Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing | |
---|---|
Developer(s) | Sumo Digital |
Publisher(s) | Sega |
Director(s) | Craig Duncan |
Producer(s) | Gwilym Hughe Sakae Osumi |
Designer(s) | Travis Ryan |
Artist(s) | Dominic Hood |
Series | Sega All-Stars |
Platform(s) | |
Release | February 23, 2010 |
Genre(s) | Kart racing game |
Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
Arcade system | Sega RingWide |
Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing [lower-alpha 1] is a 2010 kart racing video game developed by Sumo Digital and published by Sega. It was released for Wii, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo DS, and Windows, [9] [10] featuring characters from multiple Sega franchises. The game is the third title in the Sega All-Stars series, preceded by Sega Superstars Tennis . A mobile version was developed by Gameloft, [11] and released for iOS in June 2011, [2] as a paid download. [12] [13] A version for OS X was released by Feral Interactive in April 2013. [9]
The game received mostly positive reviews from critics. A sequel, Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed , was released in 2012, featuring more characters and representing a wide-variety of Sega-owned franchises. [14] [15]
The game is a mascot kart racing game, similar to other games in its genre like Mario Kart , Konami Krazy Racers and Crash Team Racing . Players can choose to race as one of 20 characters from various Sega franchises such as Sonic the Hedgehog , Crazy Taxi , and Fantasy Zone . Characters race through various race circuits themed on different Sega franchises and collect power-ups to boost their speed or hamper their opponents. The items have a rock-paper-scissors effect, in which certain items can be used to defend against others. Also, on occasions when players get three of one item, they can choose to fire/activate them at the same time. Additional boost can be earned by successfully executing drifts (with longer drifts earning more boost), or performing tricks while in midair. Like Sumo's previous Sega game, Sega Superstars Tennis , each character has a special ability (called an "All-Star Move") unique to them that they may use to their advantage (such as Sonic transforming into Super Sonic and AiAi riding in his monkey ball), which they can obtain if they are running behind in the race. How long each All-Star move lasts depends on the character's current position. Due to network latency issues, All-Star Moves are not possible in online races. [16]
Vehicles are separated into 3 different categories: cars, bikes and hovercraft. As the terrain on the tracks will vary, vehicles can be either assisted or hindered by the surfaces they drive upon. Cars vary in weight and speed, with some performing better on some terrains than others. Bikes have fast acceleration and can also perform ground tricks for extra boost, but can easily be bullied by heavier vehicles. Hovercraft are not affected by any terrain and are able to perform multiple tricks after a jump, but they have poorer handling and have low acceleration. All of the vehicles also have their own specific engine sounds.
By playing through the game, players can earn Sega Miles that can be spent in the in-game shop to unlock additional content such as characters, tracks, and songs. [17] The game features a total of 24 tracks based on locations from Sonic Heroes , Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz , Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg , Jet Set Radio Future , Samba de Amigo , and The House of the Dead . [18]
There are four single player modes: Grand Prix, Single Race, Missions and Time Trials, [19] [20] [21] while modes for split-screen multiplayer, playable with up to 4 players, include Free Race, Arena, King of the Hill, Collect the Emeralds and Capture the Chao. [22] The game also has customizable multiplayer options for up to 8 players online (4 players on DS version, no online support for PC version).
The soundtrack for the game consists of various old and new tracks from the various Sonic and Sega franchises, though it also features original songs by various artists including Richard Jacques. Each course starts with one track, with more being unlocked as players earn Sega Miles. The Nintendo DS version of the game features MIDI versions of the tracks arranged by Allister Brimble and Anthony Putson of Orchestral Media Developments. [17]
Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing features 20 playable characters, 12 of which must be unlocked through gameplay. Three additional characters originating from non-Sega properties are available only on specific consoles, while two additional characters were released as paid downloadable content for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions.
