Sonic Colors

Sonic Colors, entitled Sonic Colours outside of America and Japan, is an upcoming game for the Nintendo Wii console and Nintendo DS. It was first announced on May 26, 2010 in a press release by Sega for Italy, and included a teaser trailer.

Development
Sonic Colors will be available on the Wii and the Nintendo DS in Late 2010. Sonic Colors for the Wii seamlessly combines both 3D and classic 2D game play perspectives, similar to the day stages of Sonic Unleashed while the Nintendo DS version takes full advantage of the console's dual screen, similar to the Sonic Rush series. The Wii version is developed by Sega and Sonic Team whereas the DS version is developed by Sonic Team and Dimps.

The head supervisor is Takashi Iizuka. Morio Kishimoto will be directing the Wii version of the game, Kishimoto was also involved in the Sonic Storybook Series. Takao Hiyabayashi will be directing the DS version, Hiyabayashi was in the development of Sonic Unleashed.

 "The general difficulty of Sonic Colours will suit younger fans; zones still fly by and you’ll wonder at times just how much control you actually have. But each level is crammed, throwing you from one experience to the next. Couple that with the vibrant, colourful new world though and hopefully older Sonic fans will have enough to go at too."

Plot


Dr. Eggman supposedly turns a new leaf and builds an intergalactic amusement park up in space, made up of several planet sized attractions. However that is not the only thing he is planning, the true purpose of this amusement park is to capture alien creatures known as Wisps, who harness a powerful color energy which Eggman needs. Sonic and Tails found out what was going on and had headed to "Tropical Resort" a place in the Eggman Intergalatic Amusement park. Over there, Sonic and Tails find this White Wisp named Yacker who seems to know some more information on Eggmans' plan. Sonic and Tails, along with the silent guide of their new friend, Yacker are unfolding a new adventure by stopping Eggman and setting the Wisps free.

The story will be done by the writers of the famous SEGA game, MadWorld as stated by Takashi Iizuka and the writers of Happy Tree Friends to add humor to the cutscenes. The story of the Wii version and the DS version are different. The DS version will show a different role of the Wisps, the DS version also has Knuckles and Amy in the story.

The Nintendo Power magazine reveals that the story is "minimalistic", "light-hearted" and appropriately "goofy".

Playable

 * Sonic the Hedgehog
 * Wisps (power-ups for Sonic to use only)
 * Robo-Sonics (exclusively for co-op)

Non-Playable

 * Dr. Eggman
 * Miles "Tails" Prower
 * Yacker
 * Orbot
 * Cubot
 * Knuckles the Echidna (Exclusively for the DS version)
 * Amy Rose (Exclusively for the DS version)

Enemies

 * Egg Pawn
 * Spina
 * An enemy that resembles a Buzz Bomber.
 * Small unknown drill enemy
 * Large unknown drill enemy
 * Motobug
 * Crabmeat

Voice actors
The game features English voice acting. So far in this game, Sonic and Tails have new voice actors. However, it was said that all voices except for Eggman's were replaced.

Stages
(The game will feature more than 8 different planets, one of Eggman's ships and one satellite)


 * Sweet Mountain
 * Tropical Resort
 * Planet Wisp
 * Game World
 * Starlight Carnival
 * Aquatic Park
 * Asteroid Coaster

Special Stages
The DS version has Special Stages in which by completing each, a Chaos Emerald will be received. It is entirely similar to the Special Stages that were used in Sonic Rush, except instead of collecting rings, Sonic will have to collect colorful balls, like in Sonic Heroes. The player needs to collect the spheres of the same colors as the top screen. The rainbow ones can be collected at any time. There are also checkered ones, that if the player has collected all of them a 10 sphere bonus will be received.

Mini-games
The game will also feature mini-games as stated in the UK Computer and Videogames magazine. The writer, Tom Pakinkis stated that:

"This time they've deliberately placed mini-games where you need to jump between actual rails to collect maximum rings or avoid time-wasting drops."

