Our readers are always on the lookout for new Sonic Unleashed information it seems. This time, reader Ah2190 got his hands on the new gamesTM Magazine, and promptly sent us scans of the article. There is a lot to learn about Sonic Unleashed from this new piece of literature, all of which is now available for your viewing. For those of you who just want a summary of the new information, read on.
As well as the action stages, Sonic Unleashed will also feature nine hub-world, themed around real geographical locations…
This could put an end to that rumor about the Wii and PS2 getting two fewer levels then the 360 and PS3 counterparts. We won’t completely squish the rumor just yet, but things are definitely looking good. We’ll probably get this rumor completely cleaned up by the end of E3.
…Like the hub world from the original Sonic Adventure, these areas can be roamed freely and feature human NPC’s with which to converse. Unlike the previous Sonic the Hedgehog, however, these human characters do not look out of place thanks to a new art style, which renders them as small and cute as Sonic himself.
This may ease the minds of countless Sonic fans out there who have been worried about the integration of human society in Sonic games. It’s something worth worrying about after recent Sonic disasters, but when we hear something like this, it lifts our spirits about such concerns. According to Hashimoto, one of the inspirations for the humans in Unleashed was Pixar and their popular films such as Ratatouille.
In regards to 2D and 3D gameplay:
“There are a couple of guidelines we followed in designing the levels,” explains Hashimoto. “The first is that each 2D or 3D section should last around 15-30 seconds. The second is that the overall stage should be no more than five minutes long. We try to switch between 2D and 3D as often as possible so that no one sequence lasts too long. the idea is to create a pace that never allows the player to grow bored.”
Hashimoto, you can go ahead and consider us far from bored, and we haven’t even got our hands on the game yet. Sure, that’s one way to set us up for disappointment, but the varying action sequences seem like a great idea to us.
For anyone worried that the 3D sections might be those most likely to let the side down, fear not. Sonic Team has retained the parts that always work – rail grinding from Sonic Adventure, lane switching from Sonic And The Secret Rings – and added a few new touches to capitalise on the perspective.
There you go folks. Your rails questions are answered, as it’s demonstrated that the best of all worlds have been combined to bring a truly unique, fun experience to the table.
…we did just mention a stage based on the Great Wall of China. In fact, every one of the nine [*ahem* NINE] locations of Sonic Unleashed is based on a real-world environment. So far we’ve seen a Spanish villa, an African desert plain, the aforementioned China, and New York City.
Though a far cry from Sonic’s traditional environments like Green Hill Zone and Casino Zone, the stages of Sonic Unleashed are still anything but realistic. These are familiar locations, only rendered in Sega’s distinctive visual style, with a perfect day’s weather and a series of spectacular eye-catching set pieces. Hashimoto explains, “One of the main themes of the game is about Sonic travelling around some very different places, so we wanted to create a sense of him existing in an actual world full of different countries. In fact, you may not know this but the Japanese title of this game is Sonic World Adventure…”
Few things here. First off, we once again see confirmation of 9 stages in Sonic Unleashed. Set that aside, and we get confirmation of a few levels such as China, a Spanish country, Africa, and New York City. The stylized look is something we’ve been impressed with ever since the first leaked shots and videos of Sonic Unleashed, and it’s been evident that although based off real world locations, Sega is keeping Sonic in a world of his own… unless there really are loops like that in Europe that no one ever told me about…
And what is there to learn about the plot in the latest gamesTM?
In an unusual touch for the series, the opening FMV in Sonic Unleashed kicks off the story by telling the concluding part of a previous, untold adventure [remember folks, Sonic Unleashed is not attached to any previous games]. Just like an Indiana Jones film… except set in space.
Bounding over and around a fleet of spaceships toward a final encounter with Dr Eggman, Sonic spins through the dark void of space and transforms into Super Sonic, only to be caught in on eof Dr Eggman’s machines. “Eggman uses a machine to corrupt the power of the emeralds,” Hashimoto explains. “So Sonic’s aim throughout Unleashed is to fix the emeralds by travelling the world to find shrines that will reverse the effects of Dr Eggman’s machine.”
