Sonic Riders: I'm Beginning to Grow Tired of Sonic Team

[Nz17]

Source: IGN.com

Just as we were starting to think that Shadow had taken over the Sonic franchise for the remainder of 2005, SEGA makes the surprise announcement of an all-new racing game featuring Sonic and friends. The latest issue of Famitsu reveals that Sonic Riders is being developed by Sonic Team for Japanese release on the Xbox, PS2, and GameCube this winter. Serving as producer is Yuda Koshi, a veteran of Sonic development who's also worked on Puyo Puyo and Space Channel 5.

In Sonic Riders, Dr. Robotnik has set up a speed challenge, and all the Sonic characters, including Sonic the Hedgehog, Knuckles the Echidna, Storm the Albatross, Jet the Hawk, Miles "Tails" Prower and Web the Swallow, have decided to compete. To the victor goes a Chaos Emerald.

Unlike the classic SEGA Saturn racer Sonic R (now appearing as a game in Sonic Gems Collection), Sonic Riders promises an "eXtreme" experience. Yes, SEGA is actually using this buzz word that we thought had died two years ago to promote the game. Sonic and friends speed through tracks on air boards, using individual special moves to strike down opponents.

Air is a big element of Sonic Riders. Your board's "fuel" source is air. You can fill up your air at various points on the course, but to race well you'll have to use another means of replenishment: performing tricks with your board. You'll also want to make use of turbulence from racers who are in front of you. By riding your rival racers' turbulence, you get a burst of speed and can even make your board leap into the air (sometimes finding shortcuts in the course). Your air supply remains fixed when riding turbulence, making this a tactic that you'll want to employ as you play the game. Turbulence isn't all good, though, as players can generate irregularities in their turbulence, knocking those who are along for a free ride out of the course.

SEGA is planning a whole lot of gameplay for Sonic Riders. Expect numerous tracks, including such Sonic fare as Splash Canyon, Egg Factory, Green Cave and Sandy Ruin. The game will offer a number of different modes, including two and four player split screen.

SEGA of Japan will be holding a press conference in Tokyo on Friday to show off some of its upcoming plans for the Sonic series, and we expect Sonic Riders to make an appearance there, followed by a showing at the Tokyo Game Show. Sonic fans stay tuned for much more to come.

First, don't get me wrong, I think this game will be fun ala SSX Tricky and the like, maybe a little Kirby Airride thrown in for measure. What I am saying is that the setup is lame.

Yeah, Sonic games aren't known for their storylines, but come on: this is the same exact storyline from Sonic R! Does it have to be Dr. Robotnik every time? I understand people expect him to show up, but he doesn't always have to be the one instigating things. Wouldn't it have been better had Nack the Weasel set everything up, with him having the final Chaos Emerald which he'd only give to the one who could outrace his hoverbike? That story isn't deep, but it fits within the Sonic mythos, and makes a Hell of a lot more sense.

[Nz17]

Sorry, phpBB didn't like how I was trying to edit things. The bottom quote is from myself about Sonic Riders.

[Naouruki]

No one cares about storyline in Sonic games, much less spinoffs. And why should they? It's a bloody casual throwaway aspect of thw game, nowhere near its point.

You aks why it always has to be Robotnik? Why is Mario always fighting that Bowser guy or some othe random generic enemy with zero depth? Because stories are nowhere near the point of these games. No one has ever given a damn that Robotnik was always the bad guy nor expected an epic storyline of Sonic games. That's just not the type of game it is. And especially the Sonic R you mention - now since WHEN do people care about *storylines* in a racer? Who cares if it's there or isn't? Do you whine about the moronic storyline/lack thereof in Mario Kart?

This looks to be an excellent title and one that is sure as hell more exciting than the Mario-wh**ing that has been going on.

[THATinkjar]

If they sort the control issues and camera problems that have plagued the current generation of Sonics... then I'm all for this. A few sharper textures would be welcome, too.

[GrandAmChandler]

I actually liked Sonic R, despite the mass amount of people that did not. My brother and I played this out when we first got it! I am all for a new Sonic game. If it plays well and looks like Sonic, bring it on! I hope they have mass amounts of players to choose from (ala Double Dash)

Let's hope they do a good job!

[njiska]

I actually liked Sonic R, despite the mass amount of people that did not. My brother and I played this out when we first got it! I am all for a new Sonic game. If it plays well and looks like Sonic, bring it on! I hope they have mass amounts of players to choose from (ala Double Dash)

Let's hope they do a good job!

It's the controls that pissed me off so much in Sonic R. Using the shoulder buttons to turn was just akward.

[fishsandwich]

I actually liked Sonic R, despite the mass amount of people that did not. My brother and I played this out when we first got it! I am all for a new Sonic game. If it plays well and looks like Sonic, bring it on! I hope they have mass amounts of players to choose from (ala Double Dash)

Let's hope they do a good job!

It's weird... I generally don't like Sonic R, and I've played it at least 20+ times. I LOVED the graphics (awesome) but you can't PLAY graphics. I hated how I kept bumping into walls falling into creeks and missing all those damned collectibles.

ONE TIME I managed to hit "the zone" and almost beat the game. I was playing like a man possessed and had a lot of fun. Don't know what happened that day, and I haven't been able to repeat that performance. Bizarre I say.

