Sonic Colors Not Meant For "Core" Audience

[Tom Goldman]

Sonic Colors Not Meant For "Core" Audience

Sega admits that the upcoming Sonic Colors is being developed specifically for kids and not "core" gamers.

If you would consider yourself a core gamer, Sega is telling you to stop looking forward to Sonic 4 [http://www.amazon.com/Sonic-Colors-Nintendo-Wii/dp/B002I0IIPY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1281811562&sr=8-1] instead.

In a candid interview with CVG [http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=259787], Sonic Colors lead designer Takashi Iizuka reiterated that the game is for young children and only young children. He said: "We know there are sometimes opinions about control from core gamers, but we're intending Sonic Colors to be played by children of probably between six and twelve years-old."

"With Sonic Colors we have aimed to make a game that everyone can control and have fun in. So, it's not really a game for the core gamers." Sonic Colors is meant to give children a Sonic game that they can easily get through without too much trouble.

He divides the Sonic audience between those that are somewhat older fans of the Genesis versions of Sonic the Hedgehog, and those that are younger and have played mostly the 3D versions of Sonic such as Sonic and the Black Knight [http://www.amazon.com/Sonic-Unleashed-Xbox-360/dp/B0017HPE7E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1281811175&sr=1-1-spell]. These games weren't received well by that older audience, but apparently this was somewhat intentional. Now, with the creation of both Sonic Colors and Sonic 4, Iizuka believes the "needs of both of the two core groups of Sonic fans are being addressed."

This appears to indicate a split in Sonic development at Sega between an older and younger audience. The good part about this is that Sega at least acknowledges that people want more of the Sonic games from the past, but the company still needs to rake in as much cash as it can from younger kids that might need something easier-to-play. And there's nothing stopping those same young kids from picking up Sonic 4, as I'm sure they will. This is fine, just as long as Sega realizes that there's a difference between "easy to play" and "terrible."

(CVG [http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=259787])

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[the_pleasure_is_mine]

But it looks so shiny D:

I wanna play it anyway!

 

[Samurai Goomba]

Y'know, if you just make good games, then children of all ages will want to play them.

If the devs expected Sonic Colors to be a good game, no way would they hedge their bets with this nonsense interview. I mean, if you make a game, you want as many people as possible to play it. Since he's basically saying you will not like the game if you're over/at the age of people allowed to have forum accounts in the US (a very vocal group of gamers), I conclude Sonic Colors will be crap.

 

[silver wolf009]

I said the same thing I said for the new Tony Hawk gmae.

Heh kids! Guess what? Bright lights and shiny colors! YAY!

Seriously, no amount of flashing can improve a game that isnt a disco simulator.
Sonic is dead, let his corpse rest for a while before you delve into the occolt of the video game world to try and ressurect him sega.

 

[xavierxenon]

Ah, so this is pretty much like Avatar: The Last Airbender except in game form.

 

[JediMB]

Watch as it becomes the first great 3D Sonic in ages, and the old fans love it.

 

[Johnnyallstar]

Y'know, if you just make good games, then children of all ages will want to play them.

That's exactly my thoughts. If you make a very good game that kids are able to play, then old farts like me will appreciate it, and want to play it too, because it's a good game.

 

[Sebenko]

Wow, I feel that his statement is somehow appropriate (look at the first sonic games) but I still want to punch his teeth out.

Why not just make the game good, instead of focussing on kids, who will like anything? Or is that too difficult for a dev team that's been going for so long and has a big pile of mistakes to learn from?

 

[dragontiers]

"With Sonic Colors we have aimed to make a game that everyone can control and have fun in. So, it's not really a game for the core gamers."

Am I the only one that finds these statements ironic? "We are making games that everyone will like, so don't expect to like it"

 

[Evilsanta]

Why do they still try to make Sonic come back? Just let him die and rest in piece already.

 

[SelectivelyEvil13]

I don't understand how it is more efficient to make two separate games marketed towards different age groups. I would think Sonic is something that should have general appeal, a feat that can be acomplished by making a game that just doesn't all around suck in the first place.

Besides, what is the 12+ game going to do, have guns, stronger language, and gritty Modern Warfare realism in Sonic form?!?

 

[Drefanator]

So... Is this just a way to allow the game to be worse than it actually is, because young kids won't/can't make a huge fuss over bad gameplay as much as most older fans?

So, if the average Sonic fan complains, Sega can rebuttal and say "Well, it wasn't made for you, it was made for someone younger. You just don't understand the game."

Too bad, the game actually looked pretty good, or at least comparable in quality to Unleashed.

I figured Sonic was like Mario, in which he fit for every age group, even if moments were a bit cute, or extremely badass and dark.

 

[BlumiereBleck]

Honestly what sonic game wasn't made for kids and not hardcore gamers?

 

[zombie711]

I grew up with sonic adventure as my first sonic game what catgory does that put me under.

 

[Dfskelleton]

Since when has telling people not to play your game been a good marketing idea?

 

[the_pleasure_is_mine]

Honestly what sonic game wasn't made for kids and not hardcore gamers?

Just for the record...

Sonic was aimed at a more teenage audience, he was supposed to appeal to ages up to 18.

They made versions in media of him that appealed more to children and others more to teenagers.

It's only recently they've given up on the teenagers and gone straight for the under 13s market.

 

[GloatingSwine]

Besides, what is the 12+ game going to do, have guns, stronger language, and gritty Modern Warfare realism in Sonic form?!?

They tried that, it was called Shadow the Hedgehog and it was fucking terrible.

Sega need to realise that "a game anyone can control and have fun in" really means "A game which has controls which aren't broken and shit." They almost got there with Sonic Unleashed, but ironically the daytime stages are the ones that are least appropriate for younger players because they're so heavily reliant on memorizing the level or dying a million times until you finally get the section right. My mate's kids, who are huge Sonic fans, loved the night stages but couldn't play the day stages because they were too frustrating for a younger player.