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Sonic the way Sonic should be!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 74 / 84
Date: November 17, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Sonic the Hedgehog. Sega's mascot has been around a long time, and has always had a following. With Sega dropping console status and just sticking to development, all of the various Sega franchises have drifted around and landed in various places. Sega's most famous character, Sonic, and all of his gang have landed in the strangest place of them all: Nintendo.

I realize that Sonic Mega Collection and Sonic Gems and Sonic Heroes have come out multi-platform, but Sonic Adventures were released on Gamecube, and Shadow the Hedgehog has just come out on Nintendo's box. Also, the former rival is home to the real Sonic games: Sonic Advance 1, 2, and 3 on the Game Boy Advance.

It's true, that Sonic belongs in 2D. The sense of speed, of gravity-defying, dizzying velocity is really something that never translates well in 3D. Sonic just doesn't move as fast and doesn't control as well as he does when he's blazing through the 2D worlds that populate his games. Something is always lost in translation. There's no feeling of rocketing through worlds at insane speeds.

Well, the Advance games remedied that, but they didn't quite have the scope and balance of the original sonic games. Yes, they were fast, but they were also ... kind of small feeling. They felt like portable versions of sonic games. They were good, but I always preferred the old-school Sonic games as the real achievements.

Well, Nintendo has a new portable out, with a lot more power, and so it was just a matter of time before Sega would bring the Hedgehog over. How does Sonic Rush make out? Well, let me just say this: I might have a new favorite Sonic game. And if not, it's very close.

Sonic knocks the Blue Hedgehog kicking and screaming into a new handheld glory. This is a giant, beautiful game, with the kind of level design not seen since the old-school sonics. With the two screens of the DS, the Hedgehog's vertical now, with levels that launch our hero sky-ward and back across both screens without any real trouble in the transition between screens. It's fluid and gorgeous.

Actually, gorgeous is a great word for the entire game. The levels themselves are classic 2D. Not overly flashy, but beautiful and perfect for blurring past. With Sonic, flashy little details aren't as important as looking good for the split second you'll see it, and the levels don't dissappoint. Sonic himself is a 3D model, a pretty good one that moves wonderfully on the screen and makes for some nice effects on levels as he sometimes is thrown closer to the screen due to cranes, elevators, and slides that push forward in a wonderful melding of 2D and 3D.

The boss battles, though, are done entirely in 3D. So far, I haven't had the kind that takes place in an arena (where you can move all over) but instead on tracks where you can go left and right. But the boss is 3D, and you move in 3D space, and it really works in a retro sort of way. Yes, it's 3D bosses, but they move and behave with patterns that are wonderfully old-school.

Yes, there's a second character, a purple female feline named Blaze the Cat, but I've spent most of my time right now with Sonic. It seems that she controls similarly, and thus there's no lengthy distractions with slower characters (I'm looking at you, Sonic Adventure games!). This one's all about speed.

And the control! This game is perfect. It's all tight and responsive, and you'll need it, because with the speed Sonic goes, one mistake will send you careening into an enemy or plunging to your doom. It's not overly challenging (none of the Sonics are, if you ask me), but it's good and it does require skill, and that's really the whole point.

I love this game. I love Sonic, and this is one for the ages. Trust me, if you want a great classic console experience, this is it (and it fits in your pocket)! It's a must buy. It won't disappoint, I guarantee it.

Sonic the way he should be

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 10 / 10
Date: August 02, 2006
Author: Amazon User

There are some things that are just better in 2-D. Castlevania, Street Fighter, and Contra are prime examples of this, but perhaps there is no other series that is best in it's 2-D roots than Sonic the Hedgehog. With Sonic Rush on the DS, the blue colored hedgehog is back in his 2-D glory as Sonic Rush utilizes both screens as you bolt through the levels at break neck speeds with all the classic elements you'd expect from a Sonic game: tons of rings and enemies, loop de loops, bouncing springs, and so on. You can play as Sonic or new character Blaze the Cat as you take on Dr. Robotnik (he's refered to as Eggman more and more these days, but he'll always be Dr. Robotnik to me), but there's not much difference between the two heroes, which you'll notice as you progress through the game. Since the game goes at such a break neck pace, it's easy to miss something you're supposed to grab on to or bounce off of, which can lead to many deaths unless you memorize the area. This hurts the overall gameplay aspect of Sonic Rush, but the fact that this is a new Sonic game in all his classic 2-D glory more than makes up for it. It's intense and fun, and for DS owners who had a soft spot for Sega and want some classic action on the go, Sonic Rush deserves to be picked up.

