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Does It Suck? - Sonic R
Brian Szabelski | 4:07 PM on 06.07.2008 24 comments


Some games suck like the other 31 teams in the NHL, who got smacked around by my
beloved Detroit Red Wings on their way to the Stanley Cup. But every once in a while, a
game everyone craps on isn't that bad and people are just stupid. It takes a little bit of time
(and taking off that lovely pair of rose-tinted glasses) to see the beauty underneath.
Consequently, there are other games that we once thought were awesome, but looking
back, they weren't so great. And some games just suck no matter what.

I like racing games. Super Mario Kart was one of my first gaming experiences, and ever
since then, I've been hooked on the genre. Whether it's F-Zero GX, Forza 2 or Burnout
Paradise, I can't get enough racing.

Sadly, though, I've also run into my fair share of really bad racing games. Not even a
genre as hardcore as racing games can escape the suck. Today, one game spun-off from a
popular franchise faces the music. Has time been kind to it, or does it deserve to be put on
the Racing Game Wall of Shame?

And so, staying on track, it's time for...



Basic Info

Sonic R
Developer - Traveller's Tales
Publisher - Sega
Console - Sega Saturn
Year - 1997



The premise

Screw Attack called this their worst Sonic game. I completely disagree with them on this
point, but that doesn't absolve this game from not sucking.

The basis here was Sonic and friends go racing. Sonic clearly should have blown them all
out of the water, as he's the fastest thing alive, but like other Sonic racing games, his
speed has kind of been dumbed down so he is fast, but not the fastest.

The game



The game featured five levels and ten characters, ranging from Sonic and Tails to Robotnik
and Amy Rose in a car to a doll version of Tails. Each course featured about a billion
different paths you could take, which confused the hell out of me sometimes. I mean, look
at that map. How am I supposed to make sense of that?

Only having five courses when Mario Kart 64 was at the same time busting out 16 courses
that looked better, along with having a more intuitive game play style, helped sink the
game. I remember reading in later years that the E3 crowd crapped all over this game, and
perhaps rightly so.

The controls

Ugh. Ugh ugh ugh. I never really liked the controls of this game. They were simple enough,
it seemed, but I always felt like Sonic and Co. were drifting all over the place and turned
really, really poorly. There were supposed to be some differences, of course, but I was
able to discern that they all sucked at turning and were different levels of fast. There were
rings you could pick up to help with speed and such (ripped off from Super Mario Kart), but
really, for a Sega Saturn game, this wasn't that great.

The graphics and sound

Graphically, Sonic R was about as good as you were going to get on the Saturn, though
there are issues with some of the level designs and color selections. I got lost easily or
smacked into walls because they were sometimes hard to see. Even taking into the fact
that this was the Saturn, I'm not entirely impressed by the graphics this game rolls out,
which remind me of those from Sonic Jam. Coincidentally, neither game is regarded that
highly. Coincidence?

But the soundtrack... well that is the stuff of legend. The main theme lives on today as an
Internet meme (thank you, Smash Bros. Brawl), but the rest of the soundtrack is just kind
of generic. That, and the background music by default is way, way, way too low, almost to
the point it's not audible at times.

The conclusion

Traveller's Tales went on to have much better success, and even Sega wasn't sunk by this
game (future Does It Suck? featured games Sonic Shuffle and Sonic the Hedgehog for the
360/PS3 did far more damage). Still, Sonic R has a lasting legacy of being one of the lower
points of the Sonic franchise, and it even went on to produce two future Sonic Riders titles
that really weren't a whole lot better overall than this game. If you're a collector or a die-
hard Sonic fan, or if you've never played the game and really want to see what it's all
about, go for it. Otherwise, you can skip this one.

FINAL VERDICT: Hard suckage. Except for the so-cheesy-it's-fun
theme song, a pretty forgettable game in the Sonic series, and I'm sure that's something
that can be agreed upon by everybody. Everybody, everybody.






































EVERYBODYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!



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23 comments | showing # 1 to 23
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kepler's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/07/2008 16:28
kepler
Wheeeey! A sega saturn post. I love you. And I played the hell out of this game when it came out, perhaps not because I loved it...but I enjoyed it as an aimless timewaster.

It was so bad, it became enjoyable, Might seem a wierd thing to say but its true - in my case anyway. It was impossible to take it seriously in any way what-so-ever.

