GameFreak: It has been quite some time since the first episode of Sonic 4 released, and revitalized the way I look at the franchise. With such a gap, I had almost forgotten about the speedy hedgehog's return to fame and wondered if he was ever going to defend his title as not only the fastest mascot in the industry but also as the best sequel of the franchise since (and I know fans will be gasping in disappointment here) Sonic & Knuckles.
Plenty of games seem guaranteed to get sequels. But sometimes, companies surprise people and give them the additional installments they didn't know they needed.
Sonic the Hedgehog 4 was something many wanted to see for a very long time. Continuing the story from Sonic 3 & Knuckles, many had lofty expectations for this title. When it finally released, many were split on the project. From it’s episodic nature, different feeling controls and changes that felt strange to fans of Sonic’s classic adventures, Sonic 4 Episode I and II were divisive games to say the least.
I feel like if they could keep improving on the Sonic 4 physics, formula and level design they could have gone from the good Sonic 4 Ep II to something genuinely great for Sonic 4 Ep III.
Strange games. Definitely shouldn't have been "Sonic 4". Seeing as it re-used alot of ideas, level themes enemies and bosses etc, it really should have been called "Sonic Megamix" or something and the levels should have been named after the originals. This would have given SEGA a chance to see what fans reaction was to this style of game, before going in for "proper" Sonic 4. Sonic Mania feels far more "Sonic 4" than the actual Sonic 4 does haha
Carl Williams writes, "Retro gamers are usually left out of the fun when it comes to newer platforms, most companies don’t see any value in catering to this niche market. In this new article, Retro Gaming Magazine will take a look at a collection of games that cater to a different area of retro gaming. Starting the festivities off is the “action” category which encompasses titles such as Sonic, Mario and more. Devices with physical buttons are obviously the choice of play with these games."
