Sonic Colors Not Meant For "Core" Audience

[AugustFall]

Tbh I wonder what a 3D sonic that's still on rails like the classic 2d sonic but maybe with like branching paths like a few different planes to run on (sort of like little big planet).
The real problem with the 3D sonic games is that controlling something so fast with full 3D is too hard to feel slick like the originals did.
If they did that and incorporated good level design and left out the action epic story element that has plagued the recent sonics I wonder if it would be good?


Honestly I'm probably very late in this epiphany, they probably made a game like that and it tanked.

 

[aaronx83]

Well...That Was Predictable,But Still I'm Getting It, Just Look

 

[Space Spoons]

This isn't wholly unexpected, but I still wish the development teams behind the console Sonic games would take a page out of Nintendo's book and stop aiming for one specific audience, instead shooting for, y'know, everyone, by making a solid game that's enjoyable by youngsters and older players alike. And for the record, yes, I am referring to the Mario games.

Of course, if they stand to make a boatload of cash either way (and let's face it, they do. The Sonic fanbase will eat it up regardless of quality), I guess I can see why they'd take the easy way out.

 

[SirDerick]

But, aren't kids their core audience?

 

[starwarsgeek]

"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"

It looks more like it's for "everyone", not just "hardcores".

Or, he's making fun of hardcore gamers...

 

[Uber Waddles]

So? Does Sega not understand that marketing directly at kids is a bad idea?

Here, lemme explain. Lets look at popular series from Square and Nintendo; Kingdom Hearts and Pokemon. Both games have elements in them that allow them to be both kid friendly, and appeal to a CORE audience. Making a game friendly isnt a demerit, nor is making it easy if you can throw cuvre-balls (difficulty changes, challenges, etc.).

A good game is truely one ANYONE can pick up. By saying "Its for kids, not our core audience", your making excuses. "Oh, its easy and short, but its for KIDS". I would just like to point out that unless Im using a legendary Pokemon, I usually have a rough time with the Elite 4; and I started with Pokemon Blue. Thats GOOD game structure.

 

[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"

It looks more like it's for "everyone", not just "hardcores".

Or, he's making fun of hardcore gamers...

But that's my point. Isn't "core gamers" a subset of "everyone"? If it truly appeals to everyone, even core gamers should like it. Of course, that's a whole point in and of itself, as others have stated. It seems to me, either he has a weird definition for "everyone", or he somehow thinks core gamers are significantly different from the rest of the world, so much so that they can't be lumped in with "everyone". A bit insulting, in my opinion.

 

[LightspeedJack]

Thumbs up for Sega's ingenious new marketing plan. Alienate a good one third of our audience before the release of the game! This really is incredibly stupid of the lead designer to say this, you don't here the director of Toy Story 3 coming out and saying "this is for 1-12 year olds so if your older stop watching it!!" Fuck it I'm still gonna play it and enjoy it but I will feel kind of stupid doing so now.

 

[Thaius]

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

Except Avatar: The Last Airbender is one of the greatest shows ever put on TV, for any age. And it isn't based on a previous franchise.

OT: Interesting. Nothing wrong with catering to specific audiences, as long as they don't leave us core gamers in the dust and the game is good regardless of its playability and ease.

 

[GamingAwesome1]

Nothing wrong with catering to a specific audience.

As long as this isn't just an excuse for something being shit, it's all good.

More or less my sentiments.

 

[TheKnotAlchemist]

This sounds like a cop-out to me. It like Sega is come up with an excuse in advance saying "if you grew up during the Genesis era, don't play this game. You're not going to like it". Sounds to me like Sega is telling the Genesis generation to stay away from the 3D Sonic games. That way, they don't have to listen to "whining" about the newer Sonic games. Personally, I call it an excuse to keep making crappy Sonic games.

 

[leonhart126]

If a game like this is truly designed well, it should have the ability to appeal to both core gamers and children alike, a la mario, frankly i think with this series its just lazy and a total cop out saying that it will purely satisfy children. Its like saying Toy Story should only satify children because it was a film designed with children in mind as the target audience, how it can be heavily appreciated on many levels by an adult audiance.

 

[starwarsgeek]

But that's my point. Isn't "core gamers" a subset of "everyone"? If it truly appeals to everyone, even core gamers should like it. Of course, that's a whole point in and of itself, as others have stated. It seems to me, either he has a weird definition for "everyone", or he somehow thinks core gamers are significantly different from the rest of the world, so much so that they can't be lumped in with "everyone". A bit insulting, in my opinion.

Which is why I offered the possibility of Sega making fun of their core fanbase. "It's a bright, colorful platformer, and our main intent is to bring in new fans, but it should be fun for everyone...except the core fans."

I mean, these are the guys who complained about sonic's eye color and leg length in Sonic 4's preview.

 

[Allan Foe]

Oh Sega, why don't you just make a good game?

Kirby and Mario platformers never needed to make up excuses like "IT'S FOR TEH KIDS", they were simply fun enough to satisfy both the casual and the core.