Sonic Sim
Amazon's Japanese website revealed a picture depicting a co-op mode, which was leaked information so it was removed from the website. This mode appears to be set in a color-less world.

There are 21 stages in total.

It was then revealed by IGN on 2 September, 2010 that the picture is actually an optional co-op mode, they are unlocked by collecting red emblems throughout the in-game stages. Unlocking them is optional and will be selected on the menu screen. However Sonic is not a playable character in the co-op mode, instead there will be Eggman's creation of Robo-Sonics will be playable, they look exactly like Sonic but come in a wide variety of different colors and an antenna sticking out of their heads and other robotic features. It was later revealed that this Co-Op mode in the game is called "Sonic Sim".

The co-op is mainly a 2D scroll co-op and the Robo-Sonics can activate Wisp Power as well. Most of the levels are very plain, with no specific look and a simple colored background.

Music
The theme song of the game is Reach For The Stars. It is sung by Jean Paul Makhlouf from the band, Cash Cash.

The music will be composed by SEGA Sound Team. Takashi Iizuka states that: "Since the game has an amusement-park setting and a more fanatastical visual style, they're trying to expand the usual "cool" Sonic sound and focus on making fun, up-tempo music that will really get players' blood pumping.""

The Nintendo Power Magazine praised the music by saying it's, "annoying, catchy and rubbish", and that is what they always liked about the music in Sonic games.

Videos
thumb|300px|right|Sonic Colors -Color Power thumb|right|262px|Sonic Colors 2-player thumb|280px|left|Sonic Colors Trailer

Reception
A review of the Official Nintendo Power Magazine gaming studios said that the action was fast, the levels were nice and long, and that there were loads of different routes available through each level. Their favorite Wisp was the Drill Wisp. In the end they mentioned that Sonic was at his best at mimicking Mario elements similar to 2010's hit game Super Mario Galaxy 2. They said the game will be the equivalent of all-daytime stages of Sonic Unleashed. IGN said that Sonic Colors might be, "The best Sonic game of this generation", praising its level design and fully-packed action with vibrant colors. It also was also nominated as the Best of E3 by IGN, but however, it did not win. Sonic Colors was nominated for Best Platformer Game at Gametrailers E3 2010 awards.

Trivia

 * This game is the first game in which the 4kids voice actors will be replaced by new actors.
 * Dr. Eggman is the only character in the game to remain his voice actor since 2005.
 * The planet, Game Land, is eerily shaped like Sonic's head.
 * SA-55's name has been changed to "Orbot" in this game
 * If a customer pre-orders Sonic Colors at Gamestop, the customer can get a free hat with the look of Sonic's Sonic_Hat.png quills on their head.
 * This is the second game in which Egg Pawns wear certain clothing or armor depending on the stage enviroment, the first being Casino Park in Sonic Heroes.
 * The Motobug will make his first 3D appearance in this game.
 * This is the first Sonic Game since 2006 to have co-op or multi-player of any kind
 * Sonic can now move and jump during the end stage results screen. This feature has not been seen in a Sonic game since Sonic The Hedgehog 2.
 * Sonic Colors will mark the first 3D Sonic game since Sonic Heroes, to feature the classic level title cards at the start of a level.
 * Sonic's ability to gain items like rings and 1ups at the Results Screen is similar to how Sonic could gain items, such as shields, from end level sign posts in Sonic The Hedgehog 3.
 * Sonic is able to do a double jump in this game.
 * The Wisps in the DS version are different than those in the Wii version, with the exception of the orange, the white, and the cyan Wisps. They can also be used in different ways in each version.
 * Sonic Colors features a fully animated title screen; a feature not seen from a 3D Sonic game since the Gamecube remake: Sonic Adventure 2: Battle
 * Since the game has Special Stages in the DS version, it is very likely that Super Sonic will appear in the game.
 * In the gameplay video in Sonic Colors Sonic says "SPIN!" when he gets a drill but in "Sonic Sim" he says "DRILL!.
 * Sonic Colors uses a lock-on homing attack similar to the one used in Sonic Unleashed.
 * This is the first game where the player can interact with the Result screen.