The Spindash got through Act 44!
Download the episode here!

I think at some point I had delusions that I might actually release an episode on time.  It takes place right after the announcement of Sonic’s new voice actor, so it’s a little dated, but I’ve had worse.  The audio is a little off as well; the brutally warm summer forced me to at least have a fan on in the background, and my room is far from acousticly kind.  But anyhow, on with the show!

I truly believe that this year is the year of Sonic.  Man, I like saying that.  This year is the year of Sonic. An excellent racing game, a new 2D downloadable game, a new 3D Sonic a-la Unleashed with power-ups, and a new Rush-esque game on DS.  Preemptive fan complaints against Sonic 4 (and a certain hover board racer for an overpriced super-camera) aside, this is shaping up to be the best year for Sonic since, well, I honestly can’t remember!  It’s as if Sega has been studying really hard for their learner’s permit;  if they can pull off this test and continue with another few solid games, they’re on their way to earn back their metaphorical license of fan trust.  Stay true to the path, Sega.  You’re on your way.

However, I recommend with the entire capacity of my ability to recommend, that you please, for the love of Chaos Zero, stop pigeonholing your audience.  Perhaps Iizuka just didn’t have someone from PR telling him to bite his tongue during this interview, but apparently I’m too old for Sonic Colors unless you count me being 12 at heart.  I’m no marketing wizard, but I’ve always believed that if you have people who are interested in the product you are selling, it’s bad salesmanship to tell them that is really isn’t for them.  You may remember not too long ago, we had several quotes from Sega’s suits telling us how kids loved the Werehog, and that older fans aren’t their biggest market.

Let’s hypothetically jump into another company’s head for a second, Nintendo.  Nintendo is preparing to release Mario Game 1 and Mario Game 2.  They know that most sales of Mario Game 1 skew to the younger age groups, and that Mario Game 2 was made to be more “hardcore” or “classic” or whatever buzzword you want to use to classify older, skill-developed players.  Would Nintendo tell one group to get one game and one to get the other?  No, because then you wind up with limited sales on both games.  Instead, they say that they have two fantastic games coming out, both great for any age, and both worth owning.  Consider Disney; they know their audience skews young, but they cater their products to all ages.

I guess what I’m trying to express is, Iizuka, don’t tell me not to buy something you’re making.  Allow me to make that choice on my own.  Let me base my decision on personal interests, reviews, and pre-release impressions.  I’m a big boy; I can make those kind of decisions all on my own.

Whether you grew up with the series or simply got hooked after its end though online videos or DVDs, the Sonic the Hedgehog animated series, better known as SatAM, remains an important part of the lives of many, many Sonic fans to this day.  And such a series could not have been made without the tireless efforts of its writers, animators, voicing talents, and the desire to produce something more than a goofy, episode-isolated adventure series.

Ben Hurst, a writer for the series well known in the fan community, has passed away recently.  Though Hurst is most revered for his work on SatAM, he was a writer for the series Sonic Underground, and contributed to several episodes of Tiny Toon Adventures, and The Real Ghostbusters.

We at the Spindash send our condolences to Hurst’s family and loved ones.  The influence he has had on our lives and the lives of Sonic fans everywhere is immeasurable.

More information at Sonic Retro.

WELL, well, well, welly, well, welly, wellish, well.  So it’s August.  Where did the summer go?  It’s darn near time for summer job to end and for regular job to start again.  It’s also darn near time for the one week I get off between the end of my summer class and the beginning of my fall class.  Let the good times roll.

But, you don’t want to hear me yak on about my schedule, you just want to know how it effects the show.  Well, don’t be alarmed, I’m just getting to that.  In the future, you should really work on being more patient with the people you’re speaking with.  So without further introduction, here’s what’s up.

• Final week of a class means final project.  Final project means massive time-sink.  Massive time-sink means the next episode will be out some time late next week.  Offhand, I’d guess anywhere between Thursday and Saturday.
   
• I’ve begun planning for the Spindash website 4.0, which will likely consist of a new layout, some updated features, and greater account consistancy between the blog and the forums.  I also have a handful of fixes to make on both ends (lordy, have you seen our Archive lately?), and a bit of Forum pruning (locked topics, old topics, topics that haven’t gone anywhere).  My goal is to have this up and running by the end of the year.
   
