Review: Sonic and SEGA All Stars Racing
At a Glance
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How to Save and Pause:The results from a race are saved automatically. However, there is no way to save during a race or Grand Prix. You can pause at any time by pressing ESC. Time needed per session:Individual races can take up to five minutes, while a Grand Prix event can last up to twenty. Plan your time accordingly.
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Does this game pose issues for Christian players?
 | No - this is a great game for Christians This is an extremely lighthearted and family friendly game. The only concerning issue is that there is a race course that has the racers drive through an abandoned chapel and its stained glass window. |
Screenshots
![[view screenshot]](../images/screenshots/sonic_sega_all_stars_racing_0.jpg)
![[view screenshot]](../images/screenshots/sonic_sega_all_stars_racing_1.jpg)
![[view screenshot]](../images/screenshots/sonic_sega_all_stars_racing_2.jpg)
Game Overview
Sonic and SEGA All-Stars Racing is a very trimmed down "kart racer", which limits how much you can say about it before you're just padding your writing with a lot of extra words. Like your typical kart racing game, you choose your character, and then zoom around various courses in an attempt to beat the other racers to the finish line. There's no story mode or anything fancy here, so if you just want something that feels like Super Mario Kart, is inoffensive, and runs on the PC, then you're in the right place.
Sonic the Hedgehog gets first billing for a reason: most of the roster was drawn from the Sonic franchise. Of course, that franchise has become notorious for having an impossibly large ensemble cast, so I guess limiting the selection to just the main heroes and principle villain shows a lot more restraint than one might expect.
Gameplay wise, this is a bog-standard kart racer with only a few tweaks to the typical formula. One of these new mechanics is drifting. In racing terminology, drifting is a technique where the driver intentionally oversteers, allowing them to turn corners without slowing down. Drifting is often a useful maneuver in racing games, but here, it's an easy way to gain a temporary speed boost. As you drift, you'll build up boost energy (up to four levels), which is released once you release the brake. This can give you enough of a boost to pass opponents, though even the AI controlled cars will drift around most corners.
Another option for gaining the boost effect comes when your car has left the ground. Tapping the brake button has your racer perform a quick mid-air stunt, and you'll get a boost if they are able to land it. There's no real downside to attempting this, as you'll only risk a slightly bumpy landing if you miss.
Now, kart racers are also famous for giving the players a number of different powerups that can be collected and used on demand. There are a few classic ones, like mines or a racer-seeking missile, in just about every kart racer. These also exist in this game, alongside several unique powerups like the Mega Horn and Pocket Rainbow. Both of these are weapons, but they don't affect the racer in front of you. Instead, the Mega Horn stuns racers next to you, while the Pocket Rainbow is planted like a mine. Should anyone drive through this rainbow, their view will be covered in a colored haze for a few moments, impairing their ability to see where they're driving.
But, the most interesting powerup in the game is the All Star. Unfortunately, this elusive powerup tends to only be given to racers who are struggling, so skilled players aren't going to be able to use it much. When used, the All Star grants invulnerability, an autopilot feature, a speed boost, and triggers a racer's special ability. Each racer's unique ability is based on the game they can from (or in the case of the Sonic cast, the personality of the character). For example, Sonic will gain the Chaos Emeralds and become Super Sonic for the duration of the item's effect.
All in all, this game accomplishes what it sets out to do: it's just a fun romp with various nostalgic characters, and nothing more. No two characters feel the same, the courses are fun, and there's even an announcer who narrates the action as it happens. There are some problems with it, but for what it is, they're probably ignorable.
I'd suggest trying this one out if you enjoy racing games or kart racers in particular.
Sonic the Hedgehog gets first billing for a reason: most of the roster was drawn from the Sonic franchise. Of course, that franchise has become notorious for having an impossibly large ensemble cast, so I guess limiting the selection to just the main heroes and principle villain shows a lot more restraint than one might expect.
Gameplay wise, this is a bog-standard kart racer with only a few tweaks to the typical formula. One of these new mechanics is drifting. In racing terminology, drifting is a technique where the driver intentionally oversteers, allowing them to turn corners without slowing down. Drifting is often a useful maneuver in racing games, but here, it's an easy way to gain a temporary speed boost. As you drift, you'll build up boost energy (up to four levels), which is released once you release the brake. This can give you enough of a boost to pass opponents, though even the AI controlled cars will drift around most corners.
Another option for gaining the boost effect comes when your car has left the ground. Tapping the brake button has your racer perform a quick mid-air stunt, and you'll get a boost if they are able to land it. There's no real downside to attempting this, as you'll only risk a slightly bumpy landing if you miss.
