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Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed Has More Than Just Cars

The original Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing was a bit of a surprise, we hadn’t seen Sonic in a racing game with cars since the Sonic Drift games. It was also a pretty good game that received lots of praise from fans, so it makes sense that the spin-off title is getting a sequel. Like the title implies, Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed has vehicles that transform. During a race the vehicle changes into either a car, boat or plane whenever the track needs it to, making it more similar to Diddy Kong Racing than Mario Kart, which certainly isn’t a bad thing.

A trailer showcases this along with better graphics and a stage based on Panzer Dragoon, another stage based on Super Monkey Ball is shown in the screenshots. As for new characters, there’s Vyse from Skies of Arcadia and Gilius Thunderhead from Golden Axe (who was going to be in the first game but got scrapped) joining the roster, with more newcomers to be announced. Scripted events change the course every lap, which you could compare to Motorstorm Apocalypse, though much more colourful. The game’s soundtrack won’t just consist of old tracks, as they are remixed with composer Richard Jacques doing  some contributions. There’ll also be a story mode and the annoying commentator is no longer present.

IGN has a preview up with more details along with a video with some of the folks at Sumo Digital talking about the game with more gameplay being shown. The game will be coming to Xbox 360, Playstation 3, Playstation Vita, Nintendo 3DS and PC Digital Download later this year. Screenshots can be found after the jump.

[Via IGN and Sonic Stadium]

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38 Comments

  • Reply

    I can has good sonic racing game?…Again!?!

    The concept reminds me of a Hot-wheels game I used to play on my PS1. I loved that game, so needless to say I’m looking forward to this! 😀

  • Reply

    Never understood why Sonic would drive a car…

    • Reply

      So he can compete fair-and-square with the other racers; if he ran on foot every race, he would win automatically every time. :v:

      There’s probably a regulation against people who don’t drive cars in the Official Rulebook of Sonic & Sega All-Star Racing

  • Reply

    Really looking forward to this! I played Sonic Drift 2 alot when it first came out and have wanted a Sonic Racing game since then. Sonic All-Stars Racing was a good game (loved the Death Egg and Metal Sonic DLC). Looking forward to seeing what cool surprises are in store for this game.

  • Reply

    The commentator wasn’t annoying he was awesome! And if you turned him off in the first one things just weren’t the same…

    • Reply

      Exsactly!:

  • Reply

    I want more footage of Vyse.

  • Reply

    I don’t remember who, but in an interview someone from Sega said it’s just for “style points”. Works for me.

  • Reply

    ^Sonic driving a car is for style points, silly forgetful me 😛

  • Reply

    “Transformed”, eh? Then we seriously better see Vectorman and Altered Beast [hero] inducted as racers, especially Vectorman.

  • Reply

    I hope we see more stage variety in general. Seeing the same six stages over and over is a little bit of a letdown, though that’s not to say the stages weren’t fun or graphically beautiful, for they certainly are. The first game had racetracks that were imho FAR MORE enjoyable than most Mario Kart Wii racetracks. I just would prefer this second SaSASR title to incorporate more variety in terms of locales. I may be alone in this view though.

  • Reply

    I’m really looking forward to this. Also, did anyone cream a little bit when they saw the reflection on Sonic’s car in the 10th picture? I did.

  • Reply

    Beautiful, too bad Wii and iDevices aren’t getting some!

  • Reply

    Diddy Kong Racing 2: Sonic Edition? Sweet!

  • Reply

    Hey. I loved the first one. Played the 360 version & own the Wii version. This sequel is cool. Loved Diddy Kong Racing too. This time I have 2 versions to choose from. And I can’t wait for this.

  • Reply

    I’m looking forward to this. Although it needs madder item system than last time. And PC online mode would even render a delay for obvious imaginary reasons worth it.

  • Reply

    If it’s like the first, it should be good. But the whole transforming thing…Sounds unnecessary, especially if it effects handling during the race (that’s more of a deterrent if anything). But I guess when your the add wizard who work the word into the title….

    Ah well, just give us more franchise characters from the past please. Vectorman, Segata , Streets, Eternal, Vipers….TJ&E. You’ve got a good catalog Sega, now use it.

    • Reply

      The transforming gimmick is what makes the game different from the original. If it wasn’t there it would mostly just be more of the same.

  • Reply

    Would be nice to see NiGHTS and some characters from Phantasy Star in this one. Maybe even Ecco if they can find some way of pulling that one off! If transformation is taking center stage, a flight-based NiGHTS stage would be amazing!

  • Reply

    The level in the third picture seems to have a Dreamcast Swirl theme.

  • Reply

    There had better be more Super Monkey Ball characters

  • Reply

    I would like to see the return of the classic forms of every one from the Sonic Drift games brought in to the game as DLC.

  • Reply

    Why does Sonic need a car? He can totally fly with his feet.

  • Reply

    To be a fair to the other racers Sonic likes a good challenge remember he took Jet on with extreme gear which he knew nothing about.

  • Reply

    Personally,I think that Sonic should be running on foot,in a SONIC game,racing with other SONIC characters.Yes,I’m talking about Sonic R.We need a game that is all on foot  but STILL A RACING game.I have spoken.

  • Reply

    Mario Kart 7 much?
    Don’t get me wrong, I loved the first game and was looking forward to this one, but did they really have to do water and sky like Mario Kart did?

  • Reply

    So now it makes plenty of sense for Sonic to be a vehicle… almost.

  • Reply

    Do we get NiGHTS this time?

  • Reply

    I say this very rarely, but SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY!

  • Reply

    Well, Knuckles’ car got the overhaul it needed. I might actually play as him every once in a while, unless of curse Metal Sonic and Vectorman are present. 

  • Reply

    No announcer? His ham & cheese will be missed.

  • Reply

    It’s probably too much to hope for Sketch Turner, huh? I wish Comix Zone got more love.

  • Reply

    Maybe, they could add a stage that would be. A little more unique. Stardust Speedway, anyone?

  • Reply

    mightyXtreme, “Sumo’s game had already been conceived before Nintendo’s E3 conference, and the developer watched in horror at the airborne and aquatic sequences in the trailer.”

    So technically the never took the idea from Mario Kart according to IGN

  • Reply

    I’m freaking going to buy this when it get’s out, no matter the price. It’s bad that it’s not going to get published on the wii, but at least I can get it for the 3ds.
    But, if the guys at sega will announce Nights playable, I’m totally going to buy a ps3 with this game.

  • Reply

    We totally need Ristar and Vectorman as racers.

  • Reply

    Hey, this article reminds me why I retired and took up commentary!

  • Reply

    instead of this, i think i would like to see another sonic riders game, but one where you can actually control the character… stupid kinect…

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