Sonic and The Secret Rings - A 3D return to form?

[Johnny]

Posted this is the "what are you playing?" thread but as Jarred said, I think it warrants its own thread as it's an important title in the Sonic series.

I got Sonic Wii this morning and I've had a decent amount of time to play it and make some impressions.
Firstly, the most important issue - yes, this is a good 3D Sonic game and better than the recently released PS3/360 one.

So what makes it so good? Well the fact it's on rails put me off when the game was first announced but it works well. The opening level is just like Sonic Adventure 2 where it throws you in at the deep end and shows off the speed Sonic is known for.
The controls work really well too. Holding the Wiimote like a regular pad, tilting left or right moves Sonic, moving back backtracks and button 2 jumps. Holding 2 down gives a bigger jump and if there are enemies nearby, when the target on them turns red, thrusting the remote towards the screen fires Sonic towards them.
One of the things a lot of previews mentioned from early versions of the game was that the controls were too sensitive, but I'm finding them to be fine, even a little on the non-responsive side (though nothing too serious, just that at times Sonic's speed makes it hard to get from left to right quick enough). Which leads me nicely to the upgrades and RPG element. Sonic's ring can be customised with new skills earned from EXP. For instance, you can choose a ring (there are 4 to customize as you like) and equip faster running, being able to hold more rings and so on which gives the game more depth.

I've had one boss battle so far and they're pretty cool too. Still on rails and probably not as good as those in Sonic Rush but decent enough.

Anyone else got/getting/playing this?

Chacrana (and anyone else not playing their Wii much at the minute) - this is definitely worth it if you're sick of endless party game titles. Between this and Cooking Mama, my Wii is getting a lot of love right now

[Chacranajxy]

Haven't thought too much about this game since the Sonic franchise usually = lose in my book. So this is better then? How's the controls? I cannot stand gimmicky uses of the Wii-mote.

[Johnny]

Haven't thought too much about this game since the Sonic franchise usually = lose in my book. So this is better then? How's the controls? I cannot stand gimmicky uses of the Wii-mote.

Well it depends on how strict you are about the term "gimmicky". It's basically just tilt left or right to move and 2 to jump.
There are something like 40 mini-games (separate from the main game though) for all your weird Wiimote uses :D

Oh yeah and something I forgot to mention in my first post is that you can change the language to Japanese w/English subs - definitely easier on the ear as IMO Sonic just doesn't sound right with an American voice (doesn't sound right with any voice tbh).

[Jarred]

Haven't thought too much about this game since the Sonic franchise usually = lose in my book. So this is better then? How's the controls? I cannot stand gimmicky uses of the Wii-mote.

Well it depends on how strict you are about the term "gimmicky". It's basically just tilt left or right to move and 2 to jump.
There are something like 40 mini-games (separate from the main game though) for all your weird Wiimote uses :D

Well, I'd recommend he stay away from the mini-games if he's worried about gimmicky, as that what they exactly are.

But the actual single player mode? I think it's a blast. As I get further and further along, getting more exp and opening up new ring abilities, I'm getting more and more into the game. A couple of the challenges so far have been decently tough, but nothing aggravating yet.

The controls are simple, but sometimes I think they don't quite do what I want them to do. Now it doesn't ruin the game as it hasn't kept me from accomplishing anything, but it's just a little awkward at times. And the rails thing can feel that way as well, as sometimes I can't tell if I'm in control or if it's just moving along against my will.

But I'm having fun with the game. It's not deep, but I enjoy it a hell of a lot more as a pick up and play type of game than the flood of party games (Wii Sports continues to rock though). Plus, I think it's incredibly awesome to crank up the receiver and let the butt rock, power ranger music just let loose while I zip around. :D

In short, so far it's just a lot of fun. It has issues, and isn't deep, but I'm having fun playing. We'll see who wins next week once SSX Blur arrives. :D

[Johnny]

In short, so far it's just a lot of fun. It has issues, and isn't deep, but I'm having fun playing. We'll see who wins next week once SSX Blur arrives. :D


OT but are you getting Cooking Mama? I think you'd love that game.

[Pachi]

I got it, and I like the control style, but it seems almost impossible to do well in a mission in regards to getting above a bronze medal. I'm hoping that later in the game when I get better skills, those earlier medals will be easier to obtain, but some of them are just so hard. Like in ones when you're going really fast, but then a blockade to jump over appears out of nowhere and you didn't have time to prepare so you end up halting. And some of the jumps are just really awkward. Also, moving backward. That's probably one of the most awkward things in the entire game. I really hate how I'm trying to defeat three flower enemies, I kill one, but because they're all in a row I can't homing attack to the next one immediately so I have to back up first, THEN jump again, and repeat.

