By using this site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use. Close
Johnw1104 on 08 November 2017
Edit Thread
ARamdomGamer said:
Johnw1104 said:
I just don't understand why Team Sonic persists in using the same damn game mechanics that essentially render the game into little more than an autopilot experience for every 3D title. That, and the physics are always so awkward and wonky.

I'd love to see how Nintendo would approach the franchise at this point, though I suppose that's a touch blasphemous.

They did master the momentum of hills, rolling and a variation of spin dash in one try with Mario Odyssey, so may as well.

Actually it's the combination of the controls of Mario Odyssey and the physics engine which was also used on BotW that made me really start thinking about it.

It first occurred to me as I was running around in the vast open fields of BotW fighting the Ancient machines that reminded me of Sonic enemies, and I thought that it would be a lot of fun to be able to run through those fields as Sonic. There's really just a few major changes that I think would help 3D Sonic Games:

1. Abandon the autopilot, narrow paths that they've for so long confined Sonic within. When forced to move in one predetermined direction speed loses its allure, and the level design is so boring that none but the most committed Sonic fans really find much to like most of the time. 

2. Use a Zelda-esque targeting system that actually requires a degree of thought and input with multiple attacks and dodges to work with. Combat in 3D Sonic games has, to be frank, been terrible even dating back to the Adventures games (which I enjoyed at the time).

3. Take an Odyssey/BotW approach to the world with the world's spread out design and a similar, satisfying physics engine. This would also allow for the traditional skills, such as Knuckles climbing similarly to Link, Tails flying (or at least hovering and descending), and allowing Sonic to really flex his legs and run in an unconstrained environment. 

4. Utilize the "slow-down time" technique from many other games to allow for finesse and input that would otherwise be impossible for players at the speeds Sonic runs. This blind, determined focus on unrestricted speed is what has long held the franchise back, as players get far fewer opportunities to really contribute and put their own stamp on what's occurring. Having options to slow down for attacks/dodges and such (like we see with mid-air shooting in BotW) would allow for far more intricate and satisfying level designs.

 

That's just a few changes that I feel would potentially allow for an exciting 3D Sonic experience. For whatever reason, though, Sonic Team seems determined to never alter the formula established nearly 20 years ago; the gameplay of this game looks more dated than ever.