Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing Review for Nintendo Wii

System: X360, PS3, Wii, PC, DS	Review Rating Legend
Dev: Sumo Digital	1.0 - 1.9 = Avoid	4.0 - 4.4 = Great
Pub: SEGA	2.0 - 2.4 = Poor	4.5 - 4.9 = Must Buy
Release: Feb. 23, 2010	2.5 - 2.9 = Average	5.0 = The Best
Players: 1-4	3.0 - 3.4 = Fair
ESRB Rating: Everyone	3.5 - 3.9 = Good

There are lots of characters and tracks to unlock, which you do by accumulating "miles" and spending them. You can play all the tracks just by working through the Grand Prix mode, but you need to unlock them to use them in single and split-screen races. Like the tracks, the available characters are a little Sonic-heavy, but other franchises are represented too: Super Monkey Ball, Jet Set Radio, Virtua Fighter, Banjo-Kazooie, among others, all make appearances. If you're particularly egotistical, you can even drive as your favorite Mii. The racers also have a good range of styles, so however you drive, you can find a character to match.

Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing screenshot

We do have some complaints, however. One is that while the Wii Wheel controls are handled well, the game does nothing to reward you for using the peripheral the way Mario Kart Wii did. Given, Mario Kart Wii's reward was just a gold wheel, but still. Another is the aforementioned lack of Gamecube pad support, and yet another is that you can't steer with the Classic Controller's D-pad (to be fair, you couldn't in Mario Kart Wii, either). Finally, depending on when you play, there aren't always enough players online, meaning that the matchmaking system has to fill some slots with CPU racers. Another multiplayer problem is that you can't play through the Grand Prix mode in split-screen. For those who buy the game primarily to play with friends, this can make unlocking all the Grand Prix cups a little bit of a drag.

Perhaps the biggest flaw, however, is the announcer. You can turn him off, but he's on by default, rattling off gratingly obnoxious lines like "one lap in the bank; let's deposit another!" mixed in with terrible jokes about the racers' names and personalities. It's hard to imagine what the developers, in the middle of such a polished and well-rounded production, were thinking when they approved these comments for inclusion. This reaches Burnout 3 levels of awful race announcing in a video game, and that's not a charge we throw around lightly.

Despite its flaws, though, Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing will endear itself to Mario Kart Wii's legions of fans. It's not a must-buy on Nintendo's console the way it might be on the Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3, but it's a good purchase that will provide kart-racing fanatics with hours of fun.

By Robert VerBruggen
CCC Freelance Writer

RATING OUT OF 5

RATING DESCRIPTION

4.3

Graphics
This is the Wii, so graphics fans who own other systems should buy the game there, but the visuals here are well-done, detailed, and polished.

4.2

Control
The same as Mario Kart Wii, without the Gamecube controller support. We wish you could steer with the Classic Controller's D-pad.

3.2

Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
Everything's great except the announcer, who ruins the game until you turn him off.

3.9

Play Value
A game this derivative can never be great, but it's really, really good.

3.9

Overall Rating - Good
Not an average. See Rating legend above for a final score breakdown.

Game Features:

Speed around tracks set in medieval castle ramparts, lush rainforests, and bustling cities, all taken from the visually rich and varied universes of Sonic and SEGA.

Fan favorites such as Dr. Eggman, Tails, AiAi, and Amigo race in their custom built vehicles.

Secret short cuts, swift handling and avoiding strategically placed obstacles are certainly the best way to get to the top of the podium.

Each character has a specific All Star move - such as Super Sonic, Banana Blitz, and Tails Tornado - that allows a quick way for competitors to get back into the race!

Up to four friends can race in frantic split-screen action, and up to eight players can compete online in the ultimate racing showdown.