Then, on the other hand, there is the roster, which comes up feeling a bit sparse:Īdventure mode is where some serious variety kicks into the equation. There are Grand Prix events, pickup races, time trials, an Adventure mode and loads of minigame-type events within those. On one hand, there is a range of content for online or local play. TSR is a mixed bag in the depth department. Like much of the conversation here, more of the expected isn't too big of a drawback. Luckily, there are options to turn off voiceovers during the race, which might come in handy given both the repetitiveness of them and the rather limited roster.īut viewed as a whole, this is usual Sonic flair with speed-induced blur, colorful visuals and some random-seeming rock and techno music encouraging things along. Players aren't grabbing this one for a story anyway, so the option to skip the scene might end up heavily used. Those voices are shrill and annoying most of the time, to put it kindly. The cutscenes between races aren't anything more than voice actors reading out text boxes over a still frame, and they seem to go on for way too long each time.
The Adventure mode presentation is where things really start to crumble. But the characters offer funny quips at times during races, and the item usage and ring collecting is loud and clear, playing right into the addictive fun. The sound design is superb as well, though the soundtrack is an acquired taste. The game is brimming with colors and variety from a track perspective, and these Sonic characters arguably haven't looked better. But the basics are a blast: collect the rings while chaining drifts and seeking out those slipstreams.Īs expected, TSR isn't a slouch in the visuals department. With everything split into teams, character types, Ultimates, items flying around, item switching and unique track happenings, the chaos of it all can blur things. While innovative, it can be hard to keep up at all times.
Not only does it help maintain speed, but it also builds the boost meter. Individually, drifting is loose and fun once understood, and there are some Crazy Taxi vibes here because many tracks can quickly devolve into a contest of who can chain the most drifts together. Passing off an item worthless to the player in first place that helps boost a teammate from the bottom is a fun wrinkle. Unlike other racing games, discarding items that are worthless depending on a player's position in hopes of grabbing a better one later doesn't happen. Perhaps the best thing about the items list is that players can pass them around to teammates. The usual items found in character kart racers are here, too, though the fact they take a backseat to the team mechanics says it all. Players also create their own slipstream, which is a Skim Boost for teammates, so there is a fun, if not addictive incentive to keep chaining slipstreams with teammates over the course of a race. The slipstream feature sticks out, as lagging behind a teammate has its benefits: Cruise through their yellow slipstream long enough for a speed boost and an eventual slingshot mechanic that flings the user past opponents.Īnd the team-based approach doesn't stop there. The team-based approach goes far in the "fun" column, too. These are 12-character races split into teams of three, which then open up some interesting and unique abilities. But the game's name says it all: This is about the team-based innovations. There is a normal non-team-based race mode if players choose to go the traditional route. It asks for quick reaction times, fun drifts, the usual character-kart items lists and close attention to detail for the game's varied, colorful locales. The gameplay is fast and chaotic on twists, turns and loops littered with rings. A mix of the expected with some welcome surprises is a nice way to briefly explain TSR's pick-up-and-play nature.
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