So that's my only real gripe so far. The controls and game itself are great, but they designed some of the missions to be too hard for getting higher medals.

[Jarred]

OT but are you getting Cooking Mama? I think you'd love that game.
Got it for the DS, got bored quickly, and traded it in . . :sd:

[Johnny]

So that's my only real gripe so far. The controls and game itself are great, but they designed some of the missions to be too hard for getting higher medals.

I'm finding the same thing myself as I play more and more. The first level had missions of a decent difficulty but the second level has two - the race coming to mind - which is just frustrating and not really fun.
I've currently unlocked 4 levels and need to do that race to open more and it's getting annoying. The other thing is that each level has its own narritive, so if you do a few missions of say level 2, see some story and then go onto level 3, you get a new piece of the story without the other bit ending O.O

[Zanza Hiro]

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glad you like it sanji. when i find a wii, i will buy this for sure. i was excited for this game and mario galaxy, both of which shoulda been launch titles

[Jarred]

It took me fucking 30+ tries to beat the fucking head-to-head race on the second level. My god that was a pain in the ass!!!

[Pachi]

It took me fucking 30+ tries to beat the fucking head-to-head race on the second level. My god that was a pain in the ass!!!

Yeah, that took me awhile, too. I didn't get any better than bronze on it, though. >>

I'm really hoping that there's some really great skills later in the game to help in all these earlier missions. Like, I dunno, stuff like "God Speed" or "Rock Breaker" or "Better Log Flow Control". I hate how, when you're riding on a log, even at a spot without rapid water, you can't control the speed at all besides going left and right. Because in one of the missions in the jungle, the first part is in a cave on slow running water, and there's a fire token right next to a pillar where two spiked balls are spinning around. But because you can't change the speed on that damn log ride, I always reach the pillar at the exact moment one of the spiked balls does. It's almost impossible. I just don't get why they programmed unfair stuff in like that.

[Jarred]

My ring is at level 18 with 58 exp, and I'm opening some cool power-ups. I got stuff like a dash after landing or jump cancel, a speed-up, higher speed during jump dash, a fire gaze, etc.

So I'm now starting to see some really worthwhile power-ups. The hard part is deciding which one to turn on. :D

[DKL]

I've already beaten the game (ten hours) and have roughly 1-2 dozen gold medals and a bunch of silver and bronze medals (20 hours).

As for the control issues, they disappear when you get the proper upgrades that make sonic accelerate and and control better (though, the mechanics for moving backward are still retarded)...

For example, there's an upgrade that lets you boost after you come from a jump, so that awkward pause you usually got early in the game pretty much disappears.

While that process to making the game play better sounds pretty lame, it really makes said upgrades worth getting since the game plays beatifully when you have the stuff... you DO work hard for it though.

Anyway, this is probably my favorite game on the Wii right now (next to Zelda, of course).

[Pachi]

For example, there's an upgrade that lets you boost after you come from a jump, so that awkward pause you usually got early in the game pretty much disappears.

Oh, thank god. I'll eagerly be awaiting that gem.

[SpaceButler]

I like this Sonic game ok I guess(Haven't put a ton of time into it), but no Sonic game will ever be as good as the first one for the Dreamcast!

[SpaceButler]

I cannot stand gimmicky uses of the Wii-mote.

Ditto.

[Jarred]

Has anyone made use of multiple rings yet? I've only customized the one ring so far, but I'm thinking of using a second one that's customized specifically for the Head-To-Head matches that's got all the boost and dash power-ups enabled and forget all the stuff I don't need for those races.

BTW, the head-to-head race on the 4th level is easier than the 2nd (only took me maybe 8 tries). Thank god, I don't think I could've gone through that again.

[Pachi]

Has anyone made use of multiple rings yet? I've only customized the one ring so far, but I'm thinking of using a second one that's customized specifically for the Head-To-Head matches that's got all the boost and dash power-ups enabled and forget all the stuff I don't need for those races.

BTW, the head-to-head race on the 4th level is easier than the 2nd (only took me maybe 8 tries). Thank god, I don't think I could've gone through that again.

Well yeah, once I get enough skills, I'll make ones that can get through certain mission types. Like for timed missions I'll use good speed skills. And for missions where I have to avoid things or do something in particular (Don't break a certain object, kill certain enemies) I'll use skills that give me better movement control. Y'know, stuff like that. Naturally, I'll try to use some of the better skills all across each ring so I don't have to lose all benefits when changing rings.

[Johnny]

It took me fucking 30+ tries to beat the fucking head-to-head race on the second level. My god that was a pain in the ass!!!

Yep, that's the one that was bugging me. Nailed it last night though (turbo boost at start, speed break half way through and a lot of well timed jump dashes!).

