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SONIC DRIFT (GG)
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Publisher: SEGA.
Developer: SEGA AM2. Released: March 1994 (Japan). Genre: Racing. Posted 7th December 2020. By Tom Clare © 2020 |
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Ask most gamers about Sonic the Hedgehog’s first racing game and chances are you’ll be met with two different responses. The younger end of the market will jump in with the blue speedster’s best and most successful example: SEGA & Sonic All-Stars Racing. Those who remember SEGA’s leaner times are quick to correct them: reminding the whipper-snappers of divisive on-foot racer Sonic R, which debuted on the Saturn more than a decade earlier. If you ever find yourself embroiled in this most unlikely of gaming conversations, you can at least take solace in the knowledge they’re both wrong.
That honour instead falls to the long-forgotten portable outing Sonic Drift. A foray into Super Mario Kart territory during what was a golden period for the blue hedgehog, as SEGA looked to branch out into new genres in an attempt to cement Sonic as their go-to figurehead. Gaming is often as fascinating for the titles we didn’t get, and the elephant in the room here is the fact that, despite appearing a tantalising prospect for fans and an undeniably appetising exclusive for Game Gear owners, it was destined not to release outside of its native Japan.
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Sonic Drift looks nice and has a decent turn of pace, but things start to get dodgy in the corners.
Quietly, it was announced in the magazines around mid-1994 that SEGA had opted not to localise Sonic Drift in the west, owing to concerns over its quality. Perhaps inevitably, the decision lead to a degree of disappointment and consternation in the immediate aftermath. In hindsight, however, it was the correct decision. Not because the game is broken, as-such; it’s just a bit of a non-entity. This is especially strange given the involvement of Yu Suzuki’s AM2 development house. Arriving two years after the game-changing Super Mario Kart, Drift comes nowhere close to emulating Nintendo’s efforts. Furthermore, it fares poorly against earlier 8-bit racers.
Sonic Drift flatters to deceive with excellent presentation, colourful visuals and a decent turn of pace. The opening attract screen looks great, as does the pitboard-themed title screen. Clean, pretty and easy-to-navigate menus, entirely in English, set the tone. Sonic’s trademark bursts of bright colour dominate the tracks, with the top portion of the screen displaying a handy track map. This helps players learn the routes whilst also allowing you to keep an eye on the opposition.
Sonic Drift flatters to deceive with excellent presentation, colourful visuals and a decent turn of pace. The opening attract screen looks great, as does the pitboard-themed title screen. Clean, pretty and easy-to-navigate menus, entirely in English, set the tone. Sonic’s trademark bursts of bright colour dominate the tracks, with the top portion of the screen displaying a handy track map. This helps players learn the routes whilst also allowing you to keep an eye on the opposition.
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There are three tournaments, each consisting of six quick-fire races, which last around a minute each. They’re based, in appearance at least, on six of the original Sonic the Hedgehog’s iconic level locations, including Green Hill, Marble, Star Light and Scrap Brain zones, though in truth, it would be a stretch to claim that any of them evoke the feel or spirit of the settings they purport to represent. The four playable characters feature a better variety of attributes. Tails and Amy Rose are ideal for beginners as they deliver solid all-round characteristics. For those after a sterner test, Sonic is a super-speedy but trickier to control, whilst Robotnik proves a real handful in his adapted Eggmobile which is not especially well-suited to narrow, twisty kart tracks.
Why does Sonic Drift fail to convert its potential into a compelling racer? Its problems stem from an absence of identity. It offers precious little in the way of new ideas, whilst its circuits feel featureless and the racing lacks character or excitement. There’s no depth, and the by-product of this is a paucity of long-term appeal. Vehicle handling is suspect and the way the action scrolls in corners is just awful. You’ll feel the karts lurching towards the outside of the tracks, long before you’ve identifiably reached a corner. This makes judging sequences of corners unnecessarily troublesome, and the racing often feels quiet and artificial.
Why does Sonic Drift fail to convert its potential into a compelling racer? Its problems stem from an absence of identity. It offers precious little in the way of new ideas, whilst its circuits feel featureless and the racing lacks character or excitement. There’s no depth, and the by-product of this is a paucity of long-term appeal. Vehicle handling is suspect and the way the action scrolls in corners is just awful. You’ll feel the karts lurching towards the outside of the tracks, long before you’ve identifiably reached a corner. This makes judging sequences of corners unnecessarily troublesome, and the racing often feels quiet and artificial.
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Tracks lack distinguishing features, and the layouts are unmemorable
The backgrounds provide the only means of distinction amidst eighteen entirely forgettable layouts. Power-ups feel gimmicky and inconsequential to the racing, consisting of a speed boost, invincibility and a bounce-pad, presumably for leap-frogging opponents. Each of the four racers has a special power-up, but they all seem like an after-thought, adding nothing to the races.
It isn’t all bad. The frenetic music proves a considerable highlight, managing to fit not only the series’ distinctive style but the racing as well. There are some really good tunes. Whilst the three tournaments are unlikely to challenge players for long, there’s a two-player link option and a free run option that allows you a quick burn around any of the courses.
Looking back, Sonic Drift seems like a significant missed opportunity. The Game Gear was capable of mustering some fantastic 8-bit experiences, but for whatever reason, AM2’s racer feels retrograde, missing Sonic’s radical, adventurous brand of design. The end result is a poor kart racer that can’t hold a candle to Super Mario Kart, even coming off second-best next to the Game Gear’s ageing Outrun and Super Monaco GP ports. An unusual curio for what might have been, but one that’s best left to the archives.
It isn’t all bad. The frenetic music proves a considerable highlight, managing to fit not only the series’ distinctive style but the racing as well. There are some really good tunes. Whilst the three tournaments are unlikely to challenge players for long, there’s a two-player link option and a free run option that allows you a quick burn around any of the courses.
Looking back, Sonic Drift seems like a significant missed opportunity. The Game Gear was capable of mustering some fantastic 8-bit experiences, but for whatever reason, AM2’s racer feels retrograde, missing Sonic’s radical, adventurous brand of design. The end result is a poor kart racer that can’t hold a candle to Super Mario Kart, even coming off second-best next to the Game Gear’s ageing Outrun and Super Monaco GP ports. An unusual curio for what might have been, but one that’s best left to the archives.
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VERDICT
"The Game Gear was capable of fantastic 8-bit experiences, but for whatever reason, AM2’s racer feels retrograde, missing Sonic’s radical, adventurous brand of design. An unusual curio for what might have been, but one that’s best left to the archives." OVERALL: 4/10 |