Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal

Last updated
Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal
Sonic Boom Shattered Crystal boxart.png
North American box art
Developer(s) Sanzaru Games
Publisher(s) Sega
Director(s) Bill Spence
Tin Guerrero
Producer(s) Jenny Huang
Designer(s) Mat Kraemer
John Hsia
Programmer(s) Jon Gilardi
Paul Murray
Artist(s) Jeremy French
JF Lepine
Writer(s) Ken Pontac
Warren Graff
Tin Guerrero
Composer(s) Richard Jacques
Series Sonic the Hedgehog
Platform(s) Nintendo 3DS
Release
  • NA: November 11, 2014 [1]
  • EU: November 21, 2014 [2]
  • AU: November 29, 2014
  • JP: December 18, 2014
Genre(s) Action-adventure, platform
Mode(s) Single-player

Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal [lower-alpha 1] is a 2014 action-adventure game developed by Sanzaru Games and published by Sega for the Nintendo 3DS. Along with its Wii U sibling Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric , Shattered Crystal is a spin-off of Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog franchise and is a part of the Sonic Boom sub-franchise, which consists also of an animated television series, whose games serve as its prequels. The two games together formed the third and final part in Sega's exclusivity agreement with Nintendo, following Sonic Lost World and Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games in 2013.

Contents

Gameplay

Tails swings from an Enerbeam Sonic Boom - Tails uses his marvelous flight abilities.jpg
Tails swings from an Enerbeam

Shattered Crystal is largely a side-scrolling platform game, which features a stronger emphasis on exploration compared to previous Sonic titles. Through the course of the game, players gain access to four playable characters—Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Sticks—and can instantly switch between them during gameplay. Each character is able to use a homing attack to home in on enemies and an Enerbeam which lets them swing across gaps and remove enemy shields. Each character also has unique skills required to access certain parts of each stage. Sonic is able to perform a mid-air dash which can break blue barriers, Tails can fly up air currents and use various gadgets such as submarines, Knuckles can climb on walls and burrow underground, and Sticks can throw a boomerang that can be controlled mid-flight. Throughout each stage, players can locate crystal shards, required to progress through the game, as well as parts that can be used to buy upgrades. [4] [5] [6] [7]

Plot

The game's backstory is explained in a comic tie-in included in the game: millennia ago, the evil serpentine cyborg, Lyric the Last Ancient, attempted to conquer the world using a powerful crystal. However, his fellow Ancients destroyed the crystal and detained him in stasis. In the present day, Lyric escapes from his imprisonment and begins searching for the lost fragments of the crystal to obtain ultimate power. While working, Lyric is confronted by Shadow, whom he captures using a mind-controlling device. Meanwhile, after rescuing Sticks from a rockslide, Amy enters a set of ancient ruins to collect research. She finds a secret ancient language and manuscript detailing the history and whereabouts of the crystal, but while trying to decipher it, she is ambushed by Lyric, leading to the game's opening scene. When Amy disengages to contact Sonic, Lyric, taking advantage of the distraction, incapacitates and captures her.

Together with Tails, Knuckles, and Sticks, Sonic traces Amy's footsteps in hopes of saving her from Lyric's clutches. Along the way, they encounter Shadow, whom Sonic proceeds to defeat in a race, freeing him from Lyric's control; Shadow then sets out to avenge his enslavement. Meanwhile, Lyric interrogates Amy to get the translation of the manuscripts she found. Sonic and company eventually catch up with them and rescue Amy before confronting Lyric aboard his airship. Refusing to concede defeat, Lyric attempts to destroy them with an experimental weapon, but Shadow intervenes and sends Lyric falling to his death through a floor hatch that Sonic opens. As Sticks makes a long, disorganized speech about teamwork, Shadow goes his own separate way. Sonic and his friends return home as Sonic and Knuckles argue over whether their group is named "Team Sonic" or "Team Knuckles".

Development

Sonic Boom features a cast redesigned for Western audiences. From left to right: Sticks, Knuckles, Sonic, Amy Rose, and Tails. Sonic Boom - Characters.jpg
Sonic Boom features a cast redesigned for Western audiences. From left to right: Sticks, Knuckles, Sonic, Amy Rose, and Tails.

