Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Good or Bad? - Pikasprey 

Here's an interesting fact: A week prior to the release of episode 2, the pc version of the game was leak in it's entirety and was uploaded to mediafire. This pre release version was more or less the same as the final release save for a few glitches that were fixed later. But one key difference was that beating this version of the game with all the chaos emeralds ended with a "to be continued" similar to episode one. Apprently a 3rd episode was planned but was eventually scrapped and that "to be continued" screen was removed in the final version of the game.

"The sequel fans have waited 16 years for". Sonic Advance would like a word.

Idk, I thought the Sonic Advance series did a good enough job carrying the torch for 2D Sonic games.

6:39 what do you mean? the casino level is pure luck! just like a casino! its brilliant!

The Chaos Emeralds caused him more pain than the video would make you think. Pure unfiltered agony. I can't believe he stuck it out and got them all

The first impression DOES look a lot like a bootleg game... I'm surprised I never saw this when it came out but I'm glad I didn't (the second looks much better)

1:38 To be fair, the movie Sonic looked like literal nightmare fuel and if nobody complained about it that would be the cinematic Sonic we'd have gotten Thankfully he looks a LOT better now

This game looks and plays like an ugly fangame on a flash based website from the 2000's that probably gave me several viruses for clicking on it.

There is a good Sonic 4 game, except that people calls it Sonic Mania instead.

Oh a new Pikasprey video: nice. It's a Pikasprey Yellow video: HERE WE GO!

Can't wait for Sonic The Hedgehog 2006 2

I like Sonic, don't get me wrong... but I'll never understand why Sega struggles so much to release a good Sonic game

Where’s my review on Sonic chronicles dark brotherhood?

(Sega says they will make sonic 4) Sonic advance: allow me to introduce myself.

I wish we got Sonic 4 Episode 3. It's a shame since I actually enjoyed them, even though they felt different from the Genesis games. Classic Sonic doesn't always have to feel like the Genesis games, but I'll probably get yelled at by 20 people for saying that.

I-I didn't even know this was an official Sonic game. Thought for sure it was a fan made Sonic 4. Wtf Sega?

Can't think of this game without Cybershell coming to mind

Up Next: BAD Pokemon ROMhacks (ft. Snakewood and Dark Rising Kaizo)

The first one just looks like a fan game that was close to being considered good, that or a mobile game

1:35 To be fair, movie Sonic V1 is just a straight up hideous design that no one sane could possibly like. Boom Sonic was weird with all the sports tape but ultimately harmless.

Sonic 4? Now that's a name I haven't heard in a long time... Truthfully I don't think it's a good game. It not only falls well bellow the original trilogy. But Even the advance and rush games, both series that were smart enough to realize it was better to do their own things rather than try to leech off nostalgia

15:16 Yeah, those little signs became an standart for future games.

The 2D Sonic games have always had their share of bs obstacles that punish you for not knowing whats coming.

I actually did enjoy both of these games for what they are, especially, Episode 2. I will say, though I did enjoy it, Episode 1 feels like someone made an AI play every Sonic game up to that point and then told it to make a 2D Sonic game

"So, that really slow water level with the frustrating, terrifying air timer from the first game? We should have, like, three of those every game. Fans love those levels!"

1:16 I suppose things never change, huh?

I remember playing these and thinking it was some sort of fever dream

I just realized. 2 of the 4 levels of the first episode... *are based on two of the worst levels in the franchise.* Holy hell, why did they do that. Jesus Christ.

"Lack of polish." Pretty much the standard for Sonic games.

“You’ll probably finish it in one or two sittings and then never play it again.” Whew I feel personally attacked

Well something about the point of being unable to react is that well that's kind of how the original games were too

Aw yes, the times when people complained about Sonic’s eye colour, such innocent times,....

Hold on, this isn't a ridiculous pokemon challenge video

5:15 Dimps Sonic games in a nutshell

Welp, hearing a non sonic fan talking about sonic 4 is pretty interesting. Also a couple of notes here -sonic 4 was originally called sonic hd adventure but then a sega of america executive approached the idea of called it sonic 4 to sell more downloads. -blame the wii ware version for making episode one so ugly looking as the game need it to be as small as possible to fit in the system. -The main developer of this game was dimps, many of the issues you cited are extremely common on the sonic games develop by them mainly the weird controls, poor enemy placement and bottomless pits. -Episode metal marketing and concept was a "throwback" to the lock on feature in sonic 3 and K, that's why you play episode one as metal sonic. -The green eyes debacle was believed or not initiated by a furry diaper lover who made a video trying to imitate the nostalgia critic and also years later try to pitch to sega of america a sonic satam movie, I recommend listening to the pizza party podcast sonic diaper fetish special episode to know more about it.

