Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing
Encyclopedia
Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing is a racing game in the Sega Superstars series produced for Wii
, Xbox 360
, PlayStation 3
, Nintendo DS
and Microsoft Windows
, featuring characters from many Sega franchises. It is being published by Sega
and developed by Sumo Digital
. It was announced on May 28, 2009 and was released in North America on February 23, 2010 and in Europe on February 26, 2010, with the PC version available both from retail and via Steam. A mobile
version has been developed by Gameloft
. An arcade
version of the game is currently being tested in some arcades as of January 2011, was publicly shown at the EAG Expo in London on January 25, 2011, and will be released for sale in March 2011, according to the manufacturer. The game was announced for iOS
and released on June 18, 2011.
game, very similar to other games in its genre like Mario Kart
, Konami Krazy Racers
and Crash Team Racing
. Characters race through various race circuits themed on different Sega
franchises and collect power-ups to boost their speed or hamper their opponents. The items have a rock-paper-scissors
effect, in which certain items can be used to defend against others. Also, on occasions when players get three of one item, they can choose to fire/activate them at the same time. Additional boost can be earned by successfully executing drifts (with longer drifts earning more boost), or performing tricks while in midair. Like Sumo's previous Sega game, Sega Superstars Tennis
, each character has a special ability (called an "All-Star Move") unique to them that they may use to their advantage (such as Sonic transforming into Super Sonic and AiAi riding in his monkey ball
), which they can obtain if they are running behind in the race. How long each All-Star move lasts depends on the character's current position. Due to network latency issues, All-Star Moves are not featured in online races.
Vehicles are separated into three different categories: cars
, bikes
and hovercraft
s. As the terrain on the tracks will vary, vehicles can be either assisted or hindered by the surfaces they drive upon. Cars vary in weight and speed, with some performing better on some terrains than others. Bikes have fast acceleration and can also perform ground tricks for extra boost, but can easily be bullied by heavier vehicles. Hovercrafts are not affected by any terrain and are able to perform multiple tricks after a jump, but they have poorer handling and have low acceleration. All of the vehicles also have their own specific engine sounds.
By playing through the game, players can earn Sega Miles that can be spent in the in-game shop to unlock additional content such as characters, tracks, and songs. The game features a total of 24 tracks based on locations from Sonic Heroes
, Super Monkey Ball
, Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg
, Jet Set Radio Future
, Samba de Amigo
, and The House of the Dead
.
There are four single player modes; Grand Prix, Single Race, Missions and Time Trials, while modes for split-screen multiplayer, playable with up to four players, include Free Race, Arena, King of the Hill, Collect the Emeralds and Capture the Chao. The game also has customizable multiplayer options for up to eight players online (four players on DS version, no online support for PC version).
The soundtrack for the game consists of various old and new tracks from the various Sonic and Sega franchises, though it also features original songs by various artists including Richard Jacques
. Each course starts with one track, with more being unlocked as players earn Sega Miles. The Nintendo DS
version of the game features MIDI
versions of the tracks arranged by Allister Brimble
and Anthony Putson of Orchestral Media Developments. The main theme song of the game is "So Much More..." by singer Bentley Jones.
The following characters are available as downloadable content for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of the game.
Notes:
Only the former character appears in the Nintendo DS version of the game.
Xbox 360-exclusive character.
Wii-exclusive character.
Ryo rides his forklift instead of his motorcycle.
These characters are included in the mobile version.
These characters are included in the iOS version.
, Sumo Digital
decided to do a racing title, based on their experience with recent Out Run
titles. In an early prototype of the game, Sonic raced on foot, Dr. Eggman rode an Eggpod with legs, Tails flew in a biplane, Amy Rose drove a car, and Gilius Thunderhead from Golden Axe rode one of the Chickenleg creatures from the game. This version, however, was reportedly not fun to play, largely due to the varying sizes between the different characters, but also because the drift mechanic wouldn't work with racers who were on foot. It was later revised so that everyone would be in cars, bikes, or modified flyers.
Following a successful fan campaign for the character's inclusion, Nights
was integrated into the game as the flagman.
At Summer of Sonic 2009, Steve Lycett, executive producer and Travis Ryan, lead designer of Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing were present for a Q&A session. A PlayStation 3 demo was also available for attendees to play. It was identical to the Comic-Con demo. On November 25, 2009, a special press event about the game was held in France, where the DS version made its playable debut.
