"Sonic Rush: More of the same?"

So, Sonic Rush - is it more of the same or something new and original, taking advantage of the DS, from Sonic Team? Well, it is more of the same, but with some nice additions. Let's do this.

Sonic Rush is basically a continuation of the Sonic Advance series, but now on DS. So, if you liked any of the Sonic Advances stop reading this and go buy it. NOW. The story (such as it is), revolves around a tear in some inter-dimensional portal between two similar dimensions, created by Eggman or some such drivel. It doesn't matter. All you need to know is that as either Sonic or new character Blaze (from this other dimension) you must hunt for the Chaos/Sol emeralds and beat up on Eggman Nega (also from this other dimension) or regular vanilla Eggman. To do this, you must navigate through 7 themed Zones which will be familiar to anyone who has played a Sonic game before.

The basics are the same as most Sonic games. Speed is the name of the game, as you rip through levels as fast as you can, pulling of tricks to earn points as you go. For those who have never played a Sonic game before, get yourselves out from under that rock and listen up. Sonic Rush is basically a 2D platformer where speed and momentum are features (as opposed to precise jumping and such associated with the Mario games). Sonic collects rings, and for every 100 rings he gets a life. If he gets hit, he loses all the rings – but so long as he has at least one ring he won't lose a life...well, unless he falls down a pit. There are other power-ups scattered throughout levels such as invincibility and a protective bubble. Reach the finish of a level and you'll be given a rank based on Time, Tricks and Rings. Each Zone has two levels and a boss level.

So far nothing new, right? Well, the first big difference is that gameplay through the levels now takes place across both screens, leading to some intense roller-coaster action across top and touch screens, which is really exhilarating. It also allows you to see further vertically, which helps when deciding which path to take. Multiple paths have been a staple of the Sonic series for a long time, and this game is no exception with possibly the most choice offered by a Sonic game to date. This definitely bumps up the replay value a notch.

Blaze the Cat is the new addition to the franchise. She's basically a fire cat, with a very similar move set to Sonic, only with different animations. The only difference is that she is slightly slower, while being better at tricks (i.e. she gets more air). This will disappoint Sonic fans used to multiple characters with very different move sets, like Knuckles and Tails, as there is now less variety. These characters are only present in speaking roles, or as glorified cheerleaders on the touch screen during boss battles (Sonic gets Tails and Blaze gets hyper-annoying Cream).

Speaking of boss battles, they are generally excellent. They take place in 3D, but on a 2D plane (i.e. you can only move left/right/up/down). Definitely the graphical highlight of the game, they show off what the DS can do with a bunch of polygons.

The touch screen only comes into use during Sonic's search for the Chaos Emeralds (Blaze finds the Sol Emeralds dropped by Eggman each time she defeats him). After powering up a generator, Sonic is whisked away to a half-pipe level where he is running into the screen, and you must use the stylus to guide him along the half-pipe collecting rings. Meet the required amount of rings, and be rewarded with a Chaos Emerald. These stages, while not making spectacular use of the touch screen, are good fun and a good spin on the normal Chaos Emerald levels in other Sonic games.

Also new is the Tension Gauge/Boost system. The Tension Gauge is a meter that fills as you pull off tricks and defeat enemies. It will deplete if you press X (or Y), but you will get a great boost in speed. Figuring out the best way to maximise your boosting through a level is a must if you want those elusive S-Ranks.

Now for the bad aspects of the game. The problems with the Sonic series are still present. I'm talking about bottomless pits and spikes/enemies that can't be avoided unless you either know they are coming or are travelling so slowly that you can see them approaching – the latter not being how Sonic games are meant to be played. When are Yuji Naka and his team going to fix these issues? Other than that, and the aforementioned lack of other playable characters, this game is great. Oh, but the voice ‘acting' gets annoying quick. And the story is terrible. But who needs a story for a Sonic game?

Aesthetically, this game is very accomplished. The levels themselves are mostly 2D sprites, which are well designed, but the characters are actually modelled in 3D, which looks great. Sonically, if you'll excuse the pun, this game is great too (well, except for the voice acting), with the music also being typical Sonic fare, with catchy techno/dance songs for each zone.

So, overall this is a must have for Sonic fans and platformer fans in general. Racing through levels, pulling of tricks, and then getting an S ranking is a great feeling. Sure, the same problems are still there, and it's not too original, but it's still a fantastic game. Highly recommended, but let's hope Sonic Team work out the problems for the inevitable sequel.

8/10

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 04/17/06