Now, kart racers are also famous for giving the players a number of different powerups that can be collected and used on demand. There are a few classic ones, like mines or a racer-seeking missile, in just about every kart racer. These also exist in this game, alongside several unique powerups like the Mega Horn and Pocket Rainbow. Both of these are weapons, but they don't affect the racer in front of you. Instead, the Mega Horn stuns racers next to you, while the Pocket Rainbow is planted like a mine. Should anyone drive through this rainbow, their view will be covered in a colored haze for a few moments, impairing their ability to see where they're driving.
But, the most interesting powerup in the game is the All Star. Unfortunately, this elusive powerup tends to only be given to racers who are struggling, so skilled players aren't going to be able to use it much. When used, the All Star grants invulnerability, an autopilot feature, a speed boost, and triggers a racer's special ability. Each racer's unique ability is based on the game they can from (or in the case of the Sonic cast, the personality of the character). For example, Sonic will gain the Chaos Emeralds and become Super Sonic for the duration of the item's effect.
All in all, this game accomplishes what it sets out to do: it's just a fun romp with various nostalgic characters, and nothing more. No two characters feel the same, the courses are fun, and there's even an announcer who narrates the action as it happens. There are some problems with it, but for what it is, they're probably ignorable.
I'd suggest trying this one out if you enjoy racing games or kart racers in particular.
Points of Interest
Alternate game modes
Once you pick your driver, you can choose between four different ways to play. This includes such things as a time-trial mode, racing against AI drivers on a course of your choice, racing through a Grand Prix, or trying various Missions. The mission mode has you attempt to complete objectives during preset races. To use the fourth mission as an example, you play as Sonic and need to collect as many rings as possible in one minute.
Unlockable Goodies
As you race, you'll earn SEGA Miles. These can be spent in an in-game shop to unlock new drivers, courses, and music. The better you race, the more SEGA Miles you earn, so skill is clearly rewarded. Also, the unlockable characters fit in with the rest of the cast fairly well, which means you can't just buy the best character and win everything.
Also, most game modes force you to play through their stages in a specific order, as you'll need to complete the earlier stages to unlock the later ones.
Also, most game modes force you to play through their stages in a specific order, as you'll need to complete the earlier stages to unlock the later ones.
Challenges, not achievements
As there is no Steam integration, there are no achievements in the usual sense. Instead, there are a large set of Challenges available - a total of 45 normal Challenges and 7 Hidden Challenges. Just like with achievements, you earn them by doing specific things in-game, such as accumulating large amounts of SEGA miles, winning races, and using the All Star.
Lag issues
Lag has always been the bane of the gaming industry, and it's unfortunately present in this game. The thing is, it's not the controls that are affected. The game's engine sometimes sputters a little during the first lap of a race. This suggests there's a loading issue of some sort, which doesn't seem right considering the level of graphical detail.
On the plus side, longer gaming sessions tend to have less lag.
On the plus side, longer gaming sessions tend to have less lag.
Limited options and missing content
This was clearly a console port, and one of the more obvious signs is the lack of customization. You can't rebind your controls or adjust video settings, the latter of which would really help with the lag issue.
Other versions of this game also had more content released as DLCs. Chances are, if you didn't know about this, you wouldn't be missing it either.
Other versions of this game also had more content released as DLCs. Chances are, if you didn't know about this, you wouldn't be missing it either.
Concerns and Issues
Mild violence
Like any other kart racer, there are various cartoony weapons for the racers to use against each other. However, any "damage" dealt simply results in the effected vehicle popping straight up into the air while flashing and spinning around. The only exceptions to this are racers who were hit by certain All Star moves, such as Amy's piko hammer. These unlucky drivers are temporarily squashed, then bounce back up like nothing happened.
The primary goal of these weapons is to slow another racer down, so it's not like anybody's actually trying to hurt anyone else.
The primary goal of these weapons is to slow another racer down, so it's not like anybody's actually trying to hurt anyone else.
Monsters as obstacles
Some of the courses feature undead (usually zombies) or badniks (evil robots) wandering around. The racers need to drive around them, as they'll crash if they hit any of them.
The chapel course
There are courses set in graveyards and other ruins. During one of these races, the racers drive through an abandoned chapel and smash their way through a stained glass window. This window featured a generic depiction of the Holy Spirit, ie, a dove with golden rays coming from it. The rest of the church is in ruins, so take this as you will.