By the way, the first mission on the 4th level (go for the goal) is fucking incredible. Easily the best 3D Sonic moment since the opening level of Sonic Adventure 2. It's just speed, speed, speed with the trademark loops etc. Nailing a speed break at top speed in the middle of a loop is unbeatable.

It does have its faults (i.e. it's frustrating at times) but IMO this is the Wii game to own right now.

[Jarred]

It took me fucking 30+ tries to beat the fucking head-to-head race on the second level. My god that was a pain in the ass!!!

Yep, that's the one that was bugging me. Nailed it last night though (turbo boost at start, speed break half way through and a lot of well timed jump dashes!).

I did it without the speed break, just perfecting my path through the beginning after the start boost, and then dash attacking like a madman until the end. At least I was interested enough to attempt it for an hour and a half.


By the way, the first mission on the 4th level (go for the goal) is fucking incredible. Easily the best 3D Sonic moment since the opening level of Sonic Adventure 2. It's just speed, speed, speed with the trademark loops etc. Nailing a speed break at top speed in the middle of a loop is unbeatable.

Yeah, chasing that dragon on the gold/red pathways? That was pretty dope. Although, was it me or did you feel like you didn't even have to dodge too many of those missiles? I couldn't tell if I was on auto pilot or not. I did get hit by a few and did dodge a few, but some of the time I felt like all I was doing was watching, maybe it was moving too fast and I just got lucky. :D I was speed breaking like a mothafucka so that could be it.

Oh, and has anyone opened up other challenges on the 3rd level yet? It's kind of odd that after completing the initial mission, there were no other challenges available and I just jumped right on to the 4th level and now the 5th is open. :sd:

[Johnny]

By the way, the first mission on the 4th level (go for the goal) is fucking incredible. Easily the best 3D Sonic moment since the opening level of Sonic Adventure 2. It's just speed, speed, speed with the trademark loops etc. Nailing a speed break at top speed in the middle of a loop is unbeatable.

Yeah, chasing that dragon on the gold/red pathways? That was pretty dope. Although, was it me or did you feel like you didn't even have to dodge too many of those missiles? I couldn't tell if I was on auto pilot or not. I did get hit by a few and did dodge a few, but some of the time I felt like all I was doing was watching, maybe it was moving too fast and I just got lucky. :D I was speed breaking like a mothafucka so that could be it.

Oh, and has anyone opened up other challenges on the 3rd level yet? It's kind of odd that after completing the initial mission, there were no other challenges available and I just jumped right on to the 4th level and now the 5th is open. :sd:

Yeah, that's the one. And I also felt like I was on auto-pilot so I got a bit of a shock when I took a hit from a missile near the end.

I haven't opened anything else on level 3 either - do you need to defeat the bosses to clear a level? I've only had the chance to fight the boss on level 1 but have 2/7 rings so far. The story aspect is a little odd where you can unlock part of the story and then when you complete a previous mission, you get an older bit of the story.

Still loving this though.

[Jarred]

I haven't opened anything else on level 3 either - do you need to defeat the bosses to clear a level? I've only had the chance to fight the boss on level 1 but have 2/7 rings so far.
Sounds like you are right where I'm at as well. I have no new missions on 1-3, a couple on 4, and the one beginning mission on 5. And yeah, I want to fight more bosses!!!

[Johnny]

I haven't opened anything else on level 3 either - do you need to defeat the bosses to clear a level? I've only had the chance to fight the boss on level 1 but have 2/7 rings so far.
Sounds like you are right where I'm at as well. I have no new missions on 1-3, a couple on 4, and the one beginning mission on 5. And yeah, I want to fight more bosses!!!


Played a bit more and I've opened some level 3 stuff. Slight spoilers for anyone not at the same place as J and me - Did a few more level 5 (pirate ship) missions which unlocked the boss fight. Beat the boss (great fight too! You'll be sweating by the end of it I guarantee ;) ) and got the 3rd ring (water one). This opened a few new missions including another boss fight for the fire world (Ifrit - is level 3 the fire one? Can't remember) which is probably the best boss fight so far and is very reminiscent of those in Sonic Rush on the DS.

[Jarred]

Cool, looks like I may have to duck out of work early to get some Sonic in before my TV shows start up tonite. :D

You know you're enjoying a game when you're thinking about how to beat something while at work. Any time I'm looking forward to playing something, rather than seeing it as a chore, it's scored well in my book. Glad I picked this one up.

Plus, I gotta get through this one before SSX Blur arrives, as that may take over the Wii for a while. :sd:

[DKL]

This is definately the most challenging and compelling experience I've had since F-Zero GX for the Gamecube...

I spent a whole lot of time today getting medals for everything, so I guess my next goal is to get silver on everything...

I hear you get something cool if you do... hmm...