Sonic and the Secret Rings
- January 29, 2007 16:38 PM PST
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The Wii could be the perfect place for the speedy blue hedgehog to make a worthwhile comeback.
Believe it or not, Sonic and the Secret Rings is the wily blue hedgehog's first solo adventure since the Genesis days. The Wii seems a good fit for Sonic, too. Realistic graphics, guns, and even obnoxious orange buddies couldn't help dig Sonic out of a lackluster decade. But perhaps the Wii can.
Who Needs a Magic Carpet?
Sonic and the Secret Rings spins Sonic into the storybook world of the Arabian Nights, where Sonic will again play hero and stop an evil (obviously) genie from finding and using the power seven secret rings. One ring to rule them all? Not quite. Sonic will have to track down the rings, one at a time, to stop the genie in his tracks.
Tilting the Wii Remote from side to side will make Sonic turn right or left.
On the Wii, Sonic feels at home. The goofy 3D versions of Sonic failed in so many ways to capture the fun, speedy adventures of Sonic yore, but on the Wii, there is a distinctive feel of speed and fun. Sonic constantly accelerates as he runs, and the Wii remote (turned sideways) steers the hedgehog through the twists and turns of the desert and dinosaur-riddled terrain of the Arabian environment. As with any Sonic game, there are plenty of obstacles in his path such as trees, trap doors, and a variety of spiky devices to hinder his progress through over 100 missions. Turning and jumping are the basic dodge manuevers, but other moves prove more advanced.
Bonk's Adventure
Sonic's main attack is an in-air boost. After jumping, he locks onto an enemy, then bashes into him with a boost of speed. If timed correctly, Sonic has the ability to propel off one enemy to another for a mid-air combo of sorts. This "homing attack" works surprisingly well and is relatively easy to perform with the Wii remote and can double as a quick way to explore. Other ways of getting around include vaulting in catapults and little helicopter-like baskets that are activated by flinging and flapping the Wii remote, respectively.
Sonic and the Secret Rings is all about speed, and the perpetual motion of the game keeps it flying fast. Most of the time he'll be curling up in a speedy little ball, but some stages utilize different fast-moving techniques like surfing a log down a river. Up-to-four-player mini games will bring the rest of the Sonic crew-Knuckles, Tales, and Shadow-into the scene, so don't think this sneaky hedgehog is going completely solo.
