Iizuka: Sonic Adventure 2: Battle was our first GameCube outing, but that was mostly based on the Dreamcast version. This time, since we're working with new hardware that's one step up from the Dreamcast, we said let's make a "one-step-up" Sonic… but what should that be? That question was the start the Sonic Heroes planning.

>—After that you hit on the idea of a 3-person "team action" game?
Iizuka: Yeah. We thought it would be fun if the characters worked together and acted in tandem. Up to now the action has mostly all been solo, with other characters only emerging when the story advances. This time we wanted to see if we could make a game where all the characters are together from start to finish. That was one of our first ideas.

>—It feels quite lively and energetic with all three characters on-screen at once.
Iizuka: Yeah, it does! I felt that during the development too. In the beginning there were some people who were concerned that switching characters would destroy the tempo of the action, and would become annoying, but once they actually played it those worries vanished because it was really fun.

>—Was it more fun than you imagined it would be?
Iizuka: Yeah. Now when I go back to Sonic Adventure, it feels kind of lonesome. (laughs) I feel like we managed to create a pure, fun action game with Sonic Heroes.


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