Taking to Twitter, Sega recently announced that the original Sonic Generations will be delisted on all platforms on September 9. However, in order to “help preserve the game” following feedback from fans, the company says the title will only be delisted as a standalone purchase. That means you will still have the option to purchase it “via bundles of other iconic Sonic titles on Steam and Xbox”, Sega says. 

Those who already own the game will, of course, be able to redownload and play it whenever they wish, while Sega has also confirmed that the original game’s Steam mods won’t be affected by its delisting either. Though the fact that the game is being delisted in any capacity is certainly disappointing, we can at least take solace in the fact that it isn’t being completely removed.

Its expanded remaster, Sonic X Shadow Generations, is due out on October 25 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC. 

However, that may end up being the case, according to leaker lolilolailo, who reported last year on Persona 3 Reload’s existence before the official announcement. On ResetEra, they claimed, “This is real, and bigger than what most people think,” going beyond simply adding Shadow as a new playable character.

In another reply, they said it’s essentially a “New game” with a new story and levels. The scope and scale of the new content remain to be seen, though it could essentially be an expansion on top of an enhanced version of Sonic Generations. Time will tell, so stay tuned for more details.

State of Play starts today at 2 PM PT, with Sony confirming appearances by Stellar Blade and Rise of the Ronin.

This pointed to a possible re-release or remaster of the title with Shadow as a new playable character. Kurakasis, who alleged that Metro Awakening is 4A Games’ next title in the series, reported that the title is likely called Sonic X Shadow Generations. Interestingly, Baker retweeted this, further hinting that it’s true.

While it sounds like a new game, it could still be a remaster or re-release. Then again, Sonic Team’s last title in the franchise was Sonic Frontiers in 2022 (it developed Sonic Superstars alongside Arzest), so a sequel isn’t out of the question.

State of Play is on January 31st at 2 PM PST. It will run for 40 minutes and features 15 titles, including Rise of the Ronin and Stellar Blade.

Regarding the Sonic game, from what I know, it is likely titled

SONIC X SHADOW GENERATIONS#sonic #sonicgenerations #sonicthehedgehog #shadowthehedgehog https://t.co/GeMUVJENZh pic.twitter.com/xI2KtDeG0l

— Kurakasis (@Kurakasis) January 30, 2024

Sega’s Sonic the Hedgehog is also mentioned, with the words, “Sonic will live in the shadow of his generation.” It could hint at a re-release, if not a remaster, for Sonic Generations, launched in 2011 for PS3, Xbox 360 and PS3. “Shadow” could imply something for Shadow the Hedgehog, who appears as a boss. Perhaps as a new playable character?

A remaster seems appropriate, considering Sega released Sonic Colors: Ultimate in 2021. Sonic Generations is generally one of the more beloved titles in the series, so a release for current and previous-gen consoles makes sense. Whether it revamps the controls for Classic Sonic’s side-scrolling sections or adds other new content remains to be seen. Stay tuned for more details when the rumored State of Play airs.

On the 31st (roughly), Ronins will Rise, we’ll die stranded, have a rebirth and Kojima will fulfil his dream. Sonic will live in the shadow of his generation while the hills will remain silent until the dawn when you’ll need to catch the metro. Just don’t be a Judas about it.

— Balatro Nick  (@Shpeshal_Nick) January 28, 2024

Sonic Adventure

Yes, it had some iffy voice acting and lip syncing. Yes, there were some bugs and collision issues. But the first time I saw that cinematic with Chaos wreaking havoc in Station Square as “Open Your Heart” played, I knew Sonic Adventure would be incredible. It offered gorgeous Action Stages to explore in Emerald Coast, Windy Valley, and Speedy Highway while each playable character offered their own unique gameplay hook.

E-101 with its lock-on shooting, Knuckles with the exploration and Chaos Emerald hunting, Amy and her struggle to escape ZERO – there was plenty of good and a bit bad, as seen with Big the Cat’s mercifully short fishing stages. Nevertheless, Sonic Adventure served as an incredible transition from 2D to 3D with its sense of speed, unforgettable music and gameplay.

Uncharted 2 – Zoran Lazarević

Uncharted 2 is considered to be one of the finest games of the PS3 generation, although its final boss does leave a sour taste in most players’ mouths. The fight against Zoran Lazarevic isn’t the toughest, but it requires players to be almost perfect with their moves and sustain that momentum for a considerable amount of time. Lazarevic cannot be killed by traditional means, and players have to strategically make him chase you around the arena so as to be able to shoot the blue resin whenever he’s near. He takes a lot of hits to go down, although it would only require a couple of his grenade shots for you to lose this battle.

Microsoft has unveiled its Xbox Games With Gold for March, starting with Batman: The Enemy Within – The Complete Season on Xbox One and Castlevania: Lords of Shadows 2 on Xbox 360. The former is available until March 31st while the latter can be downloaded till March 15th.

