Episode 756: Sonic Fangames, Pt. II (Patreon)

Stuart: Hey, remember last time I told you that we called an audible and made this subject into a two-parter? Well, Ryan Langley/Rlan (Sonic Fangames HQ) and Lewis Clark (SEGADriven) make their return here to continue our discussion of the tremendous passion projects that make up the Sonic fangame scene, this time crossing into the world of fangames and fangame creators who “level up” and end up making their own originals or – as in the case of Sonic Mania – their own official titles in the host series.

The just-mentioned Sonic Mania is, sensibly, one of the most acclaimed games in the entire Sonic series. So acclaimed, in fact, that it’s weird that Sega never demanded a second one. But such is Sega, such is gaming, such is the ever-changing world in which we’re living. Makes you give in and cry. But never mind, aye? It is definitely interesting to me, discussing the positives and negatives of what happens when huge fans of a thing get a crack at it, because it can clearly go so wrong in so many instances. Sonic Mania is obviously an impressive game, but the lack of distance between the game and its fans forms the source of my litany of issues with it, which is a rare problem for me to have with a video game and therefore makes it all the more fascinating to me. Should fans stay in their lane? What do you think?

And, for that matter, what do you think of the whole fangames thing as subjects go, divine readers? Do you think there’s scope for more exploration of these things outside of the Sonic series? I personally think there’s a lot of culture out there which doesn’t really get attention outside of very specialise spaces and would interest you lovely lot, but you tell me. Nintendo’s litigiousness doesn’t stop plenty of Mario fangames being out there… and the fact is that my notebook has the word “Hololive” written in red crayon and circled fifty million times. I’ll do it, Nauties. I swear to you that I will.

Edits by Greg Leahy; art by Tracy Yardley

11:08 - Sonic Advance 2: Leaf Forest, Act 1

19:09 - Sonic CD (US): Stardust Speedway Zone (G ver.) | Sonic Mania: Studiopolis Zone, Act 1

28:34 - Anamanaguchi: "Mess" (Sonic VR File 4)

39:45 - Theme from Sonic Underground (TV)

48:56 - Sonic 3D Blast (MD): Invincibility | Sonic Classic Heroes: Hyper Sonic

1:00:23 - Sonic Triple Trouble 16-Bit: Atomic Destroyer Zone, Act 2

1:09:52 - Sonic Utopia: Green Hill Zone | Sonic and the Fallen Star: Special Stage

1:20:46 - Sonic GT: Miners in the Sky for... Hilltop

1:28:28 - Sonic the Hedgehog Classic: Boss

1:39:22 - Sonic and the Secret Rings: Seven Rings in Hand

Closing - Sonic Triple Trouble 16-Bit: Staff Credits