The announcement of a new Sonic game (Sonic Unleashed) provoked a fan/Destructoid writer to surmise a list of ways not to screw the game up, and rightfully so, no?

The list is as follows:

1. Keep it simple.

2. Keep Sonic 2D.

3. Stop thinking Sonic games are about speed.

4. Can the anime crap.

5. Stop screwing up Dr. Robotnik.

6. No more new characters. Please!

7. Bring back good music.

8. If you're going to be cool, be ironic, or you fail.

9. DON'T SUCK!

Quite a good collection, really. I think this is what one could refer to as video game activism.

Generally, I agree with him, but, I think some new innovations can be healthy for a series. I do suppose it's harder to do with a platformer than say, an RPG (though plenty developers screw those up too), but that's no real excuse - some new, intelligently implemented things based on a good foundation based on the old things that made the series great I think could be the ideal match.

Two other points touched on in the article is the lack of solid games in the series in quite a long while. Personally, aside from the non-linear bits of the Sonic Adventure titles (really, it was a nice experiment, but I just don't think Sonic games can exist properly within a non-linear environment, bar a Sonic RPG, ahem), I thought they were really not too bad at all. I really did enjoy the 3D perspective and think with some fine-tuning, the same premise could be exacted upon with a new title. However, apparently a video has leaked and the game will be, essentially, a 3D sidescroller, which could be great too, I'm just wondering how it will take advantage of the next-gen technology (I'm choosing not to post this video due to Sega wishing not for it to be leaked, by the way.)

Also, I particularly agree with the writer's opposition to new characters. Can everyone but Knuckles and Tails, for real. Knuckles is a badass, he can stay.

Thanks Sega, I appreciate this talk.