Sonic Game Prototype

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In 2018[4], Nitrome pitched to Sega the idea of a Sonic the Hedgehog platforming game that had a daily level, in the same vein of Leap Day[5]. Included as part of this pitch was a playable tech demo for the game, titled Sonic demo[5]. This idea was rejected by Sega[5].

Nitrome did not share anything about this project until December 23rd, 2021, when they shared the pitched project and footage of the demo on Twitter[5]. Despite its cancellation, some of the ideas from the project were reused in Super Leap Day[5][6].

Controls[edit | edit source]

The game was planned to be a one button game[7].

  • Tap screen - Jump[8].
  • Tap and hold - Jump and roll[8].

Gameplay[edit | edit source]

The Sonic game would have had a daily level set in a different Zone each day and considered an Act of that zone[9]. Levels could have a Bonus Stage[6]. One of seven Chaos Emeralds could be earned each day, and players who earned all 7 in a week would be rewarded with a Super Sonic at the end of the week[9]. Levels would be procedurally generated like Leap Day, where levels are made up of pre-made level chunks and the selected chunks and Zone are determined based on a seed created based on the date of the level[5].

Sonic would have automatically run and would jump when the screen was tapped and jumped and rolled when the screen was tapped and held[10][8]. Sonic was not able to transition into a roll while walking as Nitrome was not able to find a method that worked with the game's one-button control scheme[7][11]. Sonic's movement physics were almost identical to that of the 2D Sonic games[12].

The game would have used many old and new Zones[13]. Nitrome mentioned that had the project been greenlit, one of the Bonus Games would likely have been pinball-themed[14].

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ Nitrome on Twitter: [1]: The overall platform list wasn’t decided. as was just a pitch for mobile., 27 Dec 21, retrieved 28 May 22.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Mat Annal on Twitter: [2]: I loved working on the art for this., 23 Dec 21, retrieved 27 Jan 22.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Mat Annal on Twitter: [3]: You guys should know that Markus did the animations and Chris who is a Sonic nut did a spectacular job replicating the correct physics., 23 Dec 21, retrieved 27 Jan 22.
  4. ↑ Nitrome on Twitter: [4]: About 3 years ago. [original tweet was posted on December 21, 2021], 22 Dec 21, retrieved 28 May 22.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 Nitrome on Twitter: [5]: Did you ever wonder why we added wall running to #SuperLeapDay? http://apple.co/-SuperLeapDay A long time ago we pitched a #Sonic take on the Leap Day format. Sadly the #SEGA gods did not see the potential. But we did make this demo and we liked the mechanic so decided to keep it. [video of demo] , 23 Dec 21, retrieved 28 May 22.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Nitrome on Twitter: [6]: Our plan would have added bonus rounds like the original games and this is another thing we took forward in inspiration on Super Leap Day: [video of Racing Day] , 24 Dec 21, retrieved 28 May 22.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Nitrome on Twitter: [7]: No it was all one touch like our games Leap Day / Super Leap Day, 22 Dec 21, retrieved 28 May 22.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Nitrome on Twitter: [8]: We did experiment with this. Sliding [your finger down] doesn’t work because you have already tapped to jump and if you delay jumping in any way to release or a timer everything feels unresponsive. What did work though was keeping held to roll. It does mean you always jump but it feels natural., 27 Dec 21, retrieved 28 May 22.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Nitrome on Twitter: [9]: The plan was that like LeapDay every day was a brand new zone. With everyone competing on the same short new Act. Daily Chaos Emeralds could be earned. Players who earned all 7 would be rewarded with Supersonic at the end of the week., 23 Dec 21, retrieved 28 May 22.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Nitrome on Twitter: [10]: [video of demo] , 23 Dec 21, retrieved 28 May 22.
  11. ↑ Nitrome on Twitter: [11]: One thing we couldn’t get to work when we made the demo was a way to get sonic to roll on the floor within the one button limitation., 22 Dec 21, retrieved 28 May 22.
  12. ↑ Nitrome on Twitter: [12]: The engine was pretty authentic we made for it though and was very close to the Sonic engine logic., 22 Dec 21, retrieved 29 May 22.
  13. ↑ Nitrome on Twitter: [13]: The idea was to have a brand new short Level (Act) every day exploring many old and new themes. [pictures] , 23 Dec 21, retrieved 28 May 22.
  14. ↑ Nitrome on Twitter: [14]: If we had done Sonic we almost certainly would have included a Pinball bonus game…, 27 Dec 21, retrieved 29 May 22.
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Pitched Sonic Game Prototype
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