GENRE
	Platformer
	DEVELOPER
	Sonic Team
	PUBLISHER
	Sega
	LOCAL WIRELESS MULTI-PLAY
	Yes
	Wi-Fi/GLOBAL ONLINE MULTI-PLAY
	No
	MICROPHONE
	No
	BUY NOW AT

Looking at the two Sonic games recently released on Nintendo platforms, it's easy to see the contrasts between the titles. Shadow the Hedgehog on the GC was intended to shake things up with the Sonic franchise, featuring both the ability to play as a villian (technically, the player can choose whether or not Shadow is a villain) and the first appearance of gunplay within the series.

On the other hand, Sonic Rush for the DS is the exact opposite: a throwback to the tradtional 2D formula which made Sonic famous in the first place. No guns; at least, not for Sonic. Those pesky evil robots might still sport 'em from time to time, though. How does Sonic's DS adventure stack up to his previous 2D escapades? The answer might surprise you--but it probably won't. Sonic Rush is an impressive game that does some interesting new things with the DS hardware.

visuals

Even though gameplay is 2D, the graphics in Sonic Rush are fully three-dimensional. Sonic himself sports one of the best-looking 3D models on the DS. The backgrounds are a mix of polygonal objects and painted backdrops which blaze by so fast players won't even notice how beautifully detailed they are. Dr. Robotnik's...errr, Eggman's largest machines are often so gigantic that they fill up, and are actually larger than, both screens.

That is the detail which sets Sonic Rush apart from earlier Sonic games and from most other DS games as well. Both screens are used to display the action at the same time. While Sonic (or Blaze the Cat, the other playable character) will generally be located on one screen or the other, without warning, the focus will shift from top screen to bottom, and then back again, all in the space of mere seconds. This also in some ways helps emphasize the speed at which the action is taking place and lends a exhilarating feeling to the game.

audio

Voice actors from the Sonic X television series provide a few lines for the game's characters, although not every piece of dialogue is voiced. Some sound effects, like the boing as Sonic bounces off a springboard or the high-pitched jingle as the hedgehog loses all his rings, seem to have been cut straight out of the 16-bit versions of the game. The music for the most part is unremarkable, certainly not as distinctive as previous entries in the franchise, but not wholly unpleasant either.

gameplay

"Blast Processing" was a term Sega used back in the 16-bit era to describe why Sonic could run so blazingly fast. The marketing phrase was actually a way of saying that the Genesis had a faster processor than the Super NES, which was technically true, as the Genesis could handle more moving objects on screen at once and at a faster pace. To use "Blast Processing" to describe Sonic Rush, however, would be horribly inadequate. Sonic Rush takes Blast Processing, gives it six cups of coffee, a dose of PCP, ephedrine capsules, some anabolic steroids and then lights its tail on fire.

The point of that last superflous sentence was to demonstrate the speed at which Sonic Rush runs. The 3D console games in the series couldn't maintain the traditional quickness of 2D Sonic gameplay, merely because of different dynamics involved in making a three-dimensional game. In this game, however, Sonic (or Blaze) will nearly be in constant motion, save for a few times when one of the robotic enemies is placed directly in his path, causing an abrupt, frustrating stop.

But, this time, the developers at Sonic Team have discovered a way around that tooth-gnashing annoyance. By increasing his Tension Gauge, though defeating enemies and performing mid-air tricks, Sonic can use the Super Boost, which makes him temporarily invincible and gives him a small boost of speed. The key is using the booster when in the right place, as it is only available for small amounts of time.

The story revolves around a tear in the fabric of reality. The Eggman is up to his old tricks, trying to steal the Chaos Emeralds and take over the world, when the tear opens up. Eggman's evil clone, Eggman Nega, comes into Sonic's world in order to use the power of the emeralds to control both realities. Technically, an evil clone of the Eggman should probably end up being GOOD, but then, of course, there wouldn't be any reason for he and Sonic to fight.

And fight they do. The pseudo-3D level-end battles in Sonic Rush are some of the most intense ever seen. The massive robotic creations will test the reflexes in several ways, with each boss's pattern changing as the battle wears on.

Which brings up another point. Sonic Rush is hard. No amount of game guides or online walkthroughs will change the fact that only lightning-fast thinking and button presses will get one through the game. Some players with less fortitude might not appreciate the old-school difficulty level.

While touch control isn't much of a factor in the game, bonus stages in Sonic Rush do involve the touch screen. As Sonic is running head-on down a half-pipe, he can be dragged around with the stylus in order to collect rings and avoid obstacles. Should he acquire enough rings by the end of the special stage, he will be rewarded with a Chaos Emerald. This works, but really isn't any more convenient than using the D-Pad to control Sonic.

multiplayer

Sonic Rush allows Single- and Multi-Card play for two players. Each player competes in a race to the finish of a selected stage, and competitors can obstruct the other's path by direct attack or with items.

overall

Sonic Rush may be the best side-scroller on the DS so far. The level design is inspired, and the rush of speed, to use an appropriate word, that should be inherent in Sonic games is not only present, but may be at its most intense yet.

The replay value on this title is also high. Once the main quest is completed, players can try the main quest again, attempting to get all of the Chaos Emeralds, restart the game as Blaze or challenge the Time Attack mode for each zone. The double high display is a nice addition to the game visually, and even though new methods of control aren't really exploited, Sonic Rush shows that the DS is becoming a system for those who love ultra-refined gameplay of any type.

8.9/10