From the beginning Sonic has been synonymous with speed, so much so that a racing game was inevitable. Years later there has been a couple Sonic racing games, which were met with various levels of success. The new one, Team Sonic Racing, adds a new twist and hopes to continue the franchise.
On a basic level it’s hard to overlook how similar Team Sonic Racing and Mario Kart are. Both involve characters from platforms in vehicles, drifting is key, items can be picked up and used, there are acceleration pads and more. The derivative nature makes for an underwhelming experience, one that is only elevated by the team based mechanics.
Even though players need to be fast and win, being the fastest isn’t enough to take home the gold. To walk away victorious your team needs to hold the highest overall spot, meaning it’s entirely possible to lose the race and still win or win the race and still lose. For this reason, it’s essential to not only ensure your place, but the place of your fellow racers.
This can be done by handing off items, assisting them in taking down a foe or whatever else the situation calls for. In theory, this can make it more of a party racer where causing havoc is more important than avoiding that last second attack or being angry about rubberbanding. Impossible to say how it will work under real world conditions, but, if nothing else, it has the potential to be quite interesting.
