Wikipedia

Sonic Rush

Sonic Rush[a]is a 2005platform gamedeveloped bySonic TeamandDimpsfor theNintendo DSas part ofSega'sSonic the Hedgehogseries.It was released on November 15, 2005, in North America, November 18 in the PAL region, and November 23 in Japan, and was the final game in the mainline Sonic series to be produced byYuji Nakabefore his departure from Sega. It is a2Dplatform game, similar to earlier games in the series likeSonic Advance,as well as later ones likeSonic Mania.Levels in the game areside-scrollingand displayed using both of the DS's screens. However,bossbattles, the main characters, and a special stage are rendered in 3D, creating a2.5Deffect. The game's storyline follows the intertwining adventures of the series' main character,Sonic the Hedgehogand a new character,Blaze the Cat.They respectively battleDoctor Eggmanand hisdoppelgängerEggman Negaat certain points.

Sonic Rush
North American box art
Developer(s)Dimps
Sonic Team
Publisher(s)Sega
Director(s)Akinori Nishiyama[1]
Producer(s)
Designer(s)
  • Yukihiro Higashi
  • Takayuki Sakamoto
  • Masaaki Yamagiwa
Programmer(s)
  • Katsuya Kuramoto
  • Takaya Yamane
  • Shinichi Manabe
Artist(s)
  • Yuji Uekawa
  • Kazuhiko Yamamoto
Composer(s)
SeriesSonic the Hedgehog
Platform(s)Nintendo DS
Release
  • NA:November 15, 2005
  • PAL:November 18, 2005
  • JP:November 23, 2005
Genre(s)Platform
Mode(s)Single-player,multiplayer

The game was announced under the working titleSonic DSatElectronic Entertainment Expo(E3) 2004, and underSonic Rushat E3 2005. The game's 2.5D format was based onSonic Team's idea to combine elements from 2D and 3D games in the series. Upon release,Sonic Rushwas well received by critics, with praise stemming from the game's visuals, music, and similarity to older games in the series and criticism stemming from its overall quickness. A sequel,Sonic Rush Adventure,was released in 2007.

Gameplay

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Blaze runs through a loop in an early level of the game, demonstrating the dual-screen feature.

Sonic Rushis a 2Dplatform game,similar to earlier games in the series likeSonic Advanceas well as later ones likeSonic Mania.The player controls eitherSonic the HedgehogorBlaze the Cat,who differ in terms of special abilities.[3]In the tradition of pastSonicgames, gameplay consists of moving quickly through levels, collectingringsand defeating enemies.[4][5][6]The player collects rings as a form of health; when they are hit by an enemy or harmful obstacle, their rings bounce in all directions and can be recollected. The player begins the game with three lives, one of which is lost when the character is hit without any rings in their possession, crushed, drowns, falls into a bottomless pit, or reaches the act's 10-minute limit; losing all lives results in agame over.Both of the DS's screens are used to display the play area, with the player's character moving between them as necessary.[4][7]Levels in the game are divided into "zones", each consisting of two acts of normal gameplay then a 3Dbossbattle. The course of the game differs depending on whether Sonic or Blaze is chosen;[8]the seven zones are the same, but are accessed in different orders.[3]During boss battles, Blaze fightsDoctor Eggman[9]and Sonic fights an EggmandoppelgängercalledEggman Nega.[7][10]As the characters' stories progress, they meet each other several times and unite in the final zone that comes after the seventh.[8]The game features special stages the player can access via certain handles in order to obtain theChaos Emeralds.These Special Stages resemble those ofSonic the Hedgehog 2and use the DS's stylus controls.[11]

New features include a grading system that grades the player based on the time it takes for them to complete the level; they can return to levels later to try for a higher grade.[7]There is a point system based on the one inSonic Advance 2but displaying points in multiple categories. Sonic Rush introduces a "Tension Gauge" on the left side of the screen which is filled by doing tricks and defeating enemies.[3]The energy it generates allows the player to use boosts of speed while moving;[4]defeating enemies,[3][5]moving through the level more quickly, which results in more points and a higher grade, and when playing as Sonic, accessing the special stage.[4]Although the game is primarily two-dimensional, there are three-dimensional elements which create a2.5Deffect.[3]

The game has atwo-playermode in which Sonic and Blaze race to the end of a chosen level from the game. There is also a feature in which players who own the game can send ademoof the game to other Nintendo DS users.[4][8]

Plot

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Sonic fights one of the game's bosses, the Egg Scarab. Boss battles are rendered in3D.

