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This thread has been linked to the game 'Sonic and the Secret Rings'.
Let’s face it. Sonic has struggled making the leap into 3D. Since Sonic Adventure the series has seen its ups and downs. Sonic Heroes and Sonic Riders offered a fun enough experience yet Shadow the Hedgehog and Sonic the Hedgehog for the Xbox 360 was truly terrible. Bottom line is the blue hedgehog has been in some questionable games and it had started to look bleak for the poor rodent. However the Wii version looks set to breathe new life into the once dying hero.
The story takes a new direction from previous games taking place inside the Arabian Nights story book. Sonic falls asleep and wakes up only to find its pages being erased by the evil genie Erazor and with the help of the lovely Shahra he enters the book to restore the stories of the book. It’s a simple tale and is played out through still images much like a real book that isn’t as great as proper videos but gets the job done.
What separates this game from any other 3D Sonic game is that it’s now on rails rather than a free roaming adventure. You’re on a set path constantly running forward and the only movement you have is left and right and jumping done by tilting the remote and pressing the “2” button respectively. While it may seem very limited you forget that that is what Sonic games are all about. Speed and action. Throughout the eight levels you’ll come across large jumps, huge spikey balls and waves of evil genies, but also you’ll face obstacles that take advantage of the Wii remote. For example flying pots require you to shake the control up and down in order to flap its wings. The homing attack also makes a return only to pull it off this time you need to thrust the remote forward. Controlling Sonic will seem odd at first but after a few plays you’ll get used to it. If there’s one flaw with the new system however it’s that if you miss something and want to retreat you need to flip the remote upside down. Now this wouldn’t be a problem, but the camera remains behind you preventing you seeing any enemies approaching and taking unnecessary damage. It’s a shame as more often than not you’ll overshoot rings or enemies that are essential to completing missions in a certain time.
As you progress through the story you will travel to eight different settings ranging from an oasis and jungle to flying ruins and a palace. Each stage has around twelve missions to complete and these include simply finishing the level, collecting 100 rings, finishing a stage in a certain time and even avoiding all enemies. The challenges can vary wildly and sometimes you’ll find some objectives a breeze while others a real pain due to their trial and error nature which may annoy gamers who simply can’t get thorough a mission after trying time after time. Also preferably a larger selection of levels would have been appreciated as you’ll see every setting the game has to offer in around six hours, but still the missions ensure there’s still a lot to do. Those of you who worry about repeating the same level again and again shouldn’t as each mission focuses on a different area of the world and even takes alternate, undiscovered routes meaning you’ll more than likely see something new every time.
New to the Sonic series is a levelling up system that allows the blue hedgehog to gain new powers from a selection of over 100. Every time you complete a mission you gain experience points and when you reach a certain amount you go up a level unlocking new moves and enabling Sonic to hold more of them. It’s very much like an RPG and oddly enough it’s a great element that fits into the game well. The moves are also vital in order to get through certain missions and obtain the gold medals. You’ll come across subtle abilities that increase your speed, jump and braking but also moves like being able to backflip when you walk backwards and also sliding into enemies. One problem players may find with this system however, is that right from the start Sonic will be fairly slow and lack many abilities that need to be unlocked later in the game. Some abilities should have been obtainable right from the beginning as the first half hour may seem too slow for some.
Upon completing certain missions you’ll unlock pages in the “special book” which serves as a scrapbook full of artwork, music and other random videos. Getting everything will take ages and while some entries like ranking names showing your accomplishments aren’t that great, the artwork and videos are. This will definitely keep hardcore fans playing so as to unlock absolutely everything.
Overall the single player can be completed in around eight hours beating the final boss, but grabbing every single gold medal, fire soul and special move will take a long time.
Alongside the main adventure Sega have also included a multiplayer party addition where you and three others can battle it out in a selection of different mini game modes. It can be great fun and is basically a lighter version of Mario Party. Modes available range from treasure hunting where the idea is to find rings, vases and coins to a boat race where the more games you win the further you sail.
