Eversonic Complete Preview: Sonic Free Riders

One of Our Affiliates Invited to Sega France Demo

The following is a complete, translated preview furnished by Fox Gungrave of TSSZ News affiliate Eversonic, who was invited to a demo of Sonic Free Riders by Sega France this week prior to Gamescom.  Originally published in French, some additional edits have been made for better grammatical structure, understanding, and clarity.  To view the preview in its native language, with additional pictures and video, head to Eversonic.  We thank Fox Gungrave for furnishing the preview to us in English, so we may share it with you.

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Some time ago, a new series of spin-off based on Sonic The Hedgehog universe came on our Game Cube, PS2 and XBox and offered an alternative to Mario Kart to us: Sonic Riders. Two years later, in 2008, the sequel, Sonic Riders Zero Gravity (Shooting Story Star in japan) was released on PS2 and Wii and offered new feelings of gameplay by removing the air system to replace it by zero gravity system and there, the fans were divided between the admirers of the first or the second, according to their preference of gameplay. In this year, 2010, the third game of the trilogy finally comes onto our hands with a recasting of the gameplay: Sonic Free Riders.

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Exclusive to the 360, Sonic Free Riders dissociates from its predecessors by not using any game controller, the benefit of the new Kinect system (formerly Project Natal) which allows to play and control the game by simple movement of your body, something like the the Wii, but without Nunchuck nor Wiimote nor even Balance Board. The sensors of Kinect act as a radar to locate you in the room in order to find zones of detection and to avoid you getting lost by while playing if your foot is too far away for the camera. It is important to note that the starting menu of Kinect explains to have an enough large space to be able to play in order to not transform your room into a battlefield–because believe me, it’s more physical than all than you could handle on Wii and even on the future PS Move for the PS3.
In fact, all is done with the hands (and the legs), from the choice of the character to the jump while passing by collecting rings, and except the fact that you can be mistaken for a jedi using the Force, it is strongly recommended not to be lazy if you want to appreciate the game. About the control, they’re really simple:
- You lean  ( you are from profile to play) to turn in the desired direction knowing that your slope affects the game to turn better
- Jump to make tricks knowing that you can even perform 360 degrees (the best way to get an S rank)
- Move your leg to the right or left side to use the boost.

There are the three basic movements which give you an idea of what Marty McFly feels on his overboard; for the other features, we will see that in more detail.

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Now that we have seen how this new Riders works, let’s see the new stuff.
It is good to note that this demo is exactly the same one that was presented to E3 2010,  you know, the one prohibited to the public and only visible from a  window. As if that were not enough, it was developed on a previous version of Kinect and thus, it was not impossible to see some bugs like crossing the floor or passing behind a wall to admire the level design apart from the circuit or even a bad recognition of the movements by Kinect but once again, neither Franck nor SEGA France are to be blamed.

We start on a simplistic menu where we can choose the solo mode or two players; then, we can select 6 characters–Sonic, Tails and Knuckles and those good old Babylon Rogues: Jet, Wave and Storm. Note that we also saw Amy, Robotnik and E-10000 Green AI controlled and were dressed in the same way as usual. We choose one by moving the hand then exports the character selected to the confirmation zone and do it again for the boards which were 4 per characters. In fact, this is like pressing twice on A.
Once this choice was made,  the only level available launches automatically without any name given but resembles a gigantic aquapark with a dolphin area, a giant fountain, underwater tunnels but also its batch of passage downtown. From there, vis-a-vis of the screen,  we wait until Kinect recognizes us then we select the regular position (position consisting in having the right foot in the back back) or goofy (position consisting in having the left foot in the back) even if you can change at will while racing. There’s always the electric system which zap you if you cross the starting line before the end of the countdown then the race run as you have been accustomed to do it for 4 years. There are always secret ways, grinding bards, slopes, ranks from C to SSS, the accelerators and especially the rings that you can this time collect by tightening the hand on the left or on the right.
A new trick which will allow fans to compare Sonic Riders to Mario Kart is the introduction of weapons. We already could see the following:
- Soda Can: Shake the hand to enlarge this can of soda and open it , you then obtain a 6/7 seconds boost and pulverize everything in you way.
- Octopus: Throw a poor octopus on the road and the first one which strikes it will see his or her screen covered with black ink that you can wash with your hand.
- Ball: a small ball which becomes enormous and crushes everything it passes.
- Bomb: as soon as someone passes close to you, he’s locked on, and you just have to  throw the bomb right in his or her face.
- Golf club: if someone annoys you, show him your control of the swing.

It is also interesting that specific movements will be required during the race like swimming while in the underwater tunnel to continue to gain speed or to make your board pass from Speed type to Fly. Your neighbors will probably weirdly look at you if you forget to close your blinds.

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Two large points make Free Riders different from the original Riders and Zero Gravity: the customization and the online multiplayer.

For the custom, we’re already learned that we will be able to use our own avatar à la Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing. So, our good old Extreme Gear will be in tow, knowing that basic models are already far and away from the original Riders boards with turbopropellers floating with Rayman-esque arms around it. It will be possible to design your own board, color it, name it and choosing its type and it will be used by both your Avatar and game characters. Lastly, just like the official boards, you will be able to see it evolving once you will have reached the third grade by collecting rings during the race.

Concerning the multi, it seems pretty good. With 2 players, it was interesting and fascinating as you will be able to see it below.

But that’s not the end because you will be able to play in co-op and play offline with three of your friends. We don’t konw at the moment if Kinect will support 4 players at the same time or if two 360 and Kinect system will be necessary. Online, you will fight up to 12 players and downloadable content is already planned. Finally, an intriguing system via Kinect will allow players to tease each other in order to find potential.

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Despite the fact it was an old demo, Sonic Free Riders is amusing and fun to play considering you have to give everything you have to be a good Rider. I managed to be in the first place on my second attempt by playing with energy but lost to second place, because my boost was empty and Kinect begun to show signs of malfunction. I can’t wait to see this, however for those who can’t stand skating games but like Riders games, what will give this third game some legs is that it’s a brand new episode and not a remake. You will be able to touch it on November 4th, the same day Kinect will be sold to the public.

I would like to conclude by thanking the participants in this session: Franck of SEGA France, Kim of the Yellow magazine, Spin Dash of Sega Mag and Cédric of GamAlive.

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On Monday, we will publish a translation Fox Gungrave and Eversonic furnished TSSZ News of the Sonic and Sega presence and experience at the sparsely covered Japan Expo in July, including impressions of Sonic Colors and Sonic the Hedgehog 4.