hedgehog

Tag team with Tails in Sonic 4 Episode II

Sonic 4 Episode II for Android looks and plays just like the old platform Sonic the Hedgehog games we're used to, minus the tangible game controllers, of course. Still, with a virtual directional pad and jump button flanking the sides of your touch screen, running around and snatching up rings is just as fun as before. The game settings also let you turn on haptic feedback or switch to tilt control if you prefer.

In this follow-up to Sonic 4 Episode I, Sonic teams up with his old buddy Tails, bringing an array of new partnered attacks into the … Read more

Sega celebrates 20 years of Sonic the Hedgehog

On June 23, 1991, Sonic the Hedgehog arrived in North America to jump-start sales of Sega's Genesis video game console. The blue blur would eventually become a major hit for Sega, inspiring 130 releases across multiple consoles and selling more than 70 million games worldwide.

Where did it all begin? Well, every company needs a mascot.

Two decades ago, the future was slightly dim for Sega. Nintendo's 8-bit NES console had gobbled up market share around the world, and Super Mario 3 took the market by storm. Sega desperately needed a fresh face to drive game sales for its 16-bit Sega Genesis console, which had hit the market years before the Super NES (also, the Genesis is more powerful than the SNES).

According to 1UP, Sega's president at the time, Hayao Nakayama, challenged the company to create a mascot that could rival Mario in popularity. He wanted to beat Nintendo. Sega's AM8 research and development team created several character designs, but a spiky hedgehog (code-named Mr. Needlemouse) became the frontrunner, eventually helping the company grow to achieve billions in sales. You can read more about how Sonic was created at 1UP.

Sonic's 20th anniversary is an enormous milestone for Sega, and on November 24 the company will fly a 48-feet tall, 60-feet long, and 26-feet wide helium balloon version of the character during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in Manhattan. In 1993, the hedgehog was the first video game character ever to be featured in the highly popular parade, and it accidentally broke an off-duty policeman's shoulder. Perhaps Sonic thought he saw Dr. Robotnik. … Read more

The 404 846: Where we all get BlackBerry facials (podcast)

It's not as dirty as it sounds--a spa in New York City is offering treatment for the creases that supposedly form on your neck when you're constantly looking up and down while texting on your smartphone. Speaking of things that are sketchy, we're also talking about a Web site that will tell you if your e-mail address has been hacked. And celebrating Sonic the Hedgehog's 20th birthday party!

The 404 Digest for Episode 846

New Yorkers rush to get " BlackBerry facials." Happy 20th birthday to Sonic the Hedgehog: See you at Macy's! Fox News says magical new "iPhone" device may kill PS3/Xbox. How to know if you've been hacked. Dude, there's a star 30 light years away that's, like, spewing out water. Whoa.

Episode 847 Subscribe in iTunes (audio) | Subscribe in iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

The 404 681: Where I Google-d all over my TV (podcast)

The convergence of TVs and computers has been promised for decades, but remains largely unknown for most people outside of the tech world. Fortunately, Google aims to change all that with its Internet-connected Google TV Platform.

Google TV promises to let viewers watch video from a variety of sources--so far YouTube, Vevo, HBO, TBS and even our own CNET TV will have apps available. The big broadcast networks like ABC, CBS and NBC are taking a wait-and-see approach. But Google TV promises you even more, with the ability to search and browse the Web, record your favorite TV programs, and even control the whole experience from your cell phone.

Logitech is holding a news conference today for its own Google TV product, the Logitech Revue, and CNET is at there covering all the news as it happens. Check back again next week when Sony launches its own Google-TV powered box on October 12.

Next up on today's show we're calling BS on an image of a public Twitter booth that recently popped up on Russian Livejournal, aka the premiere site for tech news coverage.

America has its own share of Internet kiosks, but we have a hard time imagining the kind of tweet that would require you to drop everything and pay money to send it out...from a park. We could be wrong, though, so send us a photo if you spot a Twitter kiosk in the wild.

This is the second-to-the-last reminder you're going to get about our official Fall 404 Meetup tomorrow, October 7 at the Frying Pan Bar in New York City.

Join us tomorrow from 7:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m., and an early thanks to the Pan for hooking it up with $15 wristbands good for open beer, well drinks, and wine for the duration of the Meetup!

We'd like to give them an idea of who's coming, so head over to The 404 Meetup page and RSVP for the event (Meetup.com registration required). We'll see you there!

Episode 681 Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

preGame 30: Sonic the Hedgehog 4

After 16 years and countless games and appearances, we finally get to play a new side-scrolling Sonic game in Sonic the Hedgehog 4. A direct sequel to Sonic 3 and Sonic & Knuckles, Sonic 4 propels the franchise into the world of HD gaming but remains loyal to the hard-core fanbase that helped make the franchise so iconic.

Joining us to demo Sonic 4 is Aaron Webber, community manager for the title at Sega. Aaron shares his insight on the game's production, some Sonic trivia, and where the game will go after Episode 1. We'll play through a … Read more

The 404 680: Where you really should be working right now (podcast)

"Bringing a date to a wedding is like taking a deer carcass on a hunting trip." Des Moines from Shane left us one of the best voice mails we've listened to in a while, so thanks for the advice, dude! On today's episode of The 404 Podcast, we're looking at some of the most inappropriate Halloween costumes of all time. Plus, a preview of the upcoming Sonic 4, and a list of catchphrases every 404 fan should use at least once a day!

