Today is the 20th Anniversary of Sonic Adventure on the Dreamcast

*TigerClaw* · 12-23-2018, 01:19 PM

Today is the 20th Anniversary of Sonic Adventure on the Dreamcast. It was the 1st 3D Sonic game on Consoles. This was a launch title when the Dreamcast first came out. and one of the 1st games I bought for it.
https://www.theyoungfolks.com/video-...-graded-games/

Can't find a good quality version of the Trailer for the Dreamcast version. So here's a Trailer for the Re-Launch on 2014 of the game on other consoles.

*Wesley* · 12-23-2018, 01:31 PM

Great article. Sonic Adventure was one of the first games I got for the Dreamcast as well. The graphics blew me away at the time (1999), especially since I went straight from the Mega Drive to Dreamcast.

*neatoman* · 12-23-2018, 02:06 PM

I know people like to take a **** on this game, and I certainly get why, it's just too piss easy to really hate. It needed to pad the content with six different types of gameplay and it's still over before you know it.

*Wesley* · 12-23-2018, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by neatoman

I know people like to take a **** on this game, and I certainly get why, it's just too piss easy to really hate. It needed to pad the content with six different types of gameplay and it's still over before you know it.

Yep. The game hasn’t aged well (voice acting, for example), but it was good for its time. Like other Sonic games, it at least had a great soundtrack. Also, TheRunawayGuys did an entertaining Let’s Play of it on YouTube.

*Ninjinister* · 12-23-2018, 04:34 PM

I just recently tried playing this again after someone rekindled my fond memories for Chao Garden.

When Sonic went flying into the ocean before the camera could even change following the orca chase sequence, with no way of even knowing it was coming, I decided that I was absolutely done with it.

*sdp* · 12-23-2018, 07:05 PM

The 20th anniversary of the Japanese launch, it's still only 19 for most of the world. I remember playing plenty of Sonic Adventure in 1999 at stores and the graphics looked amazing, this was still a year away from the PS2 and 2 years from the Gamecube so there really was nothing that looked like it, it really did felt like a generation above the N64/PS1 so I was jealous. I had always loved Sonic so that only helped, I was impressed that I could leave footprints on the sand and how cool this re-design of Sonic was.

I didn't get to actually play the game until it was released on the Gamecube with the DX version but it came out at a time that I mostly stopped playing videogames so I didn't get to play it as much as I would've loved to back in 1999 or even 2002, when I got a Wii I made up for it playing it again but I don't think I ever finished it completely, I think I got stuck in a Big the cat mission. It wasn't as impressive when I played it this second time since the graphics weren't great anymore, I had played the faster SA2 and Sonic Heroes by then as well. It's a cool game that doesn't deserve the hate it gets but also not the praise some give it. it's a flawed game that was relevant when it launched.

*Leo656* · 12-23-2018, 09:23 PM

Game still treats me fine. Not as good as it was made out to be when it was fresh, but nowhere near as "bad" as a lot of people have made it out to be since. Just about every gripe about it can be explained by what year it was made; stuff like the camera and voice acting were simply products of its time.

Truthfully, the thing I hate about it the most isn't anything about the game itself; it's how it accidentally gave birth to that vocal fringe group of "Sonic can never work in 3D, it's blasphemy" lunatics.

*DarkFell* · 12-23-2018, 10:56 PM

I only remember seeing the Japanese introduction of the Sonic Adventure game. (The translated dub version was still in production for the U.S. NTSC version of the Dreamcast console.)

Otherwise, I don't remember much more other that I was playing a Japanese subtitled version of Pokemon Stadium in a game store within a then-nearby mall.

*Wildcat* · 12-23-2018, 11:27 PM

I still have my Dreamcast and original copy of SA. A lot of fun. Especially when it first came out. I even got the soundtrack.

I first saw it showed off at a mall. Before launch I think. There was a group crowing around a demo so I stayed back.

Didn’t care much for the fishing or emerald searching stuff but I still did them to unlock the final boss.

I to hate when people say Sonic doesn’t work in 3D. It’s already been proven it can with this and others.

*Leo656* · 12-23-2018, 11:36 PM

I only have the Sonic Adventure 2 soundtrack; "Open Your Heart" still eludes me to this day.

I know people hate the fishing, but I find it a brief little change of pace from the main game. No, it doesn't belong, but it didn't bother me, as those missions were short and easy. I have far more loathing for those damn Knuckles missions, eternally trying to find that one last damn Emerald.

