Stardust Speedway 011 - Reading List (Sonic The Hedgehog as a Individualist Hero by Iain Smedley)

After a bit of research on the internet (Once Again); I have turned up a small Journal entry from an Magazine called Campainer in the USA by a man called Iain Smedley. He discusses the effect that Video Games had on the early 90s and how it affected culture in various ways such as Sales for a company or how they joined the Playground together in a mutual hobby.

But it also discusses how Sonic (and also characters like Mario) are the individualist hero; how they work by themselves and answer to nobody; but at the same time in the game for themselves.

I have decided to include this within the research because it does discuss some valid points when talking about the character and also how individualism is heavily connected with Capitalism as they both focus on the individuals rights.

The link to the essay is as follows:-

http://www.libertarian.co.uk/lapubs/cultn/cultn033.pdf

Stardust Speedway 010 - Now Showing At A Cinema Near You

Now this part of my research has took a long time to find and I have always wanted to watch this film since I saw the advert in CVG magazine during the late 90s; and now I have found a working copy that I can watch (Without Importing It).

The film in question that I am talking about is the Sonic the Hedgehog film from 1999 and is a 60 minute anime cartoon from Japan that is set during the events of Sonic CD. I have always wanted to see this and found a VHS copy in a charity shop for 50p.

I nearly didn't buy it as only walking past the shop and only saw the copy in the corner of my eye; so I am helping a charity and also watch something I have always wanted to see. I have always spared watching it on youtube as I didn't want to spoil the view of the film by seeing the word buffering on the screen or watching a loading bar getting gradually higher just as the film is getting good.

I have decided to include the film with my research as it features one of the more important characters Metal Sonic in the film and wanted to review the film to get a better picture of the character (as he is only seen properly within the end of the Stardust Speedway stage of the game)

So I am getting the popcorn ready and I am going to see what all the fuss is about

Stardust Speedway 004 - In The Beginning; There was a hedgehog from Nebraska

Well; I also have been researching on the internet and I have found some interesting documents which ended up being the original concept documents that Sonic Team used to create the original title.

Not the series; has come an extreamly long way since these days; but they are a rearly good read.

You can find the link at the following address

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=352814

Stardust Speedway 002 - Retro All The Way, I Say

Well, thinking about the project last night and also what comments were left on my blog; I have decided on the sonic titles that I am going to focus on; now before making this position; I have been digging up all of my Sonic titles and playing them for a while to see what title would be best.

Now after my conclusions (and several hours of hard gameplay); I have decided to focus on two titles; the first being the namesake of the project; Sonic CD. This is my favourite Sonic The Hedgehog game for so many reasons (but this is for another time); but I think that its the iconic time travel mechanic which allows Sonic to travel into the past and future of his current location; but if he doesn't destroy any of Robotnik's machinery; it will be an evil future where Robotnik rules the entire world and the opposite effect when Sonic destroys a piece of machinery and goes into a good future. I like the way that if you don't destroy Robotnik's machines; it will always be a bad future; but why is the game like this is What I want to know. Also the inclusion of a Metal Sonic; the character that I am labeling a Captialist Figure that now has a Doppleganger; what was Robitnik trying to achieve by creating him?

Now the second title is Sonic The Hedgehog 2; the first title that includes Tails (Sonic's Sidekick) and another favourite title of mine. The main element that intrigues me about the title is the games final level; The Death Egg.

Robotnik's "Ultimate Weapon" which is exaclty like the Death Star; but also the inclusion of Super Sonic; Sonic's alter ego that he can only turn into when he has collected all of the Chaos Emerelds from Robotnik; but when he does he turns into an unbeatable speed machine that is twice as fast as normal sonic and can beat anything. But the downside is his power drains Sonic's Golden Rings Collection; so to keep this power; he must collect these items of value to stay invinsible.

Now I know that these tiles are retro titles; but the newer titles do not focus more on the colelction of items than the older titles does; more about speed and acrobatic set pieces. SO for now these are my two titles; but when I have done some further reading I could add some more titles and even include some that are not Sonic titles.

Now; I am going to play a bit more Sonic CD and enjoy the animated cutscenes.

Stardust Speedway 001 - Looking at Sonic in a different light

Hello; my name is Luke Bale and I am currently studying Bsc (Hons) Comnputer and Video Games at the University of Salford. I am just about to entry my third year and starting to research the topic for my 3rd year dissertation.

Now I have already thought of an idea for this Dissertation blog; which was called Rage On The Streets and that was going to focus on the Streets of Rage game and how they portray Gang culture. But I have had a change of heart about the topic as this project is all about doing something that I am interested in and it gives me time to research deeper into one of my favourite game series; the Sonic The Hedgehog games.

Now I am not going to include the latest titles at the moment as I do not feel that they are the same games as the ones created within the Mid 90s, but I will look at thse titles in the future of the project.

Now I have called the essay; Owning The Stardust Speedway. The inspiration of this title is a famous level from the Sonic CD game where you fight against Metal Sonic; but I want to look at the games and Sonic The Hedgehog himself imparticular as a figure for Capitalism and see what capitalist elements are within the titles such as collecting golden rings and searching for the rare Chaos Emerelds which give Sonic the power to turn into Super Sonic.

Not only does this project give me the chance to play two of my favourite games; Sonic The Hedgehog 2 and Sonic CD once again; but explore elements of the game that I did not initially think when playing them for the first time.

I hope you like the research and enjoy reading these blog entrys; I will enjoy the game playing and also finding out about how the Capitalist system works in details.