Now the mini games are your simple Mario Party style affair using just the Wii remote. You will use the control as a paddle for canoeing, a crossbow, mirror and just about anything else possible and while some of the games work really well and make for some competitive events, others aren’t as fun and have trouble reading your movements. However as an extra to the main game no one can really be complaining about this fun addition even if it’s got its fair share of dull points.
Sonic and the Secret Rings has some of the best visuals on the Wii yet and right from the starting level with its shimmering water and open dunes to the sparkling glass of later levels there’s hardly a dodgy area in view. Now the music is something completely different. It’s the usual cheesy rock selection with American vocals in most levels and for some it may grow on you and you’ll learn to live with it, yet others will just simply be appalled by it and never like it. The voiceovers also leave a lot to be desired and what doesn’t help is the awful script involving the most cringe worthy pinky swear in the world.
Sonic and the Secret Rings offers a slightly flawed yet extremely fun single player experience and while it can get extremely frustrating at points which may put some off, but get past this you’ll find a really fast and rewarding game. What more the multiplayer is a nice distraction with friends and there’s also a ton to unlock too. Finally Sonic has found his feet again and it’s on the Wii.
83%
The story takes a new direction from previous games taking place inside the Arabian Nights story book. Sonic falls asleep and wakes up only to find its pages being erased by the evil genie Erazor and with the help of the lovely Shahra he enters the book to restore the stories of the book. It’s a simple tale and is played out through still images much like a real book that isn’t as great as proper videos but gets the job done.
What separates this game from any other 3D Sonic game is that it’s now on rails rather than a free roaming adventure. You’re on a set path constantly running forward and the only movement you have is left and right and jumping done by tilting the remote and pressing the “2” button respectively. While it may seem very limited you forget that that is what Sonic games are all about. Speed and action. Throughout the eight levels you’ll come across large jumps, huge spikey balls and waves of evil genies, but also you’ll face obstacles that take advantage of the Wii remote. For example flying pots require you to shake the control up and down in order to flap its wings. The homing attack also makes a return only to pull it off this time you need to thrust the remote forward. Controlling Sonic will seem odd at first but after a few plays you’ll get used to it. If there’s one flaw with the new system however it’s that if you miss something and want to retreat you need to flip the remote upside down. Now this wouldn’t be a problem, but the camera remains behind you preventing you seeing any enemies approaching and taking unnecessary damage. It’s a shame as more often than not you’ll overshoot rings or enemies that are essential to completing missions in a certain time.
As you progress through the story you will travel to eight different settings ranging from an oasis and jungle to flying ruins and a palace. Each stage has around twelve missions to complete and these include simply finishing the level, collecting 100 rings, finishing a stage in a certain time and even avoiding all enemies. The challenges can vary wildly and sometimes you’ll find some objectives a breeze while others a real pain due to their trial and error nature which may annoy gamers who simply can’t get thorough a mission after trying time after time. Also preferably a larger selection of levels would have been appreciated as you’ll see every setting the game has to offer in around six hours, but still the missions ensure there’s still a lot to do. Those of you who worry about repeating the same level again and again shouldn’t as each mission focuses on a different area of the world and even takes alternate, undiscovered routes meaning you’ll more than likely see something new every time.
New to the Sonic series is a levelling up system that allows the blue hedgehog to gain new powers from a selection of over 100. Every time you complete a mission you gain experience points and when you reach a certain amount you go up a level unlocking new moves and enabling Sonic to hold more of them. It’s very much like an RPG and oddly enough it’s a great element that fits into the game well. The moves are also vital in order to get through certain missions and obtain the gold medals. You’ll come across subtle abilities that increase your speed, jump and braking but also moves like being able to backflip when you walk backwards and also sliding into enemies. One problem players may find with this system however, is that right from the start Sonic will be fairly slow and lack many abilities that need to be unlocked later in the game. Some abilities should have been obtainable right from the beginning as the first half hour may seem too slow for some.
