Sonic Rivals announced for the PSP.

[Fidgety Raichu]

Sonic Rivals announced for the PSP

Source and screenshots: http://www.sega.com/e3/2006/announcements_tp.php?item=pr_20060503a

SEGA UNVEILS SONIC RIVALS DASHING ONTO THE PSP™ SYSTEM

Original Sonic Game Offers Lively Head-to-Head Competition

SAN FRANCISCO & LONDON (May 3, 2006) -- SEGA® of America, Inc. and SEGA® Europe Ltd. today announced the development of Sonic Rivals exclusively for the PSP™ (PlayStation®Portable) system. Sonic Rivals is a head-to-head competition between Sonic and his top rivals, where the gloves are off and winner takes all! Built from the ground-up, the engine allows gamers to rip through tracks in some high-spirited single player and wireless multiplayer action against friends as Sonic returns in a whole new racing-platformer with classic 2D gameplay in true 3D environments for gamers on the go.

What starts as a friendly competition between Sonic and Knuckles quickly intensifies as Shadow and other rivals jump into the action. Sonic Rivals allows gamers to utilize boost moves and power-ups to trip, shove, and vault over each other while hurtling towards the finish line at breakneck speeds. Players will negotiate wildly twisting 3D tracks while avoiding the insidious Dr. Eggman and his myriad of hazardous traps and contraptions.

"Sonic Rivals brings back the classic 2D platform gameplay that started it all, and douses it with vibrant three-dimensional environments," said Scott A. Steinberg, Vice President of Marketing, SEGA of America, Inc. "In this heated rivalry, gamers are tested to prove not only who's the fastest but who has the best head-to-head gameplay strategy."

In Sonic Rivals, gamers can play as one of four different characters from the Sonic Universe, each with separate fast and winding storylines. In addition, the extensive rewards system, which is based on collecting trading cards, allows players to customize their favorite characters. Connect via wireless to race against a friend, and put trading cards on the line for even more multiplayer challenges.

Debuting on the SEGA Genesis in 1991, Sonic The Hedgehog is one of the world's best-selling and most recognizable video game franchises and character. More than 44 million units later, the beloved blue hedgehog celebrates his 15th anniversary this year.

Sonic Rivals is slated for release in Fall 2006 and developed by the Vancouver-based studio of Backbone Entertainment, a division of Foundation 9 Entertainment. For more information on SEGA's Road to E3, please visit www.sega.com/e3. For screenshots and artwork, please visit the SEGA FTP site at: http://segapr.segaamerica.com.

So they're finally doing it. Sega is finally using the 2.5D engine from Klonoa for a Sonic game. Personally, this is what I've been waiting for ever since Sega went multiplatform.

A little weird though that Backbone Entertainment, the developers of Death Jr. [PSP] and Age of Empires: The Age of Kings [NDS], is developing this title instead of Sonic Team, especially given the high amount of praise Sonic Rush got.

Anyways, discuss away.

 

[Wes]

Oh man! Darn my loyalty to the series! Sonic Team though are not making this game? A Klonoa styled game instead? A racing tournament? Now this sounds sweet!

 

[Pokemaníaco Desesperado]

Oh, for PSP, meh, I won't be able to play it :S I hope we see it in other systems with time.
Four Characters, Sonic, Knuckles, Shadow... and Rouge?

 

[Blue Blood]

No. Sonic, Knuckles, Shadow and TAILS. You can see him jumping behind Sonic in one of the screens.

 

[Wes]

It can't be Tails! It looks more like Shadow jumping! Besides since when is Tails Sonic's rival? I'm bettng Metal Sonic is the fourth racer. Anyway since this uses the Sonic R style and the platforming styles from the regula games it looks pretty good!

Let's see what we know.

-A new developer (Not Sonic Team!) are making the game.

-Sonic, Shadow, and Knuckles are confirmed to be in it.

-Egg Pawn styled robots are back again (Looks like the new developers choose them...)

-A grass course similar to that of Green Hill Zone

 

[Blue Blood]

Perhaps. I see where your coming from. I just couldn't think of another character that has a yellow glow. But still, I'm very glad to see that Knuckles is part part the main sorty again, not just there because he's part of the main trio.
S3&K- Angel Island. Knuckles is first introduced.
SA- First to see Chaos when he escapes from the ME. Needs to restore pieces.
SA2- Pointless. Eggman suddenly tried to steal the ME and the Knuckles broke it. There wasn't a change in the story cause of that.
Heroes- "I'm leaving the ME for no reason now. I sure hope it doesn't get broked or stealed!"
Riders- "I'm leaving the ME for no reason again. I sure hope it doesn't get broked or stealed!"

