It's not everyday that the world's most famous blue hedgehog trades in his running shoes for an air board. Sonic is known for his unstoppable footwork; his ability to collect rings at NASCAR speeds while running rings around his goofy adversaries. He's the king of organic environments, traversing corkscrews faster than two-wheeler from Extreme-G. The animal kingdom regards him as their savior – instead of spending their lives trapped in circular tanks, birds, squirrels and other woodland creatures can roam freely thanks to Sonic, who graciously took a minute away from his busy schedule to press the release button on top.

Today is the dawn of a new era for the speedy one, as an enemy emerges with new technology. This technology – an aerodynamic vehicle that's as dynamic as a skateboard and as slick as a hovercraft – gives the enemy an aerial edge. What's a blue hedgehog (and a yellow/orange fox, for that matter) to do?

They grab air boards of their own and take off after the enemy. What happens next could take Sonic from superhero to super racing champion.



At first glance Sonic Riders looks familiar. Sonic R, the little-known racing game released for the Sega Saturn, is the first game that comes to mind. SSX and Tony Hawk are undoubtedly the second and third games that appear to be similar. Sega wasn't kidding when they said that Sonic Rider was not designed to be like those games. In fact, they've gone to great lengths to make it different from every other extreme sports game on the planet.

Given the instantly satisfying appeal of Sonic's video games, I went into Sonic Riders expecting to be instantly transported to a ridiculously fast, enormously entertaining world. My expectations came to a screeching halt when I wrapped my hands around the controller for the first time. As bad luck would have it, SSX and Tony Hawk are easy to pick up and play. To be different, you've either got to develop something entirely new, or go in the opposite direction. Sonic Riders chose the latter.

Consequently, the first race is excruciatingly difficult. The controls felt stiff, steering was awkward at best, and the speed factor – something everyone looks forward to in a new Sonic game – just wasn't there. Sonic Riders succeeded in being different from its so-called competitors. It also succeeded in being completely different from the most popular mascot racer, Mario Kart. But as a Sonic game it didn't quite achieve the massive, mainstream appeal the series built its success on.

A few hours of testing out different characters began to bring the blurry picture into focus. Sonic Riders is a simple game that's complex. How can a game be both? If you had asked me that last year I wouldn't have had an answer, but now it's clear that to be challenging, the developers felt the game needed to be complex. In this situation that means short levels with unusual designs, difficult steering mechanisms (even with different boards), and a limited turbo boost that never fails to be the deciding factor in a close race.



The largest barrier preventing gamers from jumping in and having fun is the controls. It's not easy to get used to them. You'll expect light taps and sensitive pressure to result in light turns and easy steering. The air boards are a bit on the, uhh, airy side, and are not easy to manipulate. New boards can be purchased with rings collected during each race. Whether they improve on speed, turning radius, or another element doesn't matter as much as the element they degrade. I could have the fastest board on the track and end up in eighth place because it didn't have any traction. Granted, air boards can't grip a surface, but some are more effective at maneuvering in and out of tight spots than others.

Sharp turns, which are usually an easy task in extreme sports games, are made difficult with the air board's lack of resistance when turning quickly. The R1 button must be held down to turn sharply; otherwise you'll hit the outer wall. However, if you hold R1 and start turning too quickly, you're likely to hit the inner wall. It's an imperfect situation. This aspect is a little easier to get used to than some of the others, but it's bound to frustrate even the most skilled players at least once.

When you crash, fall off a ledge, or get spun around in reverse, everything you've worked for is thrown out the window. Though not impossible, it is very, very hard to recover from a major loss. First place doesn't seem that hard to obtain while in second or third, but what happens if you're in first, get spun around (a frequent occurrence in courses with too many U-turns), and drop to eighth place? The chances of you recovering are slim to none. Second or third, maybe. First place, unfortunately, isn't likely at all.

As hard as it may be to believe, Sonic Riders isn't that challenging of a game. Its levels are cool but lack excitement. That could be attributed to the lack of speed, a factor that had heavily impacted the game from the start. I suppose that's why I often lost interest in single-player races. The bonuses (new boards, characters, etc.) didn't entice me as much as silky-smooth, lightning-quick gameplay would have. My lack of interest could explain why I lost so frequently, and why it took me more than a few hours to comprehend the unconventional racing style.



On the other hand, when I was engaged in the experience and gave it my all, I still found myself running into walls. Not just the in-game walls, but also in the difficulty's lack of stability. Scenario A: I win the first two races in the world cup. The game ups its ante and I get third place on the next, and fourth or worse on the final two. Latter courses should be more difficult, but it contradicts Scenario B: I lose the first two races (anything below third place), and seem to, for no apparent reason, have an easier time getting second place on the third race. I then go onto win first place in the last two races.

Unstable opponents make this matter worse. Typically a racing game has one or two AI-controlled leaders that are randomly selected at the start of the cup. They'll battle it out for first and second every time, only failing when you step in and take the top spot. Sonic Riders dares to be different once more by randomizing the leaders every race. The unfortunate consequence is that they are likely to perform as badly as you. You'll get third place twice, and – how in the world? – four or five of your opponents will wind up with the same point total. It's as if everyone takes a turn getting a different place. That's not fairness, and it doesn't make the game feel less cheap. Frequent wins do not equal satisfaction, but frequent losses can and do cause frustration.



Sonic Riders isn't entirely disappointing, but you'll have a hard time getting the most out of it. The rewarding elements are buried under frustrating mechanics and unstable gameplay that doesn't relent. It's worth a rental, but not if you're impatient, and certainly not if you're used to mascot racers that are easy to learn, and only moderately difficult to master.


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