[GrandAmChandler]

I'm not saying it is an easy game to play! By no means! We played this game FOREVER. It took a lonnnng time to get used to, but you can get good at it, just takes some time coming from a general "Mario Kart Control set" that throws you off.

Play for a week and you get good. I did. And I stink at racing games.

[Push Upstairs]

When things are reduced to "Sonic Baseball", "Sonic Tennis", and "Sonic Golf" then i'll get pissed.

That game sounds kinda fun to me.

[Cmosfm]

New Sonic Game?

That's all you gotta say, I'm all over it and ready to preorder!

Never has a Sonic game ever dissapointed me, they keep getting better in my opinion, Sonic Heroes was amazing, as were the Adventure games, the originals were great, Sonic R, CD, all those...great, great, great!

Even Tails spin-offs for Game Gear!

Yep, I'm ready, forget you Sonic haters...Sega has my money!

[NintendoMan]

I too think this game could be pretty cool, espcially since Sonic Team is designing the game.

[RCM]

I'm not interested in this title but i'll give it a look. The thing that is really is the next gen Sonic. I've heard from a pal of mine that it's a Sonic only title, the first time in a while. If it's true i'm all over it.

THE ONE, THE ONLY- RCM

[Falcon]

You guys have to think of it from their point of view. Sonic was released in a 2D form just as Mario and others including Street Fighter. So all of the Mario games are the same and dont offer much of a new gameplay experience because it is hard to make 2D games 3D. I mean Sonic may now be doing what Mario has been doing for some time now, but if they change the originality of Sonic, then it will lose its fanbase. Matters well make a new game!

Now that I think of it, Im glad Capcom hasn't made a Street Fighter game because it would be extremely hard to live up to the hype. They have other games with the Street Fighter characters.

[Nz17]

First off, stories in Sonic games matter TO ME. Sonic Adventure and Sonic Adventure 2 wouldn't have been nearly as good if they had dropped the stories in favor of all-out action.

People always say that "story doesn't matter." That's what they said for years about FPS. Then Halo and Halo 2 come along and everyone pisses their pants for it. I'd wager good gameplay and graphics were large reasons for this, but it wouldn't have been anywhere near as successful without that series' storyline.

Granted, schmups/fighters/racers/action games don't NEED a good story. But that doesn't mean they wouldn't be enhanced if they had one.

On the subject of Sonic Riders, I don't want or need a deep story. What I am saying is they could use more variety in the premise to get them all air-racing.

The RELEASE DATE is going to be "Winter 2006." I hope they mean winter in early 2006, and not winter at the end of 2006. By the end of 2006 PS3, XBOX360, and Rev. will all be out, so any last-gen systems' games are going to sell poorly in comparison.

All said though, I am going to purchase Sonic Riders immediately or soon after it comes out, depending on price. A devotee has no choice. But that doesn't mean I cannot speak my peace.

[Famidrive-16]

I actually liked Sonic R, despite the mass amount of people that did not. My brother and I played this out when we first got it! I am all for a new Sonic game. If it plays well and looks like Sonic, bring it on! I hope they have mass amounts of players to choose from (ala Double Dash)

Let's hope they do a good job!

It's the controls that pissed me off so much in Sonic R. Using the shoulder buttons to turn was just akward.

Yeah, I don't really like this, although Tails is pretty easy to control.

There's also some bad glitches in the Gems version. Don't know if it's from the Saturn version or not...

[PDorr3]

Actualy I'm excited about this news. I am also one of the few fans that Sonic R has, and this new sonic racing game seems fresh by introducing the air mechanism they talked about.
Anyway I am looking forward to this, and lets just hope it doesnt add guns...

[mcarocks2003]

Decided to revive this thread...

Sonic R was a GREAT GAME because each charcater used it's own abilities i.e. Sonic - Speed, Tails - Fly etc

But Sonic Riders with snowboards?? that takes away all the variety.

It's like puting Tails in a Plane in Sonic Adventure 2, it takes all the variety and fun out of the game.

I think Sonic Riders willl be poor but the NEW SONIC 360 game will be a HUGE SUCCESS!

[GrayFox]

New Sonic Game?

That's all you gotta say, I'm all over it and ready to preorder!

Never has a Sonic game ever dissapointed me, they keep getting better in my opinion, Sonic Heroes was amazing, as were the Adventure games, the originals were great, Sonic R, CD, all those...great, great, great!

Even Tails spin-offs for Game Gear!

Yep, I'm ready, forget you Sonic haters...Sega has my money!

Once there's a SKU for a Sonic game.

PREORDERED!

But seriously, I think this game actually looks pretty solid, check the video if ya haven't

Sonic Rush, Shadow the Hedgehog, Sonic Riders, hell yeah.

[mcarocks2003]

Let me guess GrayFox, your one of the few people who enjoyed Sonic Heroes?

Because most people including me hated it, lol.

Can't say i'm too pleased about a Shadow the Hedgehog gae either (i mean for crying out loud he has a PISTOl?). When did Sonic known for his PLATFORM games resort to sponging off the over saturared FPS market?

It's no wonder Sonic Team have come under fire lately. Lets hope Next Gen will see a revival in quality.

[PentiumMMX]

It's the controls that pissed me off so much in Sonic R. Using the shoulder buttons to turn was just akward.

If you play a lot of F-Zero, then it's not so wired.

Anyway, the new Sonic game sounds cool! Just hope it will deliver in the fun department, unlike Sonic 3D Blast...