Actions

Sonic Mars

From Sonic Retro

SonicMars 32X conceptart titlescreen static.png
Sonic Mars
System(s): Sega 32X
Developer: Sega Technical Institute
Development timeframe: 1994[1]-1995[2]
Planned release date: 1994-11, 1995-06
Genre: Action

Sonic Mars is an unreleased Sega 32X action-platform game developed by Sega Technical Institute and scheduled to be published as a launch game for the system.[1] Intended to be the first 3D entry in the Sonic the Hedgehog series, it was estimated to ship on a 16MB cartridge with two-player simultaneous gameplay. However, the commercial failure of the 32X and a myriad of development issues resulted in the game eventually being moved to the Sega Saturn - where it would evolve into the equally-unreleased Sonic X-treme.[3]

Story

"While Sonic is away checking on a security alarm in a remote part of the Great Forest, his pals (Sally, Bunnie, Tails and Knuckles) have discovered a strange message from within one of Robotnik's super computers.


(Dr. Robotnik is trying to take over a computer VR world (Micro Mobius) and the message is a plea for help from its peaceful inhabitants.)


Sonic returns to Knothole to discover that Robotnik has captured his friends and taken them into his VR world.


Sonic is tasked with trying to liberate his friends and thwart Robotnik's plan to completely "reformat" Micro Mobius."

Michael KosakaMedia:SonicMars 32X Kosakascript.pdf[4]

While Sonic Mars's story changed numerous times through development, the plot retained a number of recurring themes. Aside from the introduction of Tiara Boobowski and her father King Cyberooski (the leader of Micro Mobius), Robotnik's SWATbots were set to make a return as enemies. Additionally, the series staple of Animal-powered Badniks has been replaced with the concept of Mips, the inhabitants of Micro Mobius who are being captured and used for the same purpose.

The game's opening cutscene was storyboarded out in Michael Kosaka's initial game script, in which the Freedom Fighters intercept a distress call from the virtual reality world of Micro Mobius. Soon, Sonic returns from a patrol to find Knothole Village destroyed by Robotnik's Raiderbots, and his friends captured. He quickly makes his way to Robotnik's lair, where he accidentally gets teleported into Micro Mobius, beginning the game.

Sonic must choose between Sally and Tiara.

Two types of cutscenes were planned. The first type would be triggered by various events, like collecting Item Boxes. These types of cutscenes would appear during gameplay, displaying a character's portrait on the top of the screen accompanied by on-screen dialogue. Depending on the situation, this dialogue could either provide encouragement or discouragement to players, and each character would feature their own dialog. Sonic begins stages with a shout of encouragement, and shares his worry when he has only one Ring remaining. Tails will cheer on the player after collecting a Super Ring power-up, as does Knuckles when an Invincibility is collected. Sally comments when acquiring a 1-Up, Tiara congratulates the player when reaching 50,000 points, and Bunnie provides a warning when the timer reaches 9:00. Non-playable characters also provide dialogue throughout the story, such as King Cyberooski complimenting players on collecting 100 Rings, and SWATbots going on alert when approaching bosses. Robotnik also chimes in, taunting Sonic upon every death. In the penultimate cutscene, Sonic has to make a choice between Sally and Tiara, with the character he runs after being played in the final stage.

The second type of cutscene would be triggered when a level is completed, incorporating fully-animated scenes powered by the 32X. These videos would be entirely rendered in 3D, containing brief vignettes of the story and showcasing the various character's personalities. Sonic would wag his finger, Tails would hold his fist in the air, Knuckles would pose in a martial arts stance, Bunnie would perform a flying side kick, Sally rests her hand on her hip, and Tiara would emit sparks from her fingertips. An additional cutscene was planned to feature Antoine D' Coolette comically slipping while trying to high-five Sonic.

According to Michael Kosaka's game script, there were two endings planned for Sonic Mars. The bad ending is shown when all seven emeralds are not collected. There is no ending cutscene, and the game simply displays the credits followed by a "The End" screen with Sonic and a random partner. If all seven emeralds are collected, a special ending cutscene is played, showing the cast back together again. They commenting on Robotnik's downfall while rebuilding Knothole Village in a safer location, and are thanked for their hard work by King Cyberooski. The group begins tossing Sonic into the air in celebration as he gives a thumbs-up, followed by the credits scroll, ultimately concluding on a "The End" screen with Sonic and Tails.

Gameplay

One of many proposed gameplay styles.

Sonic Mars would have featured action-platform gameplay with six playable Zones (each separated into three Acts), two bonus stages, and an emphasis on cooperative gameplay. Zones were reportedly made up of "2-4 floating cubes suspended in mid-air", with unlockable characters hidden in each area. Each Act concludes with a Signpost. Like Sonic the Hedgehog 3, the sign can be juggled in the air, and there is a chance an Item Box will appear. All of the Rings collected by Sonic are then shown splashing out of a tube.

Had it been released, the game would have featured a unique easter egg. Upon starting the game, pressing any button besides Start will play an audio clip of either Sonic, Tails, Sally, or Robotnik saying "SEGA!". Yet another cheat was to be hidden on the title screen, where a button sequence would activate a cheat menu featuring a level select and sound test.

Playable characters

Sonic Mars planned to include six playable characters, all boasting unique on-screen dialog. Starting the game with Sonic the Hedgehog, players can encounter new characters during gameplay. Rescuing these characters by bringing them to the end of the level unlocks their future use. Each character is able to perform a special ability by double-tapping any button, and players can switch between characters on the fly by pressing Start.

SM Sally 2.png Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic is the hero of the game, who has the special ability to activate a shield which protects from damage for a split second.

