Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed announced

[Radrappy]

this is all starting to feel kinda whorey

[G.Silver]

I think it would be sort of cool if they didn't make a Wreck-it Ralph game and instead he just showed up in a bunch of mash-up games like this (ie, Sony Smash Bros, SFxTekken, etc). But I see there's already a Wreck-it Ralph game on the way, surprise.

[Dr. BUGMAN]

How'd a Wreck-it Ralph game even work? Surely Nintendo wouldn't allow any of its IPs on a non-Nintendo console. They'd no doubt have to strip the cast down, but that'd defeat the draw of the movie!

[Rob-Bert]

Strip the cast down from what exactly? The only Nintendo-related thing in the entire movie is Bowser, and he only looks like he appears in all of two scenes. Most of the movie is Ralph jumping across a couple of generic parody game settings.

[Dr. BUGMAN]

You're basing all that on the trailers, I trust. Or are you on mickey mouse's payroll, too?

If Mario doesn't show his moustache, I'll eat my [inedible object].

[Yami CJMErl]

How'd a Wreck-it Ralph game even work? Surely Nintendo wouldn't allow any of its IPs on a non-Nintendo console. They'd no doubt have to strip the cast down, but that'd defeat the draw of the movie!

Actually...I could be wrong on this, but last I heard the Wreck-It Ralph games were going to be exclusive to Nintendo consoles.

[Gaz]

You're basing all that on the trailers, I trust. Or are you on mickey mouse's payroll, too?

If Mario doesn't show his moustache, I'll eat my [inedible object].

Actually, it's been confirmed the Mario Bros aren't in the movie.

The Q&A was pretty fun, too. John C. Reilly was there alongside director Moore and a Daisy Dukes wearing Sarah Silverman (sorry guys, but I was stuck at the very far back of the Hall and my trusty photographer isn’t on hand this year) and the first question was about any video game characters they couldn’t get the rights to.

Moore responded vaguely about a certain mustachioed plumber and his brother who wanted even MORE money. So, yeah. No Mario in the film, but as you can see in the trailer Bowser made the cut.

[Dr. BUGMAN]

Not even his face on a bridge? Lame.

[Rob-Bert]

You're basing all that on the trailers

Do you honestly really think Disney cared enough to include anything more substantial that what we see in the trailer?

[Dr. BUGMAN]

Sonic wasn't!

[Yami CJMErl]

SO HEY, Sega went and just announced some "Bonus Edition" thingamajigger. Apparently it includes an OutRun-themed track and Metal Sonic as a playable character.

[Jingles]

So, um, TF2 characters are in the game.

[Yami CJMErl]

In a game that features real-life race-car drivers and movie cameos, even THIS seems unexpected. Too bad it's only in the PC version...

[Esrever]

They've found data on the game discs for a Total War guy and a Football Manager guy, too.

Fans are annoyed because they're assuming it's on disc DLC for the console versions, but I suspect it's actually two more PC-exclusive characters that will unlock if you already own their games on Steam. (After all, what console gamer would pay for DLC of two characters from such PC-focused franchises?)

Anyhow, I've had the game since yesterday! Most Canadian retailers seemed to think the 14th was the official launch day. I gotta say, It feels like something special. All three vehicles handle beautifully (but very differently from each other, which can get confusing!), and the track designs range from great to phenomenal. Even the stages that are not especially dynamic (ie: giant portions of the track do not explode into pieces during the third lap) are loaded with alternate routes and shortcuts... many of which involve finding secret locations to switch to a faster vehicle mode early.

The game is overflowing with really smart design decisions, from big things (instant drop-in/drop-out multiplayer anywhere, at any time, in any mode of the game), to little things (requisite "fly through all the big rings" challenge stages connect the rings with a dotted line so that you're never confused about where the next ring is going to be). There's even a mode for constructing your own multiplayer cups and events. And my favourite part: you can earn alternate stat-sets (balanced, speed-focused, handling-focused, etc) for the drivers by using them and gaining XP points... no more ignoring your favourite character just because he's a heavy type and you prefer speed types or good handling types!

