Sonic and All-Stars Racing Transformed review (All versions)

Date Released: Winter 2012 for most versions
Date Reviewed: February 17, 2013
Genre: 3D Party Racer
Players: 1-4 players locally (up to 5 on Wii U), 10 online
Length: 3-30 minutes per event, 12-25 hours to unlock all content
Replayability: High

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Introduction

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed is the sequel to 2010’s crossover party racer Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing. Not simply a basic sequel, the game focuses around the concept of vehicles that change during the race to traverse over land, water and the sky with a few courses that even head through lava or outer space. Presented as kid-friendly but designed to be enjoyable for all ages, Transformed is a quality racer for fans of SEGA and the genre. Difficult but not unfair, the game succeeds in making a unique and fun game for groups online or off, but somewhat sloppy direction and awkward marketing attempts keep it from becoming a true classic.

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed now available for PlayStation Vita

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed has finally been made available for Sony’s PlayStation Vita handheld after initial delays in production caused it’s release to be pushed back. Developed by Sumo Digital across all platforms, this version of the game retains all of the features of its console counterparts, save for the number of racers per race, which has been downsized to eight from the console version’s ten. A version for Nintendo’s 3DS is also slated for release on February 8th in Europe and February 12th in the United, while versions for Microsoft Windows and iOS are also planned, but have yet to been given release dates. Also of note is that if any is version of Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed is purchased through all GameStop retailers (including pre-orders for the 3DS version) will come bundled with an exclusive Hot Wheels toy car modeled after Danica Patrick’s ‘Danicar’ vehicle from the game.

After the break, we’ve included the launch trailer released for the game back in November.

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed out now

Sumo Digital’s latest arcade racing title, Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, is now available on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, and Wii U in North America and Europe. The sequel to 2010’s Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing, Transformed brings a myriad of new changes and additions to the series, with the most notable feature being the dynamic transformations of the game’s vehicles, which allows them seamlessly race on land, sea, and air. Transformed also assembles an all-star cast of characters from across SEGA’s long history, with several newcomers entering the fray, including Joe Musashi from Shinobi and Vyse from Skies of Arcadia. In addition, two guest characters from non-SEGA properties make an appearance on the game’s playable roster, those being auto racer Danica Patrick of NASCAR fame and the character Ralph from the 2012 Walt Disney film Wreck-It Ralph, which features several cameos of SEGA characters including Sonic the Hedgehog and the zombies from The House of the Dead.

Those who pre-ordered the game will receive a special ‘Bonus Edition’ of the title, which includes an extra course modeled after SEGA’s hit arcade driving game OutRun, as well as Metal Sonic from Sonic CD as a playable character. In addition to its release on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, Transformed will also be released for the Nintendo 3DS and PlayStation Vita on December 7th in Europe and on December 11th in North America. Versions for Microsoft Windows and iOS are also planned, but currently do not have release dates.

Be sure to check out the game’s launch trailer after the break.

Jet Set Radio available for PlayStation Vita this week, mobile versions late November

The high definition upgraded version of Jet Set Radio will finally be available for PlayStation Vita users this week for download on the PlayStation Network. It was previously released this fall on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Steam for Windows PC.

Originally launched in 2000 on the SEGA Dreamcast, Jet Set Radio was praised for it’s unique take on the platforming genre, along with it’s graphical style and soundtrack, most of which is included in this version. Modern alterations, such as new camera controls and achievements/trophies have been added, the Vita release includes even more functions, such as optional touch-based spraying.

In addition, Android and iOS versions of the game will be released at the end of month. Jet Set Radio is available on all platforms for $10 USD, the title is set to be the first free game on PlayStation Vita for PlayStation Plus subscribers.

Football Manager 2013 out now for PC and Mac

Football Manager 2013, the latest release in SEGA and Sports Interactive’s popular Manager series of games is now available on Steam for PC and Mac platforms and will be out later for numerous mobile devices and PlayStation Portable. Not to be confused with American football, Football Manager 2013 sees players taking the roles of creating and developing their own soccer team and creating a healthy economy for the entire sport.

New features for this year’s version include a new quicker way to play, improved managing roles and several new animations for the matches themselves. In total, the developers claim over 900 additions have been made to this latest release, most of which will be detailed through their blog in the weeks to come.

Included after the break is the launch trailer.