• We are in the midst of SAGE 2010, also known as the Sonic Amature Game Expo.  This annual fan-run online event hosts several fan-produced games for free download.  This year has a handful of returning projects with new builds, as well as several altogether new projects, including Metal Gear and Digimon fan games, though Sonic, of course, still takes top spot.  I plan on making a last minute dash to download everything available once I can find the time.  I recommend you do the same!
   
• What’s this about some special Spindash Project BrainScraps?  Seriously, I don’t know what you’re talking about.  You’ve gone mad with power, and you’re babbling random phrases that are certainly NOT some special super-secret Spindash project of mystery and intregue.  Whoever told you about that is lying, and probably a communist spy.  There is no way we’re going to release details about something that doesn’t exist in upcoming months.

That about wraps things up for now, so until next week, peace out.

Hold on to your headcrabs, call your medic, and make references to cake memes long after it gets tired.  Yes, you demanded it.  At least that’s what Reef tells me.  The Spindash now has an official Steam group, simply titled, The Spindash!

I just started it, so I haven’t had a chance to fiddle with the settings yet.  For the time being, it should be public.

Join us here, as I am full of Sandvich, and I am coming for you!

The Spindash got through Act 43!
Download the episode here!

This episode was the last of our summer backlog, recorded early June.  Obviously this means the news is old and a bit freezer burnt, but just add another minute in the microwave, and it should be okay.

Before I get ta rantin’ and ravin’, I want to highlight this picture mentioned in the episode, created by Mika-pup.  Sorry it took so long to take note of it, but I think such a masterpiece is worth the wait.  See the full-size version over at DeviantART.

Summer of Sonic is coming up quick.  Really quick.  Next weekend quick.  But for those of you who, like myself, don’t find themselves in a position to visit London in the near future, you might be considering visiting this shindig over in Texas, Sonicon.  I don’t intend to go myself, primarily due to the general aura the website suggests of it being Anime and Animal Con (also featuring Sonic).  Though I will put out a call, if anyone goes to it or is generally affiliated with it, we will gladly have you on the show to give us an explanation of what Sonicon is really all about.

But, in this Con Heavy time of year, my mind turns to another topic relevant to the Sonic fandom.

Enjoying antropomorph-based cartoons from games and television isn’t an easy stance.  Well, the actual liking is easy, but existing in nerd-or lord forbid, everyday- culture can give you a bit of strife.  Yes, I’m talking about furries.  I’m sure we’ll discuss the topic at some point during the series, but there are just a few things I want to bring up for the sake of chronological relevance.

Earlier this summer was Anthrocon over in Pittsburgh.  I only know learned of this since filk star Tom Smith was invited to play there, but sure enough, I heard the morning radio DJs flapping their gums about it in my carpool.  The fundamental problem is that “furries” has been made so broad, yet niche, a term that nobody has really bothered to make differentiations between those who enjoy animal-based cartoons, those who dress up as animals, and those who dress up as animals primarily to perform sexual acts with like-minded colleagues.  It certainly doesn’t help that the standard news culture (and of all things, the crime drama CSI) tends only to highlight the one that will get the highest shock-value ratings.

I have the highest sympathy for anyone who simply enjoys cartoon people who also happen to be tall animals, or perhaps enjoys dressing up like a favorite character with no sexual connotation.  I cosplay and enjoy the cosplay of others at my local anime convention, given I avoid anything that falls into uncanny valley territory, such as full-body plush suits and excessive face and body paint.  I certainly think it’s unfair to group non-sexualized fans in with fetishists, just as I wouldn’t want people to think me a fan of tentacle-centric genres simply because I enjoy Japanese cartoons.

To end this rather bluntly, that’s all I really have to say and/or rant on the matter right now.

For those of you who skipped the links in the text, I’ll re-highlight two of them, both free comedy music tracks.  One is Tom Smith’s Operation: “Desert Storm,” and the other is Uncle Lumpy and The Salmon Moose’s “Furry Fan,” both accessible via The Funny Music Project and the FuMP Sideshow respectively.

News Flash
Mario Galaxy 2 Features No Green Hill Galaxy – TSSZ

Simply put, this is the audio version of our new news digest, The Quill.

