Think back to the heyday of SSX, Tony Hawk and all things extreme. Talk about missed opportunities. Sega could've named this Sonikk Riderzz XXX. Cross-promotional tie-ins with Mountain Dew, Johnny Moseley and Jackass could have had all the kids in line to buy Sonic's madcap racer. If only someone had foresight, maybe we wouldn't be receiving a lukewarm, SSX clone-ish, Sonic racing game in the year 2006. Still, I didn't even see one Sonic Riders billboard during any of the snowboard events of this winter's Olympics…which causes me to question Sega's enthusiasm for its hero's latest exploits.

Kidding aside, Sonic Riders is a bit behind the curve when it comes to alternative/fantasy racing games. SSX has already done it the best it can be done. Mario Kart is the best mascot-driven racing game. Sonic? Well, it's better than anything the Crash series has ever offered, and we've yet to see Master Chief in a racing game, so it's fair to say this is the second best title of its particular niche.

Riders finds Sonic and his friends in search of (surprise) more Chaos emeralds. While Sonic and his buddies are milling about, they witness a band of thieves known as the Babylon Rogues riding on "extreme gear." This gear amounts to, basically, a hoverboard. How this storyline really leads to a big racing showdown is beyond us, but that doesn't really matter. What does matter is that Sonic, Tails, Knuckles and the Babylon Rogues characters are there for the taking as selectable racers.


Once you're into the racing nuts and bolts of the game, it's hard to get a feel for what the developers are really asking you to do. Should I be doing tricks? Boosting? Racing? Attacking? Most games quickly prioritize these actions for you based on results, but Sonic Riders seems to yield similar results no matter what I try and excel at. That kind of inconsistent design spills over to the levels as well, as the races tease you with mind-splintering speed, only to slow you down with mind-numbingly dull pit stops.

Umm, hasn't the point with Sonic always been about creating a virtual blur of motion across the screen? Pit stops are for losers and NASCAR fans, not sound-breaking hedgehogs. Gameplay hinges heavily on your air meter, which takes sizable hits each time you bang into walls or other obstacles. Using the boost button also depletes your air, which eventually can lead to your character hopping off his board and running until they find a pit stop to recharge at.

As off-putting as some of these elements are, there's enough good stuff to keep the controller in your hands. The game's bright visual approach and overall sense of breakneck speed are executed well. Another tidbit of fun comes along with the turbulence trails that other riders leave around the track. You can guide your rider into these trails for additional speed and the increased ability to pull off stunts. While riding the wave of turbulence, you have minimal control -- think of it as kind of grinding a rail in a traditional skateboard game. The trick system is brutally simplistic in execution, which is fine given the younger set this game is probably intended for.