It continues on that Sonic won’t be able to transform into Super Sonic until at least the climax of the game from this point on, but he will transform into something else until then (yes, they really aren’t saying what yet…)
Many of our own viewers have speculated similar plot line beginnings, and it seems to be the makings of a wonderful story. Can Sega pull it off? We’ll know soon enough.
Finally, there is also a quick blurb about the so-called RPG elements from Sonic Unleashed.
New powers can be unlocked by locating hidden items throughout the stages while regular abilities, such as speed and strength can be upgraded via sliding scales after each victory over a boss.
All in all, gamesTM seemed impressed, although they are not calling ready to say the game is going to be brilliant just yet (with recent Sonic games, we can’t blame them). We’re definitely excited to hear some of the things they discovered, and encourage to give the article a quick read yourself if you have a moment (it’s only 3 pages — 4 counting a full size photo). For those interested, we have the scans here, or you can go grab the latest issue of gamesTM yourself and start reading on page 29!
Thanks again Ah2190! You’ve been a huge help to the Sonic Community!
Stick around. E3 is literally only days away! And we’ve got eyes and ears on the floor, ready for a full writeup after the private showing of Sonic Unleashed!
@DarkChaos: Sounds great! I only have Wii!
I love SU! And some more serious thing isn’t wrong.
Still on the road, but man… I am so pumped about this game, and what E3 is going to bring us! Can’t thank Ah2190 enough for getting these scans to me so quickly!
I’m looking foward to seeing a picture of one of the humans.
This games sounds and looks awsome! I CAN’T WAIT!
Awesome, new info! That’s a good article, and now we’ve got some closure of how those RPG elements will work.
@NintendoBrad: Honestly, I’m still a bit confused about them. I can’t understand if the hidden abilities you find in levels are like… unlockable abilities, or timed-abilities (ie: invincibility, etc). The rest seems straightforward, and still sounds good to me.
Can’t wait for E3! but can somebody please clear this up for me: when is E3??? I thought it was on the 15th but other people are saying its on the 14th? please help -_-
@David Leggett: It seems as though one hidden powerup will lead to the next. Like, you’ll need to use that certain skill to get more. Thats what i think atleast.
@Sonicluver01: E3 is July 14th to the 17th.
@David Leggett: thanks a bunch
YAY only 2 days left to E3!!
Did anyone notice in the scan it says 1-4 players?
What’s that about???
[...] Read more here: New Sonic Unleashed Details in Games TM [...]
Good article!
This game will bring us a lot of surprises, or at least is what I think.
So, E3 is the monday… … =D
@Zink120: Wow… Great find Zink120. Definitely strange to see that after SEGA already confirmed otherwise…
Wow! so much info even before the E3 begins. And about the powers i think they are like the Sonic adventure 2 ones ( hidden in levels
).
Thanks ah2190! you rock! ( i think you were the spy to steal the information from SEGA after they closed thier doors lol )
By the way..is there more than one admin? ( lol i don’t think so, just kidding
) Well i noticed that when the admin posts the name is changed to David… hmm… Oh! i know! i think the admin has transformed to wereadmin aka David! LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL! 
Oh. Em. Gee.
YAY! This information is pretty awsome.
Hahah…..I imagine a chibi Chris Thorndike. Lol, joking, but I wonder who the people will look like. Oh and the article called Sonic cute, hahahahahaha!
Amy is spotted again? Wow, they just really can’t hide that, can they?
XD
Oh i have a question!
: well they said something about customizing the abilities like speed and strengh beside the hidden power ups… hmm… does that mean if i upgraded the speed i will be able to go faster than 300mph? i really hope so! 
I also hope that this 1-4 player thing is true though ( did they change thier minds? )
Ah2190, you’re a legend mate!
[...] Camp Sonic [...]
maybe sonic will be aale to jump higher, better drift control, and ring dash
Okay, so it’s 9 worlds that take place in the 9 different locations…each with an action stage. This likely means that optional missions will be available, Sonic ‘06-style. I’m still worried I’ll beat this game in one weekend, but it looks nice.
