Game Reviews

Sonic and his crew of woodland creatures have had a mixed history with recent games like Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) being poorly received while Sonic 4 was a surprise hit. The blue hedgehog hops on to his “Air Gear” hoverboard for another race around the track. The third game in the Riders franchise ditches the traditional controller in favor for a skateboard inspired Kinect experience.

Sonic Free Riders gives players the ability to step into the air-riding shoes of many of the classic Sonic characters. Like the adventure games before it the characters are divided between “Team Heroes” and “Team Villains”. Taking sides with the heroes align you with the likes of Sonic, Tails and Amy while the villains include Jet the Hawk, Rouge the Bat and other baddies. Dr.Robotnick serves as the ring leader for the Air Boarding Championship. For the most part the story in Free Riders is a throwaway and is told through voice acted still images. Gameplay in Free Riders uses the classic Kart racing formula we have seen in other mascot themed titles. Up to ten participants race through predefined courses picking up power-ups as you go. Most of the power-ups are Sonic themed but a few new additions are a bit of a surprise. During one of my first races I found myself in last place and ended up picking up a soda can as a power up. Once my character had shaken up the can I was propelled forward to first place. Aside from the typical racing fare Sonic Free Riders also offers competitive multiplayer over Xbox live and a story based mission mode. These missions range from placement requirements to collecting a set amount of rings. The graphics in Sonic Free Riders are decent but the presentation affects the overall package. While racing on the course the game provides an adequate sense of speed provided you are not stopped by your character running into a wall.