Metareview: Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing
It could just be our lowered expectations for games including kart racing, Sonic or “All-Stars” in the title, but we were pretty surprised by the positive buzz for Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing; the Wii, PS3 and 360 versions are all doing well with a 79 percent average on Metacritic. Here’s what’s being said:
GameSpot (80/100): “Although the core of Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing is obviously pulled straight out of Mario Kart, this wacky racer can stand on its own four wheels. The tight controls and excellent track design ensure that head-to-head competition is always exciting, but it’s so fun just to play around with these karts that it’s easy to lose hours climbing the online leaderboards in Time Trial mode.”
1UP (B): “Though it has some hiccups, unexciting party modes, and a questionable difficulty curve, All-Stars Racing is a respectable effort that makes a good kart racer at its core (and is at least much more cohesive than Sega Superstars Tennis).”
Nintendo Power (8/10): “It isn’t quite the fan paradise it could have been, but it’s a very good racer that makes great use of classic Sega franchises. We wouldn’t mind a sequel with more franchises and tracks included.”
IGN: (8/10): “It’s pleasantly surprising to find out that the Nintendo Wii edition - apart from the lower resolution - gets similar treatment with close to the exact same features as the stronger hardware.”
Metareview: Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 25 Feb 2010 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing demo might be forthcoming
The prospect of racing against the Bonanza Bros. as a forklift-driving Ryo Hazuki likely has many Sega fans on the precipice of purchasing Sonic and Sega All-Stars Racing. However, those of us whose common sense has yet to be short-circuited by fan service would prefer to try out the game in order to determine whether the actual racing is worthwhile. And according to a Digital Spy interview with producer Steve Lycett, we may get to do that.
“We’re currently looking at downloadable demos for 360 and PS3, and a DS demo via the Nintendo Channel to boot,” Lycett said.
He also responded positively to the idea of Sumo Digital developing a Shenmue sequel — you know, because having a game with a Ryo Hazuki character model in it is basically halfway there. “I’m sure if Sega asked, we’d love to take it on,” Lycett said. “It’d scare me to death to take on something so epic, but well, I’d like to think we could do it justice. I think if you cut us in half at this point, you’d find Sega written through the middle of us!”
Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing demo might be forthcoming originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 04 Feb 2010 10:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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UK gets Sega All-Stars Racing wheel bundle
click to Sonic-size
Sega has now revealed the promised racing wheel for the Wii version of Sonic and Sega All-Stars Racing. The wheel will be available as part of a bundle in the UK. It won’t be available outside of European territories at all, which is unfortunate, as the All-Stars Racing wheel seems just a bit sharper than Nintendo’s own peripheral. Get a closer look at the wheel and the bundle packaging in the gallery below.
UK gets Sega All-Stars Racing wheel bundle originally appeared on Joystiq Nintendo on Tue, 19 Jan 2010 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Add Mii to Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing
You might not be able to play as Banjo and Kazooie in the Wii version of Sonic and Sega All-Stars Racing, but you will be able to play as … The Notorious B.I.G.! No, Sega hasn’t added a selection of deceased rappers to the game’s playable cast (no matter how many times we ask) — the publisher has merely announced Mii support.
Much like the racing Avatars in the Xbox 360 version, the Wii version of Sega All-Stars Racing allows your Miis to compete against Sonic, Knuckles, Ryo Hazuki, and the rest of the assembled Sega crew. Hey, this is one way to get Segata Sanshiro back in the game — where he belongs.
Add Mii to Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 06 Jan 2010 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Need for Speed: Nitro’s Class A cars revealed
Despite being an arcade racer, Need for Speed: Nitro will boast some very real rides when it releases next month. The latest update from EA focuses on some of the higher-end automobiles you’ll be able to get behind the virtual wheel of — including a Mustang, Charger and a Corvette. There are even a couple of Audis and the Lamborghini above, if you prefer to zip around in something you could probably never afford in real life. Hit up the gallery below to check ‘em all out.