Blaze the Catis somehow pulled from her native dimension into Sonic's world. Her world had seven Sol Emeralds—similar to theChaos Emeralds—but they were stolen by Doctor Eggman.[3]She then makes it her goal to retrieve them. While searching, she meetsCream the Rabbitand is surprised by her politeness. Meanwhile,Sonicis searching for the Chaos Emeralds, which have been stolen by Doctor Eggman Nega, Eggman's alternate counterpart from Blaze's dimension.[8]

Sonic briefly encounters Blaze during his search, but she departs before he can question her. His friendTailslearns that the two dimensions are merging somehow, and both will collapse if the process is not stopped.[3]Suspicious of Blaze, Sonic and Tails begin searching for her. Upon finding Blaze and Cream, Sonic questions Blaze about her nature, but she refuses to give any information and leaves with Cream. Sonic follows her to Eggman Nega's base, where it is revealed that Eggman and Eggman Nega are working together to collect both the Chaos Emeralds and the Sol Emeralds. Blaze declares that she is the only one who can save their worlds, without anyone's help. Sonic and Blaze fight each other, until Sonic wins the fight and Blaze realizes the error of her ways.

After Eggman kidnaps Cream, Blaze goes after him while Sonic takes onNega.Sonic collects the last of the seven Chaos Emeralds and catches up with Blaze, who fails to prevent Eggman and Eggman Nega from draining the Sol Emeralds's power for their Egg Salamander mech. As the world begins to destabilize, Sonic and his friends help Blaze realize the meaning of friendship. This restores the Sol Emeralds, and Sonic and Blaze use both sets of Emeralds to transform intoSuper Sonicand Burning Blaze. The two destroy the Egg Salamander, restoring the dimensions to normal, and Blaze returns to her world, now better understanding her powers. Cream is saddened by Blaze's departure, but Sonic assures her that Blaze promised to return someday.

Development

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Sonic Rushwas developed bySonic TeamandDimps,and published bySega.[4]Yuji Naka,Sega's executive managing director, announced the game atElectronic Entertainment Expo(E3) 2004, along withProject Rub.[12]A demo of the newly titledSonic Rushwas featured at E3 2005,[13]and won video game publicationIGN's "Biggest Surprise" award.[14]Blaze the Cat, a new character, was revealed atTokyo Game Show(TGS) 2005.[13]The game's 2.5D format was based on Sonic Team's idea to combine elements from 2D and 3D games in the series. Director Akinori Nishiyama stated in a September 2005 interview withGameSpotthat Sonic Team "wanted to keep the elements from 2D, yet still explore some of the new elements from 3D."[8]At TGS 2005, he stated that while working onSonic Advance 3,he realized that the series was becoming more complicated, opting for a "fast, dynamic action" approach to the next title in the series.[15]

The music was primarily composed byHideki NaganumaofJet Set Radiofame. Additional music was composed by the game's sound director Teruhiko Nakagawa,[16]along with Masayoshi Ishi and Hiroyuki Hamada of T's Music.[17]Composing the music was a challenge for Naganuma, who had to work under the limitations of the Nintendo DS'sound chip.[18]

Sonic Rushintroduced Blaze, who has become a recurring character in the series. Blaze appeared for the second time inSonic the Hedgehogin 2006,[19]and then inSonic Rush Adventure,the sequel toSonic Rush,[20]and numerous other games.[21]

Reception

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Sonic Rushwas released on November 15, 2005, in North America; November 18 in Europe; and November 23 in Japan.[2]It was the ninth best-selling DS game of December 2006.[24]It sold 360,000 copies in Europe from March 2006 to March 2007.[25]The game received a "Platinum" sales award from theEntertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association(ELSPA),[26]indicating sales of at least 300,000 copies in the United Kingdom.[27]

The game was released to "generally favorable" reviews, according to video gamereview aggregatorMetacritic.[23]Critics praised the game for its usage of elements from olderSonicgames.GameSpot,IGN,andNintendo Powercompared the game to older games in the series, specifically those on theSega Genesis.[3][4][11]GameSpystaff writer Greg Sewart offered a similar opinion, also praising the game for its "gorgeous graphics".[5]The visuals were well received, with some calling it "gorgeous" and "colourful".[28][23][5]The game's overall quickness was not as well received. GameSpy's Greg Sewart, although giving a mostly positive review, complained that "it's so fast you almost can't tell what's going on most of the time."[5]1UP.comandGameProthought similarly.[7][22]The game's music was well-received, called "bright [and] buoyant" by 1UP.com and compared to that ofJet Set Radioby GameSpot.[3]GameSpy called the music "all very fitting and very catchy", noting its use ofsamplingand unconventional structure.[22]

In 2008,Sonic Rushwas listed at #17 in IGN's list of the top 25 DS games.[6]In 2009, it was listed as one of the "cheers" on IGN's "Cheers & Tears" list of action games for the DS.[29]

