese Doritos chips...

Hee hee, dog in a Viking helmet.

Looks like Knuckles did find a hobby. I wouldn't expect it to be traumatizing mailmen, but to each their own, I guess.

Now that you think about it, Knuckles would make a killing in this world as a self-defense instructor. I mean, the novelty of being trained by an anthropomorphic red echidna alone would rake in the cash.

Hey, he got his hat!

And of course, we got a bad guy. 

Heh heh, call back.

Way to ruin the moment, lady.

Hey, Pachacamac!

Lamborghini Countaches look cool, but I have heard they aren't exactly the best cars to actually drive. 😕

More like punched by a flaming fist, but A for effort!

Well, I have to admit, I think this will be a fun watch. It's a shame I don't have Paramount+. Hopefully, it'll also get to stream somewhere else. Like Tubi. I love Tubi. I also have got to watch Sonic 2 sometime. Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! Stay safe, stay healthy, stay home, wash your hands often, wear a mask, and get your vaccine/booster!  See you next time!

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Trailer, My Thoughts

Back in 2020, Paramount Pictures released Sonic the Hedgehog, the first live-action feature film starring Sega's iconic blue hedgehog mascot. The film would feature Ben Schwartz voicing the titular character. It would be the sixth-highest grossing film of 2020, making $319.7 million on a $85-90 million dollar budget. The film would get mixed reviews from critics, praised mainly for James Marden and Jim Carrey's performances as Tom Wachowski and Ivo Robotnik, respectively. The film was criticized for its product placements and seeming lack of ambition.

In May 2020, Paramount announced a sequel. Let's look at the trailer!

"*movie trailer voice* In a world where anthropomorphic animals walk amongst men..."

Also, the fact that he is a blue anthropomorphic hedgehog in a world full of humans would mean that maintaining any sort of secret identity would be...a challenge. 

The Blue Hedgehog Returns.

Yeah, that heroic speech is not prophetic of anything.

...okay, how did Robotnik get the materials to build some new robots?

...is that the Master Emerald from Sonic 3?

Even funnier? In Sonic canon, "Tails" is a nickname. His full actual name is Miles "Tails" Prower. Get it? Miles Per Hour? You get it? MPH, a measure of speed?

You think Robotnik has a...bit of an excess of time on his hands?

Ouch.

Yeah...Tails gonna die.

Oh hey, Knuckles.

"BAH GAWD, KING! HE JUST SMASHED THAT HEDGEHOG STRAIGHT TO HELL!"

My guess is the plot of the movie will draw heavily from Sonic 3. Which makes sense. Knuckles debuted in that game, that green gem is likely the Master Emerald, and Knuckles' traditional role in the classic Sonic games was the caretaker/guardian of the Master Emerald. He was a bit...gullible. Basically, Robotnik tricked him into fighting Sonic so the Eggman could make off with the Master Emerald himself. The Sonic Boom series kind of flanderized that to making Knuckles essentially dumb muscle.

I admit, despite my disdain for Paramount bucking to internet complaining, I did enjoy the last Sonic movie. I think it was the last movie I ever saw in theaters before the pandemic hit. And I am excited to see this one. It looks like it will be a ton of fun.

Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves, and each other! Stay safe, stay healthy, stay home, wash your hands often, wear a mask, and get vaccinated! See you next time!

Sonic the Hedgehog Trailer, My Thoughts

In 1991, Sega released a video game called Sonic the Hedgehog, a title for their console known as the Sega Genesis in America, and as the Mega Drive in other regions. The title character was created as Sega wanted a mascot that was able to compete with Nintendo's own Super Mario. The game was a critical and financial success. It would be rereleased and ported to various consoles, and even mobile phones! This one game created quite a franchise.

The franchise would also touch other media, like cartoons, and comics. Sonic had an ongoing comic series from Archie from 1992 to 2016, the longest-running licensed comic series of all time. And now, Sonic is getting a live-action movie. Let's take a look.

To be honest, I never really thought much about this whole movie thing. I heard that there was a movie based on Sonic in the works some time ago, but I never thought much about it, so seeing this trailer was a surprise.

Blue blur on the road. There's something you don't see every day.

I think your radar gun's broken, pal.

You'd think a trained police officer would at the very least put on gloves before touching strange sparking blue quills.

Heh. Sonic rings in the pace of the stars in the Paramount logo. Neat.

The pile of shoes does make sense. Considering how fast Sonic goes, he must wear through shoes at a ridiculous rate.

