Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed
Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed (ソニック&オールスターレーシング トランスフォームド Sonikku ando Ōru-Sutāzu Rēshingu Toransufōmudo?) is a 2012 crossover kart racing video game developed by Sumo Digital and published by Sega. It is the sequel to Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing and the fourth installment of the Sega All-Stars series. It was released for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Wii U in November of 2012, for the PlayStation Vita in December of 2012, for Microsoft Windows in January of 2013, for Nintendo 3DS in February of 2013, and for iOS and Android devices in January of 2014. The PS3 and Wii U versions of the game were released in Japan on 15 May 2014.
It features a transformation element of racing gameplay unique to that of any other racing game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series.
In August of 2017, Sonic and All-Stars Racing Transformed was taken down from the App Store and Google Play due to technical issues. August of 2017 also saw a re-release of the Wii U version under the Nintendo Selects label.[2]
On 1 June 2018, the Xbox 360 version of Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed was made backwards-compatible on the Xbox One. Additionally, from 1-15 June 2018, the game was available for free to those who had an Xbox Live Gold subscription through the "Games with Gold" program. On 15 November 2021, the game now supports FPS Boost on Xbox Series X and Series S to make the game run at 60fps.
Gameplay[edit]
Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed's gameplay is similar to the game's prequel, in which players choose different settings and characters before a race. The most noticeable addition to the game is the three different modes of racing: land, sea and air. Racers' cars can now change into a plane when in the air and into a boat when on water after passing through a Transformation Gate. The Sumo Digital staff stated in some interviews before its release that Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed would be "proper boating, proper flying."[citation needed] In addition, the tracks themselves change during the race. For example, in Dragon Canyon, the bridges are destroyed by the dragons in the track's third lap, requiring changing into flight mode.
All-Star Moves return and they are collected in capsules like in Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing. There are new weapons, such as ice shots to freeze opponents and a baseball glove that catches an attack from behind, and giving the player that weapon. There are also seventeen new tracks, plus four favorite tracks from the previous game, similar to the retro cups in the more recent Mario Kart games.
Players are able to earn XP points to put towards a leveling system, which can potentially unlock vehicle mods and other items. The more XP points are collected, the better characters become on the track. Once collected enough stars from World Tour events, you can unlock Console Mods, that are found in World Tour. These mods have been chosen for characters, depending on the Console Mod unlocked.
On the loading screen before a race, there is a slot machine similar to the one in Sonic Heroes. Once enough All-Star Tokens are collected from previous races, players can pull the lever to try their luck. If the three slots match, a new item is obtained. The player can also win an item at the start of every lap or have an item at the beginning of the race. If not, the player does not earn anything, and can spin once more if they have the required number of coins. The slot machine requires five coins for a spin. The slot machine and tokens are missing from the 3DS version due to it running on a different engine.
Even then, major balancing changes exist coming from the prior game to where:
- Drifts can no longer go backwards via usage of both either the left thumbstick or D-Pad + the right thumbstick, as well as being tighter in general. The front wheels of vehicles in question also no longer angle respectively of the thumbstick as they're visually always angled outwards of the turn.
- The drifting camera is no longer slanted for vehicles in car mode, but are slanted instead when drifting in boat or plane mode.
- Air tricks have been massively reworked into being stunts done with the right thumbstick, loosely based on one of Sonic's Air Tricks from the previous game. Flicking the thumbstick upwards or downwards results in a flip upwards or downwards, while flicking it left or right results in a roll in the respective direction that directly moves the vehicle to the side (rolls recover faster than flips).
- Stunts can be chained to stack up turbo boost potencies depending on the height of the jump, and in various orders. However, failing a stunt can occur if they're chained too soon or if the stunt is done too close to a surface (causing a crash landing of sorts); stunt fails lose all total boost generation gathered at that point.
- In car and boat mode, stunts require a 0.6 second window to chain properly without doing them too fast, while plane mode has them at a 0.85 second window instead.
- In plane mode, performing stunts causes the plane-car to move in the direction flicked, as flips can cause them to move up and/or down respective of the direction used (up and down are flipped in the Vita port by default). With this, it's possible to perform a Risk Boost by stunting away from course geometry (such as a pillar or course boundary/wall) to trigger a free level 1 boost. Danger/Reckless Boosting is a higher advanced technique can be done by stacking multiple risk boosts by chain stunting properly within the 0.85 second window (only on certain course sections), and even then a single Risk Boost can be prolonged before reaching a transform ring/gate.