Three demos of the game have been released: The first, for the Xbox 360, was released on the Xbox Live Marketplace
on February 8, 2010. The second, for the Nintendo DS, was released via the Nintendo Channel on February 15, 2010. The third, for the PlayStation 3, was made available on the PlayStation Network Store on February 18, 2010.
were originally planned to be in Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing as a duo driving their spaceship, but Sega could not come to terms with ToeJam & Earl Productions
co-founder Greg Johnson
. However, fans have called and mass-emailed Johnson for his characters' return. He has responded on the official Sega forums under the pseudonym 'Big Earl' stating "I'll give it another try and see if I can get the homies at Sega to talk again on the phone." He later mentioned that the duo will not be appearing in the retail game, since it is too late in development, but the option for including them as downloadable content
is still open.
In its prototype form, Gilius Thunderhead from Golden Axe
was a playable character who rode one of the Chickenleg monsters from the game. In his developer diary, Lycett makes it clear that this does not confirm him as a final character. This is the case with Gilius, as he did not make the cut into the final roster. Lycett has also talked about Vyse from Skies of Arcadia
in an interview with Gamereactor
. Segata Sanshiro was also considered as a possible character, riding a Sega Saturn
, though did not end up in the roster. Early in development, Mario
was considered as a Wii-exclusive addition, but Sega decided against it so as not to cause cross-contamination with its Mario and Sonic
series.
Lycett has also mentioned there will be various cameo appearances from other Sega characters who didn't make it in the playable roster.
, adapted from a fanart of the character by deviantArt
ist, RianaLD. The artwork was initially used as placeholder artwork, mistaken as official artwork. Sonic Team
noticed the error and requested it be fixed, however it somehow remained on the Wii and 'low-res' PC versions of the track. Lycett has offered his sincere apologies to the original artist, citing the incident as unintentional. There are plans to remove the image from PC version, although the Wii version will retain the image due to the lack of an update feature.
As a pre-order bonus for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions in PAL regions, an additional Ryo Hazuki (called Ryo-F) was made available to download in which he would drive his forklift outside his All-Star move as his standard vehicle. This character was later made available for purchase on April 1, 2010.
Exclusive DLC for the Xbox 360 version include a game add-on that unlocks all characters and tracks without using SEGA miles, released March 16, 2010. Avatar content for the game was released on the Xbox Live Marketplace on March 25, 2010.
A pack containing Metal Sonic as a playable character and a Death Egg track, with Ristar
as a cameo appearance, was accidentally made available on the European PSN Store on April 1, 2010 before its intended release date, and was removed shortly afterward. It was then officially released on the Xbox Live Marketplace on April 8, 2010, and the PlayStation Store on April 22, 2010.
It was stated April 27 from SUMO Digital worker Steve Lycett that Sega has already released all the DLC they requested Sumo to make, and that future DLC hinges upon whether or not Sega wishes to have more.
gave the game 83% for the console versions and 70% for the DS version, calling it 'the best kart racer on 360/PS3, but not quite the Mario Kart
-beater we hoped for'. Nintendo Power
gave the Wii version 8/10 and the DS version 6/10. Official Nintendo Magazine gave both the DS and Wii version 75%. Wiiloveit.com gave the game a 27/30 calling it an "excellent kart racer", praising it's "natural" drifting mechanics, the varied multiplayer modes, as well as the large amount of "fan service" that exists in the game. The online incorporation was praised, however it was also commented that it could've been stronger had there been additional modes, a stronger setup, and some sort of a ranking system. Computer Bild Spiele, a German video game magazine, rated the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions a score of 2.32 out of 3. The Wii version was given a 2.46 out of 3 score. GamesRadar
gave the console versions of the game 8/10, praising its pick-up-and-play fun while criticising its uninspired weapons, whereas the DS version got 7/10. IGN
gave both the console and DS versions 8.0 each, calling it 'a clone that gets it right.' GameSpot
also gave it 8.0, praising its responsive controls and excellent track design. Kotaku
calls it a competent racer which evokes fond memories, although laments that the tracks and music selection don't delve as deep into Sega lore as the character roster. GameTrailers
gave the game 8.0 as well, praising its track design and addictive gameplay.
By March 2010, Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing had sold 1.07 million copies worldwide.
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
, Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
, PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
, Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
and Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
, featuring characters from many Sega franchises. It is being published by Sega
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
and developed by Sumo Digital
Sumo Digital
Sumo Digital Ltd. is an independent game development studio based in Sheffield, United Kingdom. Set up in 2003 following the closure of Infogrames Studios Sheffield/Gremlin Interactive...