Coolio's "Gangstas Paradise" is an odd choice for a song. I'd have gone with Riot's "Road Racin'", off their 1979 album Narita myself. Seems a better fit for Sonic.

It may be the 90s kid in me, but it's weird hearing Sonic talk and it's not Jaleel White voicing him. Nothing against Ben Schwartz, though. I like him in the new DuckTales. I do like the lightning running up and down his body. Gives the impression that Sonic is like this dynamo, this ball of energy.

I imagine sonic booms are Sonic at first gear.

SONIC, WHAT DID YOU DO?!

Oh, I think Jim Carrey is going to be a delight as Dr. Robotnik. Say what you will, but I think he'll be one of the best parts of this movie.

Fun fact, Sega had a division based in San Francisco.

Heh heh heh, meow.

Eh, Sonic could have looked worse. He's an anthropomorphic blue hedgehog.

Okay, the spin dash was awesome.

Yeah, Jim Carrey's going to be one of the highlights of this movie.

Every hero has a Genesis. In Europe, Japan, and South America, every hero would have a Mega Drive.

Okay, that missile bit was pretty cool, too. Did catch a bit of that devil-may-care attitude Sonic is known for.

Yeah, that cop is going to jail.

Dude, spoiling Robotnik losing his hair. Come on!

I've seen this trailer get a LOT of negative attention. Personally...I don't think it's that bad. The choice of song in the trailer is odd, and Sonic could use a bit of polish, but otherwise...it's not that bad. Not that bad at all. As I said, I think Jim Carrey is going to be a highlight of this film. It's not a film that I personally am all that excited to see, but if I get a chance to see it, I'll give it a shot.

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Sega Ages Sonic/Lightning Force Launch Trailer, My Thoughts

Sega Ages. This was the term Sega had used for their compilations of classic games on modern platforms. These ports would often be developed by Japanese game developer M2, they were an unusual take on the retro game compilation. Whereas most retro game compilations would be basically a bunch of games all bunched together for one price, Sega Ages' idea of it was to release one old game at a time, and sell it at a very low price.

For example, A company could release a bundle of old Atari or Activision games for about, say ten dollars. Sega Ages, though? They release a couple of games at a time over a period of time, like say they start with Comix Zone or Space Harrier, then release a couple more over the next few months or so. In the meantime, you could buy those two games for only about oh, maybe 50 cents each.

Well, Sega Ages is coming to the Nintendo Switch. And their first two games are out. One is one that needs no real introduction: 1991's Sonic the Hedgehog. It's classic, the birth of one of Sega's most beloved franchises, despite it's roughness in recent years. It was the game that established Sega as legit competition to Nintendo. It's considered one of the greatest games of all time.

The other is 1993's Thunder Force IV, known here in the US as Lightning Force: Quest for the Darkstar. A horizontal space-shooter, it told the tale of a fighter pilot who is humanity's last hope against the Ohn Empire. The Empire wants nothing more than the destruction of the human race. The game was highly praised for its graphics, music, and gameplay. It was criticized for a lack of originality.

Thanks to Sega Ages, these games will be playable on the Nintendo Switch! Let's take a look at the launch trailer!

Is that Sega Ages intro a nod to the intro of Genesis games?

I have to admit, this the first time I've ever really heard of Lightning Force. It does look neat. I have gotten into space shooters recently, and it looks like a fine one.

That enemy ship looks like a shark from Hell.

Is that spaceship shooting energy shuriken? That is awesome!

I have to admit, seeing the footage of Sonic put a smile on my face. This was one of the games of my childhood. I grew up in the 16-Bit era. Sonic the Hedgehog and Super Mario World/All-Stars were my gaming jams.

I love the Marble Zone theme. I wish that was one of the levels in Sonic Mania.

I have to admit, I am more interested in getting Lightning Force, as it's a game I never played before, and as I said earlier, I've gotten into space shooters recently. It looks really cool, and it is supposed to be a great game, so there ya go. But don't get me wrong about Sonic. I still would like to play Sonic on the go, and to be honest, I never liked the idea of playing Sonic on a phone.

Seriously, I once saw a phone in an Apple Store that had Sonic 2 on it. I thought, "Neat, I like Sonic 2, I'll give it a play." I couldn't control it too well, because of the touch controls. I need actual buttons. So putting Sonic on the Switch is a great idea. It has actual buttons. I like actual buttons. I play old platformers better when I have actual buttons. Feels more responsive and precise.