Sonic the Hedgehog is one of the most recognizable titles of all time, right up there with Mario and Tetris. Even an anti-gaming Luddite like myself can appreciate its simple objective: to run as fast as possible while decimating anything that gets in your way. Also, coins.

The next evolution, Sonic 4, is a throwback to the original games but this time with HD gameplay, so look for it in stores for the Nintendo Wii, Sony PS3, and the Xbox 360, and it'll be featured on a future episode of CNET's PreGame as well!

The next story in the daily rundown is a public Twitter booth spotted in Russia, but it'll have to wait until tomorrow because we'd rather talk about the most inappropriate Halloween costumes of all time. Watch Wilson's head explode and follow along as we show off a couple controversial costumes, including the sexy Finding Nemo, the Suicide Bomber children's outfit, the "Shocker," and one other play on word costume that brings Wilson to tears- don't miss this segment!

We spent the first half of yesterday's show talking about the disturbing world of Renaissance faires, and I told a story about a young fan of The 404 who spotted me in attendance but couldn't stay long to talk with his mother in tow.

Well, he actually called us up with a voice mail that illustrates exactly how bad my sense of observation is--sorry dude! Come to our Meetup at The Frying Pan this Thursday, October 7, and I'll buy you a drink! If you're not a member of our Meetup Group, sign up for more details and RSVP if you can make it!

Here are the meetup details.

Episode 680 Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

preGAME 11: PSP roundup

This week on preGAME we bring you a trio of some of the most unique PSP games around. That's right, on today's episode we bring you live demos of Fat Princess: Fistful of Cake, Patchwork Heroes, and Echoshift. Joining us on the phone to chat about the PSP version of Fat Princess will be Matt Morton, the U.S. producer on the game.

But first, we'll take a look at the just-released teaser-trailer for one of the most acclaimed mashup fighting games around. Join us as we screen the first-ever video for Capcom Vs. Marvel 3! Sure the game may not be out for another year, but Mark tells us why this title is so important. Next, we'll talk about some of the most highly anticipated Xbox Live Arcade games due out this year. From Limbo to Sonic the Hedgehog 4, there's something for everyone on our list.

Been to a 7-Eleven lately? The company has announced that after a successful trial, used console games will be available for sale in most of the nation's stores by September. Games will go for $20 or lower and classic consoles may soon be supported as well.

Next we'll chat about publisher Ubisoft and the announcement that it will soon be removing paper instruction manuals from games to reduce the cost of production and help prevent waste. Finally, Mark and Jeff discuss software piracy and how it affects portable gaming consoles the most, especially now that Nintendo blames it for a 50 percent sales drop in Europe.… Read more

Exclusive: Hands-on with Ultimate Genesis Collection for iPhone

Regardless of how you feel about playing games on an iPhone--or iPad for that matter--Sega is bringing classic Genesis titles to the platform. We first told you about the Ultimate Genesis Collection app two weeks ago; here's a follow-up with some exclusive hands-on impressions.

Like most games that originated in the world of controllers, the Ultimate Genesis Collection relies on virtual buttons placed on the sides of the screen. You also have the option to play games in their original aspect ratio, which will put a graphic border around the game screen.

Sonic the Hedgehog looked great, though we did notice a slight dip in frame rate. There's a certain magic missing from the iPhone version that the classic was able to generate, most likely because the virtual controls aren't as solid as we would have liked. Precise controls are a must in games like Sonic, so it's going to take a lot of getting used to for those familiar with the speed of the original. A game like Ecco the Dolphin seemed slightly better in terms of control (it's a slower game), though a learning curve is still present here. … Read more

The 404 352: Where it's just another Friday meltdown

After yesterday's much-lauded episode with Jill Schlesinger, Jeff, Justin, and Wilson are back to classic 404 goodness today. We're glad that for once in the world we can offer some helpful financial advice. And yes, we're still offering 404k options, so please send your checks to the show.

On today's show, we've got a First Look at the new Hulu Desktop app. It kind of destroys Joost and Boxee's previous efforts. For those of you who don't know, it's an actual application like Front Row or Windows Media Center that plugs into Hulu content and can be controlled with a remote. Pretty cool.

Also, we're pretty excited about Sonic the Hedgehog coming to the iPhone and iPod Touch platforms. Jeff and Justin don't like that the game will be controlled via tilt, but Wilson thinks that--considering you spend most of the game just hitting forward and jump--it's not really that big of a deal.

Finally, we spend the second half of the show picking up the pieces after Justin offends millions and millions of Dave Matthews Band fans, who call in to unleash their hatred. Hopefully, Justin learns never to mess with DMB fans again. They are rabid. After that, we spend the rest of the show going over the hundreds of 404 logo submissions. They are fantastic! Please continue to send them in. We're extending the contest until the beginning of next week. Have a great weekend everyone!

EPISODE 352 Download today's podcast Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more