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 , HENCE 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 used to adopt for encoding its background music (nowadays it just uses CD-DA audio with Red Book quality). 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

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: Press the X button to perform a spinning jump. Hold the X button to jump higher.
• Spin attack: While walking or running, press Down to spin on the ground.
• Spin Dash: While stopped, hold Down then press the X button to charge a Spin Dash. Mash X to build up speed, then let go of Down to go spinning.

Sonic the Hedgehog

• Super Peel Out: While stopped, hold Up then press the X button to charge a Super Peel Out, then let go of Up to run at top speed!
• Drop Dash: While jumping, after you let go of the X button, hold the X button again to charge a Drop Dash. If you hit the floor while still holding the X button, you will go spinning, kind of like a Spin Dash.

Miles "Tails" Prower

• Fly: While jumping, after releasing X, press X again to start flying, then mash X to rise up. Tails will get tired after flying for a while.
• Swim: Performed just like Fly, but underwater. Tails will get tired after swimming for a while.

Knuckles the Echidna

Note: Knuckles jumps slightly lower than other characters.

• Glide: While jumping, after releasing X, press and hold the X button again to glide. Let go of the X button to drop to the ground instantly.
• Climb: Let Knuckles touch a wall while performing Glide, and he will attach to it. Hold either Up to climb up the wall, or Down to climb down.

Amy Rose

Note: Amy jumps slightly higher than other characters, but takes longer to accelerate and has a lower top speed. Plus, she is more prone to slipping down steep slopes.

Note 2: Amy is an unlockable character! To play as Amy, first play all the main levels.

• Piko Piko Hammer: While on ground, press Square to perform an attack with your piko piko hammer. This attack will destroy enemies, monitors, and may even destroy hazards such as bombs or enemy projectiles.
• Piko Double Jump: While jumping, after releasing X, press X again to perform a double jump with your piko piko hammer. This will extend your hitbox so you can more easily reach enemies, bosses and monitors, and will also give you a slight boost upwards.
• Piko Spin: Perform a Piko Piko Hammer attack while running, but instead of just pressing Square once, press and hold the Square button. You will be given a boost upwards similar to a Piko Double Jump, but you may reach even higher heights, depending on your original speed when the Square button was pressed.