Sonic and friends return to the racing genre in a new game that features online play, and special power-ups and weapons.
Sonic the Hedgehog is no stranger to racing games, having appeared in Sonic R on the Saturn and the Sonic Riders series. Today, Sega revealed that Sonic is ready to race again in the new game, Sonic & SEGA All-Star Racing, which is slated to appear on all major platforms including Wii and DS.
A lot of familiar faces will be appearing in the title, including Amigo, Super Monkey Ball's AiAi, Tails, and Dr. Robotnik. Each selectable character will have a custom vehicle that can be anything from a banana mobile to an airplane. Players will need to look out for hidden shortcuts, and carefully use weapons and power-ups to be the first across the finish line.
To help players who are trailing far behind, the game will feature All-Star Moves like Banana Blitz, Tails Tornado, and Super Sonic. In addition, multiplayer action can be had in either the eight player online mode or at home with four player split-screen mayhem.
It is currently unknown if the game is being developed internally at Sega, or by a company like Sumo Digital, who worked on Sega Superstars Tennis and the home ports of the OutRun series.
Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing is scheduled for release in 2010. A new trailer is embedded below:
Announcing Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing
EVERYBODY’S Super Sonic Racing… or they soon will be. We’ve just announced a new title coming to PS3, 360, Wii and DS in 2010 - Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing.
In a frantic battle to the chequered flag, Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing sees Sonic and friends speed around tracks set in mediaeval castle ramparts, lush rainforests and bustling cities, all taken from the visually rich and varied universes of Sonic and SEGA. Fan favourites such as Dr. Eggman, Tails, AiAi, Amigo and many more will join Sonic in their custom built vehicles, revving their engines and jostling to stay ahead of the pack. Each character will race around the track in cars, planes, motorbikes, and in AiAi’s case - a banana mobile! Secret short cuts, swift handling and avoiding strategically placed obstacles are certainly the best way to get to the top of the podium.
"Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing is no ordinary racing game. Its huge variety of characters and vehicles, plus the ability to play both online and off set it apart from other games of this type" commented Gary Knight European Marketing Director, SEGA Europe Ltd. "The team have pushed the boundaries on what you would normally expect and created a different and unique party racing title whereby you really can’t take anything for granted!"
And winning is only part of the fun in Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing! Each character has a specific All Star move such as Super Sonic, Banana Blitz and Tails Tornado, allowing a quick way for competitors to get back into the race! Power ups and weapons can also be collected around the tracks and used against the opposition to ensure they don’t become a threat to that number one position… Players can battle it out in single or multiplayer mode, allowing up to four friends to race in frantic split-screen action, or up to eight players to compete online in the ultimate racing showdown.