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Footage of a Rejected Sonic Game Based on Vertical Platforming Has Surfaced

IbizaPocholo

NeoGAFs Kent Brockman

Based in London, Nitrome is a British-based game developer known for the pixel art style of its games. Over the years, it has produced numerous titles, such as Bomb Chicken. In addition, the company is currently working on the upcoming Shovel Knight Dig. Beyond these games, the company revealed that it had pitched a game concept to SEGA in the past.

In a tweet from December 22, Nitrome unveiled details about a previous game concept it had worked on and pitched to SEGA. While the project had no name, it was related to the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise and featured the titular hedgehog. However, unlike many other games in the franchise, this concept came with a twist. Instead of focusing on running in a horizontal direction, this Sonic demo had vertical-based platforming that required players to jump from one platform to the next.

In addition to revealing the game idea, Nitrome shared a video of the demo for the game concept. In the short clip, Sonic was seen on a vertical stage that necessitated him to wall run and land on springs to advance further up. The level had a nostalgic feel, as it included classic enemies and featured a setting reminiscent of that found in the iconic Green Hill Zone. Unfortunately, this intriguing game idea never saw the light of day as the “Sega Gods,” as Nitrome put it, decided not to move forward with the pitch. However, the developer revealed that the wall-running mechanic made its way into another one of its games, Super Leap Day.

 
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V4skunk

Banned

Based in London, Nitrome is a British-based game developer known for the pixel art style of its games. Over the years, it has produced numerous titles, such as Bomb Chicken. In addition, the company is currently working on the upcoming Shovel Knight Dig. Beyond these games, the company revealed that it had pitched a game concept to SEGA in the past.

In a tweet from December 22, Nitrome unveiled details about a previous game concept it had worked on and pitched to SEGA. While the project had no name, it was related to the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise and featured the titular hedgehog. However, unlike many other games in the franchise, this concept came with a twist. Instead of focusing on running in a horizontal direction, this Sonic demo had vertical-based platforming that required players to jump from one platform to the next.

In addition to revealing the game idea, Nitrome shared a video of the demo for the game concept. In the short clip, Sonic was seen on a vertical stage that necessitated him to wall run and land on springs to advance further up. The level had a nostalgic feel, as it included classic enemies and featured a setting reminiscent of that found in the iconic Green Hill Zone. Unfortunately, this intriguing game idea never saw the light of day as the “Sega Gods,” as Nitrome put it, decided not to move forward with the pitch. However, the developer revealed that the wall-running mechanic made its way into another one of its games, Super Leap Day.


I'm not surprised it got rejected because it isn't fluid and speedy like a regular sonic game.
 

kunonabi

Member
I figure it would been Sonic running around those rotating cylinders/towers games used to do every so often. I would have been much more interested in that.
 

CamHostage

Member
Level design would have needed some more work from this concept demo. (I agree with others that it needs to flow better from area to area to be Sonic, and I think the wall-jump was a crutch added to deal with the challenge of really making fast-flowing levels that were fun and fast but didn't get you snagged up if you ever got hit or lost your speed.) However, it is just a demo. Otherwise, looks like a cute idea that could have been fun on a phone with some polish.

Got them some attention for Super Leap Day, at least. Game looks fun.

 
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Spukc

always chasing the next thrill

Based in London, Nitrome is a British-based game developer known for the pixel art style of its games. Over the years, it has produced numerous titles, such as Bomb Chicken. In addition, the company is currently working on the upcoming Shovel Knight Dig. Beyond these games, the company revealed that it had pitched a game concept to SEGA in the past.

In a tweet from December 22, Nitrome unveiled details about a previous game concept it had worked on and pitched to SEGA. While the project had no name, it was related to the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise and featured the titular hedgehog. However, unlike many other games in the franchise, this concept came with a twist. Instead of focusing on running in a horizontal direction, this Sonic demo had vertical-based platforming that required players to jump from one platform to the next.

In addition to revealing the game idea, Nitrome shared a video of the demo for the game concept. In the short clip, Sonic was seen on a vertical stage that necessitated him to wall run and land on springs to advance further up. The level had a nostalgic feel, as it included classic enemies and featured a setting reminiscent of that found in the iconic Green Hill Zone. Unfortunately, this intriguing game idea never saw the light of day as the “Sega Gods,” as Nitrome put it, decided not to move forward with the pitch. However, the developer revealed that the wall-running mechanic made its way into another one of its games, Super Leap Day.


Gfx are fun
It has nothing to do with sonic tho
Just like all the 3d sanic games.


Make mania 2&3 fucking retards
 
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Never was a fan of Sonic but that looks horrible. At least do some form of pitfall kind of thing, going down fast and stuff, not slowly go up...
 