I like the 2D and 3D Sonic games in almost equal measure. I think the 2D ones are easier to play and get into but I absolutely disagree with those who say Sonic has to be 2D only, or that the 3D games are "trash". The only 3D Sonic game I have bad memories of is Unleashed, and I had a lot of fun with that one overall, until the ending boss, which I never beat. What ruins that game is that your shadow disappears when you jump, so you constantly die from misjudging what should be otherwise easy jumps. It made the end part so frustrating that I just finally quit, which I never do. But if you actually had a drop shadow, it would be a pretty good game. I have no problem at all with the rest of the 3D Sonic games I've played.

Sonic Generations is probably the best Sonic game ever, though. I also thought Colors was really good, although that's more like a Mario game than a Sonic one, but who am I to pick nits? It was fun.

*Wildcat* · 12-24-2018, 12:33 AM

That’s weird I never had jumping problems in Unleashed. I just hated the 2 sky levels where you have to hit the right buttons to kill the enemies. It’s basically Simon Sez. The quick-time-events.

Oh wait did you play the PS2/Wii version or 360/PS3 version? They’re very different. I have it for 360.

*Leo656* · 12-24-2018, 12:43 AM

360, so that's weird. It's only an issue for me in two or three places, but it's something I immediately noticed and one I see many others cite, as well. There's one spot where you have to navigate floating boxes so the lack of a shadow hurts the depth perception, although it's still manageable, and something near the end that I can't remember because it's been like 6 years.

That game's also filthy with tricking you into going at top speed and then SPIKE TRAP!!!! without any warning, or flinging you off a rail into oblivion, but trial-and-error gameplay isn't new for Sonic games. I constantly see that cited as a major flaw against the game, and while I admit that it's annoying, it's nothing new and there's very few spots that can't be moved past in a few tries if you pay attention.

I've seen people make entire videos about that game, "proving" that it gives you zero reaction time to many traps, so that you have to keep dying until you learn to predict them, because avoiding them before they happen is mandatory.

I'm like "Yeah, and?" I swore that was always just how those games are.

Yeah, it cheats. Ah well.

*Wildcat* · 12-24-2018, 01:04 AM

The optional stages are noticeably harder but the straightforward storyline never game me problems.

Was it a Werehog level? They are tedious and I didn’t realize until it was pointed out in article a long time ago but they’re basically like a 3D Ristar. Even down to the stretchy arms.

*LeotheLateBloomer* · 12-24-2018, 04:49 AM

What else can be said about this game. It may not be as good or revolutionary as Mario 64 but it was a revolutionary game for the Sonic franchise. To this day, SA1 controls the best out of all 3D titles in this series. Even though half the time, the level design doesn't always coordinates with his speed since you're hugging a wall on slopes.

In 1999 at 12 years old, I remember seeing the silly commercials for this game. What got me hyped the most was Sonic new design. It looked so awesome like this version of Sonic looks like a grown up teenager. This really made me want a Dreamcast. Course I didn't come to play this game until it released on Gamecube.

I love the Sonic sections because they're the closest to how he feels in the Genesis games. Tails' gameplay was nice but it was grossly underutilized and wish they could have done more to it. To this day, it sucks that they couldn't improve upon it in games afterwards. Knuckles' treasure hunting was fun too. Hate how they butchered the radar system in a sequel. Amy was too slow for my liking, Gamma got boring after a while, and Big speaks for himself, even though I can beat his story in 22 minutes.

It's hard to say whether this is my favorite 3D game since it has aged but it's still a fun game to play which is the most important aspect of the game.

To this day, I still wish they would use the Adventure formula but I do like the sense of speed the boost formula gives us. Wish they combine Adventure's control and Boost's speed together into one.

I really hope they go back to the Adventure formula again (without being an Adventure 3), even after Iizuka said they won't go back to it just to give the fans what they want. (Had to mention the last half of the sentence before Tigerclaw obliviously mentions it, pointing out the painfully obvious.)

*Leo656* · 12-24-2018, 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wildcat

The optional stages are noticeably harder but the straightforward storyline never game me problems.

Was it a Werehog level? They are tedious and I didn’t realize until it was pointed out in article a long time ago but they’re basically like a 3D Ristar. Even down to the stretchy arms.

Ah I'unno, it was years ago.