. It was announced on May 28, 2009 and was released in North America on February 23, 2010 and in Europe on February 26, 2010, with the PC version available both from retail and via Steam. A mobile
Mobile game
A mobile game is a video game played on a mobile phone, smartphone, PDA, tablet computer or portable media player. This does not include games played on handheld video game systems such as Nintendo DS or PlayStation Portable....
version has been developed by Gameloft
Gameloft
Gameloft SA is a major French computer and video game developer and publisher headquartered in Paris, France. The company also has subsidiaries in 31 countries around the world....
. An arcade
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
version of the game is currently being tested in some arcades as of January 2011, was publicly shown at the EAG Expo in London on January 25, 2011, and will be released for sale in March 2011, according to the manufacturer. The game was announced for iOS
IOS
iOS is an operating system for iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, and Apple TV.IOS may also refer to:-Companies and organisations:* Illinois Ornithological Society, American state-based bird club...
and released on June 18, 2011.
Gameplay
The game is a mascot kart racingKart racing
Kart racing or karting is a variant of open-wheel motorsport with small, open, four-wheeled vehicles called karts, go-karts, or gearbox/shifter karts depending on the design. They are usually raced on scaled-down circuits...
game, very similar to other games in its genre like Mario Kart
Mario Kart
is a series of go-kart-style racing video games developed by Nintendo as a series of spin-offs from its trademark Mario series of platformer adventure-style video games...
, Konami Krazy Racers
Konami Krazy Racers
Konami Krazy Racers is a kart racing video game published and developed by Konami for the Game Boy Advance handheld video game console and iOS. It was first released in Japan, and was later released in North America and some PAL regions. It was a launch game for the system...
and Crash Team Racing
Crash Team Racing
Crash Team Racing is a racing video game developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation. The game was released in North America on September 30, 1999 and in Europe and Australia later the same year. It was re-released for the Sony Greatest Hits line-up in...
. Characters race through various race circuits themed on different Sega
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
franchises and collect power-ups to boost their speed or hamper their opponents. The items have a rock-paper-scissors
Rock-paper-scissors
Rock-paper-scissors is a hand game played by two people. The game is also known as roshambo, or another ordering of the three items ....
effect, in which certain items can be used to defend against others. Also, on occasions when players get three of one item, they can choose to fire/activate them at the same time. Additional boost can be earned by successfully executing drifts (with longer drifts earning more boost), or performing tricks while in midair. Like Sumo's previous Sega game, Sega Superstars Tennis
Sega Superstars Tennis
Sega Superstars Tennis is a tennis video game developed by Sumo Digital and published by Sega. The game was released on March 17, 2008 in Europe, on March 18, 2008 in North America, and on March 27, 2008 in Australia. The game includes 16 playable characters and 10 courts from Sega franchises...
, each character has a special ability (called an "All-Star Move") unique to them that they may use to their advantage (such as Sonic transforming into Super Sonic and AiAi riding in his monkey ball
Super Monkey Ball (series)
The Super Monkey Ball series is a series of arcade platform games developed by Amusement Vision and distributed by Sega. It features 4 characters : AiAi, MeeMee, Baby and GonGon...
), which they can obtain if they are running behind in the race. How long each All-Star move lasts depends on the character's current position. Due to network latency issues, All-Star Moves are not featured in online races.
Vehicles are separated into three different categories: cars
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
, bikes
Motorcycle racing
Motorcycle sport is a broad field that encompasses all sporting aspects of motorcycling. The disciplines are not all "races" or timed-speed events, as several disciplines test a competitor's various riding skills.-Motorcycle racing:...
and hovercraft
Hovercraft
A hovercraft is a craft capable of traveling over surfaces while supported by a cushion of slow moving, high-pressure air which is ejected against the surface below and contained within a "skirt." Although supported by air, a hovercraft is not considered an aircraft.Hovercraft are used throughout...
s. As the terrain on the tracks will vary, vehicles can be either assisted or hindered by the surfaces they drive upon. Cars vary in weight and speed, with some performing better on some terrains than others. Bikes have fast acceleration and can also perform ground tricks for extra boost, but can easily be bullied by heavier vehicles. Hovercrafts are not affected by any terrain and are able to perform multiple tricks after a jump, but they have poorer handling and have low acceleration. All of the vehicles also have their own specific engine sounds.
