Late to the Party: Sonic Orgins

orgive the clichéd sentiment, but even after 31 years of blazing across all manner of screens, SEGA’s Sonic the Hedgehog does show any sign of slowing down. Riding the hype train of the recent film’s success at the Box-Office in the same year the little guy turns 31, the folks at SEGA and Sonic Team in collaboration with the talented folks at HeadCannon took to the task of releasing yet another Classic Sonic Collection, Sonic Origins. The collection features Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Sonic CD, and the first re-release of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles in over a decade; each one optimized with the same Retro Engine Sonic Mania ran on, enhancing these cult-favorite titles with a sizable HD upgrade for the current generation of gaming.

Despite the number of times some of these titles have been re-released, Sonic Team and company have boasted that this new arrangement will come loaded with more passion and fandom than we’ve seen from the likes of Sonic Jam or Sonic Mega Collection. While some of those claims are founded, I can’t quite help but feel like Sonic Origins struggles to live up to the potential it had, let alone the hype going into the whole thing.

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QCF: Sonic Mania Plus

fter less than a year from its initial release, the folks over at Head Cannon, Pagoda West, and some other new faces at work have released a new expansion to the critically successful Sonic Mania, with Sonic Mania Plus. The extra content includes a new arranged campaign mode with remixed levels, a four-player split-screen competitive mode, and the inclusion of two more playable characters, (both of which haven’t been seen a commercial sonic title in over 20 years,) and more.

While Sonic Mania proved that it was more than just a simple throwback release for the fans, however, the added “Plus” to the title’s re-release ironically struggles to augment the core package with any upgrade significant enough to differentiate it from the same game that casual players have already played all those months ago.

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PPR Presents The Golden Zonkies: Class Of 2017-Part 2

he final half of our Two-Part annual Game of the year show is finally here, and not a moment too soon, because it seems like 2018 is shaping out to be another shitty year too—oh well, on to the games!

Everything from games to events that saw the light of day in 2017, across fourteen different categories, and we have that very list for you here now. We’ll be plowing through an incredible catalog of choices, debating with one another from beginning to end in this epic podcast, each voicing our vote for the winner of its corresponding category.

The only stipulation in the Golden Zonkies, is that any point, a wild card can be suggested by one of the hosts if majority vote dictates that another nomination is more deserving of the award instead of the choices presently casted.

So without further ado, we present to you all Press Pause Radio’s Golden Zonkies, class of 2017! Enjoy the show!

Mail us at our new email Mailbag@presspauseradio.com, leave a voicemail at 469-PPR-TALK, and be sure to stop by at our Forums if you haven’t already registered and post your thoughts about the show. Finally, make sure to rate and subscribe to us on iTunes and YouTube, follow us on Twitch page and Twitter, and finally take part in our Facebook and Steam group!

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PPR Presents Extra Life 2017: Sonic Mania & more!

t’s that time of year again, and as we gradually approach the holidays, it’s important to remember that this season isn’t easy for everyone, especially children with health issues. So, with that said, Press Pause Radio is proud to be part of the annual Extra Life charity event for 2017.

We’re on a mission to lend our voices and minds to help the children in this year’s Extra Life Charity, and we need you. By tuning in, and watching us stream a hhuge selection of Sonic games. Sonic The Hedgehog 1-3, Sonic & Knuckles plugged into every other add-on you can think of, Sonic Classic Heroes, and finally, Sonic Mania. 

George will be playing all og these games and few other classic Hedgehog titles, for 24 hours straight. We humbly ask for your donation towards the Children's Hospital of Central California.The goal this year is at least $500.00 by the end of the stream, help him get there!

On November 4th, 2017, Press Pause Radio will be participating in this huge worldwide celebration of the social impact of gamers of all kinds from video games to board games and tabletop RPG's!

So here’s how you can help. Watch the stream here or on our Twitch page, and then visit us here on Extra Life and donate anything you can for the kids—your donation is tax-deductible and ALL PROCEEDS go to help kids, so help us get there folks. The more you donate, the more leverage you get for any stupid, dumb, (but reasonable) you might have for George to do, say, or play, in any of the games he's playing, for 24 hours. Again, any help that you’re willing to donate is greatly appreciated, and will all go to a great cause! Thank you, get started on donating and catch us here on Nov. 4th!

