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.

Aliens: Colonial Marines Extermination edition announced for UK

United Kingdom-based video game retailer GAME is currently stocking an exclusive special version of Gearbox’s upcoming first-person shooter Aliens: Colonial Marines for Windows PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3. Extermination edition, as it is called, will include several pieces of bonus content for those who pre-order the game, including multiplayer characters, weapons, weapon upgrades, and several items used for player customization. Playable characters available with the Extermination edition include Gunnery Sergeant Apone, Corporal Hicks, and Privates Hudson and Drake from the film Aliens, on which the story of Colonial Marines is based. Other bonuses include two weapons, a flamethrower and a sawed-off double barrel shotgun, additional items that can be used to customize the appearance of the player’s Marine, and a ‘Gear Upgrade Boost’, which will give players early access to high-end equipment and upgrades for their weapons. It is currently unknown whether or not this edition of the game will see release elsewhere in the world, or if this content will become available for download at a later date.

Aliens: Colonial Marines will be released worldwide on February 12th, 2013 for Windows PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and later for Wii U, as well as for OnLive cloud computing services.

[Source: Game]

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.

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed demo now available on Xbox LIVE, coming soon to PSN

A demo for the upcoming Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed is available for download on the Xbox Live Marketplace for free in all regions the service exists. PlayStation 3 will also receive this, but once the network is updated, which is independent by region. It is currently unknown if any other platforms will also receive a demo version of the game, as SEGA has not announced any as of yet.

The demo features only Sonic as a playable racer, but has tracks based on the classic Panzer Dragoon and Golden Axe titles, the later of which is not a race, but a ‘boost challenge’. Both levels use the unique transforming mechanic where the player’s car turns into a boat or a plane when necessary.

A sequel to Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing, Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed is available to purchase on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 this week for most Europeans, but will be available for North Americans next week. The Nintendo Wii U version will launch with the console the week after and the Nintendo 3DS and PlayStation Vita versions will be available in December. The PC version has no release date at the posting of this article, but is expected in 2012.

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.

Bayonetta 2 announced as Wii U exclusive

Bayonetta 2 was revealed during the latest Nintendo Direct conference. Developed by PlatinumGames and joint published by SEGA and Nintendo as an exclusive for the upcoming Wii U console, this announcement is surprising considering that the original was only on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 platforms.

Not much information has been revealed (such as the year it will be available) other than the title will be developed by largely the same staff as the first game. The exception is that the original’s creator Hideki Kamiya is no longer the director of the game, but a consultant supervisor.

Included after the break is the teaser trailer, which is very similar to the first game’s teaser.

The Cave to be released on Wii U eShop

It was announced at PAX Prime 2012 on Sunday that Double Fine Production’s upcoming adventure game, The Cave, is set to be released as a downloadable title on Nintendo’s Wii U eShop, in addition to seeing release on PC, Sony’s PlayStation Network on PlayStation 3, and Microsoft’s Xbox LIVE Arcade on Xbox 360. No additional details were given on how, if at all, this version of the game will differ from other platforms, though it is expected to make use of the touch and movement capabilities of the Wii’s U tablet controller. The Cave is currently being developed by Tim Schafer’s Double Fine Productions in collaboration with industry icon Ron Gilbert, who created and is producing the game. Gilbert is best known as the creator of several of the most well respected adventure games of all time, including the Secret of Monkey Island and its sequels, Day of the Tentacle, and Manic Mansion, the later of which Gilbert has said inspired some of the game elements seen in The Cave. No official release date has been announced as of yet, but The Cave is due for release sometime in February of next year.

SEGA E3 2012 Roundup

SEGA had a fairly muted showing at this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo, but it was still rich with unique and diverse titles across every major platform, like fans of the company can always expect. SEGA also had some very unexpected surprise reveals and announcements, some received better than others.

Anarchy Reigns and Rhythm Thief are especially notable for not having a proper slot at SEGA’s booth this year. I suggested previously that these games are likely canceled in North America, but SEGA has hinted that this may not be the case.

After the break we have included each game SEGA of America focused on during the event. as well as other titles related to the company. We have read hundreds of articles and compressed it all into a basic read.

Personal View: SEGA’s March 2012 layoffs – A nail in the coffin or the makings of a bright future?

Last week, news from SEGA of America broke that saw numerous members of staff fired, games canceled and a general downsizing of the entire branch of SEGA of America. Initially, rumors ran rampant and confused a large amount of fans across the globe, the worst of which was that the entire United States branch of SEGA had completely shut down, which of course is not the case.

Immediate reconstruction has taken place going into their new fiscal year. They expect a net loss of ¥7.1 billion ($86.4 million) as part of the reform and news of this dropped their entire company’s stock 4%. However, the day after their stock rose 5% and is showing signs of continual growth.

After the break I discuss the potential cancellations, their effects, observe the negatives and positives of the change and attempt to discover if SEGA truly is in trouble or if the downsizing is the start of a brilliant strategy. The rest of the post should be taken as speculation from a dedicated fan of the company and game industry as a whole and not as a financial advisor.

Out of respect of those whom lost their jobs, any subjects around them will not be mentioned at all.