Sonic and the Secret Rings

"Great new Sonic game, but doesn't necessarily bring the series back to its roots..."

Introduction

After games like Shadow the Hedgehog, Sonic Heroes, or Sonic the Hedgehog (2006), many fans have lost hope on their favorite blue hedgehog. All hope is not lost though, Sonic and the Secret Rings is a new Sonic game for the Wii that may satisfy many Sonic fans. Problem is, it still doesn't have that spark needed to bring this series back to its former roots.

Story (6/10)

Lets begin with the story of the game. The story in this game is based off of the "Arabian Nights", so it basically combines elements from the Sonic series and the Arabian Nights together.

The main story is that an evil vengeful genie by the name of "Erazor Djinn" is destroying the stories in the Arabian Nights world. A genie of the ring named "Shahra" seeks help from Sonic one day, so now it is his job to travel through the worlds of the Arabian Nights and stop Erazor before it's too late. Nothing spectacular here.

The cutscenes in this game resemble that of a real storybook to fit in with the game's theme. I personally think this is unique, but I also feel that this makes the scenes very boring to watch sadly.

Gameplay (8/10)

The gameplay in this game is completely on-rails. This means that Sonic moves ON HIS OWN and you simply guide him left or right as he heads to the goal. You will also need to jump occasionally and attack. At first, this doesn't sound much fun, but when you actually play the game, the experience is much better.

The controls in this game are completely based on the Wiimote. You move Sonic left or right by tilting the controller left or right, you move him backwards by turning the controller over upside down from how you're supposed to hold it (classic controller position), and you stop him and break by pressing the 1 button. You can also jump by pressing or holding and releasing the 2 button and then home attack to hit enemies by thrusting the controller forward when a red lock-on appears. Overall, the controls are indeed responsive but take some time to master, such as the jumps (seeing as there is a lack of spin jump from previous Sonic games), walking backwards, and the grinding. The controls can honestly be frustrating for a long while until you get used to them.

This game has 8 different worlds (one being a tutorial world) that incorporate completely different themes; you will travel to a dinosaur world, a pirate ship level, a giant palace, and more. Each level has a variety of missions there are to complete (some include collecting a number of rings, killing a number of enemies, defeating a boss, etc.); in order to unlock a new world, you need to beat a number of missions from the prior world first. The great thing about doing each different mission is that there is so much change in the level design for each mission, that it feels like you are playing a completely new stage. Speaking of level designs, they are excellent, seeing as how the game is on-rails. There are also no camera problems in this Sonic game's levels.

This game also incorporates an EXP system similar to that of an RPG. As Sonic beats a mission/stage, he will gain experience points and might even gain a level-up which increases his stats. You also obtain skills by leveling up which gives Sonic new powers or even "fix" the game's controls. For example, the game starts out with a semi-slow Sonic that barely moves left or right when you make him, but you can later equip skills that make him move left or right faster (or move faster in general) when you obtain the skill. The system is unique, but it would have been better if Sonic started out fast and smooth from the beginning, rather than having to level up to fix the actual controls of the game.

Graphics (9/10)

The graphics in this game are really good, some of the best graphics there are on the Wii right now. What makes you just love the graphics has got to be the visual details in the actual stages; whether it is running on a trail behind some gargoyle thing in the Levitated Ruins, traveling through a breathtaking "Milky Way" in the Night Palace, or enjoying the stormy scenery in the Pirate Storm world, they are just that good.

Music (4/10)

The music in this game is one of its down points. It is really bad. I mean, you will be hearing "Seven Rings in Hands" in your head for the entire day seeing as how it plays in virtually every part of the freakin' game. Not to mention the corny or goofy songs in Dino Jungle and many other stages. Seriously, maybe they should have taken out the lyrics in the music to keep many people's ears from bleeding.

Party Mode (5/10)

Besides the main Adventure Mode, this game also includes a Party Mode (which is basically a separate game from the Adventure Mode). The Party Mode is similar to a mini-Mario Party seeing as you choose from 4 different characters (others unlocked later on), pick a board to play in, and play against friends in a variety of different mini-games.

The controls vary on the mini-game you play, but half of the time they are unresponsive or just formatted in ridiculously annoying ways that try to "make use of" the Wii's controls. While you can also play Party Mode with Gamecube Controllers as well, they simply make the experience lack even more depth than it already does, they also make things completely uncreative/unoriginal and just plain easy/boring.

The graphics also seem to alter from the graphics in the main Adventure Mode, as they look slightly different. The graphics here are still very good, but seem rather Gamecube-ish. It's probably just me, they still look great though.

In terms of music, Party Mode has just as bad music as the Adventure Mode. This is understandable however, since it is a multiplayer party mode. The music here actually fits in very well unlike the Adventure Mode, which just has atrocious music.

The Party Mode is a nice way to waste some time alone or with friends, but it is nothing out of this world. The boards and mini-games lack any depth (are very short), so a full game would only last 15-20 minutes. As a separate game (or mode in this case), I give Party Mode a 5/10 hands down; they should have just allowed you to play mini-games without COMs (when playing alone) or just have simply removed the overall Party Mode and added a Chao Garden or something.

Replay Value (8/10)

There are so many things to do after you have completed the game; from Gold/Silver Ranking, to unlocking material in the Special Book this game has, or by simply replaying levels for fun or playing the Party Mode to waste time. This game will indeed keep you occupied for some time if you enjoy it as much as me.

Conclusion (7.6/10)

This is a great new Sonic game, but it strays away from traditional 3D Sonic gameplay. The controls need some getting used to, the fact that you need to obtain skills in order to fix the controls is a big no-no, the story isn't so great, and the music is pretty bad. Still, whether you are a Sonic fan or just want a new game for your Wii, I recommend you get this game. If you hate all previous Sonic games, then you should at least try this game out by renting it. Either way, any who can should try this game out! I give it a 7.6/10, but since this is G-Faqs, make that a 7/10.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 03/05/07, Updated 12/01/08

Game Release: Sonic and the Secret Rings (US, 02/20/07)