In Game Informer’s latest issue, Sonic series producer Takashi Iizuka and Sonic’s original creator and Arzest president Naoto Ohshima revealed that the initial idea for Sonic Superstars came up when Ohshima invited Iizuka to a Zoom drinking party amidst the COVID-19 lockdowns.
Iizuka recalls:
“Ohshima-san said, ‘Hey, Iizuka-san, we should get on Zoom and have a drinking party together.’ We did, and we started drinking and chatting. We had the conversation of, ‘Hey, we want to bring back a Classic Sonic game.’ In that drinking party, Ohshima-san said, ‘I really, really want to get involved. Let’s get together and make this happen,’ and that’s how it all kicked off.”
Even though Ohshima wasn’t involved with Sonic since Sonic Adventure, he’s always been keeping tabs on the franchise. Game Informer notes that he has a strong appreciation for games like Sonic Colors, Sonic Mania, and Sonic Frontiers, with his favorite being Sonic Generations due to its beautiful visuals and the intersection of Modern and Classic Sonic.
Iizuka once again expresses his reassurance that Ohshima and Arzest were the right fit for the game, stating:
“Ohshima-san’s knowledge is kind of, I wouldn’t say ‘stuck,’ but it’s kind of preserved in that Classic Sonic mindset, so his way of thinking about things, the way of designing things, the way of having things look… all that design and creative ability is in the Classic mindset,” Iizuka says. “But all of his technology and the way he’s building things is now in the current processes, so he can make these current games using modern technology but still apply all of the Classic design sensibilities to it.”
Nothing like a good drinking night with an old friend to break the ice and get the ball rolling!
Stay tuned to Sonic City for more Sonic Superstars news and updates!