Upon completing certain missions you’ll unlock pages in the “special book” which serves as a scrapbook full of artwork, music and other random videos. Getting everything will take ages and while some entries like ranking names showing your accomplishments aren’t that great, the artwork and videos are. This will definitely keep hardcore fans playing so as to unlock absolutely everything.
Overall the single player can be completed in around eight hours beating the final boss, but grabbing every single gold medal, fire soul and special move will take a long time.
Alongside the main adventure Sega have also included a multiplayer party addition where you and three others can battle it out in a selection of different mini game modes. It can be great fun and is basically a lighter version of Mario Party. Modes available range from treasure hunting where the idea is to find rings, vases and coins to a boat race where the more games you win the further you sail.
Now the mini games are your simple Mario Party style affair using just the Wii remote. You will use the control as a paddle for canoeing, a crossbow, mirror and just about anything else possible and while some of the games work really well and make for some competitive events, others aren’t as fun and have trouble reading your movements. However as an extra to the main game no one can really be complaining about this fun addition even if it’s got its fair share of dull points.
Sonic and the Secret Rings has some of the best visuals on the Wii yet and right from the starting level with its shimmering water and open dunes to the sparkling glass of later levels there’s hardly a dodgy area in view. Now the music is something completely different. It’s the usual cheesy rock selection with American vocals in most levels and for some it may grow on you and you’ll learn to live with it, yet others will just simply be appalled by it and never like it. The voiceovers also leave a lot to be desired and what doesn’t help is the awful script involving the most cringe worthy pinky swear in the world.
Sonic and the Secret Rings offers a slightly flawed yet extremely fun single player experience and while it can get extremely frustrating at points which may put some off, but get past this you’ll find a really fast and rewarding game. What more the multiplayer is a nice distraction with friends and there’s also a ton to unlock too. Finally Sonic has found his feet again and it’s on the Wii.
83%
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Let’s face it. Sonic has struggled making the leap into 3D. Since Sonic Adventure the series has seen its ups and downs. Sonic Heroes and Sonic Riders offered a fun enough experience yet Shadow the Hedgehog and Sonic the Hedgehog for the Xbox 360 was truly terrible. Bottom line is the blue hedgehog has been in some questionable games and it had started to look bleak for the poor rodent. However the Wii version looks set to breathe new life into the once dying hero.
The story takes a new direction from previous games taking place inside the Arabian Nights story book. Sonic falls asleep and wakes up only to find its pages being erased by the evil genie Erazor and with the help of the lovely Shahra he enters the book to restore the stories of the book. It’s a simple tale and is played out through still images much like a real book that isn’t as great as proper videos but gets the job done.
What separates this game from any other 3D Sonic game is that it’s now on rails rather than a free roaming adventure. You’re on a set path constantly running forward and the only movement you have is left and right and jumping done by tilting the remote and pressing the “2” button respectively. While it may seem very limited you forget that that is what Sonic games are all about. Speed and action. Throughout the eight levels you’ll come across large jumps, huge spikey balls and waves of evil genies, but also you’ll face obstacles that take advantage of the Wii remote. For example flying pots require you to shake the control up and down in order to flap its wings. The homing attack also makes a return only to pull it off this time you need to thrust the remote forward. Controlling Sonic will seem odd at first but after a few plays you’ll get used to it. If there’s one flaw with the new system however it’s that if you miss something and want to retreat you need to flip the remote upside down. Now this wouldn’t be a problem, but the camera remains behind you preventing you seeing any enemies approaching and taking unnecessary damage. It’s a shame as more often than not you’ll overshoot rings or enemies that are essential to completing missions in a certain time.
