'Sonic Forces' release date news: Nintendo Switch demo out now but with restrictive twist

Sega has launched a new demo for "Sonic Forces," which is now available for Nintendo Switch owners. However, there are a couple of restrictions that have some players scratching their heads.

First, the demo is free for download, but only on the Japanese E-shop, which means a player has to have a Japanese Nintendo account. This should be easy enough to solve. A player need only make a new account and set the region to Japan. After linking it to the console, the player should be able to access the Japanese E-Shop.

However, there is one more hurdle that might dissuade players from going through all that trouble in the first place.

The demo has a time limit — one minute to be exact — as GameXplain discovered. That's way too short to get a hang of the game, much less to progress to another level. The little ray of light is that players can try out three different zones — Egg Dragoon for Classic Sonic; Green Hill for Modern Sonic; and Space Port for the Avatar. Once the minute is up, the screen turns dark and a trailer starts to play.

This bizarre twist on the classic game was met with a lot of complaints from fans who took to social media to air their ire. Some said the game itself could be good, but the short time limit ruins the experience.

The Sonic Forces demo in a nutshell: pic.twitter.com/a8Hh95g1cl

— UltimateDSman (@UltimateDSman) October 27, 2017 " data-caption="null" data-credit="null">

OK so the Sonic Forces demo is a bit naff, and I don't mean game-wise

Every stage cuts out after a relatively short time

— Tracker Treat (@Tracker_TD) October 25, 2017 " data-caption="null" data-credit="null">

Sonic Forces Demo invokes a life important question of death and using our time before the inevitable pic.twitter.com/v3v0mbnLJq

— Takashi Iizuka (@moondoesntshine) October 26, 2017 " data-caption="null" data-credit="null">

"Sonic Forces" will be the latest in the "Sonic the Hedgehog" franchise, which has been around since 1991. In this new installment, players will fight through a world destroyed by Dr. Eggman and a powerful new villain. Depending on the zone, a player can roll through ruined landscapes as Modern Sonic, catapult past dangerous platforms as Classic Sonic, or use powerful new gadgets as a customized Hero Character.

"Sonic Forces" will be released on Nov. 7, not just for Nintendo Switch, but for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC as well.

News
Campaign aims to mobilise 500,000 Christians for Christmas outreach
Campaign aims to mobilise 500,000 Christians for Christmas outreach

Shine Your Light is aiming to mobilise half a million Christians to share the gospel with five million people across the UK this Christmas, with more than 2,000 churches already signed up, organisers say.

The Church of England should repent for previous calls to ban 'conversion therapy'
The Church of England should repent for previous calls to ban 'conversion therapy'

The Church of England's uneasiness about the government's ‘conversion practices’ bill is a perfect lesson in the old adage, 'be careful what you wish for,' writes Dr Martin Davie.

Leaked Home Office report links 'Christian extremism' to traditionalist beliefs and immigration concerns
Leaked Home Office report links 'Christian extremism' to traditionalist beliefs and immigration concerns

An internal Home Office report lists concerns about immigration, multiculturalism and changing social values among the characteristics associated with what it calls "Christian extremism", it has been reported.

Tearfund calls for COP31 funding to reach farmers struggling with climate change and food insecurity
Tearfund calls for COP31 funding to reach farmers struggling with climate change and food insecurity

Tearfund warns that worsening climate conditions are threatening food production and pushing more people towards hunger.