Iizuka, on making Sonic Colours better.

[Sharky]

Sonic Team head Takashi Iizuka has told SPOnG that the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise had "become too serious" during his absence as series producer and that the success of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games helped him go "back to the origins" with Sonic Colours.

In a revealing interview to be published later, Iizuka agreed with the sentiment of many Sonic fans about the series relying too much on heavy plotlines and character development.

Sonic Adventure 2 - which Iizuka directed - provided an enjoyable gameplay experience but inadvertently set a design precedent which would continue in Shadow the Hedgehog, Sonic The Hedgehog in 2006 and Sonic Unleashed.

"I was still based in Sega's American studios at the time [of Sonic 2006 and Sonic Unleashed] and wasn't directly involved in those titles," Iizuka said. "That was actually a good time for me, because it allowed me to see the Sonic games from a similar perspective as a fan's point of view."

"What I felt was that the franchise had become too serious and the story had become very deep, whereas I see Sonic as more of a laid-back, enjoyable and fun experience. I kind of rediscovered that through Mario & Sonic in a way, because that game was very much a 'pick up and play' affair that everyone can jump in and enjoy.

I think that's a better direction for the Sonic brand, and that's why Sonic Colours has a much more fun, enjoyable kind of setting."

Look forward for the full interview on SPOnG, where Iizuka clarifies earlier comments about Sonic Colours being aimed at a 'younger audience,' comments on Yuji Naka's departure from Sonic Team and reacts to diehard fans being more interested in the Wii title than Sonic the Hedgehog 4.

http://spong.com/article/22458/Sonic-Te ... ic-Colours

Iizuka, Savior of the Sonic series.

[MadeManG74]

Yeah, I'll believe it when I see it.

Meanwhile at Sonic Team's board-room:

[Happy Cat]

This topic is going to be good

*Grabs popcorn*



who's with me?

[MadeManG74]

Hey you know what, I just realised I sounded like an absolute dick. I think that Sharky was prodding us a bit with the 'Haters gonna hate' pic though. :p

Okay, you know what: This IS good news, Iizuka taking notice of these things is a very good thing, and it shows that he's not too proud to point out that there are things people dislike.

I genuinely hope that he actions these changes and turns things around for Sonic Team. THey still have a long way to go of course (the quality of their games suffers from quite a few factors in my opinion), but maybe they really are moving on up.

[Orta]

Unleashed was pretty laid back storywise. Did he even play it?

[Aki-at]

It's nice he has at least figured the series is not aimed at the Final Fantasy crowd but they did that with Sonic Heroes too and then backpeddled to Shadow the Hedgehog. But his other interviews does not install much confidence in much else however.

[Barry the Nomad]

The whole gaia thing was pretty melodramatic IMHO

[Sharky]

I'm ALWAYS prodding, always. (And don't deny it's a great picture.)

I'm not someone that loves Sonic Team or is some kind of supporter of Iizuka. I just think the guy gets far to much shit put on him then he deserves.

Weren't people arguing that he was the guy that made Sonic 06 and Sonic Unleashed shitty when it turns out he had very little if anything to do with it?

For all the problems Sonic 4 may or may not have it is STILL the closest thing to a good classic Sonic game we have had in many years and suggests they are interested in fixing the series. Meanwhile Sonic Colours looks fantastic...

[Sharky]

God rest his brilliant soul.

[Barry the Nomad]

Iizuka is like most other person who has been in the industry for a long time, he has his hits and he has his misses. As a guy who isn't the series creator, I'd say he has had a good track record from S3&K through to SA2 and his contributions to most of the Sonic Team Saturn games were solid. He has also made shitty games (you know 'em, no need to list 'em).

I believe that like any artist (yes, he is a creative guy, so he is an artist) he has the potential to go from mediocrity to goodness (or even greatness) again. Based on impressions, screens, videos and the general look of Colors and 4 I'd say both he and his team are worth receiving some good words and some kudos for the direction the series is headed. The dude DEFINITELY doesn't deserve some of the awful and downright psychotic things mentioned on forums like NeoGAF and Sonic Retro... and at times here.

Personally my "give the guy a chance" gauge is at a 73%.

[Aki-at]

Weren't people arguing that he was the guy that made Sonic 06 and Sonic Unleashed shitty when it turns out he had very little if anything to do with it?

No none of us did, we all correctly said however he came up with Shadow the Hedgehog and NiGHTS 2. Maybe on other forums like NeoGAF but not here. Although Sonic Team were behind the werehog after SEGA America and Europe told them otherwise, perhaps that is what you are refering to?

For all the problems Sonic 4 may or may not have it is STILL the closest thing to a good classic Sonic game we have had in many years and suggests they are interested in fixing the series. Meanwhile Sonic Colours looks fantastic...

That is not quite true, it might be a 2D platformer but it is based around speed based action, whilst the original were based on momentum building, big difference in the two.

[MadeManG74]

I generally don't blame Iizuka so much as I blame Sonic Team in general. I do genuinely believe that Sonic Team right now (or at least at the time of Sonic 06) is the single worst developer in the history of video games.

[Sharky]

EDIT:
Sanus, the storyline in Sonic Unleashed is bloated and silly just like both Sonic Adventure, Shadow and Sonic 06... Sonic games shouldn't be about time travel, giant monsters, the apocolypce, different dimentions or the planet breaking apart because of an evil giant god thing.

Sonic games should be about Sonic saving some little helpless creatures, like woodland animals or even these wisps from Robotnik loony plans... Which should also not be too serious and not make a whole lot of sense.

That is not quite true, it might be a 2D platformer but it is based around speed based action, whilst the original were based on momentum building, big difference in the two.

But what I was saying was that even for what ever shortcomings you may find it is still THE CLOSEST to the classics then anything in many years.

Also, I think that is very much down to opinion... While I havent played it, Nuckles has and he had some good things to say about the pacing of the levels. But what ever... This thread isnt about Sonic 4 and I can't be bothered to argue with you about it again.

[Happy Cat]

iizuka thinks highly of colors

"In Sonic Colours, the team looked back at previous Sonic games and looked at the pros and cons of each title, and they hope they have addressed all the goods and bads in Sonic Colours.

"We believe that this Sonic game is as good as or even better than the 2D Sonic games."

http://www.gamerzines.com/wii/news/soni ... as-2d.html

[Sega Uranus]

Why did you respond to me in this thread Sharky? I never posted in it yet!

On Iizuka being the "Savior", I quite disagree. The WHOLE REASON the series changed at all was because of him. He wanted the first major 3D Sonic game to be an RPG even, instead of what Sonic Team originally had planned - Something closer to the art and music style of Sonic JAM's Sonic World. Because of all of these changes, and how they dissolved them into Sonic Adventure 2 and onwards, I consider the awkward plots and strange character types of the series to be completely his fault, and the quality mostly lies within Sonic Team's hands. He cannot be blamed for bad controls and such most likely.

I love that he realizes some of the major issues with the series, but I am worried he might take it too far and make the series overly kiddy like Yoshi games instead of just being a general experience good for any family.

The vocal theme song of Colors alone is enough to prove to me they still do not really know where to take the series and they have a long ways to go.