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Mario Kart wasn't the only solid racer at the Gamers' Summit—Sega displayed a GameCube demo build of Sonic Riders on the second day.

Sonic Riders is very reminiscent of F-Zero GX. Characters race on hover boards (or in Eggman's case, a motorcycle) in fast-paced races through winding courses of jumps and cliffs. Players move primarily with the control stick, both on and off their boards. Races start with the characters dashing on foot to the starting line, guarded by an electric fence. Players must time their sprint to cross the starting line after the timer hits "00." Cross prematurely and you'll get stunned for roughly two seconds. The start mechanism is roughly equivalent to Mario Kart's super/stupid start mechanic but is far more intuitive.

Once on the board, players can perform power slides using R and L, which behave similarly to those of Mario Kart (SNES). The characters and boards I chose were very maneuverable, though surely Eggman was more sluggish than Sonic or Tails. Players may hold B for a boost of speed. The speed boost depletes your air (power) meter, which may be refilled through simple midair tricks (consisting of tilting or rotating the analog stick). Riding jet streams scattered through the courses also boosts your speed, often providing opportunities for tricks. If the character depletes the air meter, he will be forced to run on foot, lowering his top speed.

Like any good Sonic or racing game, Sonic Riders provides an excellent sense of speed. Winding tracks and a silky-smooth framerate provide the intense pacing not even the "real" Sonic games sustain. The demo featured two courses: one easier and harder. The easier course, located in a bright, futuristic city, reminded me of Big Blue from F-Zero GX. Sonic and Co. dash through glass tunnels, giant ramps, and perpendicular traffic. Flight rings (from Tails' stages in Sonic Adventure) high above the course provide shortcuts for those with mad ramp skills. I remember the windier hard track less vividly, which seemed to take place in a dark jungle.

Sonic Riders does include items. Collecting rings augments a character's skills, increasing their power meter and various statistics. Item boxes do not play a prominent role, but they can supply bonus rings or weapons. I only saw one weapon—a ball and chain that swings around the character. The weapon triggered immediately, but I was unsure if this was a result of habitually and unnecessarily holding A.

I expected nothing from Sonic Riders and walked away impressed. Its edgier F-Zero style and controls befit the franchise, offering enough tweaks to the formula to stand out from the crowd. Sega finally has a commendable Sonic racing game.