On May 17, 2013, Sega announced a worldwide agreement with Nintendo for the next three games in Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog series to be developed exclusively for Nintendo devices. [9] This included Sonic Lost World and Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games . [10] On February 6, 2014, Sega announced Sonic Boom as the official title for Wii U and Nintendo 3DS, a general name encompassing both Shattered Crystal and the Wii U game Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric . [11]

The game was developed as part of a new Sonic Boom franchise, which also includes Rise of Lyric, another game also for the Nintendo 3DS, a television series, [11] a comic series by Archie Comics, and a toyline by Tomy. [12] [13] The concepts for the video games were developed after those for the TV series. [14] The franchise was designed for Western audiences, [14] and the two games serve as prequels to the television series. Sega announced that the game would feature Sonic's traditional speed alongside a new exploratory game mechanic called "Enerbeam". Sega of America's marketing director Marchello Churchill explained that the new franchise was not designed to "replace modern Sonic". [11] The Western developer's CEO explained that Sonic Boom's Sonic is "very different ... both in tone and art direction". [11] Sega outsourced both games to Western developers in order to increase the game's appeal in Western markets, culminating in a separate westernized Sonic sub-series. [14] They remain a separate continuity from the main series, and were originally not intended to be released in Japan, [15] although a Japanese release was later announced under the name Sonic Toon (ソニックトゥーン, Sonikku Tūn). [16] Despite most elements of the games being new, their music was composed by Richard Jacques, who had also scored previous Sonic games, including Sonic 3D Blast , Sonic R , and Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed . [17]

San Francisco-based game studio Sanzaru Games developed Shattered Crystal under supervision by Sonic Team [11] and long-time Sonic game designer Takashi Iizuka. [14] As well as possessing different gameplay styles and stories, the two games were designed with different aesthetics, particularly in their environments and enemies. [11]

Reception

Unlike with previous games, Sega did not provide reviewers with advance copies of either Shattered Crystal or Rise of Lyric; they could only begin reviewing once the game was on sale. [25] Like Rise of Lyric, Shattered Crystal was critically panned, but had slightly more positive reviews than Rise of Lyric's with many critics calling it an improvement. The game received "generally unfavorable" reviews, according to video game review aggregator Metacritic. [18]

Chris Carter of Destructoid was very critical of the game, feeling that while Rise of Lyric had "some redeeming qualities," the same could not be said for Shattered Crystal. He criticized numerous aspects of the game such as the "sluggish pace," "terrible dialogue," and mostly the repetitive gameplay. He concluded the review by stating "Rather than let you actually play, Shattered Crystal is content to make you wait, wait, and wait some more before you get to the decent (but flawed) platforming. The design is maddening, especially when coupled with the poor dialogue compliments of the new Boom universe." [19]

Scott Thompson of IGN found the gameplay linear and "simplistic" whilst also criticizing the slow pace of the gameplay calling it "monotonous." They also found the story "poorly written" and found the humour to be "painfully unfunny." They concluded their review by stating that the game was "a mess of gameplay styles that never feel comfortable with each other" and deemed it as "a slog that never finds its footing." [22] Becky Cunningham of GamesRadar was more forgiving of the game, opining that the game "offers some fun platforming and treasure hunting moments, but its tedious mazes and poor story ultimately make it a drag." [21]

On May 11, 2015, Sega announced that Rise of Lyric and Shattered Crystal had sold 620,000 copies in total across both platforms, [26] making them some of the lowest-selling games in the franchise. [27] [28] [29] [30]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Released in Japan as Sonic Toon: Island Adventure (Japanese: ソニックトゥーン アイランドアドベンチャー, Hepburn: Sonikku Tūn: Airando Adobenchā) [3]

Related Research Articles

Tails (<i>Sonic the Hedgehog</i>) Video game character

Miles Prower, better known by his nickname Tails, is a character from Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog series. Tails also appears in several spin-off games in which he stars, comic books, cartoons, and films. He is the second character to consistently appear by Sonic's side in the series as his best friend, appearing in nearly every mainline and spin-off since his debut. The name "Miles Prower" is a pun on "miles per hour", a reference to the famed speed of Sonic the Hedgehog. Miles Prower is a two-tailed fox, hence the nickname.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shadow the Hedgehog</span> Fictional character

Shadow the Hedgehog is a character appearing in Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. Shadow was created by Takashi Iizuka and Shiro Maekawa and first appeared in Sonic Adventure 2 (2001). Although this was intended to be his only appearance, Shadow proved so popular among fans that developer Sonic Team decided to include him in Sonic Heroes (2003). Shadow has since featured in numerous Sonic games, including the spin-off Shadow the Hedgehog (2005). He also appears in Sonic film and television adaptations, comics, and merchandise.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yuji Naka</span> Japanese video game developer

Yuji Naka, credited in some games as YU2, is a Japanese video game programmer, designer and producer. He is the co-creator of the Sonic the Hedgehog series and was the president of Sonic Team at Sega until his departure in 2006.