Old school sega, new blood.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 9 / 11
Date: November 18, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I loved sonic on the sega game gear and on the other sega consoles, so when this came out i went and bought. i was not disappointed. Althought there are times that i get frustrated, its frenetic action never lets down. The main thing is speed. do what you have to do to get through FAST. The backgrounds, enemies, and track blazes by as you go faster. The special zones, though, are my favorite. Here sonic is 3D and so is the landscape (what there is of it) but it still manages to be quite a fun experience. Putting in extra lives is a major help, if you only had the rings, this game would be very hard. this is one of the best DS games that has coome out. if your DS collection does not have this you will be sorely lacking.

Here's to sonic the hedgehog!

Hyperkinetic Fun for Players with Fast Reflexes

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 9 / 11
Date: February 17, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I hadn't played a 2D Sonic game since the olden days of the Sega Genesis and have never been a huge fan of the formula. The idea of zooming around at breakneck speeds is appealing but there are some definite problems with going 60 mph on a narrow side scroller, sort of like playing Mario with the run button held down except 10 times faster. The problem is that you run into enemies long before you can react. The solution is to make a clear path for Sonic but then the game becomes too easy. It's a systemic flaw that is one likely reason why Sonic has always been a significant distance behind the slow moving Mario. My other beef was that Sonic (like Poochie the dog from the Simpsons) is just too cool for his own good.

Sonic the hedgehog still has the appearance of a character created by a focus group but his latest adventure is an exceptionally good game. The once mighty Sega is barely limping along at this point but they still manage to release high quality games and Sonic Rush is a highly polished game that accomplishes one neat trick which is to synchronize both screens so Sonic can seamlessly move from one to the other without disorienting the player. The effect creates a uniquely tall viewing area that gives players a better look at alternative paths. To solve the enemy collision problem the game adds a turbo button so that Sonic can punch right through enemies without losing rings. The turbo button runs out over time but can be recharged by performing stunts. There are still times when the player will likely need to scout an area before completing it in order to figure out where the turbo button needs to be pressed.

The boss battles are perhaps the most visually stunning parts of the game and also the least fun. I actually had a tremendous amount of difficulty defeating Eggman's first mechanized vehicle and was concerned that the game might turn out to be obscenely hard. It's not an easy game and some parts are a bit frustrating but a few tries should get the average player through most sections. One feature meant to extend game play is Blaze the Cat who appears on the cover alongside Sonic. In order to fully complete the game players need to finish each level twice, once with Sonic and once with Blaze.

There are some mini-levels that utilize the touch screen but many players may never even locate them. All in all the game is an excellent effort by Sega and the most enjoyable Sonic game I've ever played.

This is what Sonic is all about.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 6 / 7
Date: December 07, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Sonic Rush is just that; a rush. I don't hesitate to call it the best Sonic game since Sonic 2. But why, you ask?

The graphics are simply the best Sonic graphics ever seen on handheld. Not only are they appropriate; in many cases they're also actually _pretty_. Sound - well, 4Kids Sonic is tolerable in this game, and Blaze is inoffensive enough. Tails and Cream still have voices so high they might cause nearby dogs to bark, but fortunately they only have a few phrases. The music however is brilliant; with Hideki Naganuma of Jet Set Radio (Jet Grind Radio in the US) fame on board as a composer, it was always going to be hard for them to go wrong. Particular soundtrack highlights for me are Ska Cha Cha, A New Day, Metal Scratchin' and Bomber Barbara, although all the songs are great and fit surprisingly well.

Control is just superb, superior to any Sonic game of the past decade. The problems caused by the levels throwing an enemy into your path in the Advance games are a thing of the past, with your Boost move more than able to take out enemies without you so much as slowing. Plus, the tricking from the Advance games has finally been given some form of a _purpose_; it helps you recharge the Boost meter. Level design still throws the occasional bottomless pit or crushy block at you (one or two zone in particular are guilty of this), but you soon learn the layout and within a few lives you'll be able to fight a way through. See these levels are long, and difficult, but difficult in a way that makes you _want_ to keep going and makes you feel like you've really acheived something when you finally do win.

Take it from someone who's been playing Sonic games for 13 years: this is a game anyone who even remotely likes Sonic (or 2D platforming of any type) has to own.

So fast, so fun, so Sonic

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 6 / 7
Date: February 12, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Sonic Rush is a game of speed, which I like because I'm a Sonic fan. The whole point to Sonic Rush is to find the chaos emeralds and destroy both Eggmans. Yes, I said both Eggmans, when Eggman steals the Sol Emeralds, Eggman-Nega follows Eggman into Sonic's world and the new character,Blaze the Cat, appears, the Space/Time continuum splits and the two worlds start to come together.