Notes

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  1. ^Japanese:ソニック・ラッシュ[2],Hepburn:Sonikku Rasshu

References

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  1. ^Doree, Adam (2005-11-30)."Sonic Team Interview November 2005".Kikizo.Retrieved2014-07-09.
  2. ^ab"Related Games".GameSpot. Archived fromthe originalon February 10, 2010.RetrievedMarch 31,2010.
  3. ^abcdefghijGerstmann, Jeff (November 14, 2005)."Sonic Rush for DS Review - DS Sonic Rush Review".GameSpot.Archived fromthe originalon March 2, 2009.RetrievedFebruary 20,2009.
  4. ^abcdefghHarris, Craig (November 11, 2005)."IGN: Sonic Rush Review".IGN.Archived fromthe originalon May 16, 2012.RetrievedFebruary 19,2009.
  5. ^abcdefSewart, Greg (November 15, 2005)."GameSpy: Sonic Rush Review".GameSpy.RetrievedFebruary 20,2009.
  6. ^ab"IGN: The Top 25 Nintendo DS Games".IGN. October 24, 2008.RetrievedMarch 3,2009.
  7. ^abcdeOuroboros (November 17, 2005)."Review: Sonic Rush (DS) - from GamePro.com".Archived fromthe originalon 2011-06-07.RetrievedFebruary 26,2009.
  8. ^abcde"GameSpot Video: Sonic Rush Developer Interview 1".September 12, 2005. Archived fromthe originalon October 9, 2012.RetrievedFebruary 21,2009.
  9. ^Sonic Team.Sonic Rush.Eggman:I won't forget this!Blaze:Wait, Eggman!
  10. ^Sonic Team.Sonic Rush.Eggman Nega:I won't forget this!Sonic:Wait, Eggman!
  11. ^abcThomason, Steve (January 2006). "Sonic Rush".Nintendo Power.No. 199. p. 105.
  12. ^Adams, David (May 11, 2004)."E3 2004: SEGA Announces DS Titles".IGN.Archived fromthe originalon June 7, 2011.RetrievedDecember 3,2009.
  13. ^abGerstmann, Jeff (September 18, 2005)."TGS 2005: Sonic Rush Hands-On".GameSpot.Archived fromthe originalon January 30, 2006.RetrievedDecember 3,2005.
  14. ^Harris, Craig (May 27, 2005)."DS Best of E3 2005 Awards".IGN. Archived fromthe originalon February 6, 2012.RetrievedDecember 3,2009.
  15. ^"Sonic Rush".Nintendo Power.No. V198. December 2005. p. 17.
  16. ^SONIC RUSH Original Groove Rush(CD) (in Japanese). November 23, 2006.
  17. ^Sega (2005).Sonic Rush(Nintendo DS). Scene: Credits.
  18. ^Naganuma, Hideki (October 4, 2014).""Sonic Rush, for the technical reason. (Nintendo DS internal sound chip)"".Twitter.
  19. ^Sonic Team (November 14, 2006).Sonic the Hedgehog(2006).Sega.Blaze:So this is the past...
  20. ^Parish, Jeremy (September 18, 2007)."Sonic Rush Adventure".1UP.com. Archived fromthe originalon April 22, 2014.RetrievedApril 12,2014.
  21. ^Sterling, Jim (June 23, 2012)."The 10 worst Sonic friends".GamesRadar.RetrievedApril 2,2014.
  22. ^abc"Sonic Rush Nintendo DS Review Index, Sonic Rush Reviews".1UP.com.November 16, 2005. Archived fromthe originalon April 26, 2006.RetrievedApril 13,2008.
  23. ^abc"Sonic Rush (ds: 2005): Reviews".Metacritic.Archived fromthe originalon April 30, 2012.RetrievedApril 13,2008.
  24. ^"Sonic Rush".Nintendo Power.No. 210. December 2006. p. 18.
  25. ^"Fiscal Year Ended March 2007 Full Year Results"(PDF).Sega Sammy Holdings.May 14, 2007. p. 15.Archived(PDF)from the original on September 24, 2015.RetrievedMay 11,2014.
  26. ^"ELSPA Sales Awards: Platinum".Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association.Archived fromthe originalon May 15, 2009.
  27. ^Caoili, Eric (November 26, 2008)."ELSPA:Wii Fit,Mario KartReach Diamond Status In UK ".Gamasutra.Archived fromthe originalon September 18, 2017.
  28. ^"Sonic Rush Feature Preview".GameSpot.Retrieved2020-11-12.
  29. ^Thomas, Lucas M. (September 11, 2009)."Cheers & Tears: DS Action Games".IGN. Archived fromthe originalon March 17, 2012.RetrievedDecember 23,2009.
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