It’s hard to believe it’s taken SEGA this long to realise that Sonic just DOESN’T WORK IN THREE DIMENSIONS.
Seriously, even when you funnel the path by using linear levels and on-rails portions (like Sonic Heroes and Sonic and the Black Knight tried), the obscene speeds, 3 dimensions of movement and the persistently inadequate camera present the average gamer with a challenge akin to driving a Formula One car whilst drunk.
Following a brief light at the end of the tunnel with the 2D sections in the otherwise abominable Werehog disaster, SEGA have decided that the next Sonic game, currently under development with the codename ‘Project Needlemouse’ (Mr. Needlemouse being Sonic’s suitably Japanese codename when the original ’91 classic was under development), will be a 2D effort with added HD niceties, which is all we really know at this point.
Shiny teaser after the cut…