Sonic and the Secret Rings

"‘Speed, glitches and the crazy camera were only half the problems that needed fixing – A game for those with a lot of patience.’"

‘Speed, glitches and the crazy camera were only half the problems that needed fixing – A game for those with a lot of patience.'

Sonic games, back in the day, were known for extreme, mind-bending speed. The recent 3D Sonic games have abandoned this for a more adventure style approach but have come with problems (in the form of glitches, lack of speed and a crazy camera). Sonic and the Secret Rings seeks to remedy the problems of the past 3D Sonic games but the speed that was found so amazing back in the days of old is not worth the problems the core of the series has always had.

Story: 7/10
In Sonic and the Secret Rings, the entire game is based in the world of the Arabian Nights. You see, Sonic was just randomly reading books one day (because hedgehogs can read these days) when he came across a glowing ring. Out from this ring comes ancient lady genie Sharya who tells Sonic that her world (in one of the books) is soon to be destroyed by the Erazor Djinn. If Sonic doesn't help her defeat him in her world then he'll be unleashed in Sonic's own world, which wouldn't be very good at all. Sonic agrees and together they enter the book.

Throughout the game you'll find familiar faces from the Sonic franchise playing roles of the Arabian Nights tales. Dr Eggman is the king, Tails is Ali Baba and so on. While the story isn't too in depth, a great story for this kind of game generally isn't expected or needed. It's also very nice to see Sonic Team staying away from the modernized worlds and themes as seen in Sonic Adventure however the way the story is executed in general is the cause of such an average score. The so-called cutscenes are nothing more than little comics and pictures flashing about. It would have been much more practical and entertaining if the in-game engine was used, CGI would have been brilliant (if the opening scene is any example).

Sound: 7/10
This is your typical Sonic game soundtrack. It consists of rock style themes, which can sustain an entire level but don't loop too obviously. Corny lyrics are also present throughout most of the songs but it's not as if you'll be listening to them anyway. The soundtrack is perfectly suited to the kind of game Sonic is but doesn't stand out on an epic scale to deserve a remarkable score. The voice acting is great. While the dialogue isn't too serious (that's more story related anyway) the actors do a great job for such an un-serious game.

Controls: 8/10
Sonic and the Secret Rings uses the Wii-remote well and the controls are definitely easy to remember. Sonic runs on his own, so all you do is tilt the remote left and right (when the remote is held on its side) to control his direction. You press the ‘1' button to brake and the ‘2' button to jump. While in the air, you push the controller forward for a little boost and when on ground you can tilt the remote towards yourself to move Sonic backwards. The controls for Sonic (in single and multiplayer) are responsive but when you come across little things, they can sometimes cause problems. An example is the cannon found from the Dinosaur Jungle onwards in single player. You tilt the remote towards yourself to pull the cannon back and then flick it forward to boost Sonic into the air. The problem is that the flick isn't always responsive, so you may find yourself crazily shaking the control to tell the game what you want. The camera does still get edgy from time to time (in some combat situations) but it's still a great improvement over what the other Sonic games have done.

Gameplay: 6/10
As mentioned before, the Sonic games of old had speed. The word ‘speed' has been one complaint used by many Sonic fans as the more and more 3D Sonic games failed when it came to fun value. What people don't seem to realize is that the speed that was held in such high regard back in the day isn't very amazing anymore when compared to other gaming achievements we've experienced. Sonic and the Secret Rings manages to get rid of all the most complained about problems of other Sonic games (As Sonic is now constantly running) but creates more of it's own, which I'll try to explain.

One of the major faults found in Sonic and the Secret Rings (hereby known as SSR) is the lack of original levels. There are about 7 worlds in the game and each with around 20 levels. While this sounds like lots of deep content, it isn't. There are about three or four original levels for each world, which are then repeated with different objectives, enemy placements, etc. So, while the game claims to have the speed of the original Sonic game you'll find your fun interrupted by the constant, annoying (compulsory) side quests. There are plenty of unnecessary missions that you have to complete to be able to move on to an original level, such as the ‘Don't break any jars' or the ‘Find the Pterosaur eggs'. I found myself constantly repeating these levels to a point of extreme frustration, which caused me to question what the point in playing was. I'll admit, there are some very fun moments but they are too far and few in between to be worth playing the entire game. SSR just doesn't have the polish and effort seen in Nintendo's platforming titles due to unorganized menu screens and sometimes-dodgy controls. You don't have a solid sense of what you're doing, with missions unlocked for each world in a totally random order and not even the instruction booklet tells you which way to tilt the controller when steering Sonic. Switches to press or things to use don't stand out, and I found myself suffering the Single Player mode just for the Party Mode unlockables.

You see, while Sonic Team failed to produce a thoroughly enjoyable Single Player experience they succeeded very well in the multiplayer aspect. In a very Mario Party-esque fashion, Sonic and three friends can enjoy forty or so minigames, for no story related reason. Each of these minigames makes great use of the Wii-remote (none require the Nunchuck which is another bonus) and it's clear that Sega has learnt from their mistakes after a not so great attempt previously (cough, Monkey Ball, cough). A great example of fun is the High Stakes minigame, which requires you to move with the d-pad and slam the remote down to hammer stakes. It sounds simple, and it is. The controls are responsive and the minigame works, a formula found in all the minigames.

Not only are there more than forty minigames but also around 5 different modes to enjoy them in. You have a duel tournament, a Pirate Ship race, a Treasure Hunt, a Library mode and even a miniature board game. I wouldn't be surprised if Sega continued this into it's own ‘Sonic Party' series because they've shown they certainly have the creativity and initiative to make a good party game. My only gripes with this part of the game though is that it requires you to collect ‘Fire Souls' in the single player mode to unlock certain minigames, and four of the eight playable characters. Also, if you don't have any siblings or friends willing to play then you might as well mark SSR off your to buy list a little harder.

Conclusion
So as you can see, while Sonic has a great multiplayer mode it's not worth buying the entire game for (especially with Mario Party 8 just around the corner). If you're a fan of Sonic games, then you've no doubt gotten over the 3D problems long ago and will find this an enjoyable improvement. But to anyone else with higher gaming standards, I suggest you look elsewhere.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 03/12/07