Watch live video from PressPauseRadio on www.twitch.tv

PPR 106

h wow, it has been awhile since I've been the person responsible for putting up new content. I will try to make sure that this does not all come crashing down but I cannot make any promises, Internet. Speaking of garbage fires this is Toast welcoming you to another episode of Press Pause Radio where we discuss the Juggalo March, banana peeling tactics, Mario not being a plumber, and wedding advice. That last one had it's ups and downs but we all learned a little more about each other. Sharing is caring.

The normal crew of GeorgieboysAXE, Ser Flash and I also experiment with web cameras and discuss current hot topics including Sean Vanaman and MCA takedowns involving PewDewPie and Firewatch. Our show also reminds everyone that there are a ridiculous amount of games coming out this year such as Sonic Mania, Project Octopath Traveller, Hellblade Setsuna, Yakuza Kiwami, Uncharted Lost Legacy, Destiny 2, Neo Geo Archives; Aero Fighters 2, Neo Geo Archives; Spin Masters, and a newer indie title on the market called Minecraft.

So sit back and enjoy this audio experience, possibly while holding a protest sign depicting a Hatchetman in one hand and in the other some refreshing Faygo Moon Mist. It's the American way. 

Mail us at our new email Mailbag@presspauseradio.com, leave a voicemail at 469-PPR-TALK, and be sure to stop by at our Forums if you haven’t already registered and post your thoughts about the show. Finally, make sure to rate and subscribe to us on iTunes and YouTube, follow us on Twitch page and Twitter, and finally take part in our Facebook and Steam group!

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QCF: Sonic Mania

he power of fandom is a fickle force to be reckoned with; the passionate devotion of a dedicated following can either propel the object of said affection to perpetual stardom, or alienate any sort of appeal it may have had with an obsessive toxicity that could stigmatize it beyond repair, for years upon years.

This sort of phenomenon has struck a number of video game franchises, but none have been more affected by it quite like the Sonic the Hedgehog property. The speedy SEGA mascot has been an industry icon for over 25 years, and yet has fallen from the place of universal acclaim, into a spot of irreverent polarization. These two camps are broken down into the somewhat ambivalent spectators who barely bother to care about him, and those who still swear their loyalty to the spikey-haired hero, in spite of the checkered past that he’s led in recent in years.

It’s been clear for near a decade now that most of the folks still on Sonic Team have forgotten what made the character so appealing in the first place, but it’s only now that SEGA has finally arrived at that same conclusion. The big wigs have tried a myriad of ideas to reinvent their icon, and most have them have fallen flat; why not give the reigns to the only force that could give their star mascot the justice that he deserves—the fans themselves.

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PPR Presents Play Play: Sonic The Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles

onic Mania is fast approaching, and while we don’t have our review ready just yet, we do have a few special looks at some choice cuts from the Blue Blur’s past that we think have influenced the direction seen in the new 2D throwback.

This particular title within the hero’s 16-bit catalog redefined what Sonic could do, and set the tone for the series for years to come in terms of an ensemble cast, and an adventure of epic proportions. Sonic The Hedgehog 3 and Knuckles may be better known as a meme than a classic these days, but it was the biggest game that featured the hog, and is considered to be the peak of the Sonic’s Genesis library.

Join Ser and George as they get down to some sweet tunes that may, or may not have had some compositional work done by all-time legend in pop music in this latest Play Play.

Mail us at our new email Mailbag@presspauseradio.com, leave a voicemail at 469-PPR-TALK, and be sure to stop by at our Forums if you haven’t already registered and post your thoughts about the show. Finally, make sure to rate and subscribe to us on iTunes and YouTube, follow us on Twitch page and Twitter, and finally take part in our Facebook and Steam group!

PPR 105

f the moon was made of cheese, would you eat it down and never look back? Of course you would, because who in the Bleu Cheese hell would pass up that much Gouda! We’ve got another episode coming at you, and the topic of discussion this week is Disposable gaming, as the shelf-life of some our favorite franchises are starting to get smaller and smaller.

In addition to that, we talk about a bunch other stuff like the new DuckTales, Pokémon GO, Tacoma, Destiny 2, Sonic Mania, Nintendo Lawsuits, Hyperkin Products, and more! This episode is jam packed with all the fluff and brie that you could ever want, kick up a seat and dig into some fondue because our latest episode is go! 

Mail us at our new email Mailbag@presspauseradio.com, leave a voicemail at 469-PPR-TALK, and be sure to stop by at our Forums if you haven’t already registered and post your thoughts about the show. Finally, make sure to rate and subscribe to us on iTunes and YouTube, follow us on Twitch page and Twitter, and finally take part in our Facebook and Steam group!

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