The release of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge saw a rise in popularity for arcade games, leading some fans to imagine other titles in the classic beat em up style.
The game, which launched in June 2022, lets players take control of the TMNT characters in a side-scrolling action brawler adventure. It's colorful, full of personality, and bursting with fun, quickly endearing it to arcade game fans everywhere.
Following the newfound love for beat em up games, one artist decided to reimagine another iconic franchise in this retro style. Taking the world and character of Sonic, artist Hut created a concept for a Sonic beat em up arcade game!
Fan Creates Concept For A Sonic Beat Em Up Game
Hut, also known as Zach, is a New York-based pixel artist whose previous work translated fan-favorite games into bright pixel art pieces. Injecting colorful energy and careful attention to detail, Hut excels at making the heart of these games shine.
This time, Hut has taken a new approach to the Sonic series. Imagining what the hedgehog might look like in a more retro style, they drew a series of concept images inspired by the latest Teenage Mutant Nina Turtles title.
Art by @huttaburger on Twitter
Art by @huttaburger on Twitter
Embracing the fun cartoony vibe of TMNT: Shredder's Revenge, Hut's artwork perfectly melds Sonic with the traditional beat em up style. In this fictional game, players can take on enemies as Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, or Amy Rose. Additionally, each character seemingly has their own unique move sets, matching their animations and mechanics from real-life Sonic titles. Not to mention, they each have their own stats like in TMNT: Shredder's Revenge, making sure that the gameplay varies between each team member.
Of course, a Sonic game would be remiss without the recognizable golden rings! In the below image, Hut created a stage where characters race and compete for golden rings. It cleverly translates the beloved high-speed action of Sonic into an entirely different genre, resulting in an incredibly fun idea.
Art by @huttaburger on Twitter
Art by @huttaburger on Twitter
While it doesn't seem like Sonic will be getting a beat-em-up game anytime soon, we can certainly dream. If Hut's artwork is any indication, it would certainly be a title full of character and high-action style!
Lastly, to see more of Hut's vibrant pixel art, check out their website! They've created artwork for Pokemon, Earthbound, and The Legend of Zelda. Otherwise, head to their Twitter to see snapshots of their latest work!