Sonic And The Secret Rings010086650020

Sonic And The Secret Rings

Platform - Nintendo Wii
ESRB Rating - Everyone
Features:
  • CD-ROM
  • Fast, frenetic gameplay with Sonic in constant motion
  • Branching paths for extensive gameplay variety and replayability
  • A variety of party games for up to four players
Return to Price Comparison      See More from Nintendo Wii Games

 Click to Add Your Own Review

User Rating Comments


4 Star Rating
Anonymous

The whole is better than the sum of it's parts

(Review From Amazon)
General Comments:
I for one love this game. Honestly, I can't put it down. The game certainly has problems, the only question is, is the game worth playing in spite of them? For me, the answer is yes.

The aspects of the game that I love are the ones that remind me of the old Sonic games from the early 90's. The race to the goal missions have the same "it never gets old" feeling that the original Sonic the Hedgehog games, and the speed breaks take me back to the days when I was glued to my T.V in awe of how fast the world was going by in Sonics I and II. These two aspects in combination make for a lot of fun indeed.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for absolutely every other aspect of the game.

The unbelievably long list of bonus missions (Don't take damage, don't defeat enemies, etc) have absolutely no re-play value and are certainly not fun. Getting through them is nothing more than a necessary chore to unlock more levels. Since there are only seven full tracks in the game, this is obviously a way to make the game seem longer, but personally, I would have been happy with seven tracks.

These bonus run-throughs are the biggest flaw in the game, especially due to the clunky controls. The control in Sonic and the Secret Rings is certainly good enough to race through a stage, but when the game requires you to carry out specific objectives like collecting 50 rings, dodging enemies, and running through a complex level within a short time limit, you start to notice how jerky the controls really are. They are serviceable, but were not designed for precision. Unfortunately, the bonus levels ARE designed for precision, and the controls (while not horrible) are simply not up to the task.

If you can labor through the bonus missions, you will find that the main tracks are remarkably fun to run through, especially when you are not bound by further objectives to get to more stages. If you have not gotten through the remainder of the bonus missions however, you may ask your self if it's worth it to keep going. This will mean the difference between a buy, a rental, and a tossing of the game out the window for a lot of people.

The game certainly could have been better, and if a sequel is ever made (and it should be because the game has a lot of potential), some of these problems might be dealt with. In the mean time however, I would recommend the bare bones elements of the game to anyone who loved the Sonic the Hedgehog games of the 90's. The main tracks really are that fast, and they really are that fun!


2 Star Rating
Anonymous

Fun at first, but trust me, its frustrating controls get to you.

(Review From Amazon)
General Comments:
When you first buy this game, your most likely gonna say to yourself "Wow, this game is great, why does everyone hate it so much?" You'll say that now, but play it for a little while longer before you be quick on judgment. The Graphics are very good for a Wii title and it had a great idea, the problem is, the controls do not work with you when you need them to, at times they seem automatic, and most of the time to forceful, it gets anoying after awhile. The music, while can be good if you like heavy rock, just didn't suit this title. Another problem was the way the story/theme took on approach for a Sonic title. Sure its creative, but its pretty lackluster and doesn't fit for a game like this. Overall, this game is pretty terrible, I dont recommend buying it but maybe a 5 day rental wont kill you.


3 Star Rating
Anonymous

How Sonic got most of his groove back.

(Review From Amazon)
General Comments:
Call me crazy, call me a fan of deep gameplay, but I've just never understood this whole Sonic the Hedgehog hullaballoo. Back when Sonic made his console debut in the early 90s he immediately separated himself from his biggest competitor, a chubby plumber, and in doing so, set himself apart as the "cool" console mascot. And cool he was. While Mario was busy breaking bricks and lollygagging his way through pipes, Sonic was flying through worlds with ease, doing all sorts of cool tricks in the process. However, what Mario lacked in "coolness" he always made up for with deep, addictive gameplay. Sonic was cool, yeah, but when it came down to the quality of the gaming experience, he just never could gain ground on that chubby guy.