The player can choose between Sonic or Blaze to try to save both worlds before disaster occurs. After the player completes the game or a zone (because I can't remember) the player can choose Time Trials to get more practice on that stage as many times as the player wants.

Once the player finds a special generator the player can transport Sonic to the Special Stage to collect the Chaos Emeralds by jumping to grab the generator then press and hold the X and Y buttons to spin Sonic into the electrified ring that transports him to the Special Stage (Blaze can't go to the Special Stage). Once in the Special Stage the player has to use the stylist to control Sonic around the bombs.

Though the levels get hard, the game stays very fun for a high speed, dual screen Sonic game. I would definitely recommend this game to any Sonic the Hedgehog fan, this game is so much fun.

A ton of fun, but very, very short.

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 12 / 21
Date: December 14, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Having enjoyed Sonic Advance I was eager to get my hands on Sonic Rush. With brilliant graphics and the fastest gameplay yet in a Sonic game it sure does make for a great video-game experience. But there's just not enough of it and not much is made of the Nintendo DS potential outside of some slight touch-screen interaction and a tall graphics.

As always the levels range from tropical islands to mechanical metropolis with all the usual powers ups, springs and speed barriers. They are brilliantly designed and contain so many loop-the-loops and massive jumps that you'll go cock-eyed. The sheer speed that you can fire through the levels is amazing. The music top-notch too and there are loads of cool tunes.

You can play as Sonic, with his usual abilities, or as Blaze the Cat, who has her own mission opposite Sonic. Obviously this involves defeating Doctor Eggman, but you now have a 'rush' ability which acts as a booster to make Sonic or Blaze go even faster.

My major complaint is with the Special Stages. They are the same as the were in Sonic the Hedgehog 2, involving the 3D tunnels. And they are impossible. The one that I actually managed to enter requires 160 rings to catch the Chaos Emerald. Not only do I not think there were even 160 IN the whole stage but it's impossible to keep a hold of them as there are so many dangerous obstacles and traps. Plus, you control Sonic with the stylus pen in this stage and it's not got such a great response.

And the last boss is impossible also. There is no way to defeat Doctor Eggman and the controls frequently contradict each other, it's all down to bad programming. The game sure has a few bugs (nothing major) that should have been sorted out.

So apart from the special stage and the final boss, the game is just too damn easy and has nothing to bring you back for more. Yes, I had loads of fun playing it but it would be only worth the money if it were longer and had more to it.

Graphics A+
Sound A+
Gameplay B
Lasting Appeal B-

Fast, but not fun. At all. Ever.

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 5 / 6
Date: July 29, 2007
Author: Amazon User

This game is apparently all about speed. Sure, I'll give it that, but nothing else! Every time you die in this game it'll be because you didn't memorize the stage. You'll suddenly stumble into a platforming area from the usual hi-speed pointless loops with NO WARNING. Seriously, it's not difficult, per se, just annoyingly cheap. Once you memorize the stage it's easy peasy, but who in the right might wants to do that? The enemy placement is total bogus as well. With as fast as sonic moves, and how small the ds screen is, not even a drag racer's reaction time is good enough for this game at times. You're going to pile into enemies and lose your rings a lot. With the Castlevania titles, new super mario brothers and yoshi's island 2 (which I didnt particularly enjoy) don't bother with this one. "It stinks!"

Also, the audio quality. The music is okay. The sound effects are worse than most NES titles, possibly some Atari 2600 titles. They're low bitrate, crackly audio catastrophes. Stealing the original Genesis sound effects would have been much much better. That, and someone needs to cram a sock in Tails' mouth.

This is the only review I've ever felt obligated to write, because I regret purchasing this game that much. It's absolute garbage.

My First Sonic Game

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: December 18, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I was a little worried that I wouldn't like this game because I never played a Sonic game before. At first it was a little hard because it's so fast but, I quickly got used to it and it was enjoyable. If the game is too hard you can go to options and put it on easy. I'm glad I bought this game and I will soon be purchasing another sonic game for my gamecube. So, I want to reccomend this to you. It's one of my favorite games.

Not as fun as I expected....

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 6 / 9
Date: February 03, 2007
Author: Amazon User

After reading all the other reviews, I expected a great game. I have to admit, the last Sonic game I played was the Genesis one. Maybe the franchise has gone other places, but I personally just didn't like playing this game. Specifically, my biggest problem was not being able to see the levels very well. The colors are very muted and often have little contrast. One of the things I love about most other DS games (the new Super Mario Brothers, for example) is how vibrant and easy on the eyes the levels are. With this game, Sonic (or Blaze), along with the path you are running on, seems to blend into the background. That might be fine for some games, but when a game's emphasis is on speed and rapidly moving through the levels, there needs to be better visual cues. Just my 2 cents.

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