<i>Sonic & Knuckles</i> 1994 video game

Sonic & Knuckles is a 1994 platform game developed and published by Sega. Players control Sonic the Hedgehog and Knuckles the Echidna in their quests to save Angel Island; Sonic tries to stop Doctor Robotnik from re-launching his orbital weapon, the Death Egg, while Knuckles scuffles with Robotnik's minion, EggRobo. Like previous Sonic games, players traverse side-scrolling levels at high speeds while collecting rings and defeating enemies.

<i>Sonic Blast</i> 1996 platform video game

Sonic Blast is a 1996 side-scrolling platform video game known for its use of pre-rendered visuals. To stop Doctor Robotnik from using Chaos Emerald shards to fortify his base, the player controls Sonic the Hedgehog and Knuckles the Echidna through 15 levels. As a Sonic the Hedgehog series platformer, the characters run and jump to reach the end of a level while defeating enemy robots and collecting rings. In separate bonus stages, the player must run forward and collect rings to earn one of the Chaos Emerald shards.

<i>Sonic Advance</i> 2001 video game

Sonic Advance is a 2001 platform game developed by Dimps for the Game Boy Advance (GBA). It was the first Sonic the Hedgehog game released on a Nintendo console with Sonic Adventure 2: Battle on the GameCube, and was produced in commemoration of the series' tenth anniversary. The story follows Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Amy as they journey to stop Doctor Eggman from taking over the world. Controlling a character, players are tasked with completing each level, defeating Eggman and his robot army, and collecting the seven Chaos Emeralds.

<i>Sonic the Hedgehog: Triple Trouble</i> 1994 platform game

Sonic the Hedgehog: Triple Trouble is a 1994 platform game developed by Aspect and published by Sega for the Game Gear. It is the sequel to Sonic Chaos (1993) and features classic side-scrolling Sonic gameplay. The player controls either Sonic the Hedgehog or Miles "Tails" Prower as they venture to protect the powerful Chaos Emeralds from Doctor Robotnik, Knuckles the Echidna, and series newcomer Nack the Weasel. Sonic and Tails' unique abilities, as well as various power-ups, can assist the player in gameplay.

<i>Sonic the Hedgehog</i> Video game franchise

Sonic the Hedgehog is a Japanese video game series and media franchise created by Yuji Naka, Naoto Ohshima, and Hirokazu Yasuhara for Sega. The franchise follows Sonic, an anthropomorphic blue hedgehog who battles the evil Doctor Eggman, a mad scientist. The main Sonic the Hedgehog games are platformers mostly developed by Sonic Team; other games, developed by various studios, include spin-offs in the racing, fighting, party and sports genres. The franchise also incorporates printed media, animations, feature films, and merchandise.

<i>Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games</i> 2007 video game

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games is a 2007 crossover sports and party game developed by the Sega Sports R&D Department. It is the first installment on the Mario & Sonic series. It was published by Nintendo in Japan and by Sega in other regions, and released on the Wii in November 2007 and the Nintendo DS handheld in January 2008. The first official video game of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games, it is licensed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) through exclusive licensee International Sports Multimedia (ISM), and is the first official crossover game to feature characters from both the Mario and Sonic the Hedgehog series.

<i>Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games</i> 2011 video game

Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games is a 2011 crossover sports and party game developed by Sega Japan. It was published by Nintendo in Japan and Korea and by Sega elsewhere. As the third instalment in the Mario & Sonic series, it was released on the Wii on 15 November 2011 in North America, 18 November 2011 in Europe, and 26 December 2011 in Japan. It was also released for the Nintendo 3DS in February 2012. Mario & Sonic is the official video game of the 2012 Summer Olympics and is licensed by the International Olympic Committee through exclusive licensee International Sports Multimedia. The game is the only Wii title to come in a yellow keep case.

<i>Sonic Generations</i> 2011 video game

Sonic Generations is a 2011 platform game developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Windows, and Nintendo 3DS. Produced in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the Sonic the Hedgehog series, the game follows Sonic and his sidekick Tails as they form an alliance with their modern selves. It features two gameplay styles: "Classic", which plays from a side-scrolling perspective like that of the original Sega Genesis Sonic games, and "Modern", 3D levels similar to those in Sonic Unleashed (2008) and Sonic Colors (2010).

