Sonic and co. start their engines for a thoroughly outstanding kart racer
Format: PS3 (version played), Xbox 360, Wii, PC, DS Dev: Sumo Digital Pub: Sega
Out: 26/02/10 Players: 1-4, 2-8 online
If you’re trying to determine who the greatest Sega character of all-time is then you’ll have a pretty tough job devising a competition which will find even ground between characters such as Ulala and Sonic. But if you place twenty characters from Sega’s wealthy record into race-ready rides and equip them with all sorts of wacky weapons, then you might at least find out which of them is the best driver.
Unlike previous attempts at games of this type, developer Sumo Digital has clearly put a huge amount of effort into not just making a game that can cash in on the successes of Mario Kart, but can also knock the classic series off its perch. Its superiority relies heavily on the graphics, in which a kart racer has possibly never looked so sweet. Although, not available for those considering the Wii version of the game, it’s helpful to note that in HD the game offers a decent trackside garnish thrown on top of colourful and confident landscapes.
There are 20 Sega characters in All-Stars Racing, which I assure you are an odd bunch. Seven of which have been pulled from the well-worn Sonic universe, though, between you and me, I would have preferred to see a few other franchises sharing the limelight rather than some of the lesser known entrants. It makes sense that the lightning-fast blue hedgehog and his evil nemesis, Dr. Eggman, made the cut, but would you really have missed Amy or Big the Cat? The 13 non-Sonic characters range from absurdly obscure, to famous favourites, to long-forgotten 8-bit stars. It’s a diverse cast that stretches through Sega’s entire history, which should please anyone who’s been following Sega since the Master System days.
The mass variety of weapons, competitions, missions and racers available to play mean the longevity of the game is extensive. The consistency of track design, multiplayer options, both on and offline, and ease of controls means absolutely anybody will be able to pick up the basics in no time. Gameplay is extremely remarkable, with accurate and receptive controls and ingredients such as powersliding spicing it up.
The 24 tracks on offer are filled with all sorts of obstacles and hurdles, from tense turns and feral jumps to hidden shortcuts, which prove absence of repetitiveness. Themes of certain tracks do lack variety however. Nine of which have been snatched from Sonic with only three unique styles and House of the Dead tracks thrown in for good measure. These are delightful but creepy, yet to have a few more franchises thrown into this playful mixture would have put the icing on the cake.
Blasphemous as it may be, race for race, this game is significantly more pleasurable than the Nintendo title it is attempting to recreate.
Nadya Jaworskyi
