Title:
Sonic R

Genre:
Racing

Platform:
Saturn

Developer:
Traveller's Tales

Release Dates:
Japan - 4/12/97
North America - 18/11/97
Europe - 21/11/97

Memory:
[researching]

Players:
1-2 (1-4 PC)

Courses:
5

Playable:
Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Eggman, Metal Sonic, Tails Doll, Egg Robo, Metal Knuckles, Super Sonic

Re-releases:
Sonic R (PC)

Other Pages:
Under construction

Home > Sonic Games > Games Index > Sonic R

Intro:
The Saturn never received the flagship Sonic title Sonic X-Treme, and had only had ported games and compilations as condolences. Sonic R, however, was the first completely original Sonic game. It wasn't a platformer by the traditional sense, but rather an on-foot racing game, with some explorational elements thrown in.

Story:
Sonic and Tails one day came across a huge sign advertising the World Grand Prix. Tails, excitied at the opportunity to enter trys to persuade Sonic to come along. Sonic, however, isn't that interested in entering a race. There isn't anyone as fast as him, anyway. However, Sonic notices that Dr. Eggman is also entering, and decides to give the Grand Prix a go. Once Knuckles and Amy Rose find out that Sonic is entering the race, they too join in.

Eggman found out that the Chaos Emeralds are littered around the race courses, so devised a devious plan to enter not only himself, but four other competitors...

The Game:
Sonic R is a 3D racing game, where instead of using carts or racing cars, you play on foot. There are five courses to play through, as well as challenging you to collect Chaos Emeralds and Sonic coins hidden on the courses.

There are five Sonic coins on each course. Usually lying on longer or more difficult parts of the stages, collecting all of them in each race then finishing in the top three will unlock a new challenger, a secret character. Beat them in a one on one race and you'll be able to play as them. Each stage, barring the final, has a secret character.

Chaos Emeralds are also hidden around the first four stages, one on the first stage and two on every stage after that. However, to keep the Emerald, you must go out ofyour way to find it, then finish the race in first place.

The game has power ups littered around each course, with items such as magnet shields (for collecting more rings), water shields (for running across water) and speed shoes (giving you, surprisingly, a temporary speed boost). Rings are used for activating machines that give you a very fast boost and opening doors to other parts of the track. While these doors occasionally lead to shortcuts, more often or not you'll find an extra Sonic coin or Emerald.