Following the release of Sega Superstars Tennis , Sumo Digital decided to do a racing title, based on their experience with recent Out Run titles. In an early prototype of the game, Sonic raced on foot, Dr. Eggman rode an Eggpod with legs, Tails flew in a biplane, Amy Rose drove a car, and Gilius Thunderhead from Golden Axe rode one of the Chickenleg creatures from the game. This version, however, was reportedly not fun to play, largely due to the varying sizes between the different characters, but also because the drift mechanic wouldn't work with racers who were on foot. It was later revised so that everyone would be in cars, bikes, or modified flyers. [23] The game is also the last in the series to utilize the Sonic the Hedgehog voice cast from 4Kids Entertainment that was first introduced with the English-language release of Sonic X in 2003 (with the exception of Mike Pollock who continues to voice Dr. Eggman).
At Summer of Sonic 2009, Steve Lycett, executive producer and Travis Ryan, lead designer of Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing were present for a Q&A session. A PlayStation 3 demo was also available for attendees to play. It was identical to the Comic-Con demo. [24] On November 25, 2009, a special press event about the game was held in France, where the DS version made its playable debut. [20]
Banjo and Kazooie from the Banjo-Kazooie series appear as a playable character exclusive to the Xbox 360 version of the game, based on their appearance in Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts . [25] Sumo collaborated with Banjo-Kazooie development studio Rare for the character's inclusion, with Rare giving Sumo access to their asset library as well as designing and modeling Banjo and Kazooie's in-game vehicle. [26] The Xbox 360 version also features playable Avatars, while the Wii version includes playable Miis.
Three demos of the game were released: The first, for the Xbox 360, was released on the Xbox Live Marketplace on February 8, 2010. [27] The second, for the Nintendo DS, was released via the Nintendo Channel on February 15, 2010. [28] The third, for the PlayStation 3, was made available on the PlayStation Network Store on February 18, 2010. [29]
ToeJam & Earl were originally planned to be in Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing as a duo driving their spaceship, but Sega could not come to terms with ToeJam & Earl Productions co-founder Greg Johnson. [30] However, fans have called and mass-emailed Johnson for his characters' return. [31] [32] He has responded on the official Sega forums under the pseudonym 'Big Earl' stating "I'll give it another try and see if I can get the homies at Sega to talk again on the phone." [33] [34] He later mentioned that the duo will not be appearing in the game, since it is too late in development. [35] [36]
In its prototype form, Gilius Thunderhead from Golden Axe was a playable character who rode one of the Chickenleg monsters from the game. In his developer diary, Lycett makes it clear that this does not confirm him as a final character. [23] This is the case with Gilius, as he did not make the cut into the final roster. Lycett has also talked about Vyse from Skies of Arcadia in an interview with Gamereactor. Both Gilius and Vyse would later be playable in the game's sequel, Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed . [37] Segata Sanshiro was also considered as a possible character, riding a Sega Saturn, though he did not end up in the roster. [38] Early in development, Mario was considered as a Wii-exclusive addition, but Sega decided against it so as not to cause cross-contamination with its Mario and Sonic series. [39]
Lycett has also mentioned there will be various cameo appearances from other Sega characters who didn't make it in the playable roster. [40] Following a successful fan campaign for the character's inclusion, Nights was integrated into the game as the flagman. [41]
Producer Omar Woodley confirmed in an interview that there would be DLC for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of the game. [39] Lycett has mentioned that the Wii won't receive any DLC due to storage limits. [42] As a pre-order bonus for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions in PAL regions, an alternate version of Ryo Hazuki was made available to download in which he would drive his forklift outside his All-Star move as his standard vehicle. [43] This character was later made available for purchase on April 1, 2010. [44]
