Hedgehog and Company
Since getting out of the console hardware business, SEGA has brought many classic Genesis and Dreamcast titles over to the Xbox— Dead or Alive, Ninja Gaiden (okay, real soon now), and Shenmue II, for example. But, the superstar of SEGA’s lineup, Sonic the Hedgehog, has never set sneaker soles on the Xbox before. Now, with the release ofSonic Heroes™, Sonic gets ready to spin, jump, fly, and smash his way through the platform competition.
Sonic Heroes stars SEGA hedgehog and friends.
The “S” in Team
Sonic Heroes, the first Sonic game not originally designed for the Dreamcast, returns hedgehog fans to the freaky, colorful worlds of the original Genesis incarnation of the character, in glorious Xbox 3-D. But, instead of controlling just one character, Sonic Heroes revolves around a team dynamic that offers a level of strategy to the traditional platform model. Each team has three formations, focusing on each teammate’s strongest power. For example, Team Sonic consists of Sonic, the “Speed” character; Tails, the “Flight” character; and Sonic’s old pal Knuckles, who provides the “Power” leg of the hedgehog tripod.
This wasn’t possible in the old 2-DSonic.
The other three teams include Team Dark, led by the evil alternate universe version of Sonic (known as Shadow), killbot E-123 Omega, and Rouge the Bat. Team Rose features Piko Hammer-wielding Amy Rose, Big the Cat (he’s a really big cat, see?), and Cream the Rabbit. And, Team Chaotix is comprised of horn-nosed Espio the Chameleon, Vector the Crocodile, and Charmy Bee. Every character has different strengths and weaknesses, and each team has its unique story line and level of difficulty. Team Rose is great for beginners and younger players, for example, while Team Dark is probably the most advanced.
Supersonic Speeds
The main story line involves a plot hatched by the nefarious Dr. Robotnik to rule the world, as usual, but how you go about stopping him will depend on how you choose to tackle the challenges in each game level. Levels are huge and wildly varied in appearance and design—you might find yourself leading Sonic and pals through a 3-D incarnation of the classic worlds from the original Genesis Game, flying high over a colorful cartoon city of the future, or even spinning through a massive pinball machine that forces you to keep track of three balls at once.
Meet Team Rose, the “beginner” group.
Every game world includes challenges that draw on the skills of each team member. Since things are moving along at a lightning pace (and even faster when a speed character like Sonic is in the lead),Sonic Heroes drops hints in the form of color-coded TV screens that precede major challenges. So, if you’re barreling through a loop-the-loop with Sonic up front and see a yellow box pop up, switch to Tails, and get ready to leap into the air. Power challenges include simply fighting enemies or bashing through obstacles (like massive stone blocks) and are usually flanked by red TV screens. Each character formation also includes a secondary attack that usually uses the other teammates as weapons. You can use these special attacks to build up a combo meter that, when full, lets you use an unblockable team attack that can clear the screen of enemies.
Team Challenges
Sonic Heroes also includes more than a half-dozen two-player games, most of which you can unlock in single-player mode. The first one available is a foot race through up to three courses pulled from the adventure mode, played in vertical split-screen. Not only will you have to get through the standard challenges of that level, but you’ll also have to fight the other team!
Team Dark takes the power formation.
He’s been a longtime coming, but the world’s most powerful hedgehog has arrived on the world’s most powerful game console, and he’s faster, funnier, and more engaging than ever. Whether you’re an old fan from the Genesis days or a newcomer to Sonic, you’re sure to get hooked on Sonic Heroes.
By Ben Barker