- Transform rings/gates on course sections only for car-to-boat, boat-to-car, plane-to-car or plane-to-boat (NEVER car or boat-to-plane) that allow for the vehicle to be airborne for a bit can be stunted through as with any usual jump, allowing for a Transform Boost bonus to occur. The aforementioned risk boost prolonging can be performed with enough skill to prolong a risk boost and unleash it in tandem with a Transform Boost on some courses.
- Boosts while possible to be powered up to 6 levels like before, are instead reworked to be speed multipliers (with the Boost stat dictation top speed during turbo boosts instead of duration), and have a visual indicator via the exhaust flame color for the level of either drift, stunt or boost item/panel stacking:
- Level 1: Red. Small flames are unleashed. Boost pads (and the rings from the Dream Valley course) generate this on their own if triggered once.
- Level 2: Purple. Also known as a Mega Drift in Japanese when unleashed from a drift. Medium sized purple flames are unleashed.
- Level 3: Blue. Also known as a Tera Drift in Japanese when unleashed from a drift. Fairly long length blue flames are released. The exhaust flame color for charging this type of boost during a drift or stunt is shared with the higher tiers above this one.
- Level 4: Longer orange-yellow flames are fired from the exhausts. This is normally achieved from a standalone "unique-triple" stunt (1 roll + 2 opposite flips or 1 flip + 2 opposite rolls in any desired order), or using the Boost Item.
- Level 5: Longer blue flame jets are released. Normally unleashed during a boost that adds up to that level in general.
- Level 6: Longer orange-yellow jets of flame with vortex rings emerging along them are fired from the exhaust(s), and is normally triggered by combining multiple sources of boost all at once (but may last only a small while depending on the type of boost used and when).
- With this in mind, boost stacking duration is now dependent on the source (as well as potency of how many are unleashed all at once with timing) as opposed to how many boost triggers occur in succession. An example would be that sources that trigger a level 1 boost would only cause the generated boost regardless of level to match up to that duration, or unleashing a Boost Item in tandem of a Level 3/Tera Drift may cause the boost to last as long as the standard Level 3 or Level 4 depending on which one was triggered later within roughly the same time.
- Boosts unlike before, can no longer plow through obstacles on courses. However, any form of boost can be unleashed against specific weapons that targeting the driver in question to perform a Boost Escape that removes the lock-on from the incoming weapon and complete invulnerability to it.
- Boosts are now affected by uphill and downhill physics, as the latter now causes boosts at lower levels to slow the car a small bit.
- Cars no longer flip into the air when hit by weapons, and instead spin-out. Planes vortex roll in place when hit by weapons instead.
Stickers[edit]
Stickers are special rewards obtained after completing a certain condition in the game. Some of these Stickers also unlock Xbox 360 Achievements, PlayStation 3 and Vita Trophies and Steam Achievements. The Wii U and Nintendo 3DS versions of the game do not use an achievement system, but allow for sticker collection in the game.
