This interview has been edited for clarity.
From Emerald Hill to Studiopolis, going fast has always been Sonic's way of life. It's a poetic embodiment of the blue hedgehog's humble beginnings as a competition mascot, where he quickly rose above the competition and led Sega to become one of the leading video game companies of the early 1990s.
As the Speedster slowly grew into a household name, more adventures and characters were added to the main franchise, with recurring elements bringing a sense of familiarity to the game's various unique mechanics and stories. But racing is still very much an individual matter, so Sonic Rumble Brings some company to enjoy the fun.
It won't be a small number either. Marking a departure from the usual single-player console experience, the franchise's first multiplayer game will pit up to 32 contestants against each other in battle royale challenges. Players must compete to collect the most rings or be the fastest across three rounds – first, a simple mini-game to the finish, then one of the Survival, Hunt, or Team modes, and finally Ring Battle.
The driving force behind this quantum leap is clear and rooted in the desire to spread joy. Speaking to selected media in Southeast Asia during Tokyo Game Show (TGS) 2024,Sonic creative officer Takashi Iizuka She shares how doing so can cultivate cooperative play potential.
“the Sonic “The series has focused mostly on single-player titles,” explains the industry veteran. “Its reputation as a multiplayer game hasn't been particularly strong, (and) that's why we really want families, friends, and people around the world to play the game.”
After all, you can always count on good company to have a good time. Considering it a mobile and PC game certainly increases its chances, with increased accessibility allowing players to easily jump in and enjoy short periods of gameplay. There are several ways to get the party started, including joining a random match alone or with friends, creating a private room to play together, and Squad Mode, where members unite to compete as a team.
For longtime fans, there's another incentive awaiting: the ability to play as any franchise character from the beginning. The game's diverse roster naturally includes the main gang of Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy Rose, and Shadow, but players will also have access to villains like Dr. Eggman and variants like Metal Sonic and Silver the Hedgehog. “This is the first time all characters can be played in Sonic Universe,” Iizuka confirms.
By all accounts, this hypothesis may seem unbalanced – and for obvious reasons. The titular hedgehog is known to be the fastest thing alive, and pitting him against slower enemies means there are no stakes in play. To give every player a fair chance at victory, Sonic Rumble It will overhaul the speeds of all characters and provide them with similar loadouts while retaining their signature traits.
“We want to have a level playing field, that's why there aren't huge differences in the characters' abilities. However, we wanted to adapt their unique traits, for example, whether it's their signature move or their abilities, so Tails will still retain his Tail Copter.” . Makoto levelhighlighting that one of its greatest appeals is the ability to “act as your favorite character while playing”.
Unlike its mainline counterparts, this co-op entry takes place in a twisted game world created by Dr. Eggman that turns Sonic and his friends into minifigures, feeding into the idea of equal competition. “That's exactly why we wanted to create something that's not rooted in the normal physics of the universe,” Iizuka adds. Sonic world. We decided to go with games, because it would be the same (experience) for every character.
The other half of the equation involves gameplay variety. while Sonic Headlines have always emphasized fun, and it's even more important in Sonic Rumble Because of the rinse and repeat cycle, which can quickly become boring if not managed well. Stemming from the design philosophy of “no two battles are the same” and honoring the most iconic aspects of the series, the team incorporated familiar elements such as multiple paths and lower levels that players can fall into, as well as distinct stages such as the Green Hill area or the Chemical Plant.
Environmental impacts will also increase competition. For example, stages featuring lava or ice can cause unsuspecting players to fall into the molten jaws of death or slide down surfaces, but the game is never over until it's over. Return is part of the essence Sonic Rumble experience, and a lot of attention was paid to adapting its presentation to the gameplay mechanics.
Oddly enough, one of the biggest challenges of crafting the mayhem of a battle royale extended to the technical area. Amid the genre and formula tweaks, Tase expressed the difficulty of adapting the in-game character design to differentiate it from the modern, classic look of Sonic.
“We wanted to make something that captured his composure and showed a softer side of his personality than usual,” he shares. “There are fans who expect Sonic to be cute, while others expect him to be more adorable, but we wanted to create a design that would please all fans.”
Sonic Rumble is released worldwide for Android, iOS and PC Winter 2024.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart — or as casual as someone who has a Sephiroth theme on her Spotify playlist. A fan of Japanese movies, games, and culture, Si Jia's biggest weakness is Steam's summer sales. Or any sale on Steam, really.