As you progress through the story you will travel to eight different settings ranging from an oasis and jungle to flying ruins and a palace. Each stage has around twelve missions to complete and these include simply finishing the level, collecting 100 rings, finishing a stage in a certain time and even avoiding all enemies. The challenges can vary wildly and sometimes you’ll find some objectives a breeze while others a real pain due to their trial and error nature which may annoy gamers who simply can’t get thorough a mission after trying time after time. Also preferably a larger selection of levels would have been appreciated as you’ll see every setting the game has to offer in around six hours, but still the missions ensure there’s still a lot to do. Those of you who worry about repeating the same level again and again shouldn’t as each mission focuses on a different area of the world and even takes alternate, undiscovered routes meaning you’ll more than likely see something new every time.
New to the Sonic series is a levelling up system that allows the blue hedgehog to gain new powers from a selection of over 100. Every time you complete a mission you gain experience points and when you reach a certain amount you go up a level unlocking new moves and enabling Sonic to hold more of them. It’s very much like an RPG and oddly enough it’s a great element that fits into the game well. The moves are also vital in order to get through certain missions and obtain the gold medals. You’ll come across subtle abilities that increase your speed, jump and braking but also moves like being able to backflip when you walk backwards and also sliding into enemies. One problem players may find with this system however, is that right from the start Sonic will be fairly slow and lack many abilities that need to be unlocked later in the game. Some abilities should have been obtainable right from the beginning as the first half hour may seem too slow for some.
Upon completing certain missions you’ll unlock pages in the “special book” which serves as a scrapbook full of artwork, music and other random videos. Getting everything will take ages and while some entries like ranking names showing your accomplishments aren’t that great, the artwork and videos are. This will definitely keep hardcore fans playing so as to unlock absolutely everything.
Overall the single player can be completed in around eight hours beating the final boss, but grabbing every single gold medal, fire soul and special move will take a long time.
Alongside the main adventure Sega have also included a multiplayer party addition where you and three others can battle it out in a selection of different mini game modes. It can be great fun and is basically a lighter version of Mario Party. Modes available range from treasure hunting where the idea is to find rings, vases and coins to a boat race where the more games you win the further you sail.
Now the mini games are your simple Mario Party style affair using just the Wii remote. You will use the control as a paddle for canoeing, a crossbow, mirror and just about anything else possible and while some of the games work really well and make for some competitive events, others aren’t as fun and have trouble reading your movements. However as an extra to the main game no one can really be complaining about this fun addition even if it’s got its fair share of dull points.
Sonic and the Secret Rings has some of the best visuals on the Wii yet and right from the starting level with its shimmering water and open dunes to the sparkling glass of later levels there’s hardly a dodgy area in view. Now the music is something completely different. It’s the usual cheesy rock selection with American vocals in most levels and for some it may grow on you and you’ll learn to live with it, yet others will just simply be appalled by it and never like it. The voiceovers also leave a lot to be desired and what doesn’t help is the awful script involving the most cringe worthy pinky swear in the world.
Sonic and the Secret Rings offers a slightly flawed yet extremely fun single player experience and while it can get extremely frustrating at points which may put some off, but get past this you’ll find a really fast and rewarding game. What more the multiplayer is a nice distraction with friends and there’s also a ton to unlock too. Finally Sonic has found his feet again and it’s on the Wii.
83%
The story takes a new direction from previous games taking place inside the Arabian Nights story book. Sonic falls asleep and wakes up only to find its pages being erased by the evil genie Erazor and with the help of the lovely Shahra he enters the book to restore the stories of the book. It’s a simple tale and is played out through still images much like a real book that isn’t as great as proper videos but gets the job done.
