I’ve been thinking about this for while now. How can my all time favorite hedgehog be saved from an eternity of mediocrity? Well, that’s something that I want to explore today.
Listen, if you want to hear my thoughts on what I consider the perfect Sonic Game, then read The Future of Sonic The Hedgehog – Where Does The Sonic Games Go After Sonic Forces? to hear my thoughts on that. Today I wanted to look at the people that have been making the Sonic games.
Sonic Team, also known as CS Research and Development #2 (CS2), Sega Studios USA have being making some wild ass decision with the Sonic IP. One minute they get the formula right and are looking like they’re heading into the right direction. Then suddenly, it’s like they’ve forgotten everything, and then try something completely new and basically shit all over everything they’ve built. It’s almost as if every game is being made by a different team. Oh wait, that’s exactly what happens.
Unlike Mario games, Sonic hasn’t had a dedicated team that has grown and mastered his art. However, then you remember Takashi Iizuka exists and all the experience he has acquired over the years and it make you wonder, how in the world did a fan outperform your game? Yes, I’m talking about Sonic Mania which was led by Christian Whitehead.
As a Sonic fan, this hurts a lot, and is kind of insulting to endure the current state Sonic. What I’m getting at here is this: It’s time to for a new, PERMANENT team to take over that knows what Sonic is about. These old guys have lost touch with what made Sonic fun in both gameplay and story-wise.
Christian Whitehead showed us what can happen if you trust a fan to take the lead on a Sonic project. He did the impossible and got the highest rated Sonic game in a long time. I thank Takashi Iizuka for his service but it’s time for him to step down, it’s time for most of the Sonic Team to step down (keep the ones that made the day stages in Unleashed tho) and hire new bloods, people who are just as talented and more passionate as Christian to take lead. I’ve had enough of nostalgia, I’ve had enough of Green Hill zone. And I’ve had enough of mediocre Sonic games.
