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MWC 2012: Cordy 2 shaping up to be mobile's answer to Sonic

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MWC 2012: Cordy 2 shaping up to be mobile's answer to Sonic
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| Cordy 2

Sonic fans will no doubt disagree, but for me the best parts of the Sonic games are the early stages.

That's because they're pretty much the only places where you're given the freedom to barrel along without fear of smacking into an enemy you never saw coming.

While it's still early in development, SilverTree Media's Cordy 2 looks set to recreate the gymnastic skill and speed of Sega's blue mascot, but without the frustrating speed-stopping obstacles.

Alternating current

I was shown just the one level, but already Cordy 2 is shaping up nicely.

Rather than a straight-up re-tread of the original's measured platforming, Cordy 2 ramps up the pace and introduces new abilities to keep you on your toes.

The most significant (and currently the only one that's been confirmed by the team) is magnetism: the ability to run along ceilings as if they were normal floors.

The sample level showed off this new feature, with Cordy zipping up a 180-degree slope, hurtling along a ceiling, and around in a large loop-de-loop.

Direct current

While the general aim - collect all the gears - is essentially the same as before, the level we played was far more complicated than those in the original, with jump pads, springy bumpers, and multiple plane switches.

In fact, it can get a bit Byzantine. So, to keep you from from getting lost, SilverTree has taken steps such as dotting arrows on obstacles to keep you on the right path.

While there may be an increased emphasis on fast, slick movement this time around, Cordy 2 still appears to be bringing some puzzle gameplay to the action. One puzzle I saw involved moving jump pads that were travelling along a player-activated conveyor belt.

Likewise, the eye-catching, patchwork-esque graphical style of the original is back, while Silvertree promises that there'll be nods to its previous games like Sleepy Jack for fans to spot.

We'll hopefully be hearing more about Cordy 2 soon.

Screenshots taken from original game.
Will Wilson
Will Wilson
Will's obsession with gaming started off with sketching Laser Squad levels on pads of paper, but recently grew into violently shouting "Tango Down!" at random strangers on the street. He now directs that positive energy into his writing (due in no small part to a binding court order).