Move over Mario, Sonic's in the driver's seat
Boasting perhaps the longest ever name for a mainstream video game title, Sonic and Sega All-Stars Racing with Banjo Kazooie is the sort of game you'd think would have been made years ago. Instead, it's only really in this HD generation that the spiky blue hedgehog has begun to venture into worlds previously trodden by his moustache-wearing rival (and occasional Olympic buddy). Following Sega Superstars Tennis in 2008, Sonic and pals are now heading out onto the race track, with a title that is clearly inspired by and, in ways, betters Mario Kart.
A collection of characters from various Sega titles, plus Rare's bird and bear combination are on offer for players to select from. For once, the roster is made up of more than just cute and cuddly fair. Sure, you've got a lot of slots taken up by the Sonic cast (aside from the titular hero, there's Tails, Amy, Knuckles, Shadow, Big the Cat and Eggman on offer), but there's also stars from Jet Set Radio, Shenmue, Virtua Fighter and even House of the Dead! Each character has their own unique vehicle, with its own strengths and weaknesses. There is even full Avatar/Mii integration in the 360/Wii versions.
Similarly, the game's 24 stages are based around the Sega gaming catalogue, with Sonic, House of the Dead, Samba De Amigo, and Super Monkey Ball featuring strongly. HotD tracks run in and around Curien Mansion, with lumbering zombies lining the track to slow you down, the Monkey Ball courses are filled with dangerous twists and turns, and the Samba De Amigo tracks are filled with bizarre, colourful and psychedelic effects.
As is customary for themed racers, the main single player action takes the form of a Grand Prix mode, made up of short tournaments. In total, there are six cups to aim for, each consisting of four races. In addition, they can be played in Beginner, Advanced and Expert mode, with the higher you go, the more your opposition will challenge you, and the more aggressive they'll be with the use of power-ups.
The power-ups themselves are pretty much your standard bunch. Just like in Sonic games, the Red Sneaker gives you a speed boost, while the Bubble provides you with a shield. Meanwhile, there are attack-minded powers too, such as bowling bombs, homing rockets and unpredictable boxing gloves, which will rebound off the sides of the courses. In addition, the confusion star will turn your screen upside down if you're hit with it (making it seem like something of a worthless power-up to use against AI). Most powers also come in triple versions, giving you three times the fun.
