Sonic and the Secret Rings

Since his arrival in the 3D realm, Sonic the Hedgehog has seen plenty of ups and downs - the latter more than the former. Sonic and the Secret Rings - the blue blur's first Wii outing built exclusively for the system - comes at a time when SEGA's mascot of 15 years is most in need of positive change, and the latest adventure appears to deliver.

Sonic and the Secret Rings also arrives at a time when Wii's software line-up is notably dry, making the game's thoroughly detailed presentation that much more welcome. Sonic's latest adventure sees him befriending Shahra, the female genie of a magical ring, who warns the spikey hero of Erazor Djinn (imagine a mix between Zelda's Ganondorf and Dragonball Z's Majin Buu) - an evil genie destroying the Arabian Nights tales with the intent of escaping into Sonic's world.

Story scenes play out in animated hand-drawn panels, similar in layout to a comic book. The voice acting and script for Sonic and the Secret Rings arguably surpasse that of any 3D Sonic game previously. Players familiar with Fox Kids' cartoon Sonic X may recognize most of the voice actors, as well as the occasional cheesy jokes the show is known for. Some gamers may wish to skip the prologue (as it is a bit lengthy) or question the need for a story in the first place, but the unique style adds much to the presentation overall.

Sonic and the Secret Rings offers one of the best graphical glimpses into Wii's capabilities thus far. The worlds are large and lush in detail. Sand Oasis, for instance, is a desert housing intricately detailed ruins and rippling water pools, while Dinosaur Jungle has Sonic blazing through ancient fauna and away from angry Triceratops. These are only the beginning, but despite all the details the frame rate never wavers. As for the music, it mixes Egyptian/Arabic themes with rock-and-roll, which not everyone will take a liking to, especially since the main theme is played upon the completion of any mission.

Make no mistake: this game is pretty. Really pretty.

Barring the odd inclusion of a rock guitar, every aspect of Sonic and the Secret Rings incorporates this Arabian Nights feel that not only shows nice attention to detail but lends the title a sense of uniqueness. Players won't have any trouble moving in between menus, as the D-pad, 1 and 2 buttons handle all necessary movements. Some loading times will be encountered, but they're minimal (1-3 seconds).

Players will want to get started in the single-player Adventure mode, though some two- to four-player mini-games are immediately available in the Party mode (more are unlocked as you progress in the adventure). Adventure mode is comprised of the eight worlds that Sonic will journey through, with each world featuring at least 10 missions.

Sonic and the Secret Rings could, from a genre standpoint, be called a platform-racer. Players hold the Wii Remote sideways and tilt left and right to steer Sonic - much like one would in some of Wii's other racing titles. At the same time, players will be engaged in classic Sonic actions of jumping, dashing, grinding and combating enemies with a homing attack. Players should note, though, that Sonic moves forward automatically. While the mechanic works fine, it may come as a shock to series veterans or those thinking this is more racing game than platformer.

Appreciated on some levels more than others is a tutorial world that acquaints players with Sonic's moves (as players progress, more missions open up there so as to teach new abilities). For some, the intuitiveness of steering, jumping, braking and dashing may make the tutorial sections feel drawn out. Learning the sensitivity of those controls will probably be beneficial for more energetic gamers, however.

The tutorial is actually more elaborate than some gloves shaking a Wii Remote. Some might like if it weren't, though.

Actions like grinding and walking backwards, though, will require some extra practice. Timing jumps while grinding feels tricky at times, as does moving in reverse, since players will need to twist the Wii Remote so it faces their chest - a problem because you have to twist back quite far, making backflips (press the 2 button while in reverse) slightly awkward to initiate.

Once players get into the actual platform-racing the game starts to show its merits. The sense of speed Sonic is known for couldn't be more present, at least in missions where players can focus on running. So far, each world sports a unique look and design complete with plenty of springs, loops and straightaways, in addition to new elements like catapults and log surfing. Players worried about a clunky camera need not be, as the camera stays fixed in a cinematic angle that follows Sonic's movements.

Missions for each world vary in their required goals - the first is always just to run to the goal, but others include defeating 10 enemies, collecting 99 rings, breaking five jars, among others. These missions - sometimes easy and sometimes frustrating - do enhance the replay value, as players are encouraged to best times for higher rank, collect special rings to unlock bonuses and earn more experience points so as to customize Sonic's abilities.

The mission structure design could be found questionable. Having to replay the same worlds in search (or avoidance) of certain objects detracts from Sonic's best quality (i.e. his speed), but on the same token emphasizes multitasking, learning to move Sonic quickly while accomplishing a given task. Hardcore gamers may not care for this design, while casual players might be put off by the difficulty.

For old-school fans, Sonic and the Secret Rings is a big whiff of nostalgia in a shiny 3D package. For those fans jaded by the clunky camera and controls of Sonic games past, this Wii title manages to do away with them, placing the emphasis on speedy platforming. For gamers that liked the Sonic Adventure titles but mostly for the Sonic sections, take note that the hedgehog's furry friends only show up for some cutscenes (parodying famous characters like Ali Baba and Sinbad, no less).

There's much to like initially, and in Stage 2 I'll discuss the new RPG element of ring customization, as well as how the controls handle higher difficulty levels. Stay tuned.