*Prowler* · 12-24-2018, 08:19 AM

I've thought about playing this game one day, but heard it hasn't aged so well and that it's a bit buggy. The DX version sells for dirt cheap on Steam, though. As do other classic Sega games. So it's definitely a bit tempting...

*Leo656* · 12-24-2018, 08:28 AM

It's fine.

*Prowler* · 12-24-2018, 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leo656

It's fine.

Yeah, from what I gather, it seems decent enough to be enjoyable. But since it doesn't seem to be as good as Sonic 2 or Mania are, I kinda lost motivation to give it a try and have gotten other priorities.

However, a game that is a bit overrated is Sonic CD. It's good, but can be a tad frustrating at times. I think it's a gross exaggeration how some people just downright call it sh*tty, though. I'd still go as far as say that of the classic Sonic game,s Sonic CD is only inferior to Sonic 2 and Sonic Mania. I find it overall superior to Sonic 1 and Sonic 3&K. Sonic 3 & Knuckles really gets brought down by the Marble Garden and Carnival Night Zones, imo.

*The Deadman* · 12-24-2018, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TigerClaw

Today is the 20th Anniversary of Sonic Adventure on the Dreamcast. It was the 1st 3D Sonic game on Consoles. This was a launch title when the Dreamcast first came out. and one of the 1st games I bought for it.
https://www.theyoungfolks.com/video-...-graded-games/

Can't find a good quality version of the Trailer for the Dreamcast version. So here's a Trailer for the Re-Launch on 2014 of the game on other consoles.

Technically, Sonic 3D Blast would be the first 3D Sonic game on consoles. I still prefer Sonic Adventure 2, though.

*LeotheLateBloomer* · 01-01-2019, 06:35 AM

This is not a confirmation, but Iizuka would like to remake the game one day. Given the success of the Crash and Spyro remakes, I can see this happen. Thing id though, since not everyone liked the alternate gameplay styles such as fishing, they'd still have to incorporate those. I think there are ways to make those gameplay styles more tolerable, though.

http://https://www.sonicstadium.org/...nic-adventure/
http://https://www.thenerdmag.com/so...enture-remake/

12-23-2018, 01:19 PM	#1
TigerClaw Mutant Tiger Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Hialeah, Florida, USA Posts: 13,820	Today is the 20th Anniversary of Sonic Adventure on the Dreamcast Today is the 20th Anniversary of Sonic Adventure on the Dreamcast. It was the 1st 3D Sonic game on Consoles. This was a launch title when the Dreamcast first came out. and one of the 1st games I bought for it. https://www.theyoungfolks.com/video-...-graded-games/ Can't find a good quality version of the Trailer for the Dreamcast version. So here's a Trailer for the Re-Launch on 2014 of the game on other consoles. __________________ Last edited by TigerClaw; 12-23-2018 at 01:31 PM.

12-23-2018, 01:31 PM	#2
Wesley Mad Scientist Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Republic of Ireland Posts: 1,589	Great article. Sonic Adventure was one of the first games I got for the Dreamcast as well. The graphics blew me away at the time (1999), especially since I went straight from the Mega Drive to Dreamcast. __________________ Donatello: The tracker! It might work. Donatello goes to the back of the Turtle Van Raphael: Shrewd move, Donatello. If we ignore the problem, it might go away by itself. (from The Mean Machines)

12-23-2018, 04:34 PM	#5
Ninjinister 無問題 Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Moesko Island, WA Posts: 14,314	I just recently tried playing this again after someone rekindled my fond memories for Chao Garden. When Sonic went flying into the ocean before the camera could even change following the orca chase sequence, with no way of even knowing it was coming, I decided that I was absolutely done with it. __________________

12-23-2018, 07:05 PM	#6
sdp Megan Fox = April Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Tokio, Italy Posts: 9,999	The 20th anniversary of the Japanese launch, it's still only 19 for most of the world. I remember playing plenty of Sonic Adventure in 1999 at stores and the graphics looked amazing, this was still a year away from the PS2 and 2 years from the Gamecube so there really was nothing that looked like it, it really did felt like a generation above the N64/PS1 so I was jealous. I had always loved Sonic so that only helped, I was impressed that I could leave footprints on the sand and how cool this re-design of Sonic was. I didn't get to actually play the game until it was released on the Gamecube with the DX version but it came out at a time that I mostly stopped playing videogames so I didn't get to play it as much as I would've loved to back in 1999 or even 2002, when I got a Wii I made up for it playing it again but I don't think I ever finished it completely, I think I got stuck in a Big the cat mission. It wasn't as impressive when I played it this second time since the graphics weren't great anymore, I had played the faster SA2 and Sonic Heroes by then as well. It's a cool game that doesn't deserve the hate it gets but also not the praise some give it. it's a flawed game that was relevant when it launched. __________________ *Bye* *TMNT !!! I'm unaliving tonight* Click to join The Drome Discord server