But enough of my weird ranting, it's great these old games are coming to the Switch. Many old games are still fantastic, and it's a great way to get a new generation into retrogaming, and for old gamers like me who never played those games when they first came out to give them a try. I can't wait to see what comes next from Sega Ages!

Sonic Mania Plus Announcement Trailer, My Thoughts

In June of last year, I gave my thoughts on the announcement of SEGA's Sonic Mania, Sonic the Hedgehog's Nintendo Switch debut. It sold over a million units. Critics had praised the game for its faithfulness to the original Sega Genesis (Mega Drive in Europe) Sonic Trilogy, but it was given some criticism for lack of any real originality (Eight of the game's twelve levels are redesigns of levels from the original Sonic Trilogy).

Well, the fan and critical praise must have inspired Sega to pump this game up a bit more. As such, they announced Sonic Mania Plus, an expansion of Sonic Mania. Yeah, I'm late on this, and I am sorry. Anyway, here's the trailer!

Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles are three happenin' animal dudes who are going to take this here elevator to adventure. Hey! Who's messing with the doors?!

Hey, it's Mighty the Armadillo and Ray the Flying Squirrel! Wait, who are these guys? Well, Mighty and Ray come from the 1993 arcade game SegaSonic the Hedgehog. It was an arcade game that was released only in Japan, and it had never been ported or released anywhere. Mighty would go on to appear in the 1995 Sega 32X game Knuckles' Chaotix, a spin-off of the Sonic series. The Choatix (mainly Vector the Crocodile, Charmy Bee, and Espio the Chameleon) would go on to appear in other Sonic games, but Mighty would be left behind and forgotten.

I like Ray and Mighty appearing as just pencil lines. It's rather symbolic. It's like their falling into obscurity has caused them to "fade away" into their current state. A little bit of character in there, too. Ray is happy to see Sonic again, and Mighty is like "What the deal, man!? You forgot about us!"

I love that Sonic takes a moment to recognize them, then offers them a chance to join him, Tails, and Knuckles. You'd think Knuckles would recognize Mighty, considering they were in a game together, but Knuckles has been shown to be a bit dim, so...yeah.

The little detail of the color returning to Mighty upon taking Sonic's hand is a great touch. Again, more symbolism can be seen here. Mighty and Ray are been given spotlight again for the first time in decades, so they're revitalized.

I do hope this update gives out more original zones. From what I heard, the game does need more new zones. I want to see the game makers go nuts and make some crazy new zones.

Mighty can slam into the ground really hard. I wonder how that can be useful. Maybe in a situation where he needs to clear out a lot of enemies? Or if you need some spikes broken. ;)

Ray can glide endlessly. I fear that has some game-breaking potential. He could potentially make some zones a breeze by just flying over everything.

Hey, Knuckles remembered Mighty after all!

I have wanted to play this game, having played the original Sonic games growing up, but considering this expansion...I think I will pick it up as soon as I can. I've never played a game with Mighty and Ray in it, so I am admittedly curious as to what they can do.

Sonic Forces Launch Trailer, My Thoughts

Sonic the Hedgehog. SEGA's arguably greatest mascot has gone through some major ups and downs in the franchise's history, but it seems the franchise did manage to score a hit with Sonic Mania. But there was another game in the pipeline as well: Sonic Forces. And the launch trailer is here for your viewing pleasure.

The trailer begins with a glimpse of a burning city, with robots marching towards Tails, and a voice saying we are almost out of time. The trailer reveals the game is from the same team that created Sonic Colors and Generations. I liked Colors, and I heard Generations was pretty good, so we can hope this game is good, too.

Eggman is rampaging, and he's closing to taking the world in his iron, eggy grip. The trailer shows quite a bit of gameplay. It looks like it might be in the style of Generations, which makes sense as this game will feature Classic and Modern Sonic. Also, I do hope we get a story for this game in the style of the comic books. The comic had managed to deal with some dark themes in a rather...family-friendly way.

I am guessing the Avatar character...let's call him Bob, uses gadgets alongside Sonic speed. The one we do see Bob using in the trailers is a grappling hook. I wonder if Bob will get his own levels with mechanics that are based around the hook? Would make some sense.

I wonder if we'll get to play as any of the other heroic characters. And why is Shadow with the villains? Isn't he really more of an anti-hero? Unless there's a swerve of some kind. Maybe he's trying to take them down from within? Or maybe it's not the original Shadow. One game did reveal a place full of clones of him.