By playing through the game, players can earn Sega Miles that can be spent in the in-game shop to unlock additional content such as characters, tracks, and songs. The game features a total of 24 tracks based on locations from Sonic Heroes
Sonic Heroes
is a 2004 platforming single-player/multiplayer video game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series developed by Sonic Team USA. It is the first multiplatform title in the Sonic series, developed for Nintendo GameCube, PlayStation 2 and Xbox and released in Japan in December 2003, in North America in...
, Super Monkey Ball
Super Monkey Ball (series)
The Super Monkey Ball series is a series of arcade platform games developed by Amusement Vision and distributed by Sega. It features 4 characters : AiAi, MeeMee, Baby and GonGon...
, Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg
Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg
is a video game developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega for the Nintendo GameCube. It was ported to Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X in 2006, exclusively for Europe.-Plot:...
, Jet Set Radio Future
Jet Set Radio Future
Jet Set Radio Future is a video game developed by Smilebit and the sequel to Jet Set Radio. The game is also known as Jet Grind Radio. It was published by Sega. It was released on February 25, 2002 in the United States, near the beginning of the Xbox's lifespan...
, Samba de Amigo
Samba de Amigo
Samba de Amigo is a rhythm game originally developed by Sonic Team and released in 1999 by Sega in arcades, 2000 for the Dreamcast video game console, and developed by Gearbox Software and Escalation Studios in 2008 for the Wii. The player uses controllers shaped like maracas with the goal of...
, and The House of the Dead
The House of the Dead (series)
The House of the Dead is a video game franchise published by Sega and created by in-house designer Atsushi Seimiya of AM1....
.
There are four single player modes; Grand Prix, Single Race, Missions and Time Trials, while modes for split-screen multiplayer, playable with up to four players, include Free Race, Arena, King of the Hill, Collect the Emeralds and Capture the Chao. The game also has customizable multiplayer options for up to eight players online (four players on DS version, no online support for PC version).
The soundtrack for the game consists of various old and new tracks from the various Sonic and Sega franchises, though it also features original songs by various artists including Richard Jacques
Richard Jacques
Richard Jacques is a British music composer. He is best known for his video game music, most notably for numerous video games created by Sega.-Early life:...
. Each course starts with one track, with more being unlocked as players earn Sega Miles. The Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
version of the game features MIDI
Musical Instrument Digital Interface
MIDI is an industry-standard protocol, first defined in 1982 by Gordon Hall, that enables electronic musical instruments , computers and other electronic equipment to communicate and synchronize with each other...
versions of the tracks arranged by Allister Brimble
Allister Brimble
Allister Mark Brimble is a video game music composer. Allister has written music and sound effects for the videogame industry since the mid 1980s for a vast array of games, such as Driver, Project-X, Superfrog, Alien Breed, Assassin, Colonization, Descent II, Dizzy series ,Slightly Magic...
and Anthony Putson of Orchestral Media Developments. The main theme song of the game is "So Much More..." by singer Bentley Jones.
Playable characters
At the start of the game, players can play as Sonic, Tails, Dr. Eggman, Shadow, Amy, AiAi, Amigo and Billy Hatcher, as well as any console exclusive characters. Other characters are unlocked after purchasing them with Sega Miles.| Character | Origin |
|---|---|
| Sonic the Hedgehog Sonic the Hedgehog (character) , trademarked Sonic The Hedgehog, is a video game character and the main protagonist of the Sonic video game series released by Sega, as well as in numerous spin-off comics, cartoons, and a feature film. The first game was released on June 23, 1991, to provide Sega with a mascot to rival Nintendo's... |
Sonic the Hedgehog |
| Miles "Tails" Prower Miles "Tails" Prower , better known by his nickname , is a character, as well as the main deuteragonist in the Sonic the Hedgehog series of video games, comics, animated series and film released by Sega.... |
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (8-bit) Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is a 8-bit 1992 side-scrolling platform handheld console video game developed by Aspect Co., Ltd. and released by Sega for their Master System and Game Gear formats. The Master System version was released in Europe on October 16, 1992... |
| Doctor Eggman | Sonic the Hedgehog |
| Amy Rose Amy Rose , known earlier as Rosy the Rascal, is a video game character who appears in most of the Sonic the Hedgehog series of video games developed by Sega's Sonic Team, debuting in Sonic CD as the third recurring protagonist. Amy Rose was created by Kazuyuki Hoshino and based on one of Kenji Terada's... |
Sonic the Hedgehog CD Sonic the Hedgehog CD , or Sonic CD, is a critically acclaimed 1993 platform video game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series, developed by Sonic Team for the Mega-CD/Sega CD. It marked the first official appearance of the characters Metal Sonic and Amy Rose... |
