NintendoArielle
CAG Veteran
After a little mishap today at GameFAQs (I lost 10 Karma for what they referred to as "racism," their most ridiculous claim yet,) I've decided to never return to that awful site (I had nearly 900 Karma there,) and post my recent Sonic and the Secret Rings review on this board instead. Enjoy! 
Sonic: Sprinter, Genie Master, Ring-Wearer, Party Animal
The Life and Times of a Supersonic Cobalt-Colored Anthropomorphic Mammal:
Throughout his 15+ years, Sonic's been through many adventures. Needless to say, Sonic's 2D outings are often favored by the series' fans. When Sonic and the Secret Rings for the Wii was announced, many fans rejoiced and believed it to be the savior of 3D Sonic titles. But is this truly a step in the right direction for the world's fastest hedgehog?
Sonic Dreams of Genies:
One day Sonic decides to read a famous book known as The Arabian Nights. He sets it aside and falls into a slumber, only to be woken up by a genie named Shahra. Unlike Sonic the Hedgehog for the Xbox 360 and PS3, there appears to be no interspecies romance going on. Anti-Furry fans will truly be satisfied this time around.
Shahra informs Sonic that she escaped from the book he was reading to seek out the Legendary Blue Hedgehog. Since Shadow, Silver and Amy don't quite meet the strict color-coded requirements, Sonic is obviously the only viable choice. And so the genie in distress details her plight; the world of the Arabian Nights is having a little villain-infestation problem, and she expects a rodent with an attitude and a knack for running to exterminate the threat, a genie named Erazor. By controlling the book's world, he could eventually become powerful enough to escape from the depths of the pages and cause chaos in Sonic's own world.
Sonic coolly accepts the mission with Shahra as his personal wish-granter and heroically heads into the novel to stop Erazor from his evil ambitions. Note to self: Never read an age-old book without expecting something supernatural to happen.
The entire plot itself is somewhat predictable, though there are a few interesting twists and some giggle-worthy humor to satiate the appetite of story enthusiasts, and seeing some of Sonic's old acquaintances pose as Arabian Nights characters is priceless.
8/10
Can Sonic Come Out and Play?
There are a handful of stages to choose from, each containing many missions with requirements such as reaching a goal, destroying a certain amount of enemies or collecting a specified number of rings. Some of these objectives can only be completed with earned “Skill Rings.” But watch out; you have a limited amount of “SP” (Skill Points) which determines how many skills you can use at once. Sometimes you must plan out which skills will be of most use to you, but it generally tends to come down to your own PS (in other words, Personal Skill.) This is the RPG element of the game, but the rest is pure platforming heaven, especially with Sonic's trademark speed. And believe me, he's faster than ever. By completing the missions in these stages, you will unlock more missions amongst other goodies. The bosses are challenging, but ultimately very entertaining. Everything is pure, simple fun.
Unfortunately, Time Break, a move in which Sonic slows time down, felt completely useless. I only used it once or twice in the entire game (one of those times being in the Lost Prologue,) and it's useless in comparison to Speed Break, which allows him to reach insane speeds. Furthermore, Sonic feels a bit like a slowpoke in the beginning before he gains some of the later-level Skill Rings, as well as how much you may find the fast-paced action stopping when running headlong into a pillar or cactus, or by braking and/or jumping. Luckily, once you memorize the levels a bit and earn new skills, the game speeds up. You will find Sonic amazingly quick by the end, and you won't regret the leveling up and Skill Ring-strategizing to accomplish this feat for Sonic's feet (pun!)
9/10
The Speed is in Your Hands:
While some people claim to have issues with the controls, I found them to be quite intuitive. You hold the Wii remote sideways to steer Sonic left and right while running, guiding magic carpets or sidling against walls. You will also come across flying pots which demand you to pump the controller up and down, and catapults which will send Sonic across great distances by pulling the Wii remote towards you and flinging it forward (the control is similar with the Air Launchers.)
Jumping is performed by a simple press of the 2 button, and if held down, Sonic will slide and prepare a higher jump. This especially comes in handy when approaching enemies, which must be defeated by jumping in the air, waiting for the green reticule to turn red and then quickly lashing the Wii remote forward to use Sonic's famous Homing Attack to destroy anything that stands in your path. To land immediately, the 2 button must be pressed while in midair. To switch rails while grinding, press the 2 button to jump off the current rail and aim in the desired direction. The 1 button makes Sonic come to a complete halt. Finally, by pressing up or down on the D-pad, you can use Time Break or Speed Break, respectively.
