Sonic the Hedgehog 4

Project Needlemouse's emblem silhouette

Project Needlemouse is the code-name for an upcoming Sonic game, scheduled for release at some point in 2010. Announced on the GameSpot website on 9th September 2009, Project Needlemouse was described by Sega's associate brand manager, Ken Balough, as a HD graphics game, created as a response to "old-school Sonic fans [who] have long asked to see Sonic return to a more 2D style of gameplay."

A full transcript of the interview is available here.

Marketing

First announcement and teaser

The silhouetted emblem resembles that of the one from Sonic the Hedgehog

On September 8, 2009, Sega revealed to GameSpot details about a new 2D Sonic game. Named Project Needlemouse, it would be released in 2010 and feature HD graphics. A teaser video was also released. While the video didn't include any actual gameplay, it showed a blue blur (presumably Sonic) racing around collecting rings, with the words "Speed returns in an all new 2D adventure built from the ground up." It included sound effects from early Sonic games (like the original Sonic the Hedgehog). The video concludes with a silhouetted "ribbon, ring, and stars"-style emblem, which hides details such as the game's true name and main character. However, the shape of the emblem closely resembles that of the one on the original Sonic the Hedgehog's title screen.

External Links

• Announcement (and teaser trailer) on GameSpot
• The interview with Ken Balough on Gamespot