Sonic The Hedgehog XA

Sonic The Hedgehog XA is an open-source fangame created as an exploration of the PlayStation hardware’s capabilities and limitations. It serves as a proof of concept, demonstrating that a Sonic game could be developed from the ground up for this console. The project is non-commercial and has been developed by a single individual, driven by passion and experimentation.

The game blends classic 2D Sonic gameplay with the unique possibilities of the PlayStation, offering a fresh take on the series. Utilizing modern development tools like PSn00bSDK, it’s an attempt to reimagine the Sonic experience on hardware that was never intended for it, all while respecting the spirit of the original games.

IMPORTANT: THIS IS A PROTOTYPE AND HIGHLY UNFINISHED. PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT YOU WILL BE PLAYING BETA-QUALITY SOFTWARE, LACKING SIGNIFICANT CODE, OPTIMIZATIONS, AND POLISH.

What is the meaning of "XA"?

"XA" refers to a widely used audio format on the PlayStation, which this fangame adopts for encoding its background music. Including it in the title pays homage to the target platform, adds a sense of originality, and serves as a subtle nod to Sonic CD.

Controls

Game controls:

Debug controls:

(Make sure you activate debug by pressing L1+R1 before executing these actions. Debug can also be toggled on other screens.)

Playable Characters

You can play as Sonic the Hedgehog, Miles "Tails" Prower and Knuckles the Echidna in Sonic XA! These characters share some traits but are also able to perform a few unique actions.

Common actions

• Jump: On ground, press the Jump button to jump. Hold the Jump button to jump higher.
• Spin attack: On ground, press Down after building some speed.
• Spindash: On ground while stopped, hold Down and press Jump to spin in place. Mash Jump to build up speed, and let go of Down to go into a spin attack.

Sonic the Hedgehog

• Super Peel Out: On ground while stopped, hold Up and press Jump once to build up run speed. Let go of Up after a few moments to run at full speed.
• Drop Dash: While jumping, after releasing the Jump button, press and hold the Jump button again to build up spin speed. When touching the ground, you'll go off spinning with some speed. Let go of the Jump button before reaching the ground to cancel.

Miles "Tails" Prower

• Fly: While jumping, after releasing the Jump button, press the Jump button again to start flying. Mash the Jump button to rise up. You will get tired after flying for a while.
• Swim: Same as flying, but performed while underwater.

Knuckles the Echidna

Note: Knuckles jumps slightly lower than other characters.

• Glide: While jumping, after releasing the Jump button, press and hold the Jump button again to glide. You will slowly accelerate towards your direction while slowly losing height. Change glide direction by pressing the opposite Direction on the controller. Release the Jump button to cancel and drop down.
• Climb: While gliding, make contact with a wall to attach to it and start climbing. Hold Up or Down to go in either of these directions along the wall. You'll fall if you hit the bottom, and clamber up if you hit an upper ledge. Press Jump to jump off the wall.