History VideoGame / SonicTheHedgehog4

* BroadStrokes: The official website has an intro section that gets the story wrong for ''Sonic & Knuckles'' (the Sonic story comes before the Knuckles story, but the website says they happened simultaneously).

* ContinuitySnarl: ''Episode Metal'' may have retroactively added one to the series. The game explicitly points out that [[VideoGame/SonicCD Metal Sonic was left abandoned for a long time on Little Planet after he was defeated on Stardust Speedway,]] and wasn't revived by Eggman until the dreamcast/modern era. Problem is, Metal Sonic makes several other appearances in the classic era spinoff games (i.e. ''VideoGame/SonicTheFighters'', ''VideoGame/SonicTripleTrouble'', ''VideoGame/SonicDrift'') and as [[WordofGod per word of SEGA staffer Aaron Webber, "Everything is canon."]] Though it could be possible that those games take place ''after'' the events of the ''Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Saga'', and that the use of the modern artstyle is simply because [[GrandfatherClause ''Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1'' used it.]] [[note]]Of note, Metal Sonic uses his design introduced in ''VideoGame/SonicRivals2'' rather then ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure2''.[[/note]] Sonic Team re-using the Classic designs wouldn't happen until ''VideoGame/SonicGenerations'', one year later.

* CuttingOffTheBranches: [[spoiler:The beginning of ''Episode Metal'' heavily implies that the Metal Sonic Boss Race in VideoGame/SonicCD took place in the Bad Future.]]

* ContinuitySnarl: ''Episode Metal'' retroactively introduces one to the series. The game explicitly points out that Metal Sonic was left abandoned for a long time on Little Planet after he was defeated on Stardust Speedway and wasn't revived by Eggman until the modern era. Problem is that Metal Sonic makes several other appearances in the classic era spinoff ''Sonic'' games (i.e. ''VideoGame/SonicTheFighters'', ''VideoGame/SonicTripleTrouble'', ''VideoGame/SonicDrift''), and per word of Sega staffer Aaron Webber, "Everything is canon." While there's nothing stopping Eggman from simply building ''other'' Metal Sonics to replace it, the series always seemed to treat Metal Sonic as one consistent being and not an identical series of robots (aside from the similar Mecha Sonics), and it's rather odd that Eggman would go out of his way to seek out the original Metal Sonic to revive it when he could have just easily cobbled together another one.

[[caption-width-right:370:[[{{Tagline}} As you truly imagined it!]]]]

* ArtEvolution: ''Episode II'' receives a very noticeable jump in the graphics department compared to ''Episode I'', as the zones have a more detailed and 3rd dimensional appearance to them and the models lack the cel-shaded look they had in ''Episode I''.

* BadFuture: [[spoiler: As seen in ''Episode Metal'', Metal Sonic apparently hails from Stardust Speedway's Bad Future, which looks extremely [[VideoGame/SonicGenerations familiar to a previous version.]]]]

* DifficultySpike: First one during Lost Labyrinth Zone. Second one during the final boss.

* GravityScrew: ''Episode II'' has an ''interesting'' take on this. See it [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=akKP9Izt1pY#t=7s here]], but beware of spoilers for ''Episode II'''s last level.
* GreenHillZone: Splash Hill Zone.

* WallMaster: Newtwons which appear when Sonic goes near them.

** Subverted with the boss fights in ''Episode II''. Sylvania Castle's boss starts off with totem poles rising from the ground, making it seem like the fight will be similar to Aquatic Ruin's boss, only for Eggman to destroy the totem poles with a brand new machine. All the bosses from then on, barring the final race with Metal Sonic, have unique designs and attack patterns.

** Every Zone, enemy, and boss of ''Episode I''.
** As for ''Episode II'', [[http://www.tssznews.com/2012/02/13/balough-only-one-zone-in-s4e2-a-throwback/ there is only one throwback Zone in the game]]. [[spoiler:It's Sky Fortress, which takes cues from Sky Chase and Wing Fortress from ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2''. However, the Death Egg Zone returns [[RuleOfThree for a]] [[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2 third]] [[VideoGame/Sonic3AndKnuckles time]], but is once again different to the previous times Sonic was there. The final battle with Metal Sonic, whilst taking place in the Death Egg Zone, is a throwback to his race in [[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehogCD Stardust Speedway]] complete with the original song using ''Episode II'''s instruments.]] In addition, the opening cutscene for ''Episode Metal'' takes place in the site of Metal Sonic's defeat in ''Sonic CD'', Stardust Speedway Zone 3, and even features the original title card for the zone used in that game.[[note]]The aesthetic is lifted from the Rival Battle in ''VideoGame/SonicGenerations'', however.[[/note]]
** All the Zones have ''some'' throwback elements and resemblances to previous zones: Sylvania Castle to Aquatic Ruin and Marble Garden; White Park to Carnival Night and [=IceCap=] (the snowboarding section is a clear nod), Oil Desert to Oil Ocean and Sandopolis.

Due to lower-than-expected performance of the series, ''Episode III'' was [[http://www.sonicstadium.org/2015/01/sonic-4-episode-3-was-planned-then-cancelled/ cancelled]], with its development team having little faith that the project will be revived.

* ArtShiftedSequel: While ''Episode I'' certainly doesn't look ''awful'' by any means, the game had a very basic and flat artstyle not too different from the ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBros'' series, with the models being cel-shaded (except in the mobile version). ''Episode II'' by contrast, recieves such a massive upgrade in the graphical department, that it almost looks like a different ''Sonic'' game altogether as opposed to a direct continuation from the previous episode, with the zones having a lot more depth and detail to them compared to ''Episode I'''s rather simplistic looking zones, as well as upgraded models for the cast and badniks.

