Sega have announced during the Sonic Central livestream that action crime thriller Lost Judgment will also include Sonic the Fighters.
As previously reported, the sentencing of Akhiro Ihara takes a shocking turn as he admits to killing Hiro Mikushiba- who drove his son to suicide. Yet, evidence suggests it is impossible for him to have committed the crime.
As Ihara condems the law as being broken a high school is involved in a deadly investigation where stakes grow ever higher. As Takayuki Yagami investigates the case and goes under cover as a teacher; even he begins to question what justice means.
As with the Yakuza series; players can play classic arcade games within Lost Judgement. During the Sonic Central livestream, it was revealed that the Sega Arcade would include an accurate recreation of Sonic the Fighters.
You can find that section of the presentation below (at 3:18).
Launched in June 1996, players controlled Sonic and his friends in a 3D fighter, literally beating the rings out of one another to decide who will face Dr. Robotnik. The game included Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Espio, Fang, Bean, and Bark.
The 2012 re-release on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 also included Metal Sonic, Dr. Robotnik, and Honey; who could only previously been playable via hacking. While those characters could be unlockable, it is impossible to tell as Metal Sonic was a boss character; blurring the lines of which version is being utilized.
Fang, Bean, and Bark would later appear as a cameo in Sonic Mania Plus; or at least, a boss using their appearances and abilities. Fang (also initially known as Nack the Weasel in the west) first appeared in 1994’s Sonic the Hedgehog Triple Trouble. As with other side characters, the personality and backstories of the trio have been expanded in the Sonic the Hedgehog comics.
Honey the Cat is also a none-too-subtle reference to Sega’s Fighting Vipers and the character of the same name (though she was known as Candy in the west). Both games utilized the same engine, and both characters have similar clothes, and utilize cat-like poses and attacks.
Lost Judgment launches worldwide September 24th on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.