Exclusive DLC for the Xbox 360 version include a game add-on that unlocks all characters and tracks without using SEGA miles, released March 16, 2010. [45] Avatar content for the game was released on the Xbox Live Marketplace on March 25, 2010. [46] A pack containing Metal Sonic as a playable character and the "Death Egg Hangar" track, with Ristar as a cameo appearance, was officially released on the Xbox Live Marketplace on April 8, 2010, and the PlayStation Store on April 22, 2010. [47]
Aggregator | Score | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DS | iOS | PC | PS3 | Wii | Xbox 360 | |
Metacritic | 78/100 [48] | 89/100 [49] | 65/100 [50] | 77/100 [51] | 78/100 [52] | 75/100 [53] |
Publication | Score | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DS | iOS | PC | PS3 | Wii | Xbox 360 | |
Destructoid | N/A | 7/10 [54] | N/A | N/A | N/A | 7/10 [55] |
Eurogamer | N/A | N/A | N/A | 6/10 [56] | 6/10 [56] | 6/10 [56] |
Game Informer | N/A | N/A | N/A | 7.75/10 [57] | 7.5/10 [58] | N/A |
GamesMaster | 70% [59] | N/A | N/A | 83% [59] | 83% [59] | 83% [59] |
GameSpot | 8/10 [60] | N/A | N/A | 8/10 [61] | 8/10 [62] | 8/10 [63] |
GamesRadar+ | [64] | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | [65] |
IGN | 8/10 [66] | N/A | N/A | 8/10 [67] | 8/10 [67] | 8/10 [67] |
Nintendo Life | [68] | N/A | N/A | N/A | [69] | N/A |
Nintendo Power | 6/10 [70] | N/A | N/A | N/A | 8/10 [70] | N/A |
Nintendo World Report | 7.5/10 [71] | N/A | N/A | N/A | 8/10 [72] | N/A |
Pocket Gamer | [73] | [74] | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
TouchArcade | N/A | [75] | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
VideoGamer.com | N/A | 9/10 [76] | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
The game received mostly positive scores. IGN gave both the console and DS versions 8/10 each, calling it 'a clone that gets it right.' [77] [78] GameSpot also gave it 8/10, praising its responsive controls and excellent track design. [79] Kotaku called it a competent racer which evokes fond memories, although laments that the tracks and music selection don't delve as deep into Sega lore as the character roster. [80] GameTrailers gave the game 8.0 as well, praising its track design and addictive gameplay. [81] GamesMaster gave the game 83% for the console versions and 70% for the DS version, calling it 'the best kart racer on 360/PS3, but not quite the Mario Kart -beater we hoped for'. [82] Nintendo Power gave the Wii version 8/10 and the DS version 6/10. [83] Official Nintendo Magazine gave both the DS and Wii version 75%.[ citation needed ]Wiiloveit.com gave the game a 27/30 [84] calling it an "excellent kart racer", praising its "natural" drifting mechanics, the varied multiplayer modes, as well as the large amount of "fan service" that exists in the game. The online incorporation was praised, however it was also commented that it could've been stronger had there been additional modes, a stronger setup, and some sort of a ranking system. GamesRadar gave the console versions of the game 8/10, praising its pick-up-and-play fun while criticising its uninspired weapons, whereas the DS version got 7/10. [85] [86]
By March 2010, Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing had sold 1.07 million copies worldwide, on the PS3, Xbox 360, Wii and DS. [87] [88] On iOS, the game hit more than 16.7 million downloads in North America and Europe as of 2013, [89] including free downloads for a week in June 2012. [90]
At the 2012 Toy Fair in New York City, Sega revealed a new toyline based on the game and confirmed to Kotaku that a sequel was in production, to be revealed later in 2012. [14] The game was later announced as Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed , and was released for Wii U, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, and Xbox 360 in 2012, Nintendo 3DS and Microsoft Windows in 2013 and iOS and Android in 2014. [91]
Rare Limited is a British video game developer and a studio of Xbox Game Studios based in Twycross, Leicestershire. Rare's games span the platform, first-person shooter, action-adventure, fighting, and racing genres. Its most popular games include the Battletoads, Donkey Kong, and Banjo-Kazooie series, as well as games like GoldenEye 007 (1997), Perfect Dark (2000), Conker's Bad Fur Day (2001), Viva Piñata (2006), and Sea of Thieves (2018).