What separates this game from any other 3D Sonic game is that it’s now on rails rather than a free roaming adventure. You’re on a set path constantly running forward and the only movement you have is left and right and jumping done by tilting the remote and pressing the “2” button respectively. While it may seem very limited you forget that that is what Sonic games are all about. Speed and action. Throughout the eight levels you’ll come across large jumps, huge spikey balls and waves of evil genies, but also you’ll face obstacles that take advantage of the Wii remote. For example flying pots require you to shake the control up and down in order to flap its wings. The homing attack also makes a return only to pull it off this time you need to thrust the remote forward. Controlling Sonic will seem odd at first but after a few plays you’ll get used to it. If there’s one flaw with the new system however it’s that if you miss something and want to retreat you need to flip the remote upside down. Now this wouldn’t be a problem, but the camera remains behind you preventing you seeing any enemies approaching and taking unnecessary damage. It’s a shame as more often than not you’ll overshoot rings or enemies that are essential to completing missions in a certain time.
As you progress through the story you will travel to eight different settings ranging from an oasis and jungle to flying ruins and a palace. Each stage has around twelve missions to complete and these include simply finishing the level, collecting 100 rings, finishing a stage in a certain time and even avoiding all enemies. The challenges can vary wildly and sometimes you’ll find some objectives a breeze while others a real pain due to their trial and error nature which may annoy gamers who simply can’t get thorough a mission after trying time after time. Also preferably a larger selection of levels would have been appreciated as you’ll see every setting the game has to offer in around six hours, but still the missions ensure there’s still a lot to do. Those of you who worry about repeating the same level again and again shouldn’t as each mission focuses on a different area of the world and even takes alternate, undiscovered routes meaning you’ll more than likely see something new every time.
New to the Sonic series is a levelling up system that allows the blue hedgehog to gain new powers from a selection of over 100. Every time you complete a mission you gain experience points and when you reach a certain amount you go up a level unlocking new moves and enabling Sonic to hold more of them. It’s very much like an RPG and oddly enough it’s a great element that fits into the game well. The moves are also vital in order to get through certain missions and obtain the gold medals. You’ll come across subtle abilities that increase your speed, jump and braking but also moves like being able to backflip when you walk backwards and also sliding into enemies. One problem players may find with this system however, is that right from the start Sonic will be fairly slow and lack many abilities that need to be unlocked later in the game. Some abilities should have been obtainable right from the beginning as the first half hour may seem too slow for some.
Upon completing certain missions you’ll unlock pages in the “special book” which serves as a scrapbook full of artwork, music and other random videos. Getting everything will take ages and while some entries like ranking names showing your accomplishments aren’t that great, the artwork and videos are. This will definitely keep hardcore fans playing so as to unlock absolutely everything.
Overall the single player can be completed in around eight hours beating the final boss, but grabbing every single gold medal, fire soul and special move will take a long time.
Alongside the main adventure Sega have also included a multiplayer party addition where you and three others can battle it out in a selection of different mini game modes. It can be great fun and is basically a lighter version of Mario Party. Modes available range from treasure hunting where the idea is to find rings, vases and coins to a boat race where the more games you win the further you sail.
Now the mini games are your simple Mario Party style affair using just the Wii remote. You will use the control as a paddle for canoeing, a crossbow, mirror and just about anything else possible and while some of the games work really well and make for some competitive events, others aren’t as fun and have trouble reading your movements. However as an extra to the main game no one can really be complaining about this fun addition even if it’s got its fair share of dull points.
Sonic and the Secret Rings has some of the best visuals on the Wii yet and right from the starting level with its shimmering water and open dunes to the sparkling glass of later levels there’s hardly a dodgy area in view. Now the music is something completely different. It’s the usual cheesy rock selection with American vocals in most levels and for some it may grow on you and you’ll learn to live with it, yet others will just simply be appalled by it and never like it. The voiceovers also leave a lot to be desired and what doesn’t help is the awful script involving the most cringe worthy pinky swear in the world.
Sonic and the Secret Rings offers a slightly flawed yet extremely fun single player experience and while it can get extremely frustrating at points which may put some off, but get past this you’ll find a really fast and rewarding game. What more the multiplayer is a nice distraction with friends and there’s also a ton to unlock too. Finally Sonic has found his feet again and it’s on the Wii.
83%