Sonic fans have been eagerly anticipating the grand reveal for Sega's Project Needlemouse, and today the company finally pulled the curtains off their mysterious Sonic project. Sonic's next adventure is now official known as Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I.

Sonic 4 will be a 2D game with 3D visuals and will be available for download on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Wii and this summer. The "Episode I" subtitle hints at an episodic release, and Sega associate brand manager Ken Balough confirms it as such.

"When Sega released Sonic 3, ultimately it was the part 1 of a story that saw its conclusion in Sonic & Knuckles," Balough told GameSpot. "In that same spirit, Sonic the Hedgehog 4 is a bigger story, and this is that first chapter. I think it's also safe to say that by the end of the episode one, fans will be very excited to see what's in store for episode two!"

Balough further noted that Sonic 4 will take place directly after Sonic & Knuckles, although it's a brand new story arc. Gameplay-wise, classic Sonic moves like thw spin dash and power sneakers are in. The homing attack from Sonic 3-D Blast has also been added along with online leaderboards for fastest times.

While all three versions are designed to be as identical as possible with the exception of the image output (480p for Wii, 1080p for PS3 and Xbox 360), the main difference lies in the controls. According to Balough, gamers will be able to use the Wii's motion controls and the PS3's Sixaxis controls in certain areas. The Xbox 360 version will presumably be a pad-only affair.

These are all the details Sega has revealed about Sonic 4 so far, but if you want a glimpse of what it's like, check out the teaser trailer below. An official website can also be accessed here.

Via [GameSpot]

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