On March 16th, Shantae: Half-Genie Hero becomes available for Xbox One owners until April 15th. For Xbox 360, Sonic Generations will replace Castlevania on March 16th and be available until March 31st. Overall, it’s a solid selection of titles and backwards compatibility ensures that Xbox One players get four free games for the month.

It’s not too late to download this month’s Xbox Games With Gold which includes the Star Wars Battlefront (Classic) and Call of Cthulhu. Xbox Games With Gold is included with Xbox Live Gold for $9.99 per month or $59.99 annually. Alternatively, one can purchase Xbox Game Pass Ultimate which includes Xbox Live Gold and Xbox Game Pass for PC and console at $14.99 per month.

Sonic the Hedgehog adventures will be available for the PC Digital Download market from today.
Sonic Generations Casino Night Pinball Stage is now available, adding to a grand adventure with Classic and Modern Sonic racing to defeat the Time Eater, save their friends and find out who really is behind all these strange happenings.
Sonic CD follows the classic story line from the original 1993 MEGA CD™ system game with Sonic racing through time to save Amy-Rose from his evil mechanical twin Metal Sonic. This super speedy remake includes brand new features and will be hitting PC digital stores for the first time today!
Finally, as an added bonus the much anticipated Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode I will be available, enabling PC owners to enjoy the beautifully rendered HD environments of the much-loved special stages and a variety of different Zones, all inspired by the Mega Drive era. The Sonic 4 saga will continue to grow in 2012 with the new side-scrolling adventure Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode II releasing later this year for PC digital download.

The plot involves a bizarre dimensional portal that throws retro and modern Sonic together and, with an evil force imprisoning their friends, the two Sonics team up to save the day. It’s a bit of an excuse for the whole “multiple Sonics” plot device, but one that never takes itself to seriously. And, let’s be honest, if you’re playing Sonic for a meaningful story, you’re probably a bit of a tool anyway.

So far things follow the console version of Generations to the letter, but the structure of the 3DS version differs greatly. First and foremost is the levels themselves, with minimal crossover between the two versions. To get a whole new set of levels from different areas of Sonic history was a bit of a treat, and the level design itself is equally as strong as console versions of the game. The problem is how you access said levels. Whilst the console versions of Generations offered a hub world where you entered your levels and sub-missions, the 3DS Generations just uses menus you scroll through. This isn’t exactly new for a hand-held title, but it makes the 3DS version feel very linear and static by comparison.

The levels are well designed, but the hub world of the console version is sorely absent

The gameplay also differs, if only marginally. Classic Sonic plays identically between both versions, with the old-school 2D Sonic gameplay you know and love. It all provides a decent sense of speed, and is easy to get into. The problem is modern Sonic, who’s awesome perspective shifting gameplay wowed me in the console version, has been figuratively castrated on 3DS. He plays in an almost identical fashion to classic Sonic now, albeit with a few different abilities and very minor and passive 3D segments. Not only does this largely eliminate the cool transitions between 2D and 3D perspectives, but it also means that Sonic Generations on 3DS is a much more repetitive affair than console versions of the game.

For a hand-held title, Generations is dressed to impress on the 3DS. Though it is never going to reach the lofty heights established by the visuals of Generations on consoles, the production values and level of visual polish on the 3DS version of Generations is commendable. The only issue lies in the console’s stereoscopic 3D capabilities, a trick that is woefully underused in a largely 2D title like Sonic Generations. The 3D images are there, and they add a nice sense of depth to the background, but they aren’t going to be dropping any jaws to the floor on account of Generation’s genre. The main other graphical issue in the game is the cut scenes. There aren’t a lot considering how light on story the game is, but the few that are there are done with static character models and text. Considering so many other games on 3DS have managed proper cut scenes complete with voice acting, it’s disappointing that Generations doesn’t even attempt this.

The pipeline special stages are the only proper 3D bits of Sonic Generations

For the good that Generations does, there is an element of a lifespan problem. Though there are enough levels and a series of challenges to keep you coming back, the game remains shorter than any of the Rush games on DS, a true shame considering the inevitable comparisons that will be made. The other issue with Generations is its lack of a certain X factor. This one is tough to explain in words alone, but there is just something missing from Generations on 3DS, an undeniable charm that was present in console versions of the game. Even the Rush games on DS had a certain flair to them that Generations is missing. It’s a shame really as it leaves Generations feeling a little flat in comparison to other successful Sonic games of the past few years. That’s not to say Generations is a bad game, as any platforming enthusiast will find something to enjoy here. It’s just a tough sell at full price. If you like classic Sonic gameplay, wait off until the game drops in price, then Generations will be really worth your time.

This game was reviewed on the 3DS.

SEGA has just released a new trailer for Sonic Generations 3DS and it looks awesome. The game launches on the 3DS on November 25th and the console versions are already rated pretty high. It looks like one of the best Sonic games SEGA has ever made.

Official Nintendo Magazine gave 85% to the game, and we are looking at similar scores from other publications.

The 3DS is set to have a big holiday with Mario Kart 7 and Sonic Generations both launching in a similar time frame. Tell us what you think in the comments section below.