Sonic and Sega All-Stars Racing Review

While Nintendo aficionados have been able to satisfy their diminutive racing urges with the illustrious Mario Kart franchise, owners of other consoles might have to travel back to 1998’s Crash Team Racing to unearth a proficient example of a kart racer. From Speed Freaks, Furious Karting to Madagascar Kartz, each iteration of Sony and Microsoft hardware has been swamped with tedious entries into the genre.

After playing the Xbox 360 demo of Sonic and SEGA All-Stars Racing, and experiencing the games uneven framerate and unpolished drifting mechanic, I assumed the final product was yet another entry into the mounting pool of karting tedium. Luckily, I was wrong- the retail version displays none of the blemishes of the earlier build, and proudly stands as the best casual racing diversion to be found on current-gen systems.

For better or worse, All-Stars Racing sticks closely to genre tenets. From vigilant throttling for a robust take-off, an array of defense and offensive measures, and a powerslide mechanic that offers a speed boost to dexterous drivers, the title will seem immediately familiar to kart racing veterans. Within a few laps, players will realize that the game exhibits a level of proficiency not typically seen outside of Mario’s adrenaline-fueled exploits. Each of the title’s vehicles handles flawlessly, allowing player to navigate the most treacherous courses with relative ease. As gamers careen around corners, a quick tap of the left bumper initiates a wieldy powerslide. If racers maintain the drift, they’ll fill a multi-stage boost, which can be used to rocket into an approaching straightaway, and pass any nearby competitors.

All-Stars Racing surpasses its challengers in the quality and quantity of content. Each of the game’s twenty-four tracks is well designed, and brilliantly incorporates recognized Sega motifs- from Super Monkey Ball’s ninety-degree turns, the speed and pinball-like ricochets of Sonic’s Casino Zones and even the dark forebodings of the House of the Dead franchise. Sega’s twenty- character roster also deserves commendation; some of the more obscure contestants are certain to delight gamers familiar with the publisher’s oeuvre.

Fortunately, the title’s faults are gratifyingly scarce. While the game’s lowest challenge level is subdued enough for younger gamers to enjoy, those with average reflexes are likely to find All-Stars Racing’s next two tiers nearly prohibitively demanding. Although the title’s offers splitscreen competitive multiplayer modes to complement its robust single races, Grands Prix, and absorbing missions, the battles lack a bit of verve. Notably absent from the game is any kind of cooperative facet.

Visually, the game dazzles with the shimmer of a fastidiously polished Chaos Emerald. Each track is exquisitely detailed with sharp textures and vibrant hues. Players can easily discern each uneven plank used along the Sonic-inspired track’s wooden curves, and even breakaway railings with a wayward offensive shot. Jet Set Radio’s Shibuya cityscapes are filled with clusters of divergent skyscrapers and collections of LCD screens hawking faux-Japanese products. The Samba De Amigo stages are bursting with vibrant celebration, as players wiz past swaths of swaying characters. While the framerate is typically fluid, occasionally a short-lived stumble can occur, although it’s seldom bad enough to hamper the action.