Dimps Developing Sonic 4

Thanks to Microsoft's Xbox Live Marketplace we found some very positive info about the latest Sonic title, Sonic 4.

In the past the sonic franchise has been in the hands of Sega's own Team Sonic developer, but this time, it's different. Team Sonic is known for cranking out some of the worst sonic games to ever hit the market, but with Dimps behind the wheel, I now have more faith in Sonic 4.
Dimps is an Osaka-based developer who has made some amazing Sonic games in the past such as, Sonic Advance, and also developed the Rush titles on the DS. If making some of the better Sonic games isn't a good enough track record, Dimps also co-developed the console version on Street Fighter IV.
Overall this is fantastic news for Sonic 4, and for the whole Sonic franchise. This might actually be the game to bring Sonic back to a reputable games franchise...or it could flop miserably...we'll just have to wait and see.

Project Needlemouse is offically Sonic 4!

Over the past couple months we have been speculating what kind of new Sonic game Sega would make out of Project Needlemouse, and now we know!

Sonic 4 is going back to Sonic's original roots with high speed 2D style platforming. The main differnce this time around however, is that Sonic 4's release is going to be cut up into several episodes. That's right, episodic Sonic.
At first I didn't see any good reason as to why putting Sonic 4 into individual episodes would be a good idea, but after some thought, it's starting to make a lot of sense.

Because Sonic 4 is going to a download game on XBLA, PSN, and WiiWare it's going to be competing with many other "quick game fix" titles. Cutting Sonic 4 into different episodes allows for quicker/shorter gameplay periods, but it also makes sure the player doesn't get too bored with Sonic's simplistic gameplay. I for one am looking forward to see what Sonic 4 has to offer, and I hope this is a new beginning for the Sonic franchise as a whole.