 

[Wes]

S3&K- Angel Island. Knuckles is first introduced.
SA- First to see Chaos when he escapes from the ME. Needs to restore pieces.
SA2- Pointless. Eggman suddenly tried to steal the ME and the Knuckles broke it. There wasn't a change in the story cause of that.
Heroes- "I'm leaving the ME for no reason now. I sure hope it doesn't get broked or stealed!"
Riders- "I'm leaving the ME for no reason again. I sure hope it doesn't get broked or stealed!"

SA2- Actually he does have a good role since seeing how the Master Emerad was what helped to stop the Ark. That and rival/crush Rouge the Bat met each other for the first time. I say he had big a role as the first Sonic Adventure.

SH-That's the point. No one seems to want to steal it anymore.

SR-Actually he enters because he's tired of begin fooled by Eggman and to show Eggman a lesson or two and then to go back home to guard the Master Emerald. Didn't you read the manual for his character description? Along with to defeat new rival Babylon Rogue Storm.

 

[Blue Blood]

No. He seems really "Oh yeh nucles haz 2 be in teh game" now.

SA2- Okay, I'd forgotten about the ARK there. Point taken.
SH- Its stupid. He is "Destined to be here, forever". He leaves just because he did. It annoys that.
SR- Before the race. Wandering around Metal City? Why does leave the Emerald again? And don't trust the manuals. They're rarely half-way correct.

And back on the topic, the fourth character in Rivals.
Sonics only other rival is Jet, and as he uses Ex Gear, can't be Sonic's other rival. I'm guessing a new character that hopefully isn't a hedgehog. Something different with a good voice. I'll scrape my brain with a out needle through my left ear is Jason G is doing the voice. ;_;

 

[Wes]

Sonics only other rival is Jet, and as he uses Ex Gear, can't be Sonic's other rival. I'm guessing a new character that hopefully isn't a hedgehog. Something different with a good voice. I'll scrape my brain with a out needle through my left ear is Jason G is doing the voice. ;_;

No need for Jet since he's cominbg back in Riders 2. The 4th rival will probably be Metal Sonic.

SR- Before the race. Wandering around Metal City? Why does leave the Emerald again? And don't trust the manuals. They're rarely half-way correct.

Well do you really think he wants to be stuck doing that forever? Besides back then the manuals were the only way to know fior a story...that and the Japanese ones seems to be the ones with the true story especially.

No. He seems really "Oh yeh nucles haz 2 be in teh game" now.

Be glad he's gonna be a rival then being all friendly instead since he is a rival...granted it was all over a big misunderstanding but a rivalry between them exists.

 

[Blue Blood]

He doesn't want to be. He has to be. =P

 

[MidnightScott]

Obviously Sega wants all of the good games on Nintendo systems ;x

There will probably be a Sonic Rush 2, since Sonic Rush was a sucess.

~Scott;229;

 

[Wes]

I just noticed something.....

Sonic Heroes

Sonic Rivals

Something tells me we should expect bad guys.... lots of them....

And a Gamespot Interview. That and...another new character....yes you heard me.

http://www.gamespot.com/psp/driving/sonicrivals/news.html?sid=6148913

Sonic Rivals E3 2006 Preshow Q&A
Sega Studio USA director Takashi Iizuka talks to us about Sonic the Hedgehog's first PSP game, as announced earlier today.
By Staff, GameSpot
Posted May 3, 2006 5:42 pm PT

Announced earlier today and currently in development at Backbone Entertainment, Sonic Rivals for the PlayStation Portable is described by Sega as a "racing platformer" that will pit the company's speedy, blue mascot against three other characters in 3D environments with 2D gameplay. This morning's announcement came with very little in the way of gameplay information, which is why we contacted Takashi Iizuka, director at Sega Studio USA, for more information.

GameSpot: Why did you decide to create this type of sonic game for the PlayStation Portable, as opposed to a more traditional platformer? (Such as Sonic Rush on the Nintendo DS?)

The environments are 3D, the gameplay is 2D.