So “Sonic World Adventure” is a title that’s still in play.( as far as Japan anyway) .It sure would’ve been nice if we had that title though.
trivia note : oh, and for the record, does anyone realize that this is the first game in the main series since, Sonic 3D, to be renamed for international audiences(of course, it hasn’t been confirmed yet as to what name would be chosen for the other regions).
OMG…………..I can’t wait! I saw the trailer and I’m stoked! I’m REALLY hoping they release the demo during or after E3!!!!!!
so that rumor was false. there are 9 stages for every verson of the game.
@Sonic The Hedgehog: I reckon 300mph will be the max speed you can unlock
This game looks awesome! I cant wait, the graphics look beautiful and the opening scene sounds fantastic!
Super Sonic straight away! I cant wait!
whats strange is that in games sonic doesnt go his full speed. EVER! his top speed is around 2000mph!!! or supersonic speeds , (may be faster…) but in games he goes like 50mph!!! oh my gosh thats like saying a rocket can only go 3000mph!!!(they go around 300,000mph…or something outragous like that…) even in sonic 06 he went pretty slow!!! but in sonic unleashed videos he goes much much faster!!!
go sonic!!!
This game sounds so awesome, I am going to ADORE the hub worlds. ADORE!
Hey admin did you noticed that it said that the other characters would mostly likely be in MINI games. It is on the third scan on the top left. With the info we’ve gotton so far I speculate that there will be minigames like Sonic Shuffle and/or Sonic and the Secret Rings. I also remember a while back where someone said 95% of the game is Sonic and the other 5% is the other characters.
@David Leggett: Here’s my opinion on all this…
I think sliding scales is a different way than SatSR used the level up system. From my experience with sliding scales, you just gain experience points and at the end of the boss battle or level it’ll show you how many you have, and then you can choose which stat or stats you want to use those experience points on to increase that stat/stats. Whereas SatSR you just gained levels then chose different abilities using SP points.
I don’t think upgrading your regular stats will be all that necessary in Unleashed though, since you can just use the boost meter to kill all enemies in one hit and to go fast. As for hidden abilities, I think it will just be something like SA/SA2. You find the items and they give you new abilities.
Come on, E3! I don’t care if you start tommorrow, I’m not waiting 24 hours for more info! X3 I hope they actually have a gameplay trailer of the Werehog, or at least a fully-lit picture.
Did anyone notice that it has 9 and 7 minutes on the scans?
@sonic 06: Yeah, and other screenshots have shown up to 9 minutes and 12 minutes. Definitely weird, but maybe it’s just a glitch in the screenshots and they just included random numbers by the time. We may find out at E3 anyways.
Well, it seems that luck was with me yesterday. Because it wasn’t until I finally got to read the mag (after watching a film, having dinner, then watching ANOTHER film) that I realised that there was some Sonic Unleashed information! And the first thing I did when I got back home? Came right here, and told David all about it.
@ Sonic The Hedgehog: Nope, I’m not a spy – just a staff member of SAR that has stumbled on some goodies by chance. And I was quick to spread the word around.
really now, Sega!
we all know theres a Weresonic(or something along those lines) involved somehow,so please release gameplay of him!
@Link451: oh ok i was just wondering
i got some informatoin in a site about sonic unleashed heard.
(listen this inst confirmed yet):
«SONIC WILL TRAVELING ALL OVER THE WORLD THE ACTIVATE POWER OF THE CHAOS EMERALDS AS EGGMAN AWAKWNS A BEAST FROM THE CENTER OF THE EARTH AND ALTERS SONIC IN UNEXPECTED WAYS.I WILL ALSO TEAM UP WITH A COMERCIAL GIRL NAMED::
ALEXA WOODS!!!!!!!!
i repeat this isnt confirmed yet..and probably must be rumours….
@Nano: I believe that your facts are incorrect. From what I’ve heard and seen, Sonic will NOT be teaming up with any humans – not after the poor reception of Sonic 06.
sounds cool al over
level up items and story rock.