| Shadow the Hedgehog Shadow the Hedgehog is a character from the Sonic the Hedgehog series. Shadow is an artificially-created life form. His trademark hover shoes propel him at extreme speeds that rival those of Sonic, and with a Chaos Emerald he has the ability to distort time and space using "Chaos Control." Often referred to as being... |
Sonic Adventure 2 Sonic Adventure 2 Sonic Adventure 2 is a platform game developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega for the Dreamcast video game console. It was released in North America on June 19, 2001 and in Japan on June 23, 2001 to mark the 10th anniversary of the release of the first Sonic the Hedgehog game. It is the sequel... |
| AiAi | Super Monkey Ball Super Monkey Ball (series) The Super Monkey Ball series is a series of arcade platform games developed by Amusement Vision and distributed by Sega. It features 4 characters : AiAi, MeeMee, Baby and GonGon... |
| Amigo | Samba de Amigo Samba de Amigo Samba de Amigo is a rhythm game originally developed by Sonic Team and released in 1999 by Sega in arcades, 2000 for the Dreamcast video game console, and developed by Gearbox Software and Escalation Studios in 2008 for the Wii. The player uses controllers shaped like maracas with the goal of... |
| Billy Hatcher | Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg is a video game developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega for the Nintendo GameCube. It was ported to Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X in 2006, exclusively for Europe.-Plot:... |
| Knuckles the Echidna Knuckles the Echidna Knuckles the Echidna is a video game character of the Sonic the Hedgehog game series, including spin-off games and comics. His first appearance was in Sonic the Hedgehog 3, released in 1994 to introduce a new rival for Sonic. He was presented as an antagonist who was tricked by Dr. Eggman into... |
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is a 1994 platform video game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis. It was developed in the United States by members of Sonic Team working at Sega Technical Institute, and was published by Sega, debuting worldwide in the first half of 1994... |
| Big the Cat | Sonic Adventure Sonic Adventure is a 1999 platform video game developed by Sonic Team and released on December 23, 1998, in Japan by Sega for the Dreamcast. One of its development titles was Sonic RPG... |
| Beat | Jet Set Radio Jet Set Radio is a video game for the Dreamcast, developed by Smilebit and published by Sega on June 29, 2000. A 2D version of the game was later released for Game Boy Advance; this version was developed by Vicarious Visions and published by THQ. Its sequel, Jet Set Radio Future was released 2 years later for... |
| Ulala | Space Channel 5 Space Channel 5 Space Channel 5 is a music video game developed by United Game Artists under the direction of Tetsuya Mizuguchi and published by Sega. The gameplay features a system where the player must copy sequences of dance steps performed by the computer... |
| B.D. Joe | Crazy Taxi |
| Zobio and Zobiko | The House of the Dead: EX |
| Ryo Hazuki | Shenmue Shenmue is a 1999 open-world adventure video game developed by Sega AM2 and published by Sega for the Dreamcast, produced and directed by Yu Suzuki. Suzuki coined a genre title, "FREE" , for the game, based on the interactivity and freedom he wanted to give to the player... |
| Jacky Bryant and Akira Yuki | Virtua Fighter |
| Mobo and Robo | Bonanza Bros. Bonanza Bros. is a 1990 3D-style, 2D shooting platform arcade game by Sega. It is one of the earliest arcade games powered by the arcade system board, the Sega System 24.-Gameplay:Bonanza Bros... |
| Chuih, ChuBei, ChuPea and ChuBach | ChuChu Rocket! ChuChu Rocket! is a puzzle video game for Dreamcast developed by Sonic Team. The game was the first popular game with online mode support for any major video game console... |
| Opa-Opa | Fantasy Zone Fantasy Zone thumb|Fantasy Zone arcade PCB is a surreal arcade game released by Sega in 1986. It was later ported to a wide variety of consoles, including the Sega Master System. The player controls a sentient spaceship named Opa-Opa who fights nonsensical invader enemies in the titular group of planets, full... |
| Alex Kidd Alex Kidd is a video game character whose popularity peaked during the late 1980s and who was the protagonist of both a series of video games released by Sega and their fictional universe, as well as in numerous spin-off merchandise such as novelizations and comics... |
Alex Kidd in Miracle World Alex Kidd in Miracle World is a platform game for the 8-bit Sega Master System video game console. It was first released in Japan on Saturday, November 1, 1986, and then was distributed to Europe, Australia and the United States in 1987... |
| Banjo and Kazooie | Diddy Kong Racing Diddy Kong Racing Diddy Kong Racing is a 1997 racing game for the Nintendo 64 developed by Rareware. 800,000 copies were ordered in the two weeks before Christmas 1997, making it the fastest selling video game at the time, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. It is the first game to spin off from the... |
| Avatar | The New Xbox Experience Xbox 360 The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles... |
| Mii Mii A is a digital avatar used in Nintendo's Wii and Nintendo 3DS gaming consoles. They allow users to capture a likeness of themselves and others. After creating one using the Wii's Mii Channel or the Nintendo 3DS's Mii Maker, they can be used as playable characters in various titles for the... |
Wii |
The following characters are available as downloadable content for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of the game.