12-23-2018, 09:23 PM	#7
Leo656 The Franchise Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: nWo Country Posts: 27,696	Game still treats me fine. Not as good as it was made out to be when it was fresh, but nowhere near as "bad" as a lot of people have made it out to be since. Just about every gripe about it can be explained by what year it was made; stuff like the camera and voice acting were simply products of its time. Truthfully, the thing I hate about it the most isn't anything about the game itself; it's how it accidentally gave birth to that vocal fringe group of "Sonic can never work in 3D, it's blasphemy" lunatics. __________________ "I left some words quite far from here to be a short reminder... I laid them out in stone, in case they need to last forever..." "But hey... I'm not telling you anything that you don't already know." nWo Tech: The Official Thread Poison of the Technodrome Forums https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxr...awnHgDz1ceDcfA https://theroxxshow.blogspot.com/

12-23-2018, 10:56 PM	#8
DarkFell A Crusty Bob Fan Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: At the current moment, on your screen. Posts: 1,978	I only remember seeing the Japanese introduction of the Sonic Adventure game. (The translated dub version was still in production for the U.S. NTSC version of the Dreamcast console.) Otherwise, I don't remember much more other that I was playing a Japanese subtitled version of Pokemon Stadium in a game store within a then-nearby mall.

12-23-2018, 11:27 PM	#9
Wildcat Foot Elite Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: AZ Posts: 3,255	I still have my Dreamcast and original copy of SA. A lot of fun. Especially when it first came out. I even got the soundtrack. I first saw it showed off at a mall. Before launch I think. There was a group crowing around a demo so I stayed back. Didn’t care much for the fishing or emerald searching stuff but I still did them to unlock the final boss. I to hate when people say Sonic doesn’t work in 3D. It’s already been proven it can with this and others. __________________ Nothing can survive the will to stay alive, cause if you try, you can do anything.

12-23-2018, 11:36 PM	#10
Leo656 The Franchise Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: nWo Country Posts: 27,696	I only have the Sonic Adventure 2 soundtrack; "Open Your Heart" still eludes me to this day. I know people hate the fishing, but I find it a brief little change of pace from the main game. No, it doesn't belong, but it didn't bother me, as those missions were short and easy. I have far more loathing for those damn Knuckles missions, eternally trying to find that one last damn Emerald. I like the 2D and 3D Sonic games in almost equal measure. I think the 2D ones are easier to play and get into but I absolutely disagree with those who say Sonic has to be 2D only, or that the 3D games are "trash". The only 3D Sonic game I have bad memories of is Unleashed, and I had a lot of fun with that one overall, until the ending boss, which I never beat. What ruins that game is that your shadow disappears when you jump, so you constantly die from misjudging what should be otherwise easy jumps. It made the end part so frustrating that I just finally quit, which I never do. But if you actually had a drop shadow, it would be a pretty good game. I have no problem at all with the rest of the 3D Sonic games I've played. Sonic Generations is probably the best Sonic game ever, though. I also thought Colors was really good, although that's more like a Mario game than a Sonic one, but who am I to pick nits? It was fun. __________________ "I left some words quite far from here to be a short reminder... I laid them out in stone, in case they need to last forever..." "But hey... I'm not telling you anything that you don't already know." nWo Tech: The Official Thread Poison of the Technodrome Forums https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxr...awnHgDz1ceDcfA https://theroxxshow.blogspot.com/

12-24-2018, 12:33 AM	#11
Wildcat Foot Elite Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: AZ Posts: 3,255	That’s weird I never had jumping problems in Unleashed. I just hated the 2 sky levels where you have to hit the right buttons to kill the enemies. It’s basically Simon Sez. The quick-time-events. Oh wait did you play the PS2/Wii version or 360/PS3 version? They’re very different. I have it for 360. __________________ Nothing can survive the will to stay alive, cause if you try, you can do anything.