Need for Speed: Nitro’s Class A cars revealed originally appeared on Joystiq Nintendo on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Yes, Excitebike World Rally has some motion control
Wait! Come back! The motion controls sound okay! We know that you’re already groaning about the potential ruin of an NES classic with unwarranted waggle, but according to 1UP’s preview of Excitebike: World Rally, the limited Wiimote motion sensing added to the traditional Excitebike control scheme actually improves the game.
You still move with the D-pad and accelerate with a button, but you can now tilt the Wiimote to lean your rider and “affect the pitch of your bike.” “Jumping was always the trickiest part of Excitebike,” 1UP’s Jeremy Parish notes, “and the analog smoothness of the motion controls makes it intuitive — it became second nature before the end of the first track.”
We’re curious enough about this sensible-sounding innovation that we’ll delay throwing our controllers down in disgust. For now.
Yes, Excitebike World Rally has some motion control originally appeared on Joystiq Nintendo on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Need for Speed Nitro rushes to retail in early November
Need for Speed Nitro, the graffiti-laced second entry in EA’s “fresh” Need for Speed trio, has pulled out of the garage sooner than expected. Promising a mixture of “the franchise’s trademark attitude, sense of speed and addictive gameplay,” the colorful Nitro has gone gold, with both Wii and DS versions now set to ship on November 3 in North America and November 6 in Europe.
Capitalizing on its Unique Art Style, the game will drape in-game vehicles with skins designed by popular “lifestyle brands,” including Upper Playground, tokidoki, and i am 8-bit. You’d be right in calling it a product of marketing, but it’s preferable to the alternative conjured up by the Dante’s Inferno promotional team: in-game vehicles draped in human skins.
Need for Speed Nitro rushes to retail in early November originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Monster 4×4 Stunt Racer takes off-roading off the ground
Ubisoft has announced a sequel to Monster 4×4 World Circuit, the Xbox game/Wii launch title most memorable for including a plastic wheel before Mario Kart Wii made people believe it was a good idea. Monster 4×4 Stunt Racer includes a crazy-sounding “vertical driving” feature that allows players to drive up walls like a monster truck-driving Batman to perform stunts and find shortcuts. And just like that, our interest in some off-roading game was piqued.
Stunt Racer includes seven new tracks with multiple routes, four-player multiplayer, and driving up walls. We mentioned the wall thing, right? That you can drive up them? It will be out sometime this fall.
Monster 4×4 Stunt Racer takes off-roading off the ground originally appeared on Joystiq Nintendo on Thu, 27 Aug 2009 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Designers give Need for Speed Nitro cars a fresh coat of paint
EA has partnered with three “lifestyle brands” to create art assets for the Wii/DS racer Need for Speed Nitro. Upper Playground, tokidoki, and i am 8-bit will contribute custom skins for in-game vehicles, as well as a set of over 140 “brushes” that players can use to customize their cars. After the break, see a video demonstrating some of the customization options! Examples of the art groups’ skins can be seen in the gallery below. i am 8-bit’s cars don’t look terribly … 8-bit, but we love tokidoki’s Lamborghini Gallardo, which is now some kind of Day-Glo land shark.
Using creative texture work to offer a distinctive look is one of the smartest things EA could do for a Wii or DS game in a genre that is so often used as a graphical showcase.
Designers give Need for Speed Nitro cars a fresh coat of paint originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 16:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Bethesda picks up Wii racer from Archer Maclean’s studio
Bethesda Softworks has announced that it will publish a new Wii racing game from Archer Maclean’s Awesome Play studio in Europe. Wheelspin, planned for release this fall, is a futuristic racing game with single-console multiplayer for up to eight; a feat accomplished by the simultaneous support of various combinations of Wiimotes, Classic Cons, Nunchuks, GameCube controllers and even GameCube steering wheels.
If Wheelspin sounds familiar to you, it’s because it bears a striking resemblance to Speed Zone, a futuristic Wii racing game developed by … Archer Maclean’s Awesome Play and still listed for release this month by publisher Detn8 Games. In fact, judging from screenshots (see above), the two games are one and the same. Bethesda, it seems, has simply sped off with the European publishing rights.
Bethesda picks up Wii racer from Archer Maclean’s studio originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 04 Aug 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Top 10 Best Selling Games
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