| Character | Origin | Available |
|---|---|---|
| Ryo-F | Shenmue Shenmue is a 1999 open-world adventure video game developed by Sega AM2 and published by Sega for the Dreamcast, produced and directed by Yu Suzuki. Suzuki coined a genre title, "FREE" , for the game, based on the interactivity and freedom he wanted to give to the player... |
Pre-order bonus in Europe, Worldwide purchase from April 1, 2010 |
| Metal Sonic Metal Sonic is a fictional character and a recurring antagonist in the Sonic the Hedgehog video game series. In the series, Metal Sonic is an evil identical robotic duplicate of Sonic the Hedgehog, created by the series antagonist Dr. Robotnik, and is able to match Sonic's every move and even surpass his... |
Sonic the Hedgehog CD Sonic the Hedgehog CD , or Sonic CD, is a critically acclaimed 1993 platform video game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series, developed by Sonic Team for the Mega-CD/Sega CD. It marked the first official appearance of the characters Metal Sonic and Amy Rose... |
April 8, 2010 (360); April 22, 2010 (PS3) |
Notes
Only the former character appears in the Nintendo DS version of the game.
Xbox 360-exclusive character.
Wii-exclusive character.
Ryo rides his forklift instead of his motorcycle.
These characters are included in the mobile version.
These characters are included in the iOS version.
Development
Following the release of Sega Superstars TennisSega Superstars Tennis
Sega Superstars Tennis is a tennis video game developed by Sumo Digital and published by Sega. The game was released on March 17, 2008 in Europe, on March 18, 2008 in North America, and on March 27, 2008 in Australia. The game includes 16 playable characters and 10 courts from Sega franchises...
, Sumo Digital
Sumo Digital
Sumo Digital Ltd. is an independent game development studio based in Sheffield, United Kingdom. Set up in 2003 following the closure of Infogrames Studios Sheffield/Gremlin Interactive...
decided to do a racing title, based on their experience with recent Out Run
Out Run
is an arcade game released by Sega in 1986. It was designed by Yu Suzuki and Sega-AM2. The game was a critical and commercial success. It is notable for its innovative hardware , pioneering graphics and music, a choice in both soundtrack and route, and its strong theme of luxury and relaxation...
titles. In an early prototype of the game, Sonic raced on foot, Dr. Eggman rode an Eggpod with legs, Tails flew in a biplane, Amy Rose drove a car, and Gilius Thunderhead from Golden Axe rode one of the Chickenleg creatures from the game. This version, however, was reportedly not fun to play, largely due to the varying sizes between the different characters, but also because the drift mechanic wouldn't work with racers who were on foot. It was later revised so that everyone would be in cars, bikes, or modified flyers.
Following a successful fan campaign for the character's inclusion, Nights
Nights (character)
Nights is a video game character from the games Nights into Dreams... and Nights: Journey of Dreams, developed and published by Sega. Nights is gender-less, known as a "Nightmaren" who resides in Nightopia, a dream world where the dreams of all human beings are acted out every night...
was integrated into the game as the flagman.
At Summer of Sonic 2009, Steve Lycett, executive producer and Travis Ryan, lead designer of Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing were present for a Q&A session. A PlayStation 3 demo was also available for attendees to play. It was identical to the Comic-Con demo. On November 25, 2009, a special press event about the game was held in France, where the DS version made its playable debut.
Three demos of the game have been released: The first, for the Xbox 360, was released on the Xbox Live Marketplace
Xbox Live Marketplace
The Xbox Live Marketplace is a virtual market designed for Microsoft's Xbox 360 console that allows Xbox Live members to download purchased or promotional content...
on February 8, 2010. The second, for the Nintendo DS, was released via the Nintendo Channel on February 15, 2010. The third, for the PlayStation 3, was made available on the PlayStation Network Store on February 18, 2010.