C - Jump
B - Call Mips
A - A+Down Spin Dash

SM Tails 1.png Miles "Tails" Prower
Zone:
King's Gambit
Tails is Sonic's young sidekick, who has the special ability to fly, swim, and carry Sonic using his tails. When rescued, he and Sonic high-five each other.

C - Jump
B - No use
A - A+Down Spin Dash

SM Knuckles 4.png Knuckles the Echidna
Zone:
Ice Breaker
Knuckles is Sonic's friendly rival, who has the special ability to glide and climb walls. When rescued, Knuckles and Sonic spin dash into each other, with the impact giving off fireworks.

C - Jump
B - No use
A - A+Down Spin Dash

SM Bunnie 1.png Bunnie Rabbot
Zone:
Fat Tuesday
Bunnie is a partially-roboticized friend of Sonic, who is able to vertically extend her grappling arm to both reach new places and pull items and characters towards her. She does not have a double-tap special ability. When rescued, Sonic offers Bunnie a high-five, only for her to smack him silly.

C - Jump
B - No use
A - A+Down Grappling Arm

SM Intro 7.png Princess Sally Acorn
Zone:
Dream Wave
Sally is another close friend of Sonic, who has the special ability to summon a temporary hoverboard which can fly, surf, and carry Sonic. She is also able to use NICOLE to reprogram locked doors, traps, and computer systems. When rescued, Sally kisses Sonic, but folds her arms and turns away when it is not reciprocated.

C - Jump
B - No use
A - NICOLE

SM Tiara 1.png Tiara Boobowski
Zone:
Cryptic Grotto
Tiara is a princess with electrical powers, who has the special ability to transform into particles of electricity to navigate the level and carry Sonic. When rescued, Tiara hugs Sonic, only for Sally to walk in and express her disappointment, with both women then walking offscreen.

C - Jump
B - No use
A - A+Down Spin Dash.

Items

Super Ring
Awards Sonic with extra Rings.
Invincibility
Grants Sonic temporary invincibility.
Power Sneakers
Increases Sonic's movement speed.
1-Up
Awards Sonic with an extra life.
Magnetic Shield
Allows Sonic to take an extra hit and attract nearby Rings, acting like its Sonic the Hedgehog 3 counterpart.
Bubble Shield
Allows Sonic to take an extra hit and breath underwater, acting like its Sonic the Hedgehog 3 counterpart.
Electron Box
Allows Sonic to walk over electrified conduits.
Eggman Mark
Damages Sonic.
SWATbot Repel
Repels Rings for 15 seconds.
Continue
Awards an extra Continue. Acquired by collecting 255 Rings.

Enemies

Skuzzy
Socket
Cache Masher
Stacker
Viruz
Chipset
Floppy
Stagnat Sentry
Activates when Sonic draws near.
Patroller
Patrols a set path.
Hunter-Killer
Activates when Sonic draws near, and patrols a set path.
Team Player
An American football-themed Badnik which was set to appear in the unnamed football Zone.
Linebacker
An American football-themed Badnik which was set to appear in the unnamed football Zone. Seems to be a tougher version of Team Player.
SM Possible Badnik.png Unknown bat Badnik

History

Development

The Mars Sample Program, developed to test Sonic's 3D model on the Sega 32X hardware.
Sonic Retro emblem.svg Main article: Sonic Mars/Development
"Michael was studying the previous Sonic games and creating the design document for the game…I seem to remember making some 2D side-view animations of Sonic at that early stage. My first real artwork consisted of two animations demonstrating the game concept. They were flat-shaded and looked like actual games in action. I even made ring-counters that incremented when Sonic picked them up. These animations were to be used to sell the concept to the executives."

Designer Chris Senn[1]

Envisioned by Sega of America management sometime around early 1994 as a Sonic the Hedgehog title for the upcoming 32X, Sonic Mars would suffer from one of the most troubled development cycles the company had yet seen. While the project would eventually evolve into the equally-troubled Sonic X-treme, the game's 32X outing was significantly more capable of being run smoothly by its respective system, and was even fully planned out when it was moved to the Sega Saturn.

Production credits

Source: Developer statements

External links

References


Sonic Mars
SonicMars 32X conceptart titlescreen static.png

Main page


Magazine articles


Development

Sonic the Hedgehog games for the following systems
Sega Mega Drive

Sega Mega-CD
Sega 32X
 1991  Sonic the Hedgehog | Sonic Eraser     1992  Sonic the Hedgehog 2     1993  Sonic the Hedgehog CD | Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine | Sonic Spinball     1994  Sonic the Hedgehog 3 | Sonic & Knuckles     1995  Chaotix | Sonic Classics     1996  Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island     2024  Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (promotional cartridge)    
Unreleased Sonic the Hedgehog games
Sega Master System
Sonic's Edusoft | Sonic the Hedgehog (home computers) |
Sega Mega-CD
Sonic the Hedgehog |
Sega Mega-CD
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 CD |
Arcade
SegaSonic Bros. |
Sega Mega-CD
Sister Sonic |
Sega Mega Drive
Treasure Tails |
Arcade
Pre-May 1993 Sonic arcade games |
Sega Mega Drive
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Limited Edition |
Sega 32X
Sonic Sports |
Sega 32X
Sonic Mars |
Arcade
Sonic Ride |
Sega Saturn
Sonic Saturn |
Sega Saturn
Sonic X-treme (Point of View, Project Condor, SonicPC) |
Game Boy Advance
Sonic X: Chaos Emerald Chaos |
Nintendo DS
Sonic DS |
Xbox
Sonic the Hedgehog Extreme |
Game Boy Advance
Sonic Riders | Sonic the Hedgehog: Awakening |
Google Android OS
iOS
Sonic Central |
Google Android OS
iOS
Sonic Demo