SONIC & ALL-STARS RACING TRANSFORMED (WIIU)
Once an iconic platforming rival of Nintendo’s Mario, Sonic of the hedgehog variety has diversified significantly since the turn of the century, not only branching out into various genre’s and gracing different formats, but even teaming up with his former koopa-killing nemesis on occasions. This was a by-product of SEGA’s sad demise as a hardware manufacturer of course, and it resulted in haphazard results for our favourite blue spiny mammal. However, Sonic’s first outing into mascot kart racing with his old skool chums in 2010 did impress across many systems, so does the fourth SEGA Superstars entry; the second All-Stars racing title, deliver an even bigger dose of speedy hedgehog thrills and excitement? You bet your tails it does!
Giving the Wii U a nice workout in audio/visual department from the start, the pleasing vocal tones of “SEGA” rings out prompting an exhilarating introduction movie. Once concluded and leaving you gee’d up, a sense washes over you that this game is going to satisfy not only your racing hunger but also fulfil that nostalgic void for past SEGA characters. The roster is impressive, even including Disney’s fictitious anti-hero Wreck-It Ralph, and alters slightly with each version of the game. This release for example contains an unlocked Metal Sonic and Out Run themed courses; other drivers and tracks are available in their respective formats. However, this doesn’t change the core of the game, the primary modes, locations and targets, all of which are welcome additions and fill it with just the right amount of content to remain balanced. It doesn’t feel too overcrowded, but neither is it an underwhelming experience. Like modern Mario Kart titles, its lifespan can be as long as the player decides with the gameplay enjoyment being the only restriction and with a high replay value and online support to boot, things won’t get dull for a long time.
If you're gonna beat the game, that means taming 'Expert'
The aspect that highlights this longevity mostly is the level of skill required to progress in almost every game mode it has to offer, because despite having a friendly, almost childlike appearance, it’s way more difficult to get to grips with and begin to master than expected. Driving in car mode is typically straightforward to handle; very similar to Mario Kart incarnations for example, but drifting is a must if races are going to be won. Then comes the other vehicle modes, and this is where the toughness really ramps up. The boat mode provides a rather authentic feel, where the movement of the other racers and events on the water alter the trajectory of your craft. This creates a very different but enjoyable handling characteristic. The flying mode however tests the skill level of the player even more, as the controls are inverted and the speed is increased, adding to the depth and tactical adjustments. A race can be won or lost during flying sessions in this game, most notably in the Nights or Golden Axe races. Transformations happen without distraction or trouble, and also invoke a sense of trepidation at certain junctures, adding to the challenge and course adaptation.
Sonic and his chums look rather fantastic on the Wii U. The tracks are beautifully designed, themed and distinct from each other. Seldom does a glitch occur, and on the rare occasion this happens, the game will detect this and re-spawn you in a fair place quickly. During very busy or traffic-heavy sections, the Afterburner location for example, the frame rate can falter and scrolling can stutter a tad, but this doesn’t upset things hugely. It does however highlight the Wii U’s lack of grunt unfortunately. This is a pity, as the graphics overall are crisp, appropriate and vivid, and with a very user-friendly HUD it’s not daunting for a newbie or veteran to enter this style of racing.
During play, adapting to each course and their individual traits becomes something of an obsession. You may find that you can storm a race in a Sonic stage on any difficultly setting, but come completely unstuck during the Monkey Ball or brilliant Shinobi tracks. Dedication and patience is required to learn the quirks of each event, especially when the tracks start to spectacularly terraform during racing. This is a trait I adore, as it forces you to change your style on a whim, react quickly, and brings out the ‘never-say-die’ in you. You get to a point where you need to beat a certain track or complete an event, not letting the game beat you. It doesn’t dissuade you at all, just urge you on to be better.
Sonic and his chums look rather fantastic on the Wii U. The tracks are beautifully designed, themed and distinct from each other. Seldom does a glitch occur, and on the rare occasion this happens, the game will detect this and re-spawn you in a fair place quickly. During very busy or traffic-heavy sections, the Afterburner location for example, the frame rate can falter and scrolling can stutter a tad, but this doesn’t upset things hugely. It does however highlight the Wii U’s lack of grunt unfortunately. This is a pity, as the graphics overall are crisp, appropriate and vivid, and with a very user-friendly HUD it’s not daunting for a newbie or veteran to enter this style of racing.
During play, adapting to each course and their individual traits becomes something of an obsession. You may find that you can storm a race in a Sonic stage on any difficultly setting, but come completely unstuck during the Monkey Ball or brilliant Shinobi tracks. Dedication and patience is required to learn the quirks of each event, especially when the tracks start to spectacularly terraform during racing. This is a trait I adore, as it forces you to change your style on a whim, react quickly, and brings out the ‘never-say-die’ in you. You get to a point where you need to beat a certain track or complete an event, not letting the game beat you. It doesn’t dissuade you at all, just urge you on to be better.
Synonymous with all Sonic games is a decent, captivating soundtrack, and S&ASRT does not disappoint. A catchy, techno theme tune starts things off to a high standard, and then we are treated to various remixed versions of music taken from the games the tracks are based on. The Shinobi, Burning Rangers and in particular the Golden Axe stages host excellent re-imaginations of their respective themes, feeding the nostalgic gamer in you and bringing a wide grin to the face. Newcomers will like it too, as it breathes fresh, modern beats into the game with ease. A hyped, echoing voice-over provides a neat and helpful addition to game menus and in-game information. Although each character has their own voice too during the races, their vocabulary is somewhat limited and does tend to repeat which can become irritating. This is easily overlooked, not in the slightest downgrading the quality of the music and SFX.
It’s nice to play a kart racer that doesn’t lift massive chunks of gameplay and ideas from other similar titles, bringing its own individual brand of ingredients to the chefs table. The transformation and terraforming aspects of this rather smart SEGA hall of fame title make it a class act racing game, staying true to what Sonic games should be all about, invigorating and rapid. The Wii U puts in a great performance to showcase this, the makes it an essential additional to any racing fans collection. With fine visuals, excellent sounds and challenging, intuitive gameplay, it’s a title I fully recommend to all gamers and one that SEGA fans will go cock-a-hoop for. Sonic is famed for his speed and coolness, and with this you get that taken to the maximum. It’s not without small problems, but in my book it carries the All-Star name capably; one of the best modern kart racers your golden rings could buy.
It’s nice to play a kart racer that doesn’t lift massive chunks of gameplay and ideas from other similar titles, bringing its own individual brand of ingredients to the chefs table. The transformation and terraforming aspects of this rather smart SEGA hall of fame title make it a class act racing game, staying true to what Sonic games should be all about, invigorating and rapid. The Wii U puts in a great performance to showcase this, the makes it an essential additional to any racing fans collection. With fine visuals, excellent sounds and challenging, intuitive gameplay, it’s a title I fully recommend to all gamers and one that SEGA fans will go cock-a-hoop for. Sonic is famed for his speed and coolness, and with this you get that taken to the maximum. It’s not without small problems, but in my book it carries the All-Star name capably; one of the best modern kart racers your golden rings could buy.
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VERDICT
Visual: 8/10
Audio: 9/10 Gameplay: 8/10 Longevity: 9/10 OVERALL: 8/10 |