By now you may have heard the “franchise-changing announcement,” and, though I’m tempted to say I’m ecstatic, I know that’s a blatant exaggeration.  The voices of Sonic and Tails, as well as the cast as a whole, are being replaced.  Sonic will now be voiced by Roger Craig Smith, best known for voicing the leads in Resident Evil 5 (Chris Redfield) and Assassin’s Creed 2 (Ezio Auditore da Firenze), while Tails will be voiced by Kate Higgins, the consistent voice of Sakura in the anime series Naruto.  The only actor that Sega has confirmed that they are keeping is Mike Pollock, the current incarnation of Dr. Eggman.

I will briefly give my opinion, but first, I want to start with this:  I bare no ill will against Griffith and Palant as humans who reside on this planet, and I hope they can find a good, decent paying, non-Sonic role in this economy.  That said, I’m sure long-time listeners are very aware of my opinion on 4Kids productions and specifically Griffith’s limitations as a voice actor.  At this point, I can’t predict Smith’s take on Sonic, and I’m definitely skeptical of any voicing resume that contains a Resident Evil game, but what he does have is a wider variety of experiences.  As for Miles “Kate” Prower, I have no complaints; she’s played at least two anime characters I really like (Little known fact: I used to freaking LOVE Zatch Bell back when Toonami still existed).  Tails’ downfall is primarily his worried, exposition-heavy writing, and there’s limits to how much that can be helped on the voicing side of things.  Finally, I’m glad they didn’t drop Pollock; out of the entire Sonic X voicing cast, I see him as the one who could bring the most character into their role.

Catch the full reveal article with IMDB links over at Sonic Retro.

Merch Alert: Spike Your Hair with a Sonic Colors Pre-Order.

Have you ever found yourself admiring Kirby’s Brawl fashion sense?  Now you too can don Sonic’s trademark quills with a free cosplay hat from GameStop with a Sonic Colors pre-order for either the Wii or DS version.  Unlike the previous fleece cosplay hat, this one is a bit more stuffed and sans eyes.

However, the impatient, or the Sonic Colors uninterested, can purchase the hat now, along with a few new additions to the cosplay line, including Amy, Tails, Knuckles, and a slightly updated Shadow.

Media News: Penders Calls Copyright on His Archie Creations, Flynn Calls Shenanigans.

Recently, Ken Penders, former writer/artist for Archie’s Sonic the Hedgehog comic series, has claimed personal ownership of the characters and story arcs he created during his time working on the comic.  Early and recent Archie Sonic comic fans should be quite familiar with the work of Penders, who brought us Geoffry St. John, Lara-Su, and the Dark Legion, among many other characters and storylines through issue #160.  Though Penders doesn’t wish to prevent future use and reprinting of his work, he may pursue legal action to be compensated for what he argues is his copyrighted material.  Ian Flynn, current chief writer for the series, has responded with fair confidence that all elements of the comic fall under the contractual ownership of Sega.  More on this story as it develops.  Read the original stories here and here on the Sonic Stadium.

Game News: Saturn May Share Dreamcast’s Retro Revival.

Last month, XBLA and PSN ports of Sonic Adventure and Crazy Taxi were announced as part of Sega’s 11th Anniversary of the Dreamcast, with promises of other titles arriving soon after.  Now, Sega is considering bringing current consoles its other under-represented system, the Sega Saturn.  A small handful of the Saturns gems have been previously ported or remade for other systems, but because of the Saturn’s unusual hardware specifications, it’s generally considered one of the more difficult consoles to emulate.  This is no confirmation of release, simply a possibility Sega is considering.  Read the original story here from Kotaku.

Fan Community News: Celebrate NiGHTS’ 15th Anniversary by Burning Him (to CD).

Speaking of the Saturn, one of the system’s best games is getting the OverClocked Remix treatment 15 years after its release.  The new album, titled NiGHTS: Lucid Dreaming, is set to be completed by December this year for downloadable release on July 5th of 2011.  Read the original story and grab a newly released sample track here via TSSZ.

Teaser: Triple Sonic Announcements Scheduled for This Week.

