Over the course of gaming history there have been a lot of Sonic games and here is yet another. Don't let my opening sentence mislead you however, as this is indeed one of the good ones! Sonic R is one of the more unique racing games released in the 3D era. Released for the Sega Saturn console in 1997, Sonic R was a racing game that did not rely on vehicles - oh no! - these characters certainly did not need them! Why would Sonic the Hedgehog, the Blue Blur, need a car if he could run faster on foot? And that is precisely what you race with - their feet. Now, not every single character is blessed with such lotus feet as Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles for example, but other series characters like Dr. Robotnik and Amy Rose use their own respective vehicles. In any case, I think the fact that Sega chose not to have cars for it's main three characters, as well as a few others, was a great idea. It truly emphasizes the concept of speed which they are so well-known for.

     There is also a surprising amount of depth in this game, as the characters (including the unlockable ones) each have their own strengths and weaknesses. Some characters are slower than others, some are faster, some can hover over water areas while others sink, some have boost abilities, so there are definitely advantages and disadvantages to each character chosen which is a plus. In addition to the character depth, the levels in which you race are varied very nicely as well. There are only about five tracks to choose from, which isn't many, but they are all special in their own ways. The tracks really feel like they belong in a Sonic game, meaning they certainly stay true to the franchise.

     Being that this game was released in 1997, the Saturn was becoming a very much embattled system as the Nintendo 64 and Sony Playstation were dominating the market. The Saturn would be discontinued in 1999 to make room for the more refined and graphically impressive Dreamcast, but here with Sonic R, the 32-bit graphics are pushed to their limits and really show off their strength. Sonic R's visuals are lively and colorful, filled with vivid 3D environments with no pop-ins or glitches. The characters are also finely rendered, and the action moves smoothly. It is in my opinion the best looking Saturn game, and is the pinnacle of its graphical strengths.

     It features many familiar racing game modes like Grand Prix, Time Trials, and a multi-player, so there isn't anything too out of the ordinary on here, but that's fine, because it is this simplicity and the high production values that makes Sonic R a winner. It is very enjoyable, and certainly takes a unique twist on the racing formula. Another thing to its credit is that it really utilizes and represents the Sonic franchise in a positive fashion, and that is a good thing for Sonic fans as the Hedgehog has been thrusted into so many other types of games out of his comfort zone.

     The only thing that I don't understand is that why Sonic oriented racing games that followed Sonic R have Sonic and friends using vehicles? He clearly doesn't need them, and I think it only would detract from the appeal otherwise. Sonic R got it right, no dependance on vehicles, just pure unadulterated speed by way of running, which is what Sonic is best at. This game may be hard to track down since the Saturn is discontinued, but it is worth the hunt. However, it is also available on the PC (though that was made in 1998), but the easiest way to attain this game is through getting the Sonic Gems Collection for either the Playstation 2 or the Nintendo Gamecube as it is one of the featured games on that compilation.

     Pick up and play Sonic R, because if you are a Sonic fan, or a racing game fan, you won't be disappointed. It is definitely one of the best spin-offs of the lengthy Sonic franchise.

-Kurt L.

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