To be honest, if this was the worst Sonic game ever made, we’d be in pretty good shape. As it stands, there are a ton of worse Sonic games than 4, to the point where complaining about it honestly feels kinda trivial.

There is unused content in episode 2 with the "to be continued". But, episode 3 will never happen so it was obviously cut. Not that anyone but me cares about what episode 3 could have been. Knuckles

My review: Just play Mania

What a coincidence that I got a Sonic Movie trailer before the video

Episode 1’s model looks like some cheap 2000s beta model for modern sonic they made to test out 06

That was unexpected. Great video. Episode I feels more like a sequel to Sonic Blast than the Mega Drive Sonic games, while Episode II seems... alright. Like you said, I feel like these games didn't need to be called Sonic 4, in fact, they probably would have been way more well received if they were called anything else. I think the idea of putting out a numbered sequel to a game really old after you already had a bunch of games in that series that take place after said old game really unnecessary. That's like if at some point, for no reason, Nintendo just decided to release a New Super Mario Bros. game and call it Super Mario Bros. 5 or something.

Today we have been blessed with a new Pikasprey video. It is a good day.

With the casino levels, it reminds me of sonic 2. I feel it's very unfair in a lot of areas.

0:40 Its not forgotten We just trying to forget

I remember the "sonic's green eyes" thing from way back when, and it probably did look like that from the outside, but the debate really was mostly fueled by people who associated sonic's modern design with janky physics that don't work and certainly were nothing like the classics. They weren't wrong either, if I'm being objective. Adventure was where his design was introduced and that game's physics are an acquired taste. As a huge fan of the adventure era, I can understand why the drastic change in formula left a bad taste in so many longtime fans' mouths. And you might be thinking "wait, those games sold well. What's the problem?" The problem is 06 and the collective disillusionment with the franchise a lot of fans felt, going so far as to say that 06 itself was just the culmination of every misstep the series had taken since SA1 and those mistakes were only now catching up to it, as opposed to the catalyst for the dark era. The next time you hear someone memeing about "green eyes", this is where the meme originates: dissatisfaction with the drastic shift in design priorities the adventure era brought in that happened to coincide with making sonic look more like a lanky anime character. It just happens that his new design is an easy pot-shot to take, but it does obscure the classic fans' actual (and sometimes valid) problems with the way sonic as a game series has been handled since the early 2000s. Again, I love adventure, and I think that's the best look and feel for sonic in both style and substance, but I understand the frustration of people who had to wait until fucking Sonic Mania to get anything resembling the games they fell in love with. I'm still here, waiting on a proper adventure 3, hoping to god it doesn't turn out like 06, so I get it.

What I would do with Sonic 4 would be something similar to the Sonic Advance trilogy. Give each game/episode at least 7 zones but tell a continuous story merging them all together.

I like Sonic 4... I never got the hate for it in all seriousness. I get that it's not the game, like Mania, that people wanted, but I actually genuinely have fun with it to this day whenever I look back at it. I feel like people blow this game's flaws out of proportion. Is it the best Sonic game? By no means! Is it a good game? I'd say so!

Fun fact: Sonic 4 Episode I started development as a cellphone game called "Sonic the Mobile". Episode III was canceled for... reasons. Mania wasn't even a thing at the time. On the Episode II files, players found an unused "To be continued" screen and companion music track to go along with it. It seens Episode III was scrapped during Episode II's development. Both games were developed by Dimps, not Sonic Team. Oh, if you're wondering, the order of events are: Ep 1>Ep Metal>Ep 2.

On episode 2, why is tails even there for super sonic? Would he be redundant? Super sonic can fly and has super strength; wouldn't it be better to have tails fly away when you go super, so you can perform those skills without him? Just add a cancel button to go to normal if you want to save the form. Best part, add a swap button to become tails and have him go super as an option too!

I personally will always, always vouch for the Sonic 4 games. Yes, theyre flawed, but I had a good time. Its a damn shame we never got an Episode III; and I think its due to that, that these games HAD to be made no longer canon. Its not a bad catalyst-fall since Sonic Mania is now the official, canon Sonic 4, but...will we just not get numbered mainstream Sonic games from now on? Hmm...

I completely forgot about this games existence

It’s just so odd… it recycles all of its content, AND re-makes mistakes that were fixed over the course of the first 3.5 games. So bizarre that this even exists.

Omg new video hell yea XD love both channels but missed this one haha keep up the great work brother

Cybershell, we will be faithful till your return.

Ah yes, the main problem with Sonic the Hedgehog 4, nope, everything else in the game is absolutely perfect… but those damn eyes!

