Sonic Unleashed Preview

Ever since Sega’s blue hedgehog thoughtlessly entered the three-dimensional world, the Sonic franchise began to sink deeper and deeper into a seemingly endless hole. Over the years Sega has made numerous attempts to bring back the glory to their prized mascot which at one time only Mario could rival. They failed time and time again, and while one of their latest attempts on the Wii (Sonic and the Secret Rings) was a good effort, it just did not capture the thrill and pleasure that the legendary franchise was once known for. The small spurt of reputation that came with Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games feebly pushed Sonic back onto the radar and is now giving the hedgehog another chance to leap back on to the podium of famous mascots.

Sonic Unleashed definitely has the chance to do just that. While Sonic’s latest adventure will be breaking new ground, it is also going to stick to it 2D side scrolling roots that worked so well for it in the past. A quote from the lead designer of the Sonic team, Yoshihisa Hashimoto, states that Sonic Unleashed will have no relation to Sonic the Hedgehog (360/PS3) or Sonic and the Secret Rings (Wii). Instead it will have more in common with the older Sonic adventure games.

Everything about Sonic Unleashed has been developed completely from scratch, from its new character models, to its “Hedgehog Engine.” Players will still be able to use Sonic’s iconic moves, such as the “spin attack” and the “homing attack” but you can expect to see a bunch of new elements in the game that will give it a breath of fresh air.

Sonic has a few new tricks up his sleeve, including the new Sonic boost, which will have you collecting rings to fill up an energy bar that allow you to dash throughout the course at a high speed, Sonic Drift, which will allow players to take short, sharp turns at curves while running through the course, and the Quick Step, which allows players to move left or right rapidly to avoid an oncoming obstacle. We can probably expect to see more actions revealed at a later date.

Though details on the storyline are slim, it is confirmed that Sonic will turn into a “were-hog” at night time. It is also confirmed that in the beginning of the game Sonic will be trapped by Dr. Eggmans evil plan and the power of the Chaos Crystal will be misused and something inside Sonic’s body changes. This most likely causes him to turn into Were-Sonic during the nighttime levels. Were-Sonic has been reported not to be evil, but more of a Hulk-like version of sonic. So far Sonic’s trusty sidekicks Tails and Amy have been confirmed to be in the game, but it is still unknown if other fan favorites such as Knuckles or Shadow will be making an appearance.

It’s fine to be a little skeptical on the fact that there will be a new Were-Sonic in the game. But from what we can tell so far, Were-Sonic looks to be a welcome addition to the game and the franchise. According to Hashimoto, Sonic during the day will maintain his quick and agile speed, but during the night he is a slightly slower, and surprisingly a more agile beast. While regular Sonic darts past and aviods obstacles, Were-Sonic will “manhandle” them out of the way and can “toss enemies around like nobody’s business.” The Official Nintendo Magazine has reported that instead of running, Sonic will use his tremendously long arms to swing across the level, sort of like an ape.

There is also some very good news for us Wii owners, as Sega has said that the Wii version will be a graphical showcase for the system. The Official Nintendo Magazines reports that the Wii version of Sonic Unleashed has “shiny next-gen visuals.” It is even reported that the Wii is the lead-platform version of the game, while the PS2 version will simply be a downgrade from the Wii. Of course the 360/PS3 version may be tuned up with a little extra polish and gloss, but My Wii News cannot currently confirm this.

Very little is know about the gameplay and nothing is known about the controls of the game except that the main controller for the Wii version will use the the Wii Remote and Nunchuk combo instead of holding the Wii Remote sideways like in Sonic and the Secret Rings. It is still not know if players will be able to use other controllers such as the Gamecube or Classic controllers, but it seems like Sega is trying to use the Wii Remote’s unique abilities to the fullest, so it appears to be unlikely.

The developers mention that their new side-scrolling camera angle works extremely well. While it keeps Sonic up to date with the 3D environments, it also allows for the game to keep that old Sonic essence that everybody knows and loves.

So far, Sonic Unleashed appears to be a breath of fresh air to the Sonic franchise which has been struggling over the past decade. Hardcore Sonic fans will definitely want to keep an eye out for this one, because we all know that we want the old Sonic back. I have high hopes for this game and it looks like it will show people that Sonic can be awesome in 3D too. Give us your thoughts by leaving us a comment below, check out the debut trailer, the ONM screens, and keep checking back to MyWiiNews.com for more Wii and Sonic info

Chintendo Vii Spreading Throughout Asia?

Way back in February, MyWiiNews brought you news of the Chintendo Vii, as it was reviewed and compared to our lovable console, the Wii. Most of you guys may think it is funny and well… hilarious even. But really, with such rampant piracy in some parts of Asia, the Chintendo Vii can be very disturbing as hell.

Chintendo Vii in Japan

Yes, the Chintendo Vii has actually entered Japanese soil. The very same soil where Shigeru Miyamoto, Mario, and even Nintendo itself was born! And I’m guessing it has been that way since at least December 2007.

Just look at these recent pictures, including Vii Sports:

How About the Rest of Asia?

Living in the Philippines, I definitely saw some of these Chintendo Vii’s myself being sold on selected stores and even on some prominent malls all across Metro Manila. Too bad I haven’t got any pics, but I tell you, it’s not in any way funny. But you know what they say: Imitation is definitely the best form of flattery. So, I guess it’s all fine, right? Unless someone actually (and seriously) buys the system, which is when problems arise. I know I wont.

By the way, it’s already quite old, but you can always check out the Japanese’s reaction and thoughts on the Vii in the video below:

Reference: Akiba Blog

Real Life Mario. Real Life Scary

This has got to be one of the creepiest things to have ever graced my laptop. Pixeloo over at Pixeloo created a Photoshop image of what Mario would look like in real life if he kept his, shall we say, disturbing proportions. Kind of the creepiest thing ever. Though there is a sort of sadness and knowing behind this freak of nature’s eyes that make me care for it, like a lost puppy. Head over to Pixeloo’s site for information on how he created the picture and a threat about giving the same treatment to Homer Simpson.

Online Details for Mario Kart Wii

Nintendo’s Mario Kart series is known for its action packed gameplay and awesome split-screen multiplayer. While Mario Kart DS made a decent online debut, Mario Kart Wii will be the first game in the series that includes online on a home console. So far, it seems like Nintendo is really pushing Mario Kart’s online potential!

Nintendo previously announced that Mario Kart Wii will use a “Mario Kart Channel” which will be accessible even while Mario Kart is not in the Disk Drive. You will be able to use this channel to view and download ghost data from any Mario Kart Player around the world.

The Channel also let’s you register your friends, and although they are still using friend codes, you will be able see your friends online status! This is a huge step for Nintendo’s rather protective online program.

The Channel even allows you to view the current rankings and competition around the world. Competitions are challenges that Nintendo will invite people to on a regular basis, similar to the challenges featured on Mario Kart DS.

Although voice chat would be nice and we could do without the friend-codes, it looks like Nintendo’s online interface is looking up!