Objects[edit]
Pickups[edit]
Item | Effect |
---|---|
File:Puftup.png Blow Fish |
Deploys a puffer fish that slows down opponents. |
File:Preview Boost.png Boost |
Allows the user to accelerate. |
File:Preview Firework.png Firework |
Temporarily stuns a racer from a distance. |
File:Transbadge1.png Glove |
Protects the racer from obstacles. |
File:Transbadge5.png Hot Rod |
Boosts a racer's speed. |
File:Preview Ice.png Ice Cannon |
Lets the user attack with snowballs. |
File:Preview Drone.png RC Car |
Can deploy homing drones at other racers. |
File:Transbadge4.png Swarm |
Deploys bees to slow down enemies. |
File:Transbadge2.png Twister |
Deploys a twister to flip opponents. |
Controls[edit]
Playable characters[edit]
There are a total of 33 playable characters (including four third-party characters). The game features specific platform rosters and no single platform has all 33 characters. Players start with twelve characters: Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, AiAi, Beat, Amy, B.D. Joe, MeeMee, Ulala, Wreck-It Ralph, Metal Sonic and Alex Kidd, and the other characters are unlocked by winning enough stars in the events in World Tour. Racers include:
Returning characters[edit]
Image | Character | Vehicle description |
---|---|---|
File:Sonicselectiontrans.png | Sonic the Hedgehog | Speed Star: Sports car with two of Sonic's trademark quills on the back. |
File:Tailselecttrans.png | Miles "Tails" Prower | Tails' vehicle: White and yellow car that resembles the Whirlwind S7, with a prominent spoiler, and a turbine-like engine on each side. |
File:Eggmanselect.png | Dr. Eggman | Egg Monster: Red six wheeled tank resembling Eggman's appearance. (Clear all Mirror Cups on Console versions, or clear all normal GPs on 3DS) |
File:Amyselect.png | Amy Rose | Pink Cabriolet: Updated version of the vehicle from Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing. |
File:Knuxselect trans.png | Knuckles the Echidna | Land Breaker: A backwards trike with a design influenced after Knuckles' appearance in a gliding stance. |
File:Shadowselect.png | Shadow the Hedgehog | G.U.N. Auto Tread: A black and white GUN vehicle with tank-like treads. (Buy for 35 stars in World Tour on console versions, 16 stars on 3DS) |
File:Metalsonicselect.png | Metal Sonic (paid DLC) | Metal Booster: Updated version of the vehicle from Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing. |
File:AIAItrans.png | AiAi[note 1] | Yellow F-1 like car similar to his one from the previous game resembling large bananas. |
File:Beatselec.png | Beat[note 1] | Quad bike themed after his gang and his game's titular radio station. |
File:Bdjoeismahbro.png | B.D. Joe | Crazy Taxi: a shorter version of his personal Chevy Impala. |
File:Ulalaselec.png | Ulala | White backwards trike with a Space Channel 5 theme. |
File:Amigoselect.png | Amigo | A four-wheeled toy train inspired by his previous kart. (Buy for 8 stars in World Tour on Console versions, 5 stars on 3DS) |
File:Alexselect.png | Alex Kidd[note 1] | A red capsule like vehicle resembling a Peticopter/V-22 Osprey hybrid with JanKenPon engines. |
File:SASRT select Ryo.png | Ryo Hazuki (PC exclusive as paid DLC) | A transforming Arcade cabinet that changes from OutRun as a car to Super Hang-On as a boat and Space Harrier as a plane. |
File:SASRT select Mii.png | Mii (Nintendo exclusive) | Confirmed during Gamescom 2012. Steve Lycett (S0L) on an official SEGA Forum also confirmed. Car styled after an OutRun vehicle in the Mii's chosen color (Wii U only; red in 3DS). (Clear all normal GPs on Wii U, or clear all Mirror Cups on 3DS) |
File:SASRT select Avatar.png | Xbox Live Avatar (Xbox 360 exclusive) | An upgraded version of the Ava-car 720 that is now black and green just like the Xbox 360 Elite and the Xbox 360 S model and looks like a Bugatti Veyron Super Sport. (Clear all normal GPs) |
New characters[edit]
Image | Character | Vehicle description |
---|---|---|
File:SARTSprite2.png | AGES | A transforming fusion of several elements from Sega's past; the Hornet from Daytona USA, a Dreamcast controller, and a F-14 Tomcat from Afterburner. (Buy for 165 stars in World Tour on Console versions, 111 stars on 3DS) |