Takashi Iizuka: The processing power of the PSP allows us to create beautifully sculpted 3D environments, while the portability gave us a chance to create a new type of Sonic game where we incorporate the traditional platform action with racing.

GS: How are you blending the 2D and 3D elements in the game? (that is, does it play something like Sonic Rush in terms of parts being straight 2D and other parts being pure 3D, such as in the boss fights in that game?).

TI: We are blending the traditional 2D platform action within the three-dimensional space...a similar challenge encountered in our creation of NiGHTS.

GS: What sonic characters will appear in the game? Which are playable?

TI: We currently have four playable characters, including Sonic, Knuckles, Shadow as well as introducing a brand new member of the Sonic family.

GS: What will the gameplay be like? Is it just the sonic basics of jump and run, or is there more to it?

In Sonic Rivals you won't just be racing against the clock.

TI: The gameplay will incorporate all of the traditional Sonic actions, such as jumping, running, and attacking, but what makes this game completely different is the "rival" feature. This game is based on competition between Sonic and a rival, where players will jostle, trip, and push each other, trying to be the first to cross the finish line. No matter if you're playing against the computer's AI or against your friend, the competition will be fierce and challenging from start to finish.

GS: Will there be a power-up system in place? If so, how will it work?

TI: Yes. This is a brand new power-up system based around a racing platformer, where the players can utilize the power-ups in both offensive and defensive ways. We'll be releasing more details about this system shortly.

GS: Will there be hidden areas and bonus games?

TI: We'll be releasing more info on that shortly.

GS: How will the customization system work? (Is it like equipping cards?)

TI: We have a robust reward-card system that allows the user to customize their characters.

GS: How is the game structured? Is the single-player game just a series of linear races shaped into a story or something else?

TI: You'll be able to play as one of four characters from the Sonic world, each having their own unique storyline. In the single-player mode, you will race through various zones, trying to thwart Eggman's evil plans.

GS: How will the multiplayer game work? What modes will it offer? Will it be ad hoc, infrastructure, or both?

Head to head battles promise to be fiercely competitive.

TI: The multiplayer game is designed to be ad hoc, taking advantage of the PSP platform technology, enabling you to battle head to head, as well as be able to trade and wager cards with your friends.

GS: Will there be game sharing?

TI: We'll be releasing more info on that shortly.

GS: Thanks for your time.

 

[Blue Blood]

Yeah, I said so.
And this isn't Sonic Rush 2. Sonic Rush was hailed by some to be the greatest Sonic game of all time. They wouldn't completely change the game to make sequel.
And no more Jason G please.

 

[Pokemaníaco Desesperado]

The explatation Iizuka gave doesn't soun too convincing, plus those images don't look much advanced from Sonic R...
Meh, I can't buy a PSP, but I'll still look after this game, to know about storyline and the new character at least.

 

[Wes]

Actually I kinda agree with MidnightScott. The game basically looks like Sonic R and Sonic Heroes combined and Sonic R racing in 2D and Sonic R though a fun racer was kinda.....lacking if you know what I mean.

 

[Usagi]

But still, I'm very glad to see that Knuckles is part part the main sorty again, not just there because he's part of the main trio.

S3&K- Angel Island. Knuckles is first introduced.
SA- First to see Chaos when he escapes from the ME. Needs to restore pieces.
SA2- Pointless. Eggman suddenly tried to steal the ME and the Knuckles broke it. There wasn't a change in the story cause of that.
Heroes- "I'm leaving the ME for no reason now. I sure hope it doesn't get broked or stealed!"
Riders- "I'm leaving the ME for no reason again. I sure hope it doesn't get broked or stealed!"

What about his role in "Shadow the Hedgehog"?He didn't much in that game either(I could be wrong though).

Anyway,this game looks interesting,unfortunatly,I don't have a PSP.The graphics look okay.Oh well,even if can't play the game,I still read about the story later on...

 

[blaze boy]

No. He seems really "Oh yeh nucles haz 2 be in teh game" now.

SA2- Okay, I'd forgotten about the ARK there. Point taken.
SH- Its stupid. He is "Destined to be here, forever". He leaves just because he did. It annoys that.
SR- Before the race. Wandering around Metal City? Why does leave the Emerald again? And don't trust the manuals. They're rarely half-way correct.

If you call yourself a sonic fan then you would know that Knuckles can change the ME size into something that is small and easy to carry it was shown in SA2.