12-24-2018, 12:43 AM	#12
Leo656 The Franchise Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: nWo Country Posts: 27,696	360, so that's weird. It's only an issue for me in two or three places, but it's something I immediately noticed and one I see many others cite, as well. There's one spot where you have to navigate floating boxes so the lack of a shadow hurts the depth perception, although it's still manageable, and something near the end that I can't remember because it's been like 6 years. That game's also filthy with tricking you into going at top speed and then SPIKE TRAP!!!! without any warning, or flinging you off a rail into oblivion, but trial-and-error gameplay isn't new for Sonic games. I constantly see that cited as a major flaw against the game, and while I admit that it's annoying, it's nothing new and there's very few spots that can't be moved past in a few tries if you pay attention. I've seen people make entire videos about that game, "proving" that it gives you zero reaction time to many traps, so that you have to keep dying until you learn to predict them, because avoiding them before they happen is mandatory. I'm like "Yeah, and?" I swore that was always just how those games are. Yeah, it cheats. Ah well. __________________ "I left some words quite far from here to be a short reminder... I laid them out in stone, in case they need to last forever..." "But hey... I'm not telling you anything that you don't already know." nWo Tech: The Official Thread Poison of the Technodrome Forums https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxr...awnHgDz1ceDcfA https://theroxxshow.blogspot.com/

12-24-2018, 01:04 AM	#13
Wildcat Foot Elite Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: AZ Posts: 3,255	The optional stages are noticeably harder but the straightforward storyline never game me problems. Was it a Werehog level? They are tedious and I didn’t realize until it was pointed out in article a long time ago but they’re basically like a 3D Ristar. Even down to the stretchy arms. __________________ Nothing can survive the will to stay alive, cause if you try, you can do anything.

12-24-2018, 04:49 AM	#14
LeotheLateBloomer Foot Elite Join Date: Aug 2013 Posts: 2,976	What else can be said about this game. It may not be as good or revolutionary as Mario 64 but it was a revolutionary game for the Sonic franchise. To this day, SA1 controls the best out of all 3D titles in this series. Even though half the time, the level design doesn't always coordinates with his speed since you're hugging a wall on slopes. In 1999 at 12 years old, I remember seeing the silly commercials for this game. What got me hyped the most was Sonic new design. It looked so awesome like this version of Sonic looks like a grown up teenager. This really made me want a Dreamcast. Course I didn't come to play this game until it released on Gamecube. I love the Sonic sections because they're the closest to how he feels in the Genesis games. Tails' gameplay was nice but it was grossly underutilized and wish they could have done more to it. To this day, it sucks that they couldn't improve upon it in games afterwards. Knuckles' treasure hunting was fun too. Hate how they butchered the radar system in a sequel. Amy was too slow for my liking, Gamma got boring after a while, and Big speaks for himself, even though I can beat his story in 22 minutes. It's hard to say whether this is my favorite 3D game since it has aged but it's still a fun game to play which is the most important aspect of the game. To this day, I still wish they would use the Adventure formula but I do like the sense of speed the boost formula gives us. Wish they combine Adventure's control and Boost's speed together into one. I really hope they go back to the Adventure formula again (without being an Adventure 3), even after Iizuka said they won't go back to it just to give the fans what they want. (Had to mention the last half of the sentence before Tigerclaw obliviously mentions it, pointing out the painfully obvious.)

12-24-2018, 08:19 AM	#16
Prowler Emperor Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Portugal Posts: 8,909	I've thought about playing this game one day, but heard it hasn't aged so well and that it's a bit buggy. The DX version sells for dirt cheap on Steam, though. As do other classic Sega games. So it's definitely a bit tempting...

12-24-2018, 08:28 AM	#17
Leo656 The Franchise Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: nWo Country Posts: 27,696	It's fine. __________________ "I left some words quite far from here to be a short reminder... I laid them out in stone, in case they need to last forever..." "But hey... I'm not telling you anything that you don't already know." nWo Tech: The Official Thread Poison of the Technodrome Forums https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxr...awnHgDz1ceDcfA https://theroxxshow.blogspot.com/

01-01-2019, 06:35 AM	#20
LeotheLateBloomer Foot Elite Join Date: Aug 2013 Posts: 2,976	This is not a confirmation, but Iizuka would like to remake the game one day. Given the success of the Crash and Spyro remakes, I can see this happen. Thing id though, since not everyone liked the alternate gameplay styles such as fishing, they'd still have to incorporate those. I think there are ways to make those gameplay styles more tolerable, though. http://https://www.sonicstadium.org/...nic-adventure/ http://https://www.thenerdmag.com/so...enture-remake/