Developed by: Team Sonic | Published by: Sega

+

Sega gives the game its usual fun, edgy, teenager feel to it that gives the game a nice appeal. The combination of hip hop/punk music, crazy super speed gameplay, catch phrase lingo, and wacky characters make the game have a strong appeal to genX and post-genXers.

Good representations of good and evil: the gem with ultimate power (evil), and the other gem that neutralizes it (good). The Dark one lusts to obtain the power while the hero struggles to thwart the evil plot. The story was also pretty well done, the characters were all interesting with their unique backgrounds, personalities, and motivations. The story was more involved than most in its genre.

Each level has it own feel, mood and unique set of obstacles. As you go through the level it never gets too repeditive - you're always coming upon a new kind of challenge. In one second you're speeding down the streets, the next you're falling down the side of a building, the next you're running away from a semi, and it just keeps changing like crazy all the time. That speeding, jumping and flying sensation gives the player a tremendous sense of freedom and power, combined with pinpoint concentration. Everything feels smooth and free-flowing.

Each character's controls and gameplay provides a unique experience that is unique to that character. Sonic's gameplay makes the player feel free and dependent only on intuitive reflexes, Tails' gameplay makes the player feel more grounded and steady, and Nuckles' gameplay makes the player feel analytical and plan-oriented. Each gameplay experience is reflected in the characters' personality, which makes the escapism of becoming a different character more effective because the gameplay makes you think like that character does. Each character also has a theme song that reflects their personality.

The environment changes and moves around you all the time. It is very lively and interesting.

The gameplay varies in the short (different obstacles) and long (Sonic, Tails, or Nuckles) term.

The charaters' abilities are very fun and neat. The player can fly, zoom through rollercoaster tracks, bounce, punch and dragon punch, shoot energy balls, jump and hover, slide down railings, and other really exciting moves.

Each character is unique and likable.

Loading times after death are pretty fast and seamless.

The help system is well implimented.

-

The points scoring selection takes away from the escapism. Actually, this game generally does not think of itself as another world to escape into. It's more like a bunch of fun game levels with a story wrapped around it. If it were truly its own world, then the story and fun levels would seamlessly be part of each other.

The gameplay for each character ties in very well to the personality of that character, but it doesn't tie into the overall story or the relationships between the characters at all.

The game is too linear. Every player's trip through the game is the almost the same generic thing.

The Chao animal thing was never explained, and doesn't appear to be part of the plot. I don't know why they're there.