This flaw of Sonic followed him into the 3D era as well. The arrival of the Sega Dreamcast brought Sonic fans the Sonic Adventure series, which often slowed down the speedy hedgehog in favor of more traditional 3D platforming. In a way, it worked. But this was Sonic, and you can't very well have Sonic and not have speed! So Sonic the Hedgehog has been in sort of a drought over the better part of a decade, trying his best to keep up in his old age. Often plagued by poor camera control and even poorer character control, Sega's mascot is no longer the poster child for "cool" gaming, but the perfect example of what a video game shouldn't be.

The light at the end of the tunnel for Sonic was supposed to be his latest adventure, Sonic and the Secret Rings, and at first look, it seems like a pretty solid idea. Bring Sonic back to his roots, make him fast, recreate the 2D Sonic experience in 3D. So the folks over at Sega have Sonic constantly moving in this game along a set path, the player steers him left and right by tilting the Wii remote accordingly. To jump, simply hit the 2 button. Shove the remote forward mid-air to perform a homing attack (a gesture that really feels quite solid).

So far so good. Sonic is once again running through worlds, collecting rings and other valuables while blasting into enemies. But then the core flaw of Sonic the Hedgehog once again becomes apparant. The gameplay is still pretty shallow. Sega has tried to paint over this problem by allowing Sonic to gain experience points throughout his adventure, making him faster, stronger, and more cocky. Still, this is 2007. Running fast and collecting rings may have been compelling, or jaw dropping in 1991, but we've come to expect more from our games nowadays, especially when they're platformers. Sadly, Sonic and the Secret Rings does not recreate the excitement and experience of the traditional Sonic game, nor does it create a new experience to get excited about. It's simply disappointing.

However, from a visual standpoint, Sonic and the Secret Rings does not disappoint. You won't find the benefits of high definition gaming as you would Sonic's other current-generation endeavors. But what Sonic and the Secret Rings lacks in polish and shine, it makes up for in beauty and detail. The worlds that Sonic speeds through are beautifully and meticulously created, often giving players something to gawk at when the game slows its pace occasionally. Having played Sonic the Hedgehog on Xbox 360, I can safely say that Sonic and the Secret Rings is a much more satisfying game where both visuals and gameplay are concerned.

In the end, the gamers will decide if Sonic and the Secret Rings is a hit or a miss. Sonic fans of old may enjoy the new twist on the old gameplay, but fans who never really latched on to the series will most likely be disappointed again. Is it the best 3D Sonic game? It really depends on what you're looking for. As a traditional 3D platformer it fails, but in recreating the 2D world of Sonic in 3D it at least comes close. Sonic may not be as cool as he used to be, but at least he's trying.

6.0 Presentation
Menus and cutscenes are artistically created, and work in setting the environment of the world of the Arabian Nights. But the story is a little silly, and largely unnecessary.

8.9 Graphics
Some of the best graphics available on the Wii, and the level design is often meticulously crafted to enhance the experience.

4.9 Sound
The music in the game is worse than Excite Truck, but unfortunately the game does not offer the custom sountrack option. As always, Sonic is better when he's not talking, but he still won't shut up.

4.5 Gameplay
Going fast is fun for a while, but then it wears off. The game suffers from the same follies of the original Sonic games, with the added problem of going backwards which is neither intuitive nor fun.

6.0 Lasting Appeal
RPG fans may find some saving grace in the experience points, but the tacked-on party games are just lame and poorly presented.

6.2 OVERALL
(out of 10 / not an average)


1 Star Rating
Anonymous

words cannot describe how i feel about this game...

(Review From Amazon)
General Comments:
I'll try to explain anyway. I purchased this game after seeing that it got some great reviews on gaming sites. I was going to rent it first but didn't. I really tried to give this game a chance, I played it for several hours and no matter how many things I unlock, the fact that you can only move slightly left or slightly right on a set course is never changed. Besides the fact that interactive gameplay is almost nonexistent, the menus are clunky (you start over at a menu screen after every forced tutorial and every level without the option to continue directly on to the next) and the mini games that many claim to be fun are in fact horrible abominations. They have nothing to do with the world of sonic at all and though (for the only time in the game) you have a sort of 3d freedom to roam, the controls almost stand as an argument for why the option was not included in rest of the game.

I don't really care to critique it any further than this. I did not buy this game because it is visually stunning, I got it under the impression that it would be fun. I just wish to post this as a warning to anyone else. ...that and I wish I didn't buy it myself. 0 Stars