Not a fan. However, a check for the good column I never noticed before: the effect when he’s behind the waterfalls is such a wonderful HD and 3D recreation of how the dithering effect on the waterfalls in the old games looked on appropriate TVs

3:09 The last few frames of him jumping are him standing sideways for a little bit What the actual fu- oh wait I shouldn’t be surprised, this is sonic 4

I really hated episode 1 but loved episode 2. I don't know why

Thank God I passed on this series despite being really close to buying it. It looks like a damn browser game but I've even seen better looking browser games.

fun fact: Sonic 4 was originally conceived as a download-only game codenamed "Sonic DL" they shoehorned it into being a sequel later on

Sonic mania did this really well (I’m gonna talk about the plus version), they added a new power to sonic (drop dash) added ray and mighty as actual characters, added new villains, and controls really well

I think the best way to describe the physics for Sonic 4 episode 1 is: Sonic Rush, but without the boost.

Episode 1 of Sonic 4 looks like an old flash game from the internet.

At the most, I'd say forgettable.

Honestly, my biggest problem with Sonic 4 is the game's title. If the game would have been called literally ANYTHING ELSE, I wouldn't have as much of an issue with it. But because they called it Sonic 4, it had massive shoes to fill. Don't get me wrong, I don't think the game is completely terrible by any means, but they must've been high when they thought it was a worthy sequel to the classics.. Sonic 4's physics were so awful!! It didn't feel anything at all like the original classics on the Genesis. And the zones were all basically rehashed, uninspired, and unoriginal crappy off-brand versions of existing zones that are much better. Sonic 4's music (with the exception of a few songs) is mostly forgettable. I still think they should release a "complete edition" of Sonic 4, with both episodes together at discounted price, and with some tweaked fixes to the physics/mechanics to help it play even better, but the damage has already been done. To me, Sonic Mania is basically the TRUE Sonic 4. Too bad they wasted such a fitting title

Imo these games are underrated as heck.

Wait...I remember when Sonic 4 came out but I don't remember the eye controversy. Was that really a thing? Were people complaining about a design that he had for eleven years at that point???

Didn't even know this game existed until this video

I'm down for any Pikasprey Yellow content, hell yes. I dig your Pokemon stuff, but I've been excited for other games ever since your Castlevania: Bloodlines vid. Hell yes AGAIN!

Here's a hot take that absolutely shouldn't be... you just described the issues with the Sonic franchise that it's had from the beginning.

New gimmick = torch , according to Sega

Kinda surprised it wasn't mentioned that Ep 1 was so lazy that they literally just reused the bosses from previous sonic games.

Can't wait for the sonic 4 bonus video

Got a sonic movie ad before this

I'm sure we _all_ know this by now, but the name backfired. Like the Wii U and what seems to be the Xbox Series X.

I didn’t get to play Sonic 4 in its entirety until a few months ago when I bought both episodes on PS3. I was prepared to like them, but I should’ve realized that I wasn’t playing something by Sonic Team themselves. I completely agree with Episode I being a straight up bad game, there’s almost nothing unique or interesting about it aside from having decent music, but even those are ruined by bad instruments. Episode II is definitely a strong improvement in every way, and I like the idea of mashing two old zone themes into one to make something a little more unique, but even still, it just goes from one ear and out the other for me. Then again, this is a Sonic game made by Dimps, so what did I expect? Aside from Advance 1 and Unleashed PS2, their Sonic games are usually very poor quality when it comes to how they’re designed. Particularly Advance 2, that game is the perfect example of a truly horrendous Sonic game. But yeah, Sonic 4 would’ve fared significantly better if Sonic Team were to make it themselves.

Sonic 4 Episode 1 was originally a mobile-only game called "Sonic the Portable", with simple throwback levels. You can still see evidence of this old name in Casino Street Zone. It's SEGA who mandated it be renamed to Sonic 4.

I have a new soft lock for Pokémon sun and moon, I don’t know if this works in ultra, but here it is: Finish the Melemele island challenge, and prepare to sail to Akala, but have the last Pokémon center you stopped at on Melemele, and ride the boat to Akala. In the first Pokémon battle you do, lose to them, MAKE SURE YOU DO NOT ENTER THAT POKÉMON CENTER THERE, and bing bang boom, you’re stuck on Melemele with no possible way to escape unless you go back to your last save. Stumbled upon this one by accident, and want to see if there was anything I could do to escape.

As a kid back in the day, I'd heard about Sonic 4 being bad and wondered what it was like, but without checking any videos/game footage. It's good to have your analysis on it now, Pikasprey! Thank you. It kinda looks like a downgraded, cheap Sonic Rush, which is a far superior game in my belief.

7:30 "I just don't understand why they thought it was fair to put hazards in places where you can't even react to them unless you know they're there beforehand" THE SEGA GENESIS GAMES DID THAT TOO!!!!