For those in the London area, Summer of Sonic is quickly approaching, but a few big announcements seem to be trickling out beforehand; one for the convention, one for Sonic Colors, and one that may very well change the future of Sonic as a franchise.  For the first, SoS attendees can expect to hear Crush 40 perform live at the con with opportunities for Q & A and autographs.  For the latter two, a Sonic Colors announcement will be made tomorrow (July 12), and the “franchise changing news” will be announced Thursday (July 15).  Read the full stories here and here at Sonic Stadium, and stay tuned for further news as it is announced.

UPDATE: The Sonic City Blognik has announced a new wisp for Sonic Colors.  Diligent viewers of the initial trailer may have noticed the orange, rocket shaped wisp flying alongside Sonic.  This orange, rocket shaped wisp is the orange rocket wisp, which allows Sonic to rocket upwards to staggering heights for the sake of finding secrets or alternate paths.  Perhaps orange secrets related to rockets of some sort.

The Spindash got through Act 42!
Download the episode here!

Be forewarned, this episode was recorded on April 26th.  It was a simpler time; Metal Sonic had just come out for SSASR, I had not begun my consistent day-to-day full-day work with two night classes, and we lived our lives blissfully unaware of Sonic Colors.  It’s a time I wouldn’t mind going back to, if it weren’t for this year’s E3, but that’s a discussion for another time.

Sonic ‘06 seems to be a frequently appearing topic with a few of the listeners.  I certainly don’t consider it a good game, or even a mediocre game, but I don’t regret purchasing it and occasionally playing it.  Hosting the show has changed much of my perception on being a fan, that is, made me understand that fandom has two parts.  There is the direct experience of the games themselves, which falls in line with your standard games media, but there is also the “fan culture.”

Before, I saw fan culture as a detriment to being a fan, but my attitudes have changed.  I do actually see it as a compliment.  I don’t play Sonic ‘06 because it’s a good game or a bad game; I play it because it adds to my experiences as a Sonic fan, and allows me to understand and discuss it with other Sonic fans.  I didn’t re-buy Sonic & the Black Knight because I like the game; I bought it so that I could retain and revisit those experiences, allowing myself to become a figurative pillar of Sonic knowledge so that I may, for example, write a review or give advice to others.  It’s the equivalent to being a person who understands an in-joke (which, I might add, the Sonic community seems to have quite a few of).

News Flash
Sega to Place Greater Focus on Downloadable Games – 1up
Sega May Be Planning for SSASR2 (or Not) – Sonic Stadium
Prope’s Ivy the Kiwi Released in Japan under Namco Bandai – TSSZ
Ivy the Kiwi Videos and Flash Demo – Ivy the Kiwi Official Japanese Site
Rumor: Jet Set Radio Set for XBLA? – Kotaku
Hideki Kamiya Wants to Make StarFox at Gun Point – GoNintendo

Wow, 19 years already?  It feels like such a short time ago that I had my mom asking me how the heck I could keep up with what’s going on in the game.  Now I find myself asking that same question.  Muscle memory in those Sonic 3 special stages is a magical thing.

Reminiscing aside, Sega is celebrating another year of blue by saving you some green with PSN, iPhone App Store, and XBL Marketplace.

On PSN later tonight and throughout the week, pick up any add-on for Sonic ‘06, Unleashed, and SSASR, or Sonic Rivals 1 & 2 on PSP, for 30 to 50% off.  It’s not too bad a deal for anyone who skipped out on the SSASR DLC due to the cost.  ($3.50’s still a bit pricy for Forklift Ryo, but dagnabbit, I want it!)

On the iPhone App Store tomorrow (Wednesday), nab some Genesis games or Monkey Ball games at $2 off.

Finally, on XBL Marketplace this Thursday, Sonic 1, 2, 3, and Sonic & Knuckles are dropping to $3 each for anyone who doesn’t already have the games in some form or who’s religion forbids them from buying Sonic’s Ultimate Genesis Collection.

Check out Sega’s official blog post for the full list of software discounts.

The Spindash released a new song!
Download it here, and grow further impatient!

We actually have two episodes recorded thus far, but I came up with this idea while at work one day, and simply put, editing a three minute song takes fewer continuous hours than editing a 60 to 90 minute discussion.

I have a slower week than usual coming up, so I’m hoping to get both new episodes edited soon.  Until then, enjoy this little bonus track.