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Christian Whitehead

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Christian Whitehead
NationalityAustralian
Other namesTaxman
OccupationGame programmer
Known forWorking on games in the Sonic the Hedgehog video game series

Christian Whitehead, better known by his alias Taxman,[1] is an Australian independent video game programmer and designer.[2] He is most recognised for his work creating updated ports of early games in Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog series, as well as being the project lead of an original title in the series, titled Sonic Mania.

Career

In 2006, Whitehead worked as a freelance 3D animator with the company Kine Graffiti. Since 2009, he became focused on game development, developing various fangames based on the Sonic the Hedgehog series.[3] In 2009, Whitehead produced a proof-of-concept video of Sonic CD running on an iPhone using his own custom engine, the "Retro Engine".[4][5] While Sega did not initially approve this version, and Whitehead's website and demo video were taken down due to a cease and desist order, Sega eventually changed their mind regarding it, and officially released the port for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, iPhone and Android two years later.[6] His port was so successful that he was later commissioned to port Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic the Hedgehog 2 to mobile devices.[5] Although he released another proof-of-concept video for Sonic the Hedgehog 3 in 2014, Sega did not approve the project.[7] In 2015, it was announced that Whitehead would be involved in his first non-Sonic game, Freedom Planet 2.[8] In 2016, it was announced that Whitehead, in collaboration with Headcannon and PagodaWest Games, would be developing their own original title in the series, titled Sonic Mania, which released in 2017.[9]

Works

References

  1. ^ Mawson, Chris (12 January 2015). "Fans Launch Campaign for Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Mobile Release". Power Up Gaming. Retrieved 23 July 2016.
  2. ^ "Sonic Fans Campaign For the Release of Sonic 3 Remastered | mxdwn Games". games.mxdwn.com. 13 February 2015. Retrieved 23 July 2016.
  3. ^ Rainer Sigl (February 1, 2015). "Lieblingsspiele 2.0: Die bewundernswerte Kunst der Fan-Remakes" (in German). Der Standard.
  4. ^ Hodapp, Eli (29 July 2009). "Christian Whitehead On 'Sonic CD' and His Retro Engine". TouchArcade. Retrieved 23 July 2016.
  5. ^ a b Nelson, Jared (19 October 2014). "Hey Sega! This 'Sonic 3 & Knuckles' iOS Port Needs to Happen". TouchArcade. Retrieved 23 July 2016.
  6. ^ Parkin, Simon (22 December 2011). "Sonic CD Review". Eurogamer. Retrieved 21 April 2017. However, after a few weeks, Whitehead's website was taken offline, as was the YouTube video he released to show off his work. It seemed as though Sega's lawyers had issued a cease-and-desist and ordered his work to be scrapped.
  7. ^ Mawson, Chris (2 April 2015). "Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Remastered Interview with Christian 'The Taxman' Whitehead". Power Up Gaming. Retrieved 23 July 2016.
  8. ^ Oliver, Tristan (25 December 2015). "Taxman on Board for Freedom Planet 2 Development". TSSZ News. Retrieved 23 July 2016.
  9. ^ Byford, Sam (23 July 2016). "Could Sonic Mania be the best Sonic the Hedgehog game since the Genesis?". The Verge. Retrieved 23 July 2016.
  10. ^ http://info.sonicretro.org/Retro_Sonic_Nexus
  11. ^ http://info.sonicretro.org/Retro_Sonic_Nexus
  12. ^ http://info.sonicretro.org/Retro_Sonic_Nexus
  13. ^ http://info.sonicretro.org/Retro_Sonic_Nexus
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