File:Vysechan.png | Vyse[note 1] | From Skies of Arcadia, an old-fashioned steampunk race car similar in design to his airship, The Delfinius. (Buy for 30 stars in World Tour on Console versions, 32 stars on 3DS) |
File:Moonlightgilly.png | Gilius Thunderhead[note 1] | From Golden Axe, a bronze animal-eqsue statue. It appears as an Ox in "car" mode, Turtle with a Rhinos' head in "boat" and Gryphon in "plane" mode.[7] (Buy for 120 stars in World Tour on Console versions, 80 stars on 3DS) |
File:Muchahi.jpg | Joe Musashi | From Shinobi, a yellow and black quad bike which when transformed into a boat, becomes a Jet Ski. (Buy for 85 stars in World Tour on Console versions, 52 stars on 3DS) |
File:Ihaveacrushonnights.png | NiGHTS[8][note 1] | NiGHTS themself becomes the vehicle while a Nightopian is the driver. (Buy for 80 stars in World Tour on Console versions, 40 stars on 3DS) |
File:SARTSprite3.png | Reala[8][note 1] | Reala transforms into the vehicle while a Nightmaren is the driver. (Buy for 160 stars in World Tour on Console versions, 90 stars on 3DS) |
File:Moonlightgum.png | Gum | A white and neon green quad bike, similar to Beat's vehicle. (Buy for 105 stars in World Tour on Console versions, 48 stars on 3DS) |
File:SASRT select MeeMee.png | MeeMee[note 1] | A pink version of AiAi's F-1 car. |
File:Phudin.jpg | Pudding[note 1] | A green, futuristic car from Channel 42 resembling her vehicle the Spacebird 42 from Space Channel 5: Part 2. (Buy for 50 stars in World Tour on Console versions, 64 stars on 3DS) |
File:SASRT select Football Manager.png | Football Manager (PC exclusive) | Drives a small cart-esque SUV, motorboat, and jet. Transforms inside of a soccer ball/football. |
File:SASRT select Shogun.png | Shogun (PC exclusive) | From Total War Shogun 2, drives a feudal-inspired cart with a dragon design in car and plane, while the boat transformation is inspired by a fish. |
File:SASRT select General Winter.png | General Winter (PC exclusive as free DLC on 5 July 2013) | From Company of Heroes 2, the Commander drives a tank with a red star on the sides. |
File:SASRT select Willemus.png | Willemus (PC exclusive as free DLC on 5 August 2013) | From Rome II: Total War, drives a Roman legion-themed vehicle. |
File:Danicabad.png | Danica Patrick[note 1] | A neon green racing car called Danicar with logos for Sonic, SEGA, GoDaddy.com, and Hot Wheels.[9] (Buy for 16 stars in World Tour on Console versions, 10 stars on 3DS) |
File:SASRT select Ralph.png | Wreck It-Ralph | A red truck with a wrecking ball on it.[10] |
File:SASRT select Team Fortress.png | Team Fortress (PC exclusive) | A combined team consisting of three characters from the multiplayer first-person shooter Team Fortress 2. In Car form, the Pyro drives a red Go Kart-like vehicle with Flamethrowers mounted on its sides. In Plane and All-Star modes, the Spy pilots a sleek miniature Fighter Jet and in Boat form, the Heavy controls a camouflaged Airboat with steel plating and Miniguns mounted on each side. |
File:SASRT select Yogscast.png | Yogscast (Simon) (PC exclusive as paid DLC on 6 December 2013) | A 3rd-party character from Yogscast, a famous Minecraft Commentary YouTube Gamers. It is a Charity DLC Promotional for the Yogscast's Dwarven Dairy Drive's Humble Bundle. It includes Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed Game-Base for Steam.[11] |
Tracks[edit]
There are a total of twenty-one tracks, with seventeen new ones (one exclusive to the Limited/Bonus Edition, which is OutRun Bay) and four returning ones (one as paid DLC, which is Egg Hangar) from Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing.
Not all seventeen new tracks are the same while racing throughout the three laps. Some change during the last lap (e.g. Ocean View), and some change every lap (e.g. Dragon Canyon), but some stay the same for all three laps (e.g. Samba Studios). Also, Race of AGES is the only track the path can be changed to allow for a boat path or plane path, depending on which gate is entered by the racer who is in first place, in.