Planned characters
ToeJam & EarlToeJam & Earl
ToeJam & Earl is an action video game developed by Johnson Voorsanger Productions and published by Sega for the Mega Drive video game console. Released in 1991, it centers on the titular ToeJam and Earl—alien rappers who have crash-landed on Earth. As they attempt to escape the planet, players...
were originally planned to be in Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing as a duo driving their spaceship, but Sega could not come to terms with ToeJam & Earl Productions
ToeJam & Earl Productions
ToeJam & Earl Productions, Inc. was an American video game developer. Founders Mark Voorsanger and Greg Johnson started the company in 1989.- History :...
co-founder Greg Johnson
ToeJam & Earl Productions
ToeJam & Earl Productions, Inc. was an American video game developer. Founders Mark Voorsanger and Greg Johnson started the company in 1989.- History :...
. However, fans have called and mass-emailed Johnson for his characters' return. He has responded on the official Sega forums under the pseudonym 'Big Earl' stating "I'll give it another try and see if I can get the homies at Sega to talk again on the phone." He later mentioned that the duo will not be appearing in the retail game, since it is too late in development, but the option for including them as downloadable content
Downloadable content
Downloadable content is official additional content for a video game distributed through the Internet. Downloadable content can be of several types, ranging from a single in-game outfit to an entirely new, extensive storyline, similarly to an expansion pack. As such, DLC may add new game modes,...
is still open.
In its prototype form, Gilius Thunderhead from Golden Axe
Golden Axe
Golden Axe is a side-scrolling beat 'em up and hack & slash arcade video game released in 1989 by Sega for the System 16-B arcade hardware. It is the first game in the Golden Axe series....
was a playable character who rode one of the Chickenleg monsters from the game. In his developer diary, Lycett makes it clear that this does not confirm him as a final character. This is the case with Gilius, as he did not make the cut into the final roster. Lycett has also talked about Vyse from Skies of Arcadia
Skies of Arcadia
Skies of Arcadia, released in Japan as , is a console role-playing game developed by Overworks for the Dreamcast and published by Sega in 2000. Skies of Arcadia Legends, a port, was released for the GameCube in 2002. Legends was also in development for the PlayStation 2; however, the PS2 version...
in an interview with Gamereactor
Gamereactor
Gamereactor is one of Northern Europe's biggest game magazine and Gaming sites that covers video- and computer games as well as mobile phone-games and indie-titles. It started in Denmark in 1998 by Morten Reichel and Claus Reichel - first years under the name Gamez.dk. The Magazine and Online...
. Segata Sanshiro was also considered as a possible character, riding a Sega Saturn
Sega Saturn
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console that was first released by Sega on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, 1995 in North America, and July 8, 1995 in Europe...
, though did not end up in the roster. Early in development, Mario
Mario
is a fictional character in his video game series, created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. Serving as Nintendo's mascot and the main protagonist of the series, Mario has appeared in over 200 video games since his creation...
was considered as a Wii-exclusive addition, but Sega decided against it so as not to cause cross-contamination with its Mario and Sonic
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, known in Japan as , is a sports video game developed by the Sega Sports R&D Department of Sega Japan. It was published by Nintendo for Japan and by Sega for North America, Europe and all other regions. The game is officially licensed by the International Olympic...
series.
Lycett has also mentioned there will be various cameo appearances from other Sega characters who didn't make it in the playable roster.
Image Mishap
On the Wii and Steam versions of the game, one of the playing cards shown on the Roulette Road track, which would normally show Amy Rose, shows a picture of Sonia from Sonic UndergroundSonic Underground
Sonic Underground is an animated series that follows the adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog and his siblings, Sonia and Manic. The cartoon follows a main plot similar to, but heavily reconcepted from, main plot of Sonic the Hedgehog: The Animated Series...
, adapted from a fanart of the character by deviantArt
DeviantArt
deviantART is an online community showcasing various forms of user-made artwork. It was first launched on August 7, 2000 by Scott Jarkoff, Matthew Stephens, Angelo Sotira and others. deviantArt, Inc...
ist, RianaLD. The artwork was initially used as placeholder artwork, mistaken as official artwork. Sonic Team
Sonic Team
is a Japanese computer and video game developer established in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan in 1990, originally known as Sega AM8. The Japan-based division is also known as G.E. Department Global Entertainment. The studio has collaborated with several in-house Japanese studios as well as other American-based...
noticed the error and requested it be fixed, however it somehow remained on the Wii and 'low-res' PC versions of the track. Lycett has offered his sincere apologies to the original artist, citing the incident as unintentional. There are plans to remove the image from PC version, although the Wii version will retain the image due to the lack of an update feature.