Sonic & Knuckles is a 1994 platform game developed and published by Sega. Players control Sonic the Hedgehog or Knuckles the Echidna in their quests to save Angel Island; Sonic tries to stop Doctor Robotnik from re-launching his orbital weapon, the Death Egg, while Knuckles scuffles with Robotnik's minion, EggRobo. Like previous Sonic games, players traverse side-scrolling levels at high speeds while collecting rings and defeating enemies.
Sonic Advance is a 2001 platform video game developed by Sonic Team and Dimps and published by Sega for the Game Boy Advance. It was the first Sonic the Hedgehog game to be released on a Nintendo console with Sonic Adventure 2: Battle on the GameCube, and was produced in commemoration of the series' tenth anniversary. The story follows Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Amy as they journey to stop Doctor Eggman from taking over the world. Controlling a character, players are tasked with completing each level, defeating Eggman and his robot army, and collecting the seven Chaos Emeralds.
Banjo-Kazooie is a platform game series developed by Rare. The games feature a male bear named Banjo and his friend, a large female red bird named Kazooie, both of whom are controlled by the player. Banjo originally made his debut as a playable character in 1997 as part of the cast of Diddy Kong Racing. Throughout the various games, they are tasked with thwarting the various evil schemes of a witch named Gruntilda. The first game, Banjo-Kazooie, was released in 1998 to critical acclaim and was followed by three sequels and a spin-off racing game.
Super Monkey Ball is a series of arcade platform video games initially developed by Amusement Vision and published by Sega. The series debuted in 2001 with the arcade game Monkey Ball, which was ported to GameCube as Super Monkey Ball later that year. Several sequels and ports have been released.
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games is a 2007 crossover sports and party game developed by the Sega Sports R&D Department. It is the first installment on the Mario & Sonic series. It was published by Nintendo in Japan and by Sega in other regions, and released on the Wii in November 2007 and the Nintendo DS handheld in January 2008. The first official video game of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games, it is licensed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) through exclusive licensee International Sports Multimedia (ISM), and is the first official crossover game to feature characters from both the Mario and Sonic the Hedgehog series.
Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood is a 2008 role-playing video game developed by BioWare and published by Sega for the Nintendo DS. It is a part of the Sonic the Hedgehog series, and is its only RPG entry. Sonic Chronicles initially focuses on the events surrounding the kidnapping of Knuckles and the disappearance of the Chaos Emeralds after the defeat of Doctor Eggman, before moving on to follow the cast of characters across two dimensions as they encounter a new ally, Shade the Echidna, and seek to stop the invasion of their world by Ix, the leader of Shade's tribe, the Nocturnus. The game is mainly played using the DS stylus, with players either exploring the overworld, or attacking with multiple characters in combat.
Sega Superstars Tennis is a sports video game developed by Sumo Digital and published by Sega. It is the second title in the Sega All-Stars series, preceded by Sega Superstars (2004), and crosses over characters, locations, and soundtracks from several Sega franchises, including Sonic the Hedgehog, Space Channel 5, and Super Monkey Ball.
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games is a 2009 sports and party game developed by Sega. Like its predecessor, it was published by Nintendo for Japan and Korea and by Sega in the Western world. The game is officially licensed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) through exclusive license International Sports Multimedia. The game is the third official crossover title to feature characters from both Mario and Sonic's respective universes, the first and second being the game's predecessor Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games and Super Smash Bros. Brawl respectively. It was released on the Wii and the Nintendo DS in October 2009, and is the first official video game of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.