Sonic Jump now available for iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad

Sonic Jump, the latest entry in SEGA’s long-running Sonic the Hedgehog series and the first to be developed specifically for the mobile platform, is now available for purchase on several Apple devices, including the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. Developed by Hardlight, SEGA’s newly formed digital studio based out of the United Kingdom, Sonic Jump is a platformer based around ascension through vertically scaled levels full of various types of enemies and hazards. Though somewhat atypical from the style of gameplay seen in other titles in the series, the core structure and mechanics of Sonic Jump remain largely the same, with the titular mammal collecting many rings and power-ups as he progresses through multiple levels, all of which feature a boss fight at the very end. The core game is mission-based, with the player being tasked with completing several challenges in each area, while the leaderboard focused content, dubbed Infinite Arcade mode, has the player trying to ascend a level as quickly as possible, with the best heights and times being posted on the game’s leaderboard, which can be shared among contacts and friends.

Sonic Jump can be found on the iTunes App Store for the price of $1.99 USD, AUD $1.99, £1.49, and €1.59. If interested, the game’s launch trailer can be viewed after the break.

Source: Apple Store

Zaxxon Escape revealed, already available

SEGA has announced and made available for download the latest release in the Zaxxon series of space shooters. Developed by Free Range Games, Zaxxon Escape is a direct sequel to the classic 1982 arcade game Zaxxon, taking place directly after the conclusion of the original where the ship must escape the exploding space fortress of Zaxxon. Unlike the original, this new game revolves around tilting mechanics to navigate instead of adjusting altitude. Several other new features such as tapping the screen to shoot and sliding a finger across the screen to turn through corridors also appear in the title.

Available for various iOS touch devices and eventually Google Play, Zaxxon Escape can be purchased for 99 cents (US Dollars). The announcement and availability of the game is sudden and unexpected, considering the last major release in the franchise was Zaxxon’s Motherbase 2000 for the SEGA 32X add-on for the SEGA Genesis/Mega Drive in 1995. It is also worth mentioning that the franchise is celebrating it’s 30th anniversary this year.

[Source: Official SEGA Blog]

SEGA Tokyo Game Show 2012 Roundup

Compared to last year, SEGA’s showing at Tokyo Game Show (TGS for short) was hugely gimped by lack of multiplatform titles, something the publisher is greatly known for. A general shift in focus towards touch-based platforms is apparent with not just SEGA, but the entirety of the event across all publishers.

That said, SEGA has still revealed and demonstrated several titles, although as always it is unclear how many of these will receive English language releases.

After the break we have compiled a list of every title involving SEGA at the event.

Total War Battles: SHOGUN now available on Steam

Total War Battles: SHOGUN, Creative Assembly’s real-time strategy that was released for mobile earlier this year, is now available on Steam for PC and Mac. This new release retains the deep and intricate strategy the series is known for while also bringing all of the mechanics and features unique to the mobile version to the PC for the very first time, including the game’s new grid-based control method, skirmish mode, scalable difficulty setting, and its extensive learning tools and tutorial to assist players new to the series or to the world of real-time strategy. This new version boasts improved visuals and performance and also includes additional graphical options including anti-aliasing and increased resolution size. Several exclusive features are also included, such as achievements and an online leaderboard.

It’s worth noting, however, that there is a light difference in price, with this version costing $7.99 compared to the $4.99 price of the iOS and Android versions. Also, purchasing the game on Steam will unlock the Sendai Faction Pack for owners of Total War: Shogun 2 — Fall of the Samurai.

Source: Steam

SEGA announces ‘SEGA Alliance’ mobile publishing branch, along with new IP

SEGA have revealed yet another publishing deal, this time intended for eager independent developers on mobile platforms. Titled the ‘SEGA Alliance’, SEGA will consult and assist developers across design, production and eventually marketing as they ready their games. Although this is a great opportunity for indie developers on mobile platforms, SEGA did not reveal contact information or what regions this will be available in.

The first game to part of this publishing deal is Jack Lumber, an iOS release about a supernatural lumberjack whom plans on deforesting trees that killed his grandmother (!?) while saving the animals around them. The developer Owlchemy Labs, whom are best known for their controversial illegal alien smuggling mobile game Smuggle Truck that was reworked into a game about plush toys titled Snuggle Truck.

Jack Lumber is available on Apple’s App Store for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch for 2 USD. Footage of the game can be viewed after the break.