But one thing I will definitely say about this game: it is COMPLICATED compared to the original. Not bad or convoluted, just literally more complex. Each vehicle has it's own handling quirks to master. The boosting system is now both much, much more complicated to charge and much, MUCH more powerful than it was before. And many of the "cheap" homing items now have systems in place that allow you to dodge them with clever boosting. All this definitely pushes Transformed away from the realm of a pick-up-and-play party game like Mario Kart, and more into the realm of games like Smash Bros... games where, if you are good, that skill will be rewarded by allowing you to completely DESTROY inexperienced players. Personally, I think that was the right move, but I'm sure some people will lament the loss of that simple "kart-racer feel".

[FlashTHD]

I share the sentiment with a number of people that I was indifferent to this game until I witnessed this (spoilers). I'm still not sure I can forgive them for Danica Patrick and dubstep Splash Wave, but they have my attention now.

[Esrever]

Dubstep Splash Wave is HILARIOUS, though!

WUB WUB WUB WUB WUB

The fanservice in this thing is through the roof, honestly. But unlike the previous game, it's more in the tracks than the roster. This time around, four of the drivers are quasi-"clone" secondary characters from the already represented non-Sonic franchises, like MeeMee from Monkeyball, which means four fewer spots for new franchise representation or returning characters. So while there are still some deep-digging new characters like Vyse, Joe Mushashi and the Hornet/Tomcat/Dreamcast controller boat combo, there aren't as many overall as there were in the last game.

But unlike the last game, every single track is in a distinct environment, and aside from the three Sonic stages, every environment is drawn from a different game. I think the switch in focus is a smart one -- the tracks provide a more thorough venue for referencing SEGA history than the roster does, especially since it allows them to represent games that wouldn't really work as characters, like Outrun, After Burner, Panzer Dragoon, or Burning Rangers.

That said, I'd recommend you try the demo that just came out. I would never, NEVER recommend buying a game purely for the fan service. Transformed is a great game because it's an incredible solid and smart racer designed by a lot of very talented genre vets. The SEGA stuff is just a delightfully thorough bonus.

[Segaholic2]

I can't wait to get this game, though I think I might hold out for the PC version this time as long as they don't fuck up the online multiplayer like they did with the first game. I wish you could unlock more songs, though the new Jacques remixes are of course lovely.

[Esrever]

SEGA games get so cheap on Steam so quickly... if the online mode is good, I'm sure I'll eventually end up nabbing the game on steam to play with online friends. I have the Xbox version at the moment.

I don't actually have a gold account for the 360 because I don't really play any online console titles... but it's the only system I have four controllers for, so it's still my go-to for multiplayer games.

[Yami CJMErl]

I share the sentiment with a number of people that I was indifferent to this game until I witnessed this (spoilers). I'm still not sure I can forgive them for Danica Patrick and dubstep Splash Wave, but they have my attention now.

Even more fanservice-y than using R.O.B. in Mario Kart DS and Brawl! IMO, this makes up for the wasted opportunity of putting Danica in the Hornet.

[Crazy Penguin]

Sumo Digital would like to add some DLC characters if there's enough support. Vote Segata Sanshiro.

http://www.tssznews.com/2012/11/18/vote ... rt-as-dlc/

[Esrever]

I'd like to see Toejam and Earl, but I think they're a no go. I saw a quote from a developer saying that there was one particular set of older "long unused" SEGA characters that weren't available because the IP owner wanted too much money for them. I think it's gotta be those two. (There aren't a lot of classic SEGA characters owned by outside creators!)

That same developer also said they had, at one point, a working model of a Virtual On character for Transformed, but that they weren't able to get clearance to use them because of rights issues. What a shame!

I still wouldn't mind seeing Ristar or Vectorman, though they've said repeatedly they don't want to use him as a driver because they just look like balls when viewed from behind. Maybe they SHOULD use the dude from Rhythm Thief... the only modern-era SEGA IP that actually feels like it would fit in with all the Genesis and Dreamcast era stuff. (No offense to Mr. Football Manger or Total War guy.)

I know it's heresy, but I'd rather they didn't pick Sanshiro. I'd just like to see another obscure actual game character more than a live actor from a series of commercials. Sanshiro is fun, but I think he works better as a cameo -- and they gave him an awesome one!

[Rob-Bert]

Chuck D. Head maybe?

[Dr. BUGMAN]

ugh. Asha (& Pepe) isn't even a choice. Ristar is a very close second choice, though.

[Majestic Joey]

Poor Jacky Bryant. It's kind of funny the a character that actually is a racer has such few votes.

[Neo]

On a slightly on-topic but mostly unrelated note.

Because the original wasn't seizure-inducing enough, I guess.