Xbox and Windows Phone unite in new Sonic game

Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II looks set to be the first game to showcase full integration between the Xbox 360 and Windows Phone 7.

Windows Phone 7 already chums up to your Xbox Live account, letting you message your friends, mess about with your avatar and peruse leaderboards, but actual game integration between the two platforms hasn't been available -- until now. Or soon, anyway.

As Official Xbox Magazine discovered, Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II will allow you to start the game on your Xbox 360, pause it, go and sit on the toilet and continue the game on your Windows Phone 7. (You don't actually have to sit on the toilet -- I'm simply giving you an example of an everyday situation where this functionality could prove practical.) Or you can start it on your phone and continue on your Xbox.

Sonic 4 itself is a two-dimensional side-scroller strongly reminiscent of the classic Sonic games of the 1990s, so it just might banish some of the ill feeling surrounding Sonic's forays into 3D. It's being developed by Dimps and Sonic Team, and features Tails as your constant companion. In two player mode, Tails will be controllable.

The release date is yet to be confirmed, but it's thought that we'll see it arriving on shelves in May this year. As well as the Windows Phone 7 and Xbox 360 versions, it'll be launched on PS3, Wii, iOS, Android and Windows.

One question that popped into my head while writing this: will you have to buy two editions of the game to play across the two interlinked platforms? I'd bet that you do, although perhaps there'll be a discount for gamers that buy both. Wishful thinking?

Are you interested in playing games on two devices or is it just a 'stupid fad' like the Diabolo or Silly Bandz? Tell us in the comments below, why don't you?