Commemorating the 10th anniversary of the North American release of the Dreamcast, SEGA has announced that a full 2D (and HD) Sonic title is in the works and scheduled for a 2010 release. The incredibly cryptic teaser site for the currently code-named ‘Project Needlemouse’ reveals little about the nature of the game.
Read more after the break.
“Old-school Sonic fans have long asked to see Sonic return to a more 2D style of gameplay. Many liked the daytime stages in Unleashed, but wanted to see a game that plays purely similar to the early games of the Genesis. Project Needlemouse is that critical first step that brings Sonic back to his 2D roots.” said Ken Ballough, SEGA America’s associate brand manager.
There’s still speculation as to whether or not the game will be released in hard copy or digitally and if it will fully return to Sonic’s roots by omitting many of the newer characters and sticking to the original cast established on the Master System and Genesis
SEGA continues to endear itself to me. They’re really stepping up their game–new RPG franchises, a 2D Sonic, etc. Now all they have to do is release Yakuza 3 in the US and give us a full HD remake of Shenmue 1 and 2 on the PS3.
Google Search the Sonic Cycle. Another classic case.
An HD remake of Shenmue 1 and 2 would be epic!!! A smart marketing strategy would be to package both games together and sell it for the bargain price of $30 or $40. If it sells well, then green light Shenmue 3 and build it from the ground up.
Hope the 2d Sonic plays better than Sonic Unleashed. The 2d parts were adrenaline-pumping, but it never felt like I had control of Sonic like I did in the Genesis classics. Sonic doesn’t need to be THAT fast. Make it a platforming game again!