The tracks have a set Grand Prix order, and are as follows:
Dragon Cup[edit]
- Ocean View (Sonic Heroes) - Car/Boat
- Samba Studios (Samba De Amigo) - Car/Boat
- Carrier Zone (After Burner: Climax) - Car/Boat/Plane
- Dragon Canyon (Panzer Dragoon) - Car/Boat/Plane
Rogue Cup[edit]
- Temple Trouble (Super Monkey Ball) - Car/Boat
- Galactic Parade (Sonic Colors) - Car/Plane
- Seasonal Shrines (Shinobi) - Car/Boat
- Rogue's Landing (Skies of Arcadia) - Car/Boat/Plane
Emerald Cup[edit]
- Dream Valley (NiGHTS into Dreams...) - Boat/Plane
- Chilly Castle (Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg) - Car/Boat
- Graffiti City (Jet Set Radio) - Car/Plane
- Sanctuary Falls (Sonic & Knuckles) - Car/Plane
Arcade Cup[edit]
- Graveyard Gig (The House of the Dead EX) - Car/Boat
- Adder's Lair (Golden Axe) - Car/Boat/Plane
- Burning Depths (Burning Rangers) - Car/Boat
- Race of Ages (SEGA Tribute race) - Car/Boat/Plane
Classic Cup[edit]
- Sunshine Tour (Samba De Amigo) - Car
- Shibuya Downtown (Jet Set Radio Future) - Car
- Roulette Road (Sonic Heroes) - Car
- Egg Hangar (Sonic the Hedgehog 2/Sonic & Knuckles) - Car
Bonus level[edit]
- OutRun Bay (OutRun 2) (Bonus/Limited Edition, DLC) - Car/Boat
World Tour[edit]
Achievements[edit]
These are the achievements and trophies for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita and Steam versions of Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed.
Image | Name | Requirement | Trophy Class | Gamescore |
---|---|---|---|---|
File:ASRT UltimateAllStar.png | Ultimate All-Star | Earn every Trophy in the game. (PS3) | Template:PSN Trophy Platinum | N/A |
File:ASRT RacingTransformed.png | Racing Transformed | Go All-Star! | 15 | |
File:ASRT PartsShop.png | Parts Shop | Win an event with a Mod equipped. | 15 | |
File:ASRT SonicDrift.png | Sonic Drift | Do a 10 second Drift as Sonic. | 10 | |
File:ASRT Tornado.png | Tornado | Do a Level 3 Air-Drift. | 10 | |
File:ASRT MagicSecond.png | Magic Second | Finish 0.5 seconds ahead of an opponent in a Race. | 15 | |
File:ASRT SpinDash.png | Spin Dash | Do a Boost-Start in each vehicle mode. | 10 | |
File:ASRT ScudRacer.png | Scud Racer | Finish 1st in a Race without getting hit by weapons. | 15 | |
File:ASRT BlastProcessing.png | Blast Processing | Hit 2 opponents with a single Hot Rod Blast. | 15 | |
File:ASRT FightingViper.png | Fighting Viper | Evade or Block a homing-weapon 3 times in a Race. | 10 | |
File:ASRT CatcherPitcher.png | Catcher Pitcher | Absorb a weapon with the Glove and fire it back at your attacker. | 15 | |
File:ASRT EyesOnTheRoad.png | Eyes on the Road | Hit an opponent with a weapon while looking backwards. | Bronze | 10 |
File:ASRT CosmicSmash.png | Cosmic Smash | Detonate the Hot Rod at the very last second. | 10 | |
File:ASRT Nomad.png | Nomad | Visit every location in the game. | 20 | |
File:ASRT RankB.png | Rank B | Earn your B Class License. | 10 | |
File:ASRT RankA.png | Rank A | Earn your A Class License. | 20 | |
File:ASRT RankS.png | Rank S | Earn your S Class License. | 30 | |
File:ASRT SEGAAllStar.png | SEGA All Star | Earn your Star License. | 50 | |
File:ASRT SEGASuperStar.png | SEGA Super Star | Earn your Triple-Star License. | 100 | |
File:ASRT Hardcore.png | Hardcore | Complete a World Tour event on Expert difficulty. | 20 | |
File:ASRT Newtron.png | Newtron | Manually select a Random character for a Matchmaking game. | 10 | |
File:ASRT SumoWrestled.png | Sumo Wrestled | Beat your first Staff Ghost in Time Attack. | 10 | |
