Team Sonic Racing E3 Preview
Team Sonic Racing is an excellent example of why you shouldn’t count out goofy side games. While this title didn’t feel quite as fast as some Sonic games have in the past, there was still a healthy dose of hectic action to dive into. Although, given the limited nature of E3 demos, it’s possible we were simply being set to a lower difficulty tier. It’s also worth noting that it took me three tries to actually get first place in the demo race. You have to make liberal use of every tool at your disposal if you want to win. That means booster pads, item boxes, drifting boosts and team ultimates can’t be ignored if you want first place.
I didn’t have enough time to really get into the ultimate system but it looks like your performance has an impact on how often you can deploy it. It’s possible that a comprehensive strategy can be built almost entirely around maximizing how often you can trigger this badass speed boost during a single race. I’m deeply curious about what the multiplayer scope is for this title. A team that works together well enough could be pretty devastating.
Honestly, I don’t feel like I had quite enough time with this one to know whether the final product will be a success. I do know that the previous two Sonic racing games are beloved by the fans. However, you can find a core group that’s in love with more or less every Sonic game. There’s still a significant portion of the Sonic fandom that will aggressively defend both of the Adventure games. On top of that, who’s to say whether this first track I played is indicative of where the rest of the game will go? If nothing else, that first race is pretty solid. The items, environmental obstacles and other races all meant I had to work hard to squeeze into first place. I’m curious about how the multiplayer will shake out. I think that whatever flaws this game ends up with, racing with friends is going to be a blast.