[[caption-width-right:370:As you truly imagined it!]]

The ones where the franchise went back to 2D, but was still 3D!

* ArtShift: The graphics in ''Episode II'' are much better than the graphics in ''Episode I''.

[[quoteright:325:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/sonic_4_episode_2_box.png]]
[[caption-width-right:325:Sonic and Tails, back in action.]]

The ones where the franchise went back to 2D.

* OminousObsidianOoze: Oil Desert Zone is a remix of Oil Ocean, complete with the lethal tarry environmental hazard.

* ContinuitySnarl: ''Episode Metal'' retroactively introduces one to the series. The game explicitly points out that Metal Sonic was left abandoned for a long time on Little Planet after he was defeated on Stardust Speedway and wasn't revived by Eggman until the modern era. Problem is that Metal Sonic makes several other appearances in the spinoff ''Sonic'' games (i.e. ''VideoGame/SonicTheFighters'', ''VideoGame/SonicTripleTrouble'', ''VideoGame/SonicDrift''), and per word of Sega staffer Aaron Webber, "Everything is canon." While there's nothing stopping Eggman from simply building ''other'' Metal Sonics to replace it, the series always seemed to treat Metal Sonic as one consistent being and not an identical series of robots (aside from the similar Mecha Sonics), and it's rather odd that Eggman would go out of his way to seek out the original Metal Sonic to revive it when he could have just easily cobbled together another one.

* ContinuitySnarl: ''Episode Metal'' retroactively introduces one to the series. The game explicitly points out that Metal Sonic was left abandoned for a long time on Little Planet after he was defeated on Stardust Speedway and wasnt revived by Eggman until the modern era. Problem is that Metal Sonic makes several other appearances in the spinoff Sonic games (i.e. VideoGame/SonicTheFighters, VideoGame/SonicTripleTrouble, VideoGame/SonicDrift), and per word of Sega staffer Aaron Webber, "Everything is canon." While theres nothing stopping Eggman from simply building ''other'' Metal Sonics to replace it, the series always seemed to treat Metal Sonic as one consistent being and not an identical series of robots (aside from the similar Mecha Sonics), and its rather odd that Eggman would go out of his way to seek out the original Metal Sonic to revive it when he could have just easily cobbled together another one.

* CanonDiscontinuity: ''VideoGame/SonicMania'' is set after ''Sonic 3 & Knuckles'', ignoring this game entirely.

* HailfirePeaks: Much of the levels in ''Episode II'' seem to be this. See the main description.

* HistoryRepeats: [[spoiler:Metal Sonic tries to kill Sonic by goading him into a race, beat him to the finish line and trick him into running into an electrified door. Apparently he didn't learn from Stardust Speedway.]]

* {{Interquel}}: According to press for ''Episode I'', it directly follows the destruction of the Death Egg in ''VideoGame/Sonic3AndKnuckles''. This isn't evident in the game itself, but this is also suggested to be the case in ''Episode II'', when (barring a time travel explanation) Metal Sonic reawakens after the events of ''Sonic CD''.

** ''Sonic 4''[='=]s story was CutShort and is almost never referenced by other media, and it's unclear if ''VideoGame/SonicMania'', itself also a sequel to the classic games, has replaced it in official canon or not.
** The island in ''Sonic 4'' was [[https://sonicretro.org/2016/08/31/sonic-hedgehog-4-island-finally-name/ given the name "Mirage Island" by David Frisk]], a writer for the Sonic fansite Sonic Retro, who was given the blessing by Aaron Webber, the social media manager for the Sonic franchise. It's unclear if "Mirage Island" has been officially accepted as canon or not.

''Sonic the Hedgehog 4'' is a side-scrolling platformer developed by Creator/{{Dimps}} that is a throwback to [[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog Sonic]]'s roots on the UsefulNotes/SegaGenesis, as well as being a response to the series' {PolygonCeiling-related criticism. It's an EpisodicGame, with only two episodes released. Each episode has four Zones with four Acts each (not including the final Zones), making for a decently-sized downloadable game that Creator/{{Sega}} initially designed to test the waters for classic Sonic's return.

''Sonic the Hedgehog 4'' is a side-scrolling platformer developed by Creator/{{Dimps}} that is a throwback to [[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog Sonic]]'s roots on the UsefulNotes/SegaGenesis, as well as being a response to the series' {{polygon ceiling}}-related criticism. It's an {{episodic game}}, with only two episodes released. Each episode has four Zones with four Acts each (not including the final Zones), making for a decently-sized downloadable game that Creator/{{Sega}} initially designed to test the waters for classic Sonic's return.

The story is simple: {{mad scientist}} and aspiring [[TakeOverTheWorld world conqueror]] [[BigBad Dr. Eggman]] seeks revenge on his perpetual arch-nemesis by rebuilding his best Badniks to go on a hedgehog hunt. Now, Sonic must counter Eggman's offense and save the world from the doctor once again.

The story is simple: {{mad scientist}} and aspiring [[TakeOverTheWorld world conqueror]] [[BigBad Dr. Eggman]] seeks revenge on his perpetual arch nemesis by rebuilding his best Badniks to go on a hedgehog hunt. Now, Sonic must counter Eggman's offense and save the world from the doctor once again.

[[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=g3cf29fn0eqgyu4he2yhdpha&page=1 Here's where you can discuss all matters pertaining to this miniseries.]]