File:ASRT Yokozuna.png | Yokozuna | Beat all the Staff Ghosts in Time Attack. | 50 | |
File:ASRT DeRolLeCredits.png | De Rol Le Credits | Unlock Superstar Showdown in World Tour. | 20 | |
File:ASRT TakesAGES.png | Takes AGES | Unlock every Character in the game. | 30 | |
File:ASRT RacingHero.png | Racing Hero | Get a Podium Finish in every Grand Prix tournament. | 30 | |
File:ASRT WelcomeToTheFantasyZone.png | Welcome to the Fantasy Zone | Finish 1st in a Grand Prix tournament. | 15 | |
File:ASRT Holosseum.png | Holosseum | Unlock Mirror Grand Prix mode. | 20 | |
File:ASRT GaleRacer.png | Gale Racer | Get a Podium Finish in every Grand Prix tournament on Expert difficulty. | 30 | |
File:ASRT RaceLeader.png | Race Leader | Win a Matchmaking game. | 15 | |
File:ASRT HousePartyOfTheDead.png | House Party of the Dead | Complete an event with 4 local friends. (360/PS3/Steam) | 10 | |
File:ASRT HousePartyOfTheDead.png | Swirling Ranger! | Survive a Twister attack without crashing or being hit. (PS Vita) | N/A | |
File:ASRT VirtuaTrickster.png | Virtua Trickster | Roll Left, Roll Right, Backflip, Forward Flip and land as a car or boat. | 15 | |
File:ASRT LinkChain.png | Link Chain | Complete the Dream Valley Ring Race and pass every Ring as NiGHTS or Reala. | 15 | |
File:ASRT VyseTheLegend.png | Vyse The Legend | Beat 01:11.16 in Time Attack as Vyse in Rogue's Landing. | 15 | |
File:ASRT YouGotTheHorn.png | You Got The Horn | Level-up a character. | 15 | |
File:ASRT AllStars.png | All Stars | Collect every Star in World Tour. | 50 | |
File:ASRT BattleOutrunner.png | Battle Outrunner | Do 5 overtakes in a single Drift. | 15 | |
File:ASRT Genesis.png | Genesis | Triple-Stunt while transforming into a car or boat. | 15 | |
File:ASRT DriftMore.png | Drift More | Get a Perfect Drift score on a Drift Challenge event. | 15 | |
File:ASRT MegaJet.png | Mega Jet | Do a Reckless Boost. | 15 | |
File:ASRT AxBattler.png | Ax Battler | Finish a Battle Race without losing any lives. | 15 | |
File:ASRT ArrowOfLight.png | Arrow of Light | Freeze an opponent with Ice from at least 100 meters away. | 15 | |
File:ASRT BuzzBomber.png | Buzz Bomber | Hit 1st, 2nd and 3rd place with a Swarm attack. | 10 | |
File:ASRT LockOnSight.png | Lock On Sight | Score 90% accuracy with aimed weapons in an event. | 20 | |
File:ASRT WelcomeToVictoryLane.png | Welcome To Victory Lane | Finish 1st in every Grand Prix tournament on Expert difficulty. | 50 | |
File:ASRT MeteorStrike.png | Meteor Strike | Collect 10 Stars in World Tour. | 15 | |
File:ASRT JusticeShot.png | Justice Shot | Get 10 hits by firing weapons backwards in a single event. | 10 | |
File:ASRT ShadowStep.png | Shadow Step | Do 10 Stunt Combos in a single event. | 15 | |
File:ASRT CrackDown.png | Crack Down | Get a total of 20 hits with weapons in a Race. | 10 | |
File:ASRT TheKingOfSpeed.png | The King of Speed | Finish 1st in a Grand Prix tournament at Expert difficulty. | 20 | |
File:ASRT TeamSonic.png | Team Sonic | 10 |
Steam collectibles[edit]
Steam has various exclusive features for each game such as collectibles like emoticons, badges, backgrounds and trading cards. This game is the first game in the Sonic series to have these features.
Badges[edit]
In Steam, badges are crafted by combining a set of trading cards, obtainable through a random item drop, which lands in the Steam Inventory. The more cards combined, the greater the experience points the badge will contain.