The only expletive-causing control that comes to mind is walking backwards, which is done by tilting the Wii remote backwards. However, it becomes second nature when you understand how the best way to utilize it is; simply tilt the controller until the front is face-down, then keep holding it in this position until you're ready to get Sonic moving forward again.
Although the controls aren't 100% perfect, they use the motion-sensing well, and almost everything can be picked up on right away.
10/10
Yummy Eye Candy:
Sonic and the Secret Rings is a sight to behold. The game captures the essence of the Arabian setting. The CG movies are impressive, but the 2D storytelling is the true gem. The comic book appearance complements the look and feel of the way the story unfolds in front of you (no pun intended.) For the most part, the in-game action is clean and holds up well. The character models aren't astounding by any means, but they're stylish and get the job done. When the countdown starts before the level begins, you can see that Sonic looks a tad bit polygonal, but with everything speeding by so fast, it won't matter later on. Don't go in expecting power, and you'll come out appreciative of what was achieved.
9/10
The Voices in Your Head:
This is a very controversial topic. The music of the Sonic series has become a love-it-or-hate-it kind of deal. Personally, I enjoyed the music. However, even those of you who easily cringe at horrible lyrics should be able to tolerate it on some level.
Another huge complaint of many Sonic fanatics is the series' voice acting. Sega must've had this group in mind when including the option to change the English voices to their Japanese counterparts. The level sounds in general are also fitting, and I believe that very few people will be disappointed. Looks like we won't be needing the breathtaking voice of Jaleel White after all.
9/10
Partying Hard…or Hardly Partying?
The Party mode is dull and limited, and the Wii remote controls in this mode are downright awful at some points. It feels extremely tacked on and unnecessary, and it makes me wish that the developers spent more time perfecting the already superb main quest. Sonic's an animal, but he's no party animal.
The best section of the extras is what is referred to as the “Special Book” in which you can unlock content by meeting objectives within the game's levels. With this, you can record medals you've collected, view movies and more. It feels very satisfying to gradually fill its pages with awards, and collection freaks will undoubtedly love this feature.
6/10
The Final Word:
With the enthralling sense of 3D speed, an entertaining story, completing the Special Book and more, it's easily worth the full price. For those of you who are still unsure, I'd suggest waiting for a price drop or renting it. So what are you waiting for? Spindash over to your local gaming store and try it out!
I gave this game a 9/10. So, what do you think? Constructive criticism is appreciated.
Sonic: Sprinter, Genie Master, Ring-Wearer, Party Animal
The Life and Times of a Supersonic Cobalt-Colored Anthropomorphic Mammal:
Throughout his 15+ years, Sonic's been through many adventures. Needless to say, Sonic's 2D outings are often favored by the series' fans. When Sonic and the Secret Rings for the Wii was announced, many fans rejoiced and believed it to be the savior of 3D Sonic titles. But is this truly a step in the right direction for the world's fastest hedgehog?
Sonic Dreams of Genies:
One day Sonic decides to read a famous book known as The Arabian Nights. He sets it aside and falls into a slumber, only to be woken up by a genie named Shahra. Unlike Sonic the Hedgehog for the Xbox 360 and PS3, there appears to be no interspecies romance going on. Anti-Furry fans will truly be satisfied this time around.
Shahra informs Sonic that she escaped from the book he was reading to seek out the Legendary Blue Hedgehog. Since Shadow, Silver and Amy don't quite meet the strict color-coded requirements, Sonic is obviously the only viable choice. And so the genie in distress details her plight; the world of the Arabian Nights is having a little villain-infestation problem, and she expects a rodent with an attitude and a knack for running to exterminate the threat, a genie named Erazor. By controlling the book's world, he could eventually become powerful enough to escape from the depths of the pages and cause chaos in Sonic's own world.
Sonic coolly accepts the mission with Shahra as his personal wish-granter and heroically heads into the novel to stop Erazor from his evil ambitions. Note to self: Never read an age-old book without expecting something supernatural to happen.
The entire plot itself is somewhat predictable, though there are a few interesting twists and some giggle-worthy humor to satiate the appetite of story enthusiasts, and seeing some of Sonic's old acquaintances pose as Arabian Nights characters is priceless.
8/10
Can Sonic Come Out and Play?
There are a handful of stages to choose from, each containing many missions with requirements such as reaching a goal, destroying a certain amount of enemies or collecting a specified number of rings. Some of these objectives can only be completed with earned “Skill Rings.” But watch out; you have a limited amount of “SP” (Skill Points) which determines how many skills you can use at once. Sometimes you must plan out which skills will be of most use to you, but it generally tends to come down to your own PS (in other words, Personal Skill.) This is the RPG element of the game, but the rest is pure platforming heaven, especially with Sonic's trademark speed. And believe me, he's faster than ever. By completing the missions in these stages, you will unlock more missions amongst other goodies. The bosses are challenging, but ultimately very entertaining. Everything is pure, simple fun.
