Review: Sonic and the Secret Rings
A Sonic game that's actually good? Can it be true?
Sonic just can't get enough of that bling...
Forget about the huge missteps of the "next-gen" Sonic title for PS3 and Xbox 360: Secret Rings for the Wii is a good indication that the iconic hedgehog might be headed back to his former glory.
Boldly Going Where No Hedgehog Has Gone Before
The story of Secret Rings places Sonic in the middle of the Arabian Nights. It's not terribly original but the development team did a good job of integrating the storyline into the gameplay and vice versa; several familiar faces, such as Tails and Knuckles, appear in the game in full Arabian Nights themed identities.
For the most part, Sonic makes the leap onto the Wii without much fuss. Tilting the Wii Remote to the left and right moves Sonic in that respective direction; the '1' and '2' buttons control stopping and jumping. Like with everything else about this game, it takes some getting used to, but after a few minutes of using the Wii Remote like a Sonic steering wheel, it quickly becomes second nature and feels more natural than simple button mashing.
Secret Rings also allows you to customize Sonic through the use of a special ring that lets you put focus into three key areas: speed, assault or defense. You can mix and match to create a Sonic that's right for you. Then there's the Soul Gauge, which allows Sonic to control time. By filling the Soul Gauge and pressing up, you can take Sonic to speeds that will make your head spin and it's one of the coolest looking effects in the game. Pressing down with a full Soul Gauge makes time slow down to a snails pace, allowing Sonic to maneuver through obstacles moving too fast, even for him.
Clear The Room of Breakable Items
One word of warning though: the game is tough, and not in a good way. You better tighten up that Wii Remote strap because you will feel the urge to throw the controller through the television, especially early in the game, before Sonic gets a lot of his abilities.
But once you get Sonic up to speed, the game is fun, but still really challenging. It will test your patience faster than a misbehaving toddler, but once you get used to the controls, the customization and the challenges, you'll be glad you gave this game a chance.
The definition of the phrase, "A rock and a hard place."
You can customize your skill set to give yourself specific abilities.
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