Badge | Name | Level | XP |
---|---|---|---|
Red Power Shield | 1 | 100 | |
Twister | 2 | 200 | |
Puffer Fish | 3 | 300 | |
Bee | 4 | 400 | |
Hot rod | 5 | 500 | |
All-star | 1 (Foil Cards) | 100 (Foil Cards) |
Backgrounds[edit]
Once a Steam user has enough XP through crafting badges, special perks will follow by, such as item drops of backgrounds and coupons. Furthermore, these backgrounds can be purchased through the Steam Points Shop, which can be used with Steam Points, earned by purchasing games, DLC, subscriptions, items and micro-transactions. These are the backgrounds for Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed:
Image | Name | Class |
---|---|---|
File:Sonicbg1.jpg | Carrier Zone | Common |
File:Sonicbg2.jpg | Temple Trouble | Common |
File:Sasancturary.jpg | Sanctuary Falls | Common |
File:Sonicbg3.jpg | Dragon Canyon | Uncommon |
File:Sonicbg4.jpg | Race of AGES | Rare |
System requirements[edit]
PC[edit]
Minimum[edit]
OS | Processor | RAM | Graphics | DirectX | Hard Drive | Sound |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Windows XP/Vista/7/8 | Intel Core 2 Duo 2GHz or equivalent | 2GB (1GB Windows XP) | 256MB with Shader Model 3.0 support | 9.0c | 6.7GB free hard drive space | DirectX 9 compatible |
Recommended[edit]
OS | CPU | RAM | Graphics | DirectX | Hard Drive | Sound |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Windows XP/Vista/7/8 | Intel i5 2.4GHz or equivalent | 4GB (2GB Windows XP) | 512MB with Shader Model 3.0 support | 9.0c | 6.7GB free hard drive space | DirectX 9 compatible |
Platform differences[edit]
Platform | Steam | Xbox Live | PlayStation 3 | PlayStation Vita | Wii U | Nintendo 3DS |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Supported OS | Windows | Xbox 360/Xbox OS | CellOS | PSVita/PSTV | Wii U | 3DS/2DS |
Supported graphics | AMD/Nvidia | PowerPC/AMD | Cell | PowerVR | PowerPC | ARM |
Gamepad support | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Keyboard & mouse support | ✓ | Template:✗ | Template:✗ | Template:✗ | Template:✗ | ✓ |
Touchscreen support | ✓ | Template:✗ | Template:✗ | ✓ | ✓ | |
Duel-Screen support | Template:✗ | Template:✗ | Template:✗ | Template:✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
Cloud save support | ✓ | ✓ | ✓
|
Template:✗ | Template:✗ | Template:✗ |
Multiplayer | ✓ | ✓
|
✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Template:✗ |
Physical release format | DVD (one time activation key) |
DVD | Blu-Ray | PlayStation Vita game card | Wii U Optical Disc | 3DS game card |
Digital release | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Supported controllers |
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No. of racers | 10 | 8 | 10 | 8 | ||
Aspect ratio | 4:3, 16:9, 16:10 | 16:9, 4:3 (16:9 Letterbox) (Xbox 360) | 16:9, 4:3 (16:9 Letterbox) | 16:9 | 16:9, 4:3 (16:9 Letterbox) | N/A |
Customizable graphics settings | Launcher only | Fixed | ||||
Graphics options | User-defined LAN | Template:✗ | Template:✗ | Template:✗ | Template:✗ | Template:✗ |
Resolution & FPS | User-defined | 1280×720p at 30fps (Xbox Series X/S @ 60fps) |
1280×720p at 30fps | 960×544 at 30fps | 1280×720p at 30fps (Gamepad @ 480p) |
800×240p at 30fps |
Graphic settings | Full-PC High-End Graphics | Console's lowest settings | Custom lowest graphics | |||
Texture | User-defined | Reduced texture quality/sizes |
Music[edit]
Updates[edit]
After the release of Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, various updates have been released across all of its versions to fix various bugs and improve performance:
Wii U[edit]
- The Boost Challenges and the Burning Ranges world tour track have been fixed as they were noted as broken earlier.
