Sonic Riders!

[Gaz]

Just when you thought things couldn't any worse...

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 a Winter 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.

http://cube.ign.com/articles/648/648549p1.html

[Popcorn]

Now THAT'S exciting!

[Lizard]

Storm the Albatross? Jet the Hawk? Web the fucking Swallow?

Doesn't Sega have enough characters already? Or is it that Yuji Uekawa doesn't have anything better to do at work than creating Sonic characters all day?

[big_smile]

I'm surprised that Sega have another Sonic game planned for 2005. I didn't think the Japanese market would be strong enough to support three new Sonic games in one season.

The idea of a Sonic racing game has so much potential, so it's a shame that Sonic Team have opted for an 'extreme' air boarding game. If the series is popular enough to be able to cope with three new games in a single season, then surely Sonic Team must have the market leeway needed to produce something that is new and innovative as opposed to simply following popular fads.

^_^

[Esrever]

Maybe this will be good!

HAHAHAHAHAHA



"Hey, Sonic, do you ever feel... NOT so extreme?"

[Ngangbius]

First thing that came to mind when I read the description of Sonic Riders was Kirby's Air Ride. =/

...Great Googly Moogly...

[Green Gibbon!]

Maybe it'll have an Eggman shower scene!

[Delphine]

Air is a big element of Sonic Riders. Your board's "fuel" source is air.

...no.

You can fill up your air at various points on the course

No.

but to race well you'll have to use another means of replenishment: performing tricks with your board.

NO.

[Professor Machenstein]

I hoping this isn't Sonic Next. I'm told it will be for PS2, Gamecube and Xbox. Reading the end of the first paragraph, this seems to be the first Sonic title made by UGA and not SONICTEAM. As for the new characters, call me crazy but I'm glad to actually have some bird characters for a change outside of Bean or Badoru Kukku. That's also the reason I like Doom's Eye, because he's a monster/alien character and not a furry mammal character like Cream or Blaze, so it doesn't really piss me off much. Let's hope it's F-Zero GX with Sonic characters on jet-boards.

... At least we're not getting Sonic Shuffle 2... Right...?

[Esrever]

The real question is: which game will be worse? On the one hand, we Grand Theft Shadow packing oversized, poorly rendered heat. But on the other hand, we have Web the Swallow.

It's a tough call.

[Professor Machenstein]

What about four-poly Blaze the Cat?

[JessicaPadkin]

I fear that not even an Eggman shower scene could redeem this.

I don't believe that there's anyone at Sonic Team who actually has any passion for videogames any more. Doesn't this all sound like a fat middle-aged businessman's idea of what's <i>cool</i> with the hip young kids?

[Professor Machenstein]

I cannot wait until Frieza2000 sees this. He's going to have a field day with this one. Series over, right?

[Crazy Penguin]

Splash Canyon, Egg Factory, Green Cave and Sandy Ruin

And who said originality was dead!

[Baba O'Reily]

...including Sonic the Hedgehog, Knuckles the Echidna, Storm the Albatross, Jet the Hawk, Miles "Tails" Prower and Web the Swallow, have decided to compete.

...sadly, the anticipated musical acts Mott the Hoople and Toad the Wet Sprocket will not be able to attend.

[Professor Machenstein]

The real question is: which game will be worse? On the one hand, we Grand Theft Shadow packing oversized, poorly rendered heat. But on the other hand, we have Web the Swallow.

It's a tough call.

Blaze the Angstcat Riders.

[G.Silver]

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.

That actually sounds like a rather cool and original basis for a racing game. I would be intrigued by this even if it didn't have Sonic attached to it.

When exactly has Sonic ever not been extreme? It was pretty "extreme" in 1991 when an edgy-looking blue hedgehog was able to run through 360 degree loops in 2D. It was pretty "extreme" when he shot himself out of a cannon, landed on a snowboard, and slid down a mountain. It was pretty "extreme" when his eyes turned green and he started brandishing a creepy grin and his limbs got all bendy, and then he got arrested, jumped out of helicopter, and then shredded all over what appears to be San Francisco on a board-shaped piece of scrap metal.

Sonic is a pretty extreme dude, even when you capitalize the X.

We should also not hold any use of the word "extreme" by a Japanese source to connotate the same kind of "ruined looney tunes characters" that it does in the US. I believe we still have those things called "extreme sports" (wince all you like), so there you go.

[Gwilym]

But why the hell are they on boards when you know, they can all run super fast? Same thing could be said about drift - but cars are better than boards in any case.

And the secret to being extreme is that you never ever use the word 'extreme' under any circumstances whatsoever.

[Professor Machenstein]

When exactly has Sonic ever not been extreme? It was pretty "extreme" in 1991 when an edgy-looking blue hedgehog was able to run through 360 degree loops in 2D. It was pretty "extreme" when he shot himself out of a cannon, landed on a snowboard, and slid down a mountain. It was pretty "extreme" when his eyes turned green and he started brandishing a creepy grin and his limbs got all bendy, and then he got arrested, jumped out of helicopter, and then shredded all over what appears to be San Francisco on a board-shaped piece of scrap metal.

Not to forget grinding on rails directly above the Earth's atomosphere using a specific brand of shoes. I don't know if we should count Sky Chase Zone, but listening to its BGM, it doesn't feel so eXtreme. But I have seen old footage of real life people surfing on bi-planes.

[Ritz]

But why the hell are they on boards when you know, they can all run super fast? Same thing could be said about drift - but cars are better than boards in any case.

Well, if they were running, the whole air gimmick wouldn't apply.

But still, when I heard "Sonic Riders", I thought "COOL SONIC R 2". You know what? I'm gonna go slit my cock.

[Esrever]

I don't think Shadow's game will ever be able to compete with the angst on this board.

Who knows? Maybe this game will be OK. The mechanics do sound somewhat interesting. But even so, the odds are not in our favour here. All mascot racers are guilty until proven innocent.

[Protodude]

Even though they could just run, the idea of airboards doesn't bug me as much as the three new characters. I mean, a spider? A hawk? A fucking albatross, whatever the hell that is? Still, the idea at least sounds better than Shadow The Hedgehog.

[Crazy Penguin]

But why the hell are they on boards when you know, they can all run super fast? Same thing could be said about drift - but cars are better than boards in any case.

Putting Sonic in a car is probably the worst thing that's been done with the character. Whilst an on-foot racer would've been the most fitting approach I think this air-boarding idea could work, Sonic as a character always seemed right at home snowboarding, sandboarding and street boarding.

I hope the boards are something akin to Marty McFly's hoverboard, something that keeps the focus on Sonic and leaves him in control, rather than large and overpowering rocket platforms.

[Omni Hunter]

Agreed, maybe somehow akin to the boarding levels in SA and SA2, but not going all down hill. Heck, if they could fit in tricks too for points etc. then I'd be pretty happy.

[Radrappy]

I want to see screen shots before making any judgements.