Fbh

Member
I can see why didn't move forward with it.
Just looks like a worse Leap Day and it doesn't really fit Sonic.
 

Fake

Member
Is not that bad. Just need more speed and physics.

I remember Sonic Lost World doing this. The problem is create a very very limited Sonic game.
 
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Saber

Gold Member
Maybe the idea turns out to be Lost World? This concept still intact in some stages at least.

Looks pretty boring though.
 

yurinka

Member
Leap Day is the best mobile game ever made. A Sonic skin would have been a great idea, the Nitrome guys are super talented and the best option possible for a Sonic mobile game.

Looks kinda boring
Play Leap Day, it's free and the only mobile game that properly adapts proper platforming to touchscreen controls. It's super fun.
 
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ShirAhava

Plays with kids toys, in the adult gaming world
Reminds me a (less fun) version of moving up the level in Toxic Caves (Sonic Spinball....which it turns out was a modified Hidden Palace
 

JimboJones

Member
Accept it, Mania 2 & 3 will never happen. and I'm glad they won't.
If we haven't got an Adventure 3/Remakes yet, then you guys don't deserve Mania 2

Tom And Jerry Reaction GIF
 

Soodanim

Member
Are you saying that going fast in a Sonic game is a bad thing?
If we’re honest, actually going fast in 4:3, 2D Sonic means learning the levels or coming to a halt one way or another. I used to just cheat and be Super Sonic because it was a way to get round quickly without the downfalls.

16:9 is better, but really you’d want even more than that. Zoom out or go 21:9 to have a chance at going fast without being a speed runner.
 
Imaging being the developer who got a sonic game rejected considering what actually made the cut.

It must have been horrible beyond words.
Tbf, most bad Sonic games probably weren't a bad idea when they first got pitched of most of the bad sonic games (or really, a lot of bad games in general) did have some sort of potential. it's just that a trainwreck of a development often leads to a trainwreck of a game, which SEGA is rather infamous for because they love to rush and put stupid mandates over developers.
 

jigglet

Banned
Can we stop pretending like these pitches from unknown indie studios are considered real cancelled / rejected projects. It's getting tiresome. We do lots of proofs of concepts all the time to other companies, but I'd never call them anything other than a sales pitch.
 
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Notabueno

Banned
Level design would have needed some more work from this concept demo. (I agree with others that it needs to flow better from area to area to be Sonic, and I think the wall-jump was a crutch added to deal with the challenge of really making fast-flowing levels that were fun and fast but didn't get you snagged up if you ever got hit or lost your speed.) However, it is just a demo. Otherwise, looks like a cute idea that could have been fun on a phone with some polish.

Got them some attention for Super Leap Day, at least. Game looks fun.



Nitrome games are amazing, never heard of this game but recognized their style instantly.
 
-100 out of 10 take

Adventure was bad in 1998 and its bad now why remake trash
Except it was praised back in 1998 when it came out, and a lot of the complaints apply to most other games from the era it's just that the vanilla Steam port sucks balls, but for all I care, it's a good game.

It still has flaws due to outdated design choices, but that's what remakes are for.
 
One of the worst takes I've seen on here, and that's saying something
You guys deserve it, classic fanboys are the reason why SEGA is so afraid of exploiting Sonic's potential, and why they play it so safe now. instead of learning from what worked and didn't from their previous blunders, they change the formula, tone and direction entirely. now wonder why Sonic hasn't got a constant formula like Mario. atleast Frontiers seems like a return to what actual fans liked about Sonic.

Sonic Mania was good, but the rehashing of stages. especially ones we've already seen before in Generations, ruined it. at most it deserves to be a smaller sub-series like New Super Mario Bros. between every main realease.
 
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Spaceman292

Banned
You guys deserve it, classic fanboys are the reason why SEGA is so afraid of exploiting Sonic's potential, and why they play it so safe now. instead of learning from what worked and didn't from their previous blunders, they change the formula, tone and direction entirely. now wonder why Sonic hasn't got a constant formula like Mario. atleast Frontiers seems like a return to what actual fans liked about Sonic.

Sonic Mania was good, but the rehashing of stages. especially ones we've already seen before in Generations, ruined it. at most it deserves to be a smaller sub-series like New Super Mario Bros. between every main realease.
Man fuck you man
 

Bragr

Banned
Sonic hasn't got a constant formula like Mario.
That's because Sega is latching on to a studio that isn't up to it.

Nintendo has absurd standards with their Mario games and will spend years polishing and iterating.

With Sonic they slap together prototypes and rush them out the door before even completing basic systems or testing if people like playing it.
 
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