<i>Sonic Lost World</i> 2013 video game by Sega

Sonic Lost World is a 2013 platform game developed by Sonic Team. It is part of the Sonic the Hedgehog series, and was released in October 2013 for the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS in PAL regions by Nintendo and by Sega in North America and Japan. A port of the Wii U version for Windows was later released in November 2015.

<i>Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games</i> 2013 video game

Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games is a 2013 crossover sports/party video game for the Wii U. It is the fourth game in the Mario & Sonic series, the first to be released on the Wii U and is the official video game for the 2014 Winter Olympics that were held in Sochi. It was released on November 8, 2013, in Europe, November 9, 2013, in Australia, November 15, 2013, in North America, and December 5, 2013, in Japan.

<i>Sonic Boom</i> (TV series) American-French CGI-animated television series

Sonic Boom is a computer-animated television series produced by Sega of America, Inc. and Technicolor Animation Productions in collaboration with Lagardère Thématiques and Jeunesse TV, respectively for Cartoon Network, Canal J and Gulli. Loosely based on the video game franchise Sonic the Hedgehog created by Sega, the series is the fifth animated television series based on the franchise and the first to be produced in computer-generated imagery animation and in high-definition.

<i>Sonic Runners</i> 2015 video game

Sonic Runners was a 2015 endless runner game in the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise for Android and iOS. It was developed by Sonic Team as its first Sonic game exclusive to smartphones and published by Sega. In Sonic Runners, the player-character constantly ran forward, and players controlled their jumping from a side-scrolling perspective using the touchscreen. The game was free-to-play, featured a wide variety of playable characters from the Sonic series, and received periodic updates.

<i>Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice</i> 2016 action-adventure game

Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice is an action-adventure platform game developed by Sanzaru Games and published by Sega for the Nintendo 3DS. It is part of the Sonic Boom spin-off franchise of the Sonic the Hedgehog series, along with the games Rise of Lyric and Shattered Crystal and a television series. Originally planned for a release in late 2015, Fire & Ice was released in North America and Europe in September 2016, and in Australia the following month. While the game received mixed reviews, it was seen as an improvement over Rise of Lyric and Shattered Crystal.

<i>Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric</i> 2014 video game

Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric is a 2014 action-adventure platform video game developed by Big Red Button and published by Sega for the Wii U. Along with Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal for the Nintendo 3DS, it is a spin-off of Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog series and is a part of the Sonic Boom franchise, which also consists of an animated television series, a comic series by Archie Comics, and a toyline by Tomy. The game explores on Sonic, Tails, Knuckles and Amy, who must stop Lyric the Last Ancient from acquiring the Chaos Crystals by powering up a robot army and wiping out all organic life, after Sonic accidentally awakens Lyric from a thousand year rest, while escaping Doctor Eggman.

<i>Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games</i> 2016 video game

Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games is a 2016 crossover sports and party game in the Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games series, released for the Nintendo 3DS in February 2016 in Japan, March 2016 in North America, and in April 2016 for Europe and Australia, and for the Wii U worldwide in June 2016. The game is officially licensed by the International Olympic Committee, as have the other games in the series. It was developed by Sega, with assistance from Arzest and Spike Chunsoft, and published by Nintendo. It is the fifth title in the Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games series. The game is a collection of Olympic sports themed mini-games featuring characters from the Mario series and the Sonic the Hedgehog series.