HOLY CRUD THAT SPACE LEVEL WITH THE EGGMAN SHIPS IN THE BACKGROUND LOOKS COOL.

We did get a brief glimpse of Bob using the grappling hook to help him get around a corner. I'm hoping that's not the only use for it. I'd like to see it used to grapple objects and enemies.

This looks like it will be a fun game. Another to add to my potential Switch library when I finally get one...

Sonic Forces Trailer, My Thoughts

From the makers of Sonic Generations and Sonic Colors comes a new Sonic game coming to the Nintendo Switch. That's right, it's time to unleash the Sonic Forces!

The trailer begins with a giant robot wrecking a city. Oh no, Dr. Eggman got his hands on MechaGodzilla, and has modified it to take over the world. There's flames everywhere, and carnage litters the streets. But Sonic is going to save the day...well, Sonics are going to save the day.

Yup, much like in Generations, there seems to be an option to play as either the modern Sonic or the classic Sonic from the Genesis-era. The trailer seems to hint that also like in Generations, modern Sonic's levels will be 3D, and Classic Sonic's levels will be in 2.5D-style. It also reveals a third option one could take.

Your own custom character. Yup, this game allows one to play as a custom character of your own creation. And considering the Sonic fanbase love creating their own custom characters, I think they would love this feature. We see Custom using a grapping hook in a cutscene. Perhaps that's a weapon option a custom character can use.

From the footage we see, Custom's gameplay can fit either Classic's 2.5D-style, or Modern's 3-D-style levels. I wonder if one can choose which type of levels your custom character can use. Or maybe they play both. Who knows?

We then see Custom and the Sonic facing off against a group of villains: Shadow the Hedgehog, Metal Sonic, one of the Deadly Six from Sonic: Lost World, and Chaos. Quite an assembly of villains there. But wait, there's more! We get a new one! Yup, a new villain. This one looks like someone stuck Sonic and Alucard from Hellsing in a blender. From what I understand, this new villain is called Infinite, and he uses red and black cubes to attack. Hey, if it worked for the Borg...

Also, from what I heard, this game is going to be showing Sonic as a resistance fighter. Hey, the games are finally catching up to the comics on that. It's also different from what we usually see in the games. In the games, Robotnik is usually the threat the gets beaten before he achieves his goal of conquering the world. I imagine for comic readers, Sonic the resistance fighter is a regular deal, so the game will be nothing new for them on that. But I bet for people who don't regularly read Sonic's comics, just play the games, this will be a neat new thing.

Sonic Forces looks like it will be fun. If I get a Switch, I'll give it a try.

 

Sonic Mania, My Thoughts

Sonic is flipping the Switch, baby! That's right, Sega's most famous mascot is going to race his way into the Switch with a brand new game: Sonic Mania! And here's a trailer of it!

The game is meant to be a return to Sonic's roots, and I think many of the fanbase would agree, this could be something Sonic could really use right now, considering the reaction to the Sonic Boom games and television series.

The trailer begins with the Genesis-era "SEGA" intro. As someone who played the original Sonic games back in the day, it was nice to see that old intro again. The trailer then plays footage of the original Sonic game while stating that Sonic changed the world in 1991 on his debut, and then shows footage of various Sonic games over the last 25 years...wait, 25 years? Has it really been that long? Huh. Time flies, indeed.

 We then see some footage of the new game, Sonic's brand new 2D adventure. And I have to admit, I love what I see. It reminds me so much of the classic Genesis-era trilogy. It's so bright and wildly colorful.

The trailer hints at "reimagined classics", and shows footage of Sonic racing his way through what looks like Green Hill Zone from the first Sonic game. Could this mean we'll be seeing some classic levels from the original Sonic trilogy make a return? If that's true, I'm hoping that Chemical Plant is one of the returning Zones. It's a rather iconic Zone for its theme alone.

The trailer reveals that the game will have three playable characters: Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles. Interestingly, they seem to be using the original 90s promotional art for the characters instead of the modern art. Well, it's appropriate. Old-school style game, old-school promotional art.

Sonic appears to have a new move for this game: The Drop Dash. Evidently, it allows Sonic to race into a curled-up dash right from the moment he hits the ground. I think it may be useful in a situation that requires Sonic to get going quickly. I wonder if Tails and Knuckles can do it.

I have to admit, I am excited for this game. I think it will be in my Switch library when I get one.