Sonic Rush Adventure

[JamesS]

Not played it beyond the first few levels yet, but so far this is looking pretty good. Some slightly dodgy level design aside, the first Sonic Rush was probably the best Sonic game for quite a while, so I've been looking forward to this a lot.

This time, the game has additional "adventure" bits between the main 2D stages. So far, this has mostly just been talking to a couple of people, and hasn't annoyed or got in the way of the main game. It seems less adventurey than Sonic Adventure, at any rate. The game's set around a number of islands, giving it a nice happy Mario Sunshine/Wind Waker kind of an atmosphere. You get between the islands on a jet boat thing, which goes against the tradition of Sonic mini games by actually being good fun.

The levels themselves are the same mix of 2D backgrounds with bits of 3D overlayed on them from the previous Rush, and seem so far to be better designed than the last game. I've not had any unpredictable death drops or anything like that. At times the levels shift into full 3D for short sections, too, which makes a nice change. Boss battles are full 3D, and over both screens this time.

There are a few network options including Nintendo WFC online modes, with online world rankings for the time trials, and Sonic 2 style head to head racing. This seems to work really well from the one game I've had, with both characters on screen at once and no obvious lag.

So, from first impressions, it seems really good.

[jamesy]

Soundin' good. What's the music like in it? Same style as Sonic Rush?

[The Mole]

I was unaware that the game was getting its debut in the UK.

I was shocked to see in in my local gaming shop today along with Tingle. This won out.

The music is nice, great intro song with nice mellow female vocals.

I agree the gameplay is top and so far the nasty level design from Rush has not reared it's ugly head, but the level design issues did appear later on in Rush.

I have to say i am loving the jet ski bits, it is just like a new DS friendly version of the bonus round from Sonic 2.

So far i have not played enough to post detailed impressions but i did cringe when i got a side mission thinking of the Sonic game on Wii. Thankfully its not fully in that gameplay style and is more like a normal 2D sonic game.

I am also liking the 3D to 2D starts in each level

[sj33]

I liked Rush at the time, but in retrospect it was yet another mediocre effort. But this sounds real positive

[JamesS]

I'm guessing the music is by the same guy who did the first Sonic Rush and Jet Set Radio, as it's a fairly similar style for the most part.

Having played it a bit more, I'm not so sure about this whole material collecting thing. It seems like a bit of a cheap way to extend the game by having you replay levels a few times before you can move on. That said, it does get you learning the stages, and gives a reason to aim for the higher grades. The random Australian slang used by the new characters is a bit annoying after a while, too.

[JamesS]

Actually, it seems I missed something. There are extra smaller islands with additional levels on that you can find. You get more material, in less time, from these than from doing the main stages. So, actually, you don't need to keep redoing levels. You just need to explore a bit and find new levels to play.

Looks like the online leaderboards have died, though. The web version is just giving me an error, and the in-game one was only listing about four people last time I looked.

[Keith]

Bloody annoying having to "find" levels before you can play them, even moreso since the little bits you have to do to try and find them are so crap.

Yet another rubbish DS game then...

[Greg Moss]

Shame you didn't like it Keithy boy, I thought it was enjoyable considering some of the tripe Sonic has been in, in recent years. The bosses are pathetically easy though, and the last is just annoying.

[Keith]

The stages I've actually found have been good fun - and as I really enjoyed Sonic Rush I was (and still am) quite keen on the thought of this one, it's just the fact that you have to find each stage! Could just use a guide I suppose.

[mr_woo]

Loved this and thought it was fantastic fun. I did like the sailing bits and found that they controlled well with the stylus and were fun little mini games.

Above and beyond anything Sonic related made these days (which admittedly isnt tough)

I also noticed how easy the bosses were and after I finished the game I found out that it was set on Easy throughout game on the options menu!! (i didn't alter a single thing during the game, hell I didnt even know you could change the difficulty until after I had finished the game!)

[Greg Moss]

Don't forget mr_woo that you have to finish the bosses on hard in the missions mode to get the Sol Emeralds to get the real ending.

I have to agree with you a little there Keith, it would be alot more fun if you didn't have to find each level, especially as the ship and hovercraft are pants (did like the Jetski and Sub though), or if you didn't have to replay them as much to advance the story.

Most of the hidden islands are noticeable on the map anyway, iirc they're in the areas that are a little darker, there were a couple that I had to level the sub up for though and just randomly draw on the map to find.