Honestly I think people would’ve given it a chance if Sega gave it a different name like Sonic Micro instead of advertising it as a proper sequel to the Genesis games Also I think if Sonic Mania ever gets a sequel and it still uses old stages, I think the retro stages should try make a point to use stages from the Game Gear games, Sonic 3D Blast, the Sonic Advance trilogy and the modern games. That way we could see stages like Emerald Coast, Diamond Dust, and Sunset Park in the style of Mania.

Episode 2 actually trolled players a bit. Fans were upset about Episode 1's bosses being carbon copies of classic Sonic 1-3K bosses. Episode 2's first boss sprouted Totem Poles to seem like a copy of Aquatic Ruin's Boss from Sonic 2, then the real boss came out and bitchslapped the poles out of the way like "Sike! Bitch, you thought".

Shout out to the Extras Menu music from Sonic Mega Collection!

Actually Sonic 4 originally DID have a title it was called Sonic the Portable since Episode 1 was gonna be a stand alone mobile phone game but Sega decided to get their executive meddling hands on it and instead call it Sonic 4 and put on different consoles. If you don't believe on that front. You can see the Original Name blurred out in the background of the Ferries Wheel in Casino Street Zone.

You know what? Let's all agree Sonic Mania is the *TRUE* Sonic 4.

I was also curious and had some free time, so I downloaded II on my phone. Aside from the lifeless feeling, I didn't actually complete it. The software ran so badly lag drove me away before I made the mistake of playing more.

Fun fact for anyone that doesn’t already know: Sonic Mania includes one level from Sonic 1 (Green Hill), two from Sonic 2 (Chemical Plant and Oil Ocean), two from Sonic CD (since it was originally developed as a sequel to Sonic 1 concurrently with Sonic 2)(Stardust Speedway and Metallic Madness), three from Sonic 3 & Knuckles (Flying Battery, Hydrocity, and Lava Reef), with the remaining four being originals in Sonic Mania (Studiopolis, Press Garden, Mirage Saloon, and Titanic Monarch). This probably is meant to give the idea of Sonic Mania being the true Sonic 4, since the “Sonic 4” we did get was so disappointing (though Episode II got maligned unfairly by critics in my opinion, as it was a big improvement on the first one that (speculation incoming) critics realized they were too nice to and their ire/disappointment got piled onto the better half to make up for it).

Awesome job as always man, your opinions clearly come from the heart and I appreciate your passion to make these videos

The eye colour isn't a an issue, but that low frame count animation on the title screen sure is awkward.

If even an official game from Sega looked like a Fangame back then, it's not surprising that they got actually fans to make Sonic Mania, the real Sonic the Hedgehog 4 nowadays and it actually turned out to be better.

If I can recall from back then, I don’t think this game(s) sold well, even with the name to lure people in. I remember seeing that Episode 3 was being planned just around Episode 2’s release, but after that came out, they just cut their losses and scrapped everything.

wait people were mad at sonic for having green eyes? but that is his eye color, has been for quite a long time. EDIT: those death pit signs were from Generations, which came out between episodes 1 and 2.

you conveyed back to me some old feelings i had forgotten about for these games and even nailed what ended up happening (finishing in a few sittings and never playing it again and beating the Metal Sonic stuff in about 10 minutes). man am i glad we got the actual sequel to Sonic 3 with Sonic Mania! the one thing that sucks(???) for these 2 games is that it was going to be 3, in continuing with the idea that the Sonic4 games were just half rehashing the first 3 Sonic games, they were going to have Knuckles in Episode 3 and probably give the over all "story" a proper ending since episode 2 kind of leaves off weird. i think it was due to poor sales(not surprising) that Episode 3 didnt happen.

3:10 the thing about that, is, Sonic always did a somersault every time he jumped. He's practically curled into a ball during this animation. He's just not spinning fast enough to make it look like a ball

Sonic 4 is more of a successor to Sonic Advance and Rush than it was to Sonic 3. It was co-developed by Dimps and inherited the physics of those handheld games.

The problem wasnt with Sonic's eyes, it was more to do with them using the modern design for a “classic” Sonic game. Still don’t really get why they thought it was a good idea to add the homing attack, at least in the way they added it. It could have worked, but only if it was implemented properly. More like Rush and Colors DS. I mean Dimps made all three of those titles so you’d think they’d have a better idea of what to do.

Remember when chris chan wrecked that gamestop over sonics new skin colored arms

And to think a SNES bootleg named Sonic 4 is better than the offical Sonic 4!

The problem with Sonic is that Sega is too scared to do anything new with him. Mario still does so well because Nintendo is making his character seem fresh by giving him features and abilities in his new games, as well as new stories. All of Sonics games are just trying to be like the old ones, which can only work once or twice

It also looks like a decent portion of it was from previous Sonic games(same types of special stages as 1 and 2, same/similar final boss as 2, etc.). If so, it kinda goes along with the idea that they were originally supposed to be remakes(or...something like that)