But what are sliding scales suposed to be? O,well.
I hope the cartoony style is kept within limits however.
[...] Details in Games TM Auch hier w
I just might buy an Xbox360 because of this… O_O
The Hedgehog engine is something I seriously don’t want to miss out on, but with Dimps helping out with the Wii/PS2 versions, I can’t help but feel so conflicted as to which I want to get…
Decisions, decisions…
@Sonicluver01: it’s the 14 sonic luver01 search your TV. they have a show capturing it all the days live. but unfortunatley sonic unleashed probally won’t be there because it’s an invite event. but still can’t wait for this game!
oh my god! if that’s a scene in space then what is this? the tenth egg carrier eggmans had? jeese he keeps finding new ways to rebuild this thing!
I can’t wait to see those humans. I loved Ratatouille, and the style would fit Sonic’s world more…but I’m not sure that they should be as SHORT as Sonic and his friends are. Humans…are…usually…taller. I mean, I didn’t mind the humans in Sonic Adventure’s hub, and the size difference between Sonic and the humans in the Soleanna hub was sort of…freaky, but if they had regular sized, stylized humans, that’d be fine. …Well, I suppose it’s for the best~
They’re succeeding in making environments that people would want to go to themselves. O_____O Gah, so gorgeous!
Ah, cynical magazine peeps…not sure what to make of it. (The new NiGHTS game wasn’t that bad! They delayed it at times! Since when does Sonic Team delay anything>?
“…but as we watched Hashimoto misjudge a jump and accidentally fall prey to a bottomless pit, we couldn’t help but feel concerned.”
…just because he screwed up a jump? Dude, I find it hard to believe that there are ANY Sonic players that haven’t screwed up a jump once. That’s no reason to be concerned, especially considering that you only mentioned him ******** it up…one time? Yeah, here’s the thing about games…when you screw up, sometimes you die. And since you didn’t mention any OTHER incidents in the playtest where pit deaths happened, I’m considering this a VERY good sign.
I remember SEGA Dawg from the Sega of America blog getting a play test and saying that the controls at that point in development were oversensitive and that he died WAY TOO MANY times to count. I’d assume that since they worked on desensitizing the controls…well, Hashimoto died once. VERY GOOD SIGN
(Considering that I myself have been known to misjudge jumps and fall into pits on harder levels of various other Sonic installments, I’m used to the pits…I hope there are less of them in the game though.)
@David Leggett: Both are available in the game. I believe I sent you a link to a blog that found in the High Europe trailer a “Shield” powerup to appear.
@ah2190: Nano didn’t say that they were facts, he himself said that it was a rumor. And just because people didn’t like Elise wouldn’t mean that they wouldn’t mind a team up with a human character with no romantic interest in him whatsoever. o____o;; Either way, it’s a rumor, and for all we know, she could be there. Or she couldn’t.
@blu_7: Personally, I think it just might be a gaffe in Hashimoto’s English. Lost in translation. What we’ve heard from SEGA of Europe and other magazine articles contradicts it so…well, who knows?
[b]VERY GOOD SIGN[/b] indeed
what ligth me wondering was WHAT ELSE HE TUREING INTO mmmm i wonder
I hope they make the graphics for the ps2 and wii versions simminlar to Sonic Riders 2 Zero Gravity cause those graphics impressed me on the ps2 I mean it’s just look at them they look just like a fantasy world but Sonic isn’t misplaced on it in fact He just looks perfect
This game is really gonna come together and become a turning point in sonic’s history i cant wait… i hope we get to keep or find an item for light speed dash it was sooo awsome and hopefully David’s inside man is gonna ask if chao’s will appear or not? hey so which 5 people won the art contest?
Pretty exciting, I must say.
This is really getting me pumped up, I can’t wait to play it myself!
I can’t wait to transform into super sonic !!! just like the old day. collect 50 rings
N-New York!? A Sonic game that includes my state as a level? I’m so proud! Now I simply CANNOT wait for Sonic Unleashed.
