Sonic and the Secret Rings - Wii Previews


	Platform Wii Genre Action Platformer Publisher Sega Developer Sega Studios Japan ETA Spring 2007
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Sonic and the Secret Rings

It's hard to believe that the last time Sonic went on a solo adventure was way back in 1991. Sonic and the Secret Rings returns the blue hedgehog to the troubled loner heroics that began his video game career fifteen years and almost a dozen games ago. Although the action is decidedly unlike it's 2D sidescrolling roots, the flat-out speed (the main draw of the franchise) should be enough to make this a Sonic game worth checking out.

As Sonic catches up on some reading, Arabian Nights, the genie appears and "grants Sonic the ability to travel into the book’s world" on the off-chance that Sonic will be able to sort out why "last several pages of the book have mysteriously gone blank." Being sucked into a book is really nothing new, but because the book is Arabian Nights, it opens all sorts of gaming opportunities, different gaming challenges, and face-offs against a host of different enemies.

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As a franchise, Sonic left its 2D presentation behind years ago, and Sonic and the Secret Rings looks to continue this evolution. But of more importance to the evolution of the franchise is that the game will likely make you sweat.

Using the Wii controller to control Sonic will have players swinging, tilting, and performing "many other motions to advance the game."

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When the title was shown at E3 2006, then known as Sonic Wild Fire, I didn't get any hands-on time with the title so I can't speak to precisely how the control scheme actually works, but flipping through some of the pictures from the event it seems that besides using motion sensing use the Wiimote in the horizontal position, which is reminiscent of Sonic's early Genesis days.

Sonic and the Secret Rings shouldn't be confused with the Sonic game for Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 (to be released later this year); it's a different game. The "next-gen" Sonic looks like it will feature a more traditional 3D platformer sensibility (though still with a massive amounts of pumped-up speed), Shadow, and some extremely slick graphics. But Sega is still describing Sonic and the Secret Rings as featuring "realistic water reflections, light bloom, and lifelike physics." ("Lifelike physics" being in the context of a royal blue hedgehog wearing bright red sneakers running really fast.) It does look good though and the sheer speed shown in the gameplay videos is almost too fast, but if it helps me hone my reactions it will pay off in the end.

A rip-roaringly fast Sonic game would be good enough for me, but Sega is also throwing in about 30 party games (which are mini-games within the main game). This is very good news, but Sega hasn't let slip what those mini-games will look like.

Sonic and the Secret Rings will launch in Spring 2007.

- Omni

(September 10, 2006)