Sonic Colors is a 2010 platform game published by Sega. It follows Sonic's quest to stop his nemesis Doctor Eggman from enslaving an alien race and taking over the world. The gameplay is similar to prior Sonic games, with players collecting rings and defeating enemies; the camera perspective often switches from third-person to side-scrolling perspectives. The game also introduces Wisps, power-ups the player can use to increase attack power and reach new areas.
Thor: God of Thunder is an action hack and slash video game based on the Marvel Studios film Thor. The game was developed by Liquid Entertainment and co-written by Matt Fraction. Thor: God of Thunder marks Thor's first standalone appearance in a video game and features the voices of Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston and Jaimie Alexander, who reprise their roles from the film. The game was released in 2011 for Nintendo DS, PlayStation 3, Wii, Xbox 360 and Nintendo 3DS. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of the game can be played in 3D on 3DTVs and on 2DTVs via TriOviz Inificolor 3D glasses. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were met with unfavorable reviews, while the Wii, DS, and 3DS versions were met with mixed reviews.
Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games is a 2011 crossover sports and party game developed by Sega Japan. It was published by Nintendo in Japan and Korea and by Sega elsewhere. As the third installment in the Mario & Sonic series, it was released on the Wii on 15 November 2011 in North America, 17 November 2011 in Australia, 18 November 2011 in Europe, and 8 December 2011 in Japan. It was also released for the Nintendo 3DS in February 2012. Mario & Sonic is the official video game of the 2012 Summer Olympics and is licensed by the International Olympic Committee through exclusive licensee International Sports Multimedia. The game is the only Wii title to come in a yellow keep case.
Sonic Generations is a 2011 platform game developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Windows, and Nintendo 3DS. Produced in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the Sonic the Hedgehog series, the game follows Sonic and his sidekick Tails as they form an alliance with their past selves. It features two gameplay styles: "Classic", which plays from a side-scrolling perspective like that of the original Sega Genesis Sonic games, and "Modern", 3D levels similar to those in Sonic Unleashed (2008) and Sonic Colors (2010).
Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed is a kart racing video game developed by Sumo Digital and published by Sega. It was released for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Wii U in November 2012; for PlayStation Vita in December 2012; for Windows in January 2013; for Nintendo 3DS in February 2013; and for Android and iOS devices in January 2014. The PS3 and Wii U versions of the game were released in Japan on May 15, 2014.
Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II is an episodic platform video game developed by Dimps with assistance from Sonic Team, and published digitally by Sega for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, iOS, Android, and Microsoft Windows in 2012, with ports to the Ouya and Nvidia Shield releasing in 2013. It is a sequel to Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I (2010), taking place shortly after the events of the game and following Sonic and Tails as they attempt to once again stop Doctor Eggman and a newly revived Metal Sonic from using Little Planet to power the Death Egg mk.II space station. Like its predecessor, Episode II is restricted to a 2D plane with players guiding Sonic and Tails through levels, collecting rings and rolling into enemies; collecting Chaos Emeralds also requires players to access Special Stages by ending a stage with enough rings.
Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric is a 2014 action-adventure platform video game developed by Big Red Button and published by Sega for the Wii U. Along with Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal for the Nintendo 3DS, it is a spin-off of Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog series and is a part of the Sonic Boom franchise, which also consists of an animated television series, a comic series by Archie Comics, and a toyline by Tomy. The storyline follows Sonic, Tails, Knuckles and Amy, who must stop Lyric the Last Ancient from acquiring the Chaos Crystals by powering up a robot army and wiping out all organic life, after Sonic accidentally awakens Lyric from a thousand year rest, while escaping Doctor Eggman.
Banjo & Kazooie are the protagonists of the video game series Banjo-Kazooie, created by the British developer Rare. They were introduced in the original Banjo-Kazooie (1998). Banjo is a honeybear who is accompanied by Kazooie, a bird who is often seen seeking shelter in Banjo's backpack and emerging to perform various moves and attacks. The pair's numerous adventures usually pit them against the evil witch Gruntilda.