Sonic and the Secret Rings review

That damned hedgehog gets a second lease on life

GamesRadar+ Verdict

Pros

  • +

    Sonic at blistering speeds

  • +

    Complete homage to the good ol' days

  • +

    Old school challenge

Cons

  • -

    Some abilities are useles

  • -

    Challenges requiring memorization

  • -

    Going backwards

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For a while we thought Sonic was a goner, a blue hedgehog-shaped smear on the tarmac of gaming history. With Sonic Team’s every attempted step forward, his scores plummeted down. Multiple characters exploring 3D environments? Big the Cat? Sonic with guns? With Secret Rings, the team has finally realized that the only way forwards is backwards. At breakneck speeds.

Filter him down into his purest form - the original Sonic on Genesis - and you’ll find little more than the urge to move forwards. Speedily moving from the left of the screen to the right, Sonic was about distance covered and little else. In Secret Rings this purity of motivation has been gloriously rediscovered, with Sonic sent zipping along, jumping obstacles and bopping the occasional baddie on the head like it was 1991.

More info

GenreAction
DescriptionWho needs platforms? Sonic's first Wii game is all about moving forward - running, bouncing and sliding through an Arabian setting using nothing but the Wii remote.
Franchise nameSonic the Hedgehog
UK franchise nameSonic the Hedgehog
Platform"Wii"
US censor rating"Rating Pending"
UK censor rating"7+"
Release date1 January 1970 (US), 1 January 1970 (UK)
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