HOLiDAY_AETERNUS

User Score
9.7

Presentation - 10
Gameplay - 9.0
Value - 10

 Sonic Riders, released in 2006, was Sonic’s first racing game in years. It featured the use of hoverboards and emphasis on performing tricks. I personally enjoyed the first Sonic Riders and thought it was near perfect for a racing game. The game was simply underrated.

 And so a sequel, Sonic Riders 2: Zero Gravity: A Shooting Star Story is released. Announced at the Leipzing Games Convention 2007, I was looking forward to this. I enjoyed the first Sonic Riders, so of course I was going to like this as well. And I wasn’t wrong. Sonic Riders 2 is just as incredible as its predecessor.

The story premise here is just plain cool. Shortly after a series of shooting stars hit the planet, new robots known as the MeteorTech begin to wreck havoc. When Sonic and the gang learn of this, they use their ExtremeGear to the test. Another new item is to be used in this adventure, the Ark Of the Cosmos, which enables the ability to control time and gravity. Ultimately, this will lead to Sonic meeting up with some familiar faces, Doctor Julian Ivo Robotnik aka EGGMAN and the Babylon Rogues, who make their return in this game.

 Overall, I find this to be very cool. And the rest of this game is awesome as well.

 The story, along with the cool boxarts, manuals, cases, and menus are captivating enough for a run in with the game. The graphics here are similar to the first Sonic Riders and are just as good. There are times, particularly during cutscenes, the game looks great. While Sonic Riders could used some better graphics, they are slightly adjusted here to look more tolerable. The environments look mostly the as the original; just as good with plenty of cool twists and effects.

 Zero Gravity’s gameplay is a very unique one. It runs similar to its predecessor, there’s hoverboard “Extreme Gear” action. The turbulence system is gone, thus meaning that the vehicles no longer run on air and you won’t be set to running when all of the air is out. I really miss that, running was one of my favorite parts of the first Sonic Riders. And you can exactly attack opponents at well. Still, this version adds plenty of cool mechanics.

 Like how the first Riders focused on air, the sequel focuses on gravity, hence the game’s title. Using the Ark Of Cosmos, characters can utilize to perform interesting “slingshot” turns, in place of the drifting. This is a really cool addition and makes the game more interesting. There are many things this gravity feature can do, such as bending it and changing the track of the courses. You can also use it for a small boost as well and while that’s cool, a typical boost isn’t really focused on this game. Looking at gameplay videos, I thought there was going to be a boost that could be charged up and rapidly done, which would have been so awesome. But it’s not done exactly like that… which is disappointing. But there are other points in this game that can make that up.

 There is a major boost feature in this game. When the gauge is high enough, you can engage in an epic boost that will send your characters flying at high speeds and can go even faster when blasted into objects. This is definitely one of the best parts of the game. So original and so fun.

 The trick system is different from how it was done in the first Sonic Riders. Now, you perform tricks by simply pressing the jump button on ramps and it’s automatically done from there. It’s harder to pull them off in this and when mastered, it’s smooth and sweet. This system is great. It reminds me of the trick system in the Sonic Adventure games, which is a major plus for fun and nostalgia.

 The upgrading system returns differently, now focusing on a “Gear Change” system. As the name suggests, you can switch different Extreme Gear during gameplay. This adds a lot more personality to the game, which is really nice.

 The gameplay is both similar and different to the previous Sonic Riders. It’s slightly harder to control vehicles in this, and everything still goes fine. Using the WiiReMote, the game plays realistically like a driving game, which is cool. The Speed, Flight, and Power also return, keeping the game more similar to the first Sonic Riders, although it’s not focused as much here. And the multiplayer is just as fun and I would have liked a more traditional online mode. Overall, Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity does the job in gameplay.

The sound and audio is just as awesome as well. There are plenty of jamming tunes in this game. The main theme, “Ungravitify”, is really great and nicely done. In short, the music’s great. The voice acting is good, better than the previous Sonic Riders. It’s nothing special from 4Kids Entertainment, but it’s still nice. The word text also looks awesome. Overall, the sound is great.

 There are plenty things to do in this game. From the dual stories and awesome unlockables, I found myself coming back to play this game again and again for the time I had with it. It’s hard to say whether this is better than the first Sonic Riders or not, but it’s just as great for sure. Sonic has delivered another fantastic racing game.

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