Unfortunately, Time Break, a move in which Sonic slows time down, felt completely useless. I only used it once or twice in the entire game (one of those times being in the Lost Prologue,) and it's useless in comparison to Speed Break, which allows him to reach insane speeds. Furthermore, Sonic feels a bit like a slowpoke in the beginning before he gains some of the later-level Skill Rings, as well as how much you may find the fast-paced action stopping when running headlong into a pillar or cactus, or by braking and/or jumping. Luckily, once you memorize the levels a bit and earn new skills, the game speeds up. You will find Sonic amazingly quick by the end, and you won't regret the leveling up and Skill Ring-strategizing to accomplish this feat for Sonic's feet (pun!)
9/10
The Speed is in Your Hands:
While some people claim to have issues with the controls, I found them to be quite intuitive. You hold the Wii remote sideways to steer Sonic left and right while running, guiding magic carpets or sidling against walls. You will also come across flying pots which demand you to pump the controller up and down, and catapults which will send Sonic across great distances by pulling the Wii remote towards you and flinging it forward (the control is similar with the Air Launchers.)
Jumping is performed by a simple press of the 2 button, and if held down, Sonic will slide and prepare a higher jump. This especially comes in handy when approaching enemies, which must be defeated by jumping in the air, waiting for the green reticule to turn red and then quickly lashing the Wii remote forward to use Sonic's famous Homing Attack to destroy anything that stands in your path. To land immediately, the 2 button must be pressed while in midair. To switch rails while grinding, press the 2 button to jump off the current rail and aim in the desired direction. The 1 button makes Sonic come to a complete halt. Finally, by pressing up or down on the D-pad, you can use Time Break or Speed Break, respectively.
The only expletive-causing control that comes to mind is walking backwards, which is done by tilting the Wii remote backwards. However, it becomes second nature when you understand how the best way to utilize it is; simply tilt the controller until the front is face-down, then keep holding it in this position until you're ready to get Sonic moving forward again.
Although the controls aren't 100% perfect, they use the motion-sensing well, and almost everything can be picked up on right away.
10/10
Yummy Eye Candy:
Sonic and the Secret Rings is a sight to behold. The game captures the essence of the Arabian setting. The CG movies are impressive, but the 2D storytelling is the true gem. The comic book appearance complements the look and feel of the way the story unfolds in front of you (no pun intended.) For the most part, the in-game action is clean and holds up well. The character models aren't astounding by any means, but they're stylish and get the job done. When the countdown starts before the level begins, you can see that Sonic looks a tad bit polygonal, but with everything speeding by so fast, it won't matter later on. Don't go in expecting power, and you'll come out appreciative of what was achieved.
9/10
The Voices in Your Head:
This is a very controversial topic. The music of the Sonic series has become a love-it-or-hate-it kind of deal. Personally, I enjoyed the music. However, even those of you who easily cringe at horrible lyrics should be able to tolerate it on some level.
Another huge complaint of many Sonic fanatics is the series' voice acting. Sega must've had this group in mind when including the option to change the English voices to their Japanese counterparts. The level sounds in general are also fitting, and I believe that very few people will be disappointed. Looks like we won't be needing the breathtaking voice of Jaleel White after all.
9/10
Partying Hard…or Hardly Partying?
The Party mode is dull and limited, and the Wii remote controls in this mode are downright awful at some points. It feels extremely tacked on and unnecessary, and it makes me wish that the developers spent more time perfecting the already superb main quest. Sonic's an animal, but he's no party animal.
The best section of the extras is what is referred to as the “Special Book” in which you can unlock content by meeting objectives within the game's levels. With this, you can record medals you've collected, view movies and more. It feels very satisfying to gradually fill its pages with awards, and collection freaks will undoubtedly love this feature.
6/10
The Final Word:
With the enthralling sense of 3D speed, an entertaining story, completing the Special Book and more, it's easily worth the full price. For those of you who are still unsure, I'd suggest waiting for a price drop or renting it. So what are you waiting for? Spindash over to your local gaming store and try it out!
I gave this game a 9/10. So, what do you think? Constructive criticism is appreciated.
ing dreadful. I had over 1000 karma and just, yuch no more gamefaqs for me. Excellent review btw, I was planning on buying sonic and the secret rings, your review wants me to buy it even more.