Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing – Hands-on

The Sonic-themed coast area has a particularly tricky one, requiring you to slow down slightly as you hit it to make sure you don't overshoot the essential speed boost pad before the next jump.

Track design

We were able to play three tracks and watch a fourth during our time with the game. There's a high-speedBilly Hatcher-themed track called 'Blizzard Castle' set high among the clouds with snow falling all around. It's not hard to fall off the suspended walkways, but at least resets are relatively quick.

The snowdrifts at the edges of the track look great and cut up if you run through them.Then there are thegiant eggs that come rolling out of pipes across the track. You don't want to hit one of those.

Above: Blizzard Castle. Well, every game needs a snow level, right?

The Sonic track looksjust like the first level ofSonic Heroes, complete with angled springs at the trackside, chequerboard scenery, a massive loopand a waterfall with a rainbow in its mist. It's by far the easiest of the four circuits, with only a few sharp corners (and that shortcut) to test you, letting you get the hang of the game in warm sunshine. Waves lap lazily against sandy shores and minor Sega characters line the trackside.

Above: See that red blob on the right? It's Crabmeat from Sonic 1!

One welcome addition is the way the game lets you race around loop-the-loops without the camera cutting away like it always does in 3D Sonic games, which adds greatly to the experience. When the whole world moves upside down around you, it's hardnot to feel involved.

The Casino track features falling poker chips which land on the track and slow you down if you hit them, and again looks like the corresponding stage from Sonic Heroes. So it's more 'modern Sega' than old, but at least it's a friendly, likeable art style.

The game moves quickly anyway,but this neon-filled track really shows off the speed. A near-vertical wall-drive quickly levels back out in a manner reminiscent of WipEout HD or old PS2 racer Extreme G III with a stomach-churning twist.

Finally, there's the Jumble Jungle, which is a Monkey Ball-themed area. We weren't allowed to play this one yet, but it looked to be the most complex and confusing track of the four by some way. The stage isparticularly lush and vibrant, with huge rounded leaves around the track that cast real-time shadows over the racers. As a next-gen imagining of classic Sega iconography, it's a fine effort.

Above: Jumble Jungle in all its lush green glory. Looks great, doesn't it?

Open areas are usually 90-degree turns and although they're signposted, it looks confusing. A bit like the first time you tackled Seaside Street Galaxy on Daytona USA. Wrong way indeed!

We know of at least one more - it seems there's also a House of the Dead leval if this new screenshot's anything to go by...

Above: Now if we could just have a cartoonified Dinosaur Canyon, please...

It's a shame the game won't be out before Christmas as it would be perfect for some post-turkey/veggie-equivalent fun. But you will be able to get your hands on it in February. On this evidence, it should be worth the wait.

27 Nov, 2009