I wanna run around NYC as Sonic. I’m guessing that’s where it’s gonna take place. Will it be realistic and say what street you’re on? That’d be cool. And the New Yorkers might be cute and small like Sonic himself? Basic anime-esque humans in SA1 and SA2 never bothered me, but chibi ones? Not too bad.
toobad they dont have florida he could have raced throuh the everglades or through a beach or oooo i know DISNEY or UNIVERSAL. hows that for exiting!!
you know what I miss from the old games?
PLAYING AS SUPER SONIC IN THE LEVELS!
I hope sega thinks about being able to play as him after you beat the game!
I simply love the fact that in all of the pics of the 360/PS3 version we have seen so far, Sonic has 99 lives, either the people testing it really suck and need 99 to make it through a level, or they are really good and got 99 after playing for a couple of minutes because they are Sega and will rule all of our minds with this games awesomeness.
How about my home state, Texas? They could stereotype it with wide, dry, open spaces and everything is bigger than usual! It will also play country music! Since you know, everything is bigger in Texas!
[...] during this week’s E3 Media and Business Summit in Los Angeles, but just before they do, GamesTM has popped up with a whole host of new information about the upcoming platformer, including [...]
[...] to this Campsonic exposé of the current issue of GamesTM, Sonic Unleashed lead designer Yoshihisa Hashimoto says [...]
[...] een Sonic fansite heeft wat meer info over Sonic Unleashed uit het laatste nummer van GamesTM gevist. Hoogtepunten [...]
[...] Fuente: Campsonic [...]
[...] Link These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages. [...]
[...] Sonic details. [...]
[...] in July, GamesTM spoke with SEGA and revealed that the Japanese name for Sonic Unleashed would actually be called Sonic World [...]
wow this is reli kool sonic the werehog looks reli awesome
but a gd question is will they bring bk the chao garden from adventure 1 and 2wud be great if they did
I’ve never played as Super Sonic in the normal level’s before so I look forward to this feature to bad I’m going to have to wait till easter,btw anyone know when easter is going to be this year?I really hope it’ll be early and I forgot when it was this year.
I doubt they’ll make another game with the chao garden
they must put chao garden dont ever say that again >=O ever ever
ever……..
Don’t get me wrong I loved the chao garden it just doesn’t seem likely to me is all
It was supposed to say last year at the end but I messed up
@NeonTheFox:
Why not? It was a rather popular feature that in a business sense would make sense to bring back. Not to mention it substantially adds replayability to the game, which is always a plus.
It has been years since the last game to that had the feature that’s the only reason why I have my doubts and I would love to see the return of the chao garden
@NeonTheFox: dont doubt sega with unleashed taking a new turn anything could happen
hi does anyone remember what happened to that sonic adventure cheat that everyone was obsessed about i thought of it how interesting to me. stage2 select was plenty fun and i don’t know what to do after i beat the game a thousand times and have never played it is frustrating to see that i such a sonic fan but never got to enjoy having all the characters the stage map 2 in stage select mode brings.if anyone remembers the code that would be nice if they could post it
hi this topic is about sonic2battle i wish you knew the cheatcode that is missing that was always an interesting one. the stage 2 select was the reward gatthered after you complete all the gamestages with a rank. it should be somecode you type to make the stage 2 select come up and then you are able to type in passwords to get new characters and are able to play them with their new abilities. if anyones this please bring this fact up , i think this would make an interesting little known debate
umm.. ive got that game and its pretty cool. i jus wish it was more like the other ones to me theres not enough of the regular sonic!!.
I really like the werehogss features i also would like him to move quicker and u never see him running a long distance ony a few feet at a time then ur fighting again and again. those seem to be the only flaws but i mean hey thats just my opinion other than that the games great incuding the graphics and the AWsome moves that sonic can do!!! ecspecially when regular sonic is running and there are rings in mid air and no track if you shake the wii remote u jus fly right through…and that includes tha large rings too!!
How do I get into a hub world!!
Such a usefule blog