Well, we’ve not had any of those “interferences” for a while have we? This is largely due to the fact several clever sticks were able to decode the encrypted messages that were from Metal Sonic so we don’t have to worry about him marching into the office going “DESTROY!” and whirling about the place in his black shield knocking over cups, stacks of paper and destroying our mini-golf course.

If you were interested, the messages read as follows:

Instance 1

SONIC RIVALS 2

CONFIRMED - EXISTANCE OF METAL SONIC THREE POINT ZERO; PRESENTLY TRACKING TARGET ACROSS PENINSULAR HEADING NORTH NORTH-EAST.

OBJECTIVE: CHAO LOCATION.
LOCATION: UNKNOWN.
PASS NUMBER: SIX.

Instance 2

METAL SONIC TO DOCTOR EGGMAN:
AS REQUESTED HAVE LOCATED THE ULTIMATE LIFE FORM, HAVE INFORMED HIM OF THE SITUATION AND WE ARE OF ACCORD WITH YOUR WISHES
UNKNOWN INTERFERENCE ON THIS FREQUENCY; SELF-DIAGNOSTICS ENGAGED.

ADDITIONAL ENCRYPTION NUMERIC FOUR

Instance 3

PROCEEDING TO CO-ORDINATES…

INTERFERENCE STILL OCCURING ADDITIONAL
ENCRYPTION: PLUS TWO
SEEKING OUT SOURCE OF DISRUPTION AND WILL DESTROY.

Yes, well like I said thankfully he didn’t. You’ll take it from that the code was supposed to be 642 and the following people will have a Rivals 2 t-shirt winging its way to them as chosen at random by the office Chao:

P.Sims, Leeds
S.Shirley, Norwich
D.Maybury, Birmingham
P.Elthorpe, Middleton
J.Becker, Oppenheim, Germany
J.Cartlidge, Stafford
D.Rato, London
I.Reichert, London
B.Copeman, Bury St.Edmunds
and Adam “T-Bird” Tuff from PARTS UNKNOWN~!

Congratulations as well to our French fan C.Alberti of St.Sauveur De Monagut - he won the Mario and Sonic goodies bonanza from the opening of Sonic City, second prize winners have been contacted. 

The answers were that the three “royal” characters in the game were the trinity of princesses Blaze, Daisy and Peach - we would not accept Bowser and I’m sorry but Luigi? No, okay, just no.  As for the traditional home of the Olympics, that we either accepted as Athens or Olympia.

Don’t forget there’s still time to enter the Christmas Newsletter competition for the chance to win a bunch of Sonic X goodies as well as a limited edition statuette of our blue friend. We’ll be making the draw for that next Monday, the question was “What is the name of Santa’s reindeer in chief?” send your answer to blogs@sega-europe.com

I’ll be hitting you with a proper “Welcome to 2008″ blog very soon, stay frosty.

AAUK