A new Sonic-style adventure is speeding towards release after spectacularly smashing its Kickstarter goal.
Sonic fans have been well catered for in recent years; 2022's Sonic Frontiers marked the Blue Blur's first open-world excursion, followed by last year's ace point-and-click mystery The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog and throw-back Sonic Superstars, which offers co-op side-scrolling antics, similar to Sonic games of yore with vibrant 2.5D visuals. There's also Sonic X Shadow Generations to look forward to later this year, a remaster featuring a brand new story centered around Shadow the Hedgehog. But some folks, it seems, simply can't wait for more Sonic action and have decided to make their own game in the same style as the speedy hedgehog's adventures.
That game is Rollin' Rascal, a lightning-fast 3D action platformer from Curiomatic that, according to the developer, "will test your reflexes and creativity" as you zoom through its quirky and colorful world." The key to getting around quickly is momentum, and you'll be able to use the environment to your advantage to both gather speed and keep up the pace. For instance, Rascal can curl into a ball to gain speed when going down slopes, and running allows him to decelerate more slowly if he's going uphill.
There's plenty of room for experimentation, too. Levels are expansive and offer a variety of routes to the finish line, including sneaky shortcuts and "interactive elements," so venturing off the beaten path is something that's sure to be worth your while.
Rollin' Rascal also distances itself from Sonic in certain ways, namely combat. This zippy fellow has the ability to take control of enemies and use their abilities to his advantage, be it turning their weaponry on other foes or using them to cover ground faster. You can also put your speed skills to the test against others thanks to online multiplayer races that let you go head-to-head in real time.
A Kickstarter was launched for the project last month and reached its funding goal of $50k in just 12 hours. With over three times that amount now pledged by backers, Curiomatic will be expanding the adventure with a Hub World, Challenge Mode, custom colors for Rascal, and more. The campaign ends this Thursday, March 7, so there are still a few days left if you fancy giving the project your support. You can also take Rollin' Rascal for a spin yourself right now, thanks to the Steam demo, which you'll find right here.