Downloadable content
Producer Omar Woodley confirmed in an interview that there would be DLC for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of the game. Lycett has mentioned that the Wii won't receive any DLC due to storage limits.As a pre-order bonus for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions in PAL regions, an additional Ryo Hazuki (called Ryo-F) was made available to download in which he would drive his forklift outside his All-Star move as his standard vehicle. This character was later made available for purchase on April 1, 2010.
Exclusive DLC for the Xbox 360 version include a game add-on that unlocks all characters and tracks without using SEGA miles, released March 16, 2010. Avatar content for the game was released on the Xbox Live Marketplace on March 25, 2010.
A pack containing Metal Sonic as a playable character and a Death Egg track, with Ristar
Ristar
Ristar, known as in Japan, is a platform game developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega for the Sega Mega Drive/Sega Genesis in 1995. A Sega Game Gear version, which features different levels than the Mega Drive version, was also released in the same year.The game stars a humanoid cartoon star...
as a cameo appearance, was accidentally made available on the European PSN Store on April 1, 2010 before its intended release date, and was removed shortly afterward. It was then officially released on the Xbox Live Marketplace on April 8, 2010, and the PlayStation Store on April 22, 2010.
It was stated April 27 from SUMO Digital worker Steve Lycett that Sega has already released all the DLC they requested Sumo to make, and that future DLC hinges upon whether or not Sega wishes to have more.
Reception
The game has received mostly positive scores. GamesMasterGamesMaster (magazine)
GamesMaster is a monthly multi-format computer and video game magazine published by Future Publishing in the United Kingdom.GamesMaster is the biggest selling multi-format video games magazine in the United Kingdom, outselling its sister publication Edge.-History:The magazine was launched in...
gave the game 83% for the console versions and 70% for the DS version, calling it 'the best kart racer on 360/PS3, but not quite the Mario Kart
Mario Kart
is a series of go-kart-style racing video games developed by Nintendo as a series of spin-offs from its trademark Mario series of platformer adventure-style video games...
-beater we hoped for'. Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power magazine is a monthly news and strategy magazine formerly published in-house by Nintendo of America, but now run independently. As of issue #222 , Nintendo contracted publishing duties to Future US, the U.S. subsidiary of British publisher Future.The first issue published was...
gave the Wii version 8/10 and the DS version 6/10. Official Nintendo Magazine gave both the DS and Wii version 75%. Wiiloveit.com gave the game a 27/30 calling it an "excellent kart racer", praising it's "natural" drifting mechanics, the varied multiplayer modes, as well as the large amount of "fan service" that exists in the game. The online incorporation was praised, however it was also commented that it could've been stronger had there been additional modes, a stronger setup, and some sort of a ranking system. Computer Bild Spiele, a German video game magazine, rated the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions a score of 2.32 out of 3. The Wii version was given a 2.46 out of 3 score. GamesRadar
GamesRadar
GamesRadar is a multi-format video game website featuring regular news, previews, reviews, videos, and guides. It is owned and operated simultaneously in the UK and US by worldwide publisher Future Publishing...
gave the console versions of the game 8/10, praising its pick-up-and-play fun while criticising its uninspired weapons, whereas the DS version got 7/10. IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
gave both the console and DS versions 8.0 each, calling it 'a clone that gets it right.' GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
also gave it 8.0, praising its responsive controls and excellent track design. Kotaku
Kotaku
Kotaku is a video games-focused blog. It is part of Gawker Media's "Gawker" network of sites, which also includes Gizmodo, Deadspin, Lifehacker, io9 and Jezebel. Named to CNET News' Blog 100, Kotaku is consistently listed in the top 40 of Technorati's Top 100...
calls it a competent racer which evokes fond memories, although laments that the tracks and music selection don't delve as deep into Sega lore as the character roster. GameTrailers
GameTrailers
GameTrailers is a media website that specializes in video game related content. It provides free access to original programming , game trailers and recorded game play. Along with standard definition , many of the video clips are offered in a higher resolution .Users can upload videos, create...
gave the game 8.0 as well, praising its track design and addictive gameplay.
By March 2010, Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing had sold 1.07 million copies worldwide.