If you unplug the Xbox 360 (which resets the time) and do not sign on Xbox Live, the demo still works and has no timer on it. Sonic Team really rushed this demo out the door, it seems.
Seeing a lot of comments that bring in a lot of opinions though.
First, I absolutely do NOT want long boss battles. Lately Sonic Team has been going nuts with these and ruin so many of their last sections of their games. EGG Station Zone would have been fantastic if the last boss only needed to get hit 10 or so times instead of like ... 50. Sonic Unleashed's boss was literally like an hour long and was the worst thing in the game easily. Only Sonic Colors did the last boss right, where the other ones were dull or just outright awful/boring.
Screw you Sharky, Marble Garden Zone is nowhere near the worst level in a Sonic game.
The spindash is obviously way overpowered and shitty. You should at least have to rev it up a few times. The same with the general rolling. I can understand that the physics are kind of wonky on ledges, but they could at least let you roll from the B/O button if it is ducking. It should also let you pick up speed.
The Spin Dash Drift is awesome. I am one of the only ones who actually liked the drift in Unleashed, but this just blows it away. Now we just need him to roll instead of sliding on his back.
On art, I like the graphics a lot, but the colors are way too vivid in Green Hill Zone, especially for Classic Sonic. City Escape does not really have this problem because it was always designed with 3D in mind. Changing the camera would not effect much, but I just wish you could zoom in to see his waiting animations better.
On the list of levels, [spoiler:mhi3ctus]I am sure everyone is disappointed with the list, even the biggest fans are shrugging it off, but I think each level best represents each respective game. The only exception is Sky Sanctuary Zone which is actually a really lame choice unless it has a bit of Lava Reef Zone and Death Egg Zone and that bit leading into it.
Besides Sky Sanctuary Zone I am only really otherwise surprised with Planet Wisp when I expected something like EGG Station Zone instead. I think that would have been a neat way to look at the series full circle. Otherwise, the level seems forced (you can tell it is the latest addition. Assets from every level EXCEPT it are in the demo in some form), probably because they expected Sonic 4 to be the better received game and Sonic Team rather pass that off as a spinoff now instead of Colors.
How the bosses are aligned is very disappointing if that is the correct order. If anything, Death Egg should be the last section, not one of the first. However, I am wondering if something like Stardust Speedway Zone is connected to Chemical Plant Zone? I mean, they have somewhat similar design, the same can be said about Radical Highway as Shadow's boss battle, it is obviously connected to City Escape... As long as I get my Modern Sonic race with Metal Sonic, I am satisfied.
I stand by saying I think this game will be great, but I am only really excited to see Chemical Plant Zone and Speed Highway. The list of missions hints at water sections in Ocean Palace Zone, so that could be a cool way to mix up that fairly boring level. I am also thinking Iblis will be in the background destroying sections of the level or something in Crisis City.[/spoiler:mhi3ctus]
So yeah, could be better, but it really seems like they are trying very hard. This is the first Sonic game in a long while that I have seen an extreme amount of passion behind from both Sonic Team and the fans alike. It also seems like the first Sonic game since like... Sonic & Knuckles that will not be embarrassing to show other people to. I am excited.