References

  1. ↑ "Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric Release Date Moved Up". IGN. 18 September 2014. Archived from the original on 17 April 2016. Retrieved 26 September 2014.
  2. ↑ "Sonic Boom release date confirmed for UK". Videogamer. 14 August 2014. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 28 September 2016.
  3. ↑ "ソニックトゥーン アイランドアドベンチャー［3DS］" [Sonic Toon: Island Adventure [3DS]]. 4Gamer.net (in Japanese). Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  4. ↑ "Sonic Boom Interview with Stephen Frost". Nintendo World Report. 2014-02-06. Archived from the original on 2014-02-14. Retrieved 2014-03-01.
  5. ↑ "Sonic Boom - Road to review". GamesRadar. Archived from the original on 2014-10-13. Retrieved 2014-03-01.
  6. ↑ "Big Red Button lead talks Sonic Boom gameplay". Destructoid. 7 February 2014. Archived from the original on 2014-03-04. Retrieved 2014-03-01.
  7. ↑ McGee, Maxwell (June 2, 2014). "How Do The Two New Sonic Booms Compare?". GameSpot. Archived from the original on June 5, 2014. Retrieved June 2, 2014.
  8. ↑ Parker, Kellie (29 May 2014). "Introducing Sticks to the Sonic Boom Franchise". SEGA Blog. Sega. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
  9. ↑ "SEGA and Nintendo Enter Exclusive Partnership for Sonic the Hedgehog". Sega of America. The Wall Street Journal. 17 May 2013. Archived from the original on 5 November 2013. Retrieved 13 February 2014.
  10. ↑ Yin-Poole, Wesley (May 17, 2013). "Sega Nintendo alliance announced for three Sonic exclusives on Wii U and 3DS". Eurogamer . Gamer Network. Archived from the original on February 22, 2014. Retrieved February 7, 2014.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Lien, Tracey (February 6, 2014). "Sonic Boom gives Sega's series a new look, two new developers". Polygon . Vox Media. Archived from the original on February 8, 2014. Retrieved February 6, 2014.
  12. ↑ McWhertor, Michael (6 February 2014). "Sonic Boom gets an animated TV series, toy line from Tomy in 2014". Polygon. Vox Media. Archived from the original on 11 July 2019. Retrieved 10 October 2014.
  13. ↑ "Sega reveals Sonic Boom: A new Wii U game, TV show and toy range". Computerandvideogames. 2014-02-06. Archived from the original on 2014-12-04. Retrieved 2014-08-10.
  14. 1 2 3 4 Corriea, Alexa Ray (February 6, 2014). "Why Sega handed Sonic over to Western studios and gave him a scarf". Polygon . Vox Media. Archived from the original on February 7, 2014. Retrieved February 6, 2014.
  15. ↑ Phillips, Tom (February 7, 2014). "Sega announces Sonic Boom for 3DS and Wii U". Eurogamer . Gamer Network. Archived from the original on February 7, 2014. Retrieved February 7, 2014.
  16. ↑ "Sega | Sonic Toon". Sonic.sega.jp. Archived from the original on 2014-11-09. Retrieved 2014-08-10.
  17. 1 2 Jed Pressgrove (13 November 2014). "Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal - Game Review - Slant Magazine". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on 17 November 2014. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  18. 1 2 "Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal (3DS)". Metacritic. Archived from the original on November 11, 2014. Retrieved November 19, 2014.
  19. 1 2 "Review: Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal - Destructoid". Archived from the original on 2016-03-24. Retrieved 2014-11-23.
  20. ↑ Alexandre, Vítor (December 29, 2014). "Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal: Regresso às plataformas 2D". Eurogamer.pt (in Portuguese). Eurogamer. Archived from the original on May 22, 2015. Retrieved June 15, 2015.
  21. 1 2 Cunningham, Becky (November 17, 2014). "Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal Review". GamesRadar. Archived from the original on November 18, 2014. Retrieved November 18, 2014.
  22. 1 2 Thompson, Scott (November 13, 2014). "Running on Fumes". IGN. Archived from the original on March 24, 2016. Retrieved November 13, 2014.
  23. ↑ Onley, Alex (December 3, 2014). "Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal Review". NintendoLife. Archived from the original on May 27, 2015. Retrieved June 15, 2015.
  24. ↑ Koopman, Daan (December 7, 2014). "Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal Review". Nintendo World Report. Archived from the original on June 13, 2015. Retrieved June 15, 2015.
  25. ↑ Stapleton, Dan (November 11, 2014). "Where Are IGN's Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric and Shattered Crystal Reviews?". IGN. Archived from the original on November 12, 2014. Retrieved November 13, 2014.
  26. ↑ "Appendix of Consolidated Financial Statements Year Ended March 31, 2015" (PDF). SEGA SAMMY HOLDINGS. 11 May 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 May 2015. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  27. ↑ "Sonic Boom is the Worst-Selling Sonic Title in History". 12 February 2015. Archived from the original on 2 November 2019. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  28. ↑ "Sonic the Hedgehog needs to die". The Verge. 12 February 2015. Archived from the original on 10 January 2022. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  29. ↑ McWhertor, Michael (February 12, 2015). "Sonic Boom sells just 490K copies, Sega Sammy expects to lose 13B yen for the year". Polygon. Archived from the original on February 7, 2021. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
  30. ↑ Phillips, Tom (February 12, 2015). "Sonic Boom sells just 490K copies, Sega Sammy expects to lose 13B yen for the year". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on February 3, 2021. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.