That theme tune has stuck with me from childhood, I think I can recite the lyrics, even though I haven't played it since when...about 1997?
Gibbo's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/07/2008 16:32
Gibbo
It's one of those game that sucks when your not a little kid anymore. But at least i plated this before a Mario Kart game.
Rifter01's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/07/2008 16:45
Rifter01
Everybody!
Super Sonic Racing
Let your body burn..

Yes that is how I remember the title theme's lyrics. I dunno if these were the actual words, esp. the let your body burn part. But, yeah, it is SUCKY and all. But hard suckage is a bit harsh IMO. But, yeah, Sonic was dumbed-down/slowed down too much... Good post and all.
Hamza CTZ Aziz's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/07/2008 16:49
Hamza CTZ Aziz
So what do you think of Star Tropics? I heard that's a pretty cool game.
topgeargorilla's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/07/2008 17:11
topgeargorilla
I played this game on my PC. All of the songs are vocalized, and the whole endevore is really weird. Also, the computer cheats like a mo-fo.
Simmons 2pt0's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/07/2008 17:11
Simmons 2pt0
Red Wings Suck =D
NotAZombie's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/07/2008 17:23
NotAZombie
I loved this game when I was younger...
007's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/07/2008 17:42
007
Come on run away
You don't have to stay
You're running out of time
But you're doing fine

So stay on track
And don't look back
Just feel the haste
Come on now race

Everybody Super Sonic Racing
Gotta keep your feet right on the ground
When you're Super Sonic Racing
There's no time to look around
With just Super Sonic Racing
Running to the point of no return
Everybody Super Sonic Racing
Come on let the fire burn
Everybody, Everybody, Everybody!!2
007's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/07/2008 17:44
007
also, screw you. This game is awesome. Even though there were only like 5 courses... and you were only moving about as fast as a 60's pick-up truck most of the time. But that's alright, because it was SONIC BITCHES!
F Whipple's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/07/2008 17:55
F Whipple
I think I'm undefeated in brawl when this song plays. Coincidence? I think not. I just feed off its awesomeness
Shin Oni's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/07/2008 17:56
Shin Oni
yes that theme song is about as awesome as it comes. Though since my parents felt the need to NOT get me a saturn, I can't experience the suckage that is Sonic R.

and i'm kinda lazy to search for the Sonic Gem collection.
MATTFOO's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/07/2008 18:44
MATTFOO
NICE ASS!
Lewis Bell's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/07/2008 18:45
Lewis Bell
Also available for PC...
Vlambo's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/07/2008 19:56
Vlambo
There's 30 NHL teams, so only 29 suck this season...

GO DUCKS
Wexx's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/07/2008 20:27
Wexx
That game... it BURRRNNNNNSsssss
eternalplayer2345's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/07/2008 20:31
eternalplayer2345
I have fond memories of this game. LIVIN IN THE CITY!! But in all honestly this game is by no means good in anyway it's one of those games that doesnt need to be spectacular its just there and you can manage to get some enjoyment out of it.
pedrovay2003's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/07/2008 20:36
pedrovay2003
You dare say Sonic R sucks?

MAY THE TAILS DOLL EAT YOUR SOUL WHILE YOU SLEEEEEEEEP!

ry mc's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/07/2008 20:38
ry mc
What pedrovay2003 said. Also, Sonic R RULES.
Artemus's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/07/2008 21:00
Artemus
How did SEGA fuck up such an iconic character?!
The suited-idiots at SEGA should sell the complete rights to Nintendo and let Miyamoto and his crew make a new Sonic game.
Yeah?!
Yeah.
Scape's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/07/2008 22:35
Scape
I actually like this game....
tsunamikitsune's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/08/2008 02:48
tsunamikitsune
After playing "Super Sonic Racing" in Samba de Amigo earlier today, I had a sudden urge to play this again. XD

This shit was amazing back when I first got my Saturn (and my standards were much lower), but I didn't love it quite as much when playing it on the Sonic Gems Collection a year ago.
pendelton21's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/08/2008 13:27
pendelton21
OH GOD NOT THE TAILS DOLL!!!!
Mike Moran's Avatar - Comment posted on 11/16/2009 01:32
Mike Moran
Fuck. Super Sonic Racing is in Samba de Amigo? God damnit now I might need to actually hunt down the maracas.
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