Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed review – blue skies

Nowadays when reviewing anything connected to Sega’s past there’s an almost overwhelming desire to start bemoaning their current position and pining for the days when there was a Mega Drive under every television. But that’s not necessary with this game. It is a Mario Kart clone first and foremost, but it’s also a celebration of Sega and the days when all their skies were blue.

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed (good heavens, we’re not typing that out again) is by no means the first time Sega has attempted either a Mario Kart clone or a company-wide crossover. From Fighters Megamix on the Saturn to Sega Superstars Tennis and the original Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing, they’ve always struggled to find the right medium to properly celebrate all their franchises at once.

A Smash Bros. clone wouldn’t really work because many of Sega’s most beloved games don’t really have named characters – after all the Ferrari from OutRun can’t exactly jump about and punch someone in the face (and yes, we do remember the Hornet from Fighters Megamix). But in a racer you can reference games not only in terms of the drivers and vehicles but also via the tracks – and in terms of cameos there’s enough here to warm even the most cynical fan’s heart.

The developers behind the game are professional Sega fans Sumo Digital, the Sheffield team who now do golden age Sega better than Sega themselves. But despite their speciality having always been driving games the original All-Stars Racing was was a relatively unremarkable kart game – better than the average but with nothing to recommend it over the real thing.

The main gimmick for this sequel is that at predetermined points in each track your car will transform into some manner of boat or aircraft. But the feature feels immediately more substantial than Mario Kart 7, with the aircraft being much more than mere gliders and the boats operating on top of the water, not just below it.

On the tarmac this feels like a proper racing game, with a nuanced driving model that demands a surprisingly high level of skill even on the medium difficulty setting. Surprisingly though it doesn’t really feel like a kart game. The handling is much looser than you’d expect – much more like a regular arcade racer, and although drifting is a big part of the game it’s more a physical necessity for getting round the track than an excuse to get a free turbo boost.

The difference in feel to Mario Kart is by no means a negative when in car mode but on the water the handling is disappointingly stodgy and we always wanted to get off as soon as possible. There’s still no game that creates the illusion of being on the water as well as Wave Race 64 (not even its sequel) and here it just means the controls get frustratingly syrupy until you’re out in the dry again.

Flying through the air is a lot more fun though, and even has the option for proper aircraft controls. It’s still a bit lightweight but Sumo are able to throw in some thrilling aerial sections to the tracks, that see you weaving in and out of collapsing bridges or through an unexpected asteroid field.

Although the selection of playable characters is decent (we can’t believe Vyse from Skies Of Arcadia is even in the CGI intro) there’s too much doubling up of franchises. We can understand the deluge of Sonic characters, but we’d rather have seen a wider range of games given the nod -rather than multiple Super Monkey Ball or Space Channel 5 characters. Especially as when Sega does dig someone really unexpected up from the archives it’s such a thrill.

These are essentially just palette swaps to make up the numbers though and the real fan service is in the tracks themselves. We’re desperate to spoil some of the more unexpected ones but their sudden appearance, especially after some of the more obvious early selections, is going to have some Sega fans punching the air with approval.

They’re not just there to please nostalgic thirtysomethings either: the circuit design is highly complex and often changes completely from one lap to the other, as an early Panzer Dragoon level feels the effect of the warring dragons flying around or a Sonic the Hedgehog stage suddenly diverts into a different zone.

From celebrating After Burner with a race amongst a flotilla of aircraft carriers to barrelling through a House Of The Dead graveyard the themes are interesting and varied whether you know the games involved or not.

As the icing on the cake the soundtrack, overseen by Sega favourite Richard Jacques, is set to be the stuff of legends. Whether it’s a full vocal samba tune in the Samba De Amigo level or a mixtape of Jet Set Radio songs the aural nostalgia hits just as hard as the visual - although we have to say we were disappointed by the remix for the OutRun level from the limited edition version of the game.

The only problem with the tracks is that again they feel more like normal racing games in terms of length and circuit design. A kart game really is a different beast to a normal arcade racer and these are nowhere near as compact or technical as a Mario Kart course. As excellent as the graphics are the screen can quickly fill up with so much detail it’s hard to work out where everyone is or even where you’re meant to be going.

That it’s different to Mario Kart isn’t a criticism in itself but it does mean that Sumo’s game never quite feels as tightly balanced as its inspiration. The only real disappointment though is the weapons, which are the usual collection of Mario Kart copies and the odd original idea. They’re not themed to any specific game though and firing a remote control drone at a bad guy instead of a red Koopa shell never has quite the same thrill. While the hateful controls-inverting tornado power-up is somehow even more unfair and annoying than a blue shell.

Where Sonic definitely outdoes Mario is in the range of single-player modes, with a career mode that makes it more than just a bland slog through a series of Grands Prix. It’s still not exactly complex stuff but unlocking new characters and stages, and competing in drifting or boost challenges along the way, manages to keep your interest very well. Each character can also be levelled up in almost Call Of Duty fashion, as a series of mods allow you to alter their stats.

Of course multiplayer is the real draw and sensibly there is a split screen local option as well as online. It’s here that the more frantic level design and looser handling is thrown into sharper relief, making it slightly less accessible than Mario Kart as a result. But although it means there’ll probably be less casual gamers playing as a result this remains one of the few kart racers to stand up as a worthwhile game in its own right.

In Short: A superior Mario Kart clone and certainly the best Sega has ever produced, especially in terms of the teary-eyed nostalgia inspired by its endless retro cameos.

Pros: A fun, nuanced racer that isn’t a straight copy of Nintendo’s formula. Superior range of single-player modes and excellent graphics and music. Fan service is off the scale.

Cons: Neither the driving nor the level design is as tight or focused as Mario Kart, with the water-based action feeling particularly sloppy. Uninspired weapon designs.

Score: 7/10

Formats: Xbox 360 (reviewed), PlayStation 3, Wii U, PC, 3DS, and PS Vita
Price: £34.99
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Sumo Digital
Release Date: 16th November 2013
Age Rating: 7

Video: Check out the Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed trailer

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