Naka directs next-gen Sonic

By Tom Bramwell Published 9 September, 2005

PS3 and X360 - shots and date.

Sonic the Hedgehog is on its way to next-generation formats as predicted, SEGA announced in Japan today, and should appear on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 next year as part of a wider celebration of Sonic's 15th anniversary.

The game, screenshots of which are clearly reminiscent of the "Sonic next-gen" tech demo shown off at E3 in May, also sees father and Sonic reunited as creator Yuji Naka takes the project reins at Sonic Team. Naka's already been booming about it, claiming, "The 'rebirth of Sonic' will offer an unparalleled sense of speed that is only possible using the processing power afforded by the new systems."

There's no suggestion when exactly during 2006 we can expect to see the new Sonic, simply called Sonic the Hedgehog in press literature, but with any luck SEGA will have some manner of new trailer or better at this year's Tokyo Game Show, which will be with us this time next week, running as it is from September 16th to 18th.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

You may also like...

Comments (16) Latest comment 7 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • cardboardMonster #1 7 years ago

    Oooh, don't you look noice. If it's as fast and smooth as the e3 demo, twill be interesting.

  • smelly #2 7 years ago

    OOoooh.. might be a reason to upgrade there.

    .. Unfortunately, those are:

    a) never in game shots (maybe the shot where he's flying over the landscape, but the others are clearly no where near in game)

    b) high resolution, and will probs wont look half as good on my "normal" tv set. And i have no immediate plans on paying 2 grand just to have prettier looking pixels when playing games.

  • #3 7 years ago

    I've only had a quick look but i see no reason why these couldn't be in game footage it's nice but not unbeleivable at all...is it?

  • BeDevil #4 7 years ago

    A side scrolling 3d sonic is what i want - it's just NOT the same in full 3d... :(

  • Yonda1me #5 7 years ago

    Believing these game shots are actually in game, then Sonic is looking good!!!
    Could this be the game we`ve been waiting for!?!

    PS: SEGA should erase the game of Shadow

    C`mon what could be worse Sonic with a Magnum blowing heads off

  • smelly #6 7 years ago

    "I've only had a quick look but i see no reason why these couldn't be in game footage it's nice but not unbeleivable at all...is it? "


    Think about it.. apart from the flying section, how would you actually PLAY that?

  • cardboardMonster #7 7 years ago

    They are all rendered in real time by next generation hardware. Dynamic camera angles have been applied, but the graphical quality is apparently approximate to the actual game. If you've seen the "next gen sonic" e3 movie you'll understand.

  • #8 7 years ago

    "Think about it.. apart from the flying section, how would you actually PLAY that? "

    I'm not saying its playable , could be an in-game cut scene, but actually looking closer I see no reason why these couldn't be screens from actual gameplay ,depends on how the camera is controlled and the diferent sections of the game.The blurred screen looks reminiscent of the mega-drive sonic bonus ring collecting levels.

  • smelly #9 7 years ago

    > If you've seen the "next gen sonic" e3 movie you'll understand.


    Sigh. It's much easier to make something look good when its not using a real gameplay camera. See 3dmark, see replays in any racing game. I have no doubt that these are probably real time, i have doubt it'll look that good when playing.

    Surely you guys have learned all this by now? Or do you keep falling for the same tricks over and ovder again?

  • smelly #10 7 years ago

    oh.. and before someone now pipes up and calls me a fanboy.. i love sonic, almost as much as mario. I cant wait for this, and i'll buy one of those next gen machines solely to play it (probs the ps3).

    Shame sega arent making consoles any more, means you have to buy 2 or 3 consoles just to make sure you get to play all of their games! grrr!

  • oerhoert #11 7 years ago

    Well, if they'll keep the horrible audio design and voicing from Sonic Adventure and Sonic Heroes, I'm not that interested.

    Also, will it have worthwhile 3D gameplay this time? Seeing as especially Sonic Heroes were quite unexciting and dull, even compared to the first games in the series?

  • smelly #12 7 years ago

    Well what we need is the sonic parts of sonic adventures.. without all his mates, or sonic heroes.

  • Lothar Hex #13 7 years ago

    It better not suck like, EVERYTHING SINCE SONIC & KNUCKLES

  • bootsy_NL_30 #14 7 years ago

    Sonic Adventure was a terribly made,poorly voice acted,stomach churning,camera glitch ridden husk of a game....but it was still kind of charming, and sonic heroes also had something strangely addictive.....not that I would EVER pay full price for a modern sonic game...I'll fish this one out of the bargain bin for my daughter in 4 years time.

  • KraftWerk #15 7 years ago

    Am I supposed to go "Gee! Wow!"? Next-gen schmext-gen.

  • TR421 #16 7 years ago

    Well you live and learn, hopefully Sega will release a less buggy game than the first Adventure.
    We're standing on the edge of tommorrow, what with the next generation of consoles just around the corner.

  • cardboardMonster #17 7 years ago

    > Surely you guys have learned all this by now? Or do you keep falling for the same tricks over and ovder again?

    Hum, nono. I wasn't fooled lol, I was simply saying the e3 game footage was rendered in real time with next gen hardware, and not as part of a pre-rendered animation sequence. These shots appear to be scenes from that sequence, and the high-res shots on IGN are certainly not part of a pre-rendered sequence.

    But as with all early screenshots, you're not going to control your character while he's facing the camera and smirking at you in the finished game. BUT the engine will look as good.

  • Sabre #18 7 years ago

    "Sonic Adventure was a terribly made,poorly voice acted,stomach churning,camera glitch ridden husk of a game...."

    Just like Sonic 3 in Feb '94, Sega made them rush it out for Christmas '98 in Japan terribly unfinished.