Sonic Colors

Sonic Colors, entitled Sonic Colours outside of America, 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. Its release date is December 7, 2010.

This game is the first game in which Roger Craig Smith will voice Sonic and Kate Higgins will voice Tails.

Development
Sonic Colors will be available on the Wii and the Nintendo DS on December 7, 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 Sonic Rush. 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 Computer and Videogames UK magazine stated that so far it is rated A in Japan, E in NA, and 3+ in Europe.

"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."

An interview with Keith Dwyer reveals that the game will have "Quick Time Events" but there will be very few.

Plot
Sonic Colors is a high speed action-adventure in which Sonic races through theme park-inspired worlds to rescue a colorful alien race from the clutches of Dr. Eggman. An extraordinary amusement park has been seen orbiting around the home planet of Sonic the Hedgehog, and rumors are spreading that an alien race of Wisps, who have a unique colorful energy, are being held captive there by the evil Dr. Eggman. Soon after arriving at the amusement park, Sonic discovers he is able to use these mysterious alien forces to help the Wisps escape.

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 Shadow in the story, but Takashi Iizuka must have suggested them as planned characters.

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

Playable

 * Sonic the Hedgehog

Non-Playable
Shadow has not been officially confirmed, but is planned.
 * Dr. Eggman
 * Miles "Tails" Prower
 * Shadow the Hedgehog
 * Amy Rose
 * Wisps

Enemies

 * Egg Pawn
 * Spina

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, each of them are linked together to form one huge carnival in outer space.)


 * Sweet Mountain Zone
 * Tropical Reservoir Zone

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."

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|278px|left|Sonic Colors-Tropical Resort wiithumb|278px|right|Sonic Colors - Sweet Mountain wii

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 all time", 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

 * Amazon.co.UK, on the preorder page for the games, states it will be available for 24 September, 2010. However, the announcement trailer states that it will be released on "Holiday 2010". But Nintendo Power stated that the game will be released on Fall 2010. According to Gamefly and Gamestop, the release date states the North American release will be on November 30, 2010.
 * This game was shown in Electronic Entertainment Expo 2010.
 * One of the planets is eerily shaped like Metal Sonic's head.
 * This is one of a few 3D Sonic games to have "Acts", the other being Sonic Unleashed for PS3/Xbox 360.
 * If a customer pre-orders Sonic Colors at Gamestop, the customer can get a free hat with the look of Sonic's blue 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.
 * Sonic appears to be able to double-jump in this game.
 * According to Takashi Iizuka, Knuckles is planned to be in the game, but however, in a podcast with Keith Dwyer, states that he will not appear in the game.
 * In the new zone with the orange wisp power screenshot, if you look closely the egg pawns have pick axes and miner helmets.