PC[edit]
- Alternative INTZ Render for cards that do not support INTZ was added along with VAC support, and other bug fixes to ensure stability.[12]
- Network fix to stop the issues with the Race Playlist when the servers are busier.[12]
- Online matchmaking should work regardless of region.[12]
- Dropped connections were lessened.[12]
- The Pointer drift in the Launcher was resolved.[12]
- Better support for Direct Input controllers was added with better automatic control mapping.[12]
- The Time Attack ghost download for top ten players was fixed.[12]
- Time Attack filters now works correctly.[12]
- The "judder" was removed for high spec machines and 120 Hz monitors.[12]
- A Steam Voice Chat Enable/Disable option was added.[12]
- A Steam Voice Chat Push to Talk support was added.[12]
- A Steam Voice Chat volume setting was added.[12]
- The Ability Steam Voice to mute/unmute players in a lobby was added.[12]
All versions[edit]
- Networking:
- Vehicle collisions in online races handle high latency was improved.[13]
- The Rating reset issues was resolved.[13]
- The -100 Rating Penalty for players leaving the race to dodge losing points was resolved.[13]
- In Galactic Parade, the Road shader was adjusted to prevent "driving in the sky" issue.[13]
- The Super pick-ups bug in which they sometimes do not activate in arenas was fixed.[13]
- The Rare issue leaving players unable to return to the lobby were addressed.[13]
- Difficulty:
- Tuned the difficulty of Traffic Attack, Ring Race, and certain Race events in World Tour.[13]
- Corrected certain traffic attack gates if they do not give extra time.[13]
- Made the "Skip event after 3 failed events?" option appear on all difficulties.[13]
- Achievements/trophies:
- The "Team Sonic" achievement/trophy is made achievable in local gameplay so it is easier to get.[13]
- "Yokozuna" achievement/trophy is no longer unlocks when the player only beats Sunshine Tour Expert Ghost.[13]
- 'Beat someone 500 points higher than you' sticker no longer awarded unless a specific criteria is met.[13]
- The 'Meteor Strike' No longer triggers incorrectly.[13]
- Misc:
- Co-op swap weapon slot now allows the player to swap if he has already had a weapon.[13]
- Improved front end leaderboard caching.[13]
- In-games triggers now handles physics tunneling better for very fast players.[13]
- Incorrect HUD showing "Lap 2" cases was addressed.[13]
- Improved motion controls for the Wii U version.[13]
- The Favorite character in license is no longer incorrect.[13]
- Occasionally being able to drive through Swarm attacks corrected.[13]
- Audio:
Development[edit]
Announcement[edit]
Pictures depicting the side-view of the shelf revealed boxes for Sonic, Tails, Beat and AiAi. Shortly after this event the website called Starland.com also added info on the game. They listed it in the pre-order list for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Wii for $57 USD, to be released on 30 November 2012 but was then removed by Sega.
On 30 April, an announcement trailer was released, revealing the game's official name, as well as a new mechanic that transforms the character's vehicles to land, air and water forms. The confirmed platforms of release are PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii U, PC, Vita and Nintendo 3DS.
The game was released for the Xbox 360 and PS3 in Australia on 15 November, for the Nintendo 3DS and PS Vita in North America on 11 December and in Europe on 20 November. The PC version was released on 31 January 2013. The Wii U version was a launch title (with the exception of Japan), launching along with the console on 18 November in North America, and on 30 November in Europe/Australia. It was later revealed that the PC edition will allow racers to play as the DLC Team Fortress 2, Total War Shogun, Football Manager, Company Of Heroes 2 and Total War: ROME II characters.
On 22 October 2013, Sega announced that the game would be released for Android and iOS devices, coming out on 1 January 2014 with Ryo Hazuki as an additional character.[14]
On 12 February 2014, Sega announced that the game will be released in Japan for the PS3 and Wii U by 15 May 2014.[15][16]
Reception[edit]
Reception | |
---|---|
Review scores | |
Publication | Score |
Eurogamer | 9/10 |
GameTrailers | 8.7/10 (Xbox 360)[17] |
IGN | 8.5/10 (Xbox 360/PS3)[18] |
Nintendo Power | 8.0/10 (Wii U) |
Official Nintendo Magazine | 62% (Wii U) |
Official Xbox Magazine (US) | 8/10 (Xbox 360) |
The Daily Mail | 5/5[19] |
For the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, IGN gave an 8.5/10 score, saying that it is better than several of the racing games of 2012 and that it is a true arcade-like racing game, but not as fresh as Mario Kart 7.[18] The second review released was from UK's Official Nintendo Magazine, giving it an average score of only 62%. The reviewer stated that "the early excitement of the transformations doesn't make up for an interminable world tournament, poor local multiplayer and uninspiring weapons. The mixture of Sega and Sumo (with a hint of Bizarre) should have made for a game that was as accomplished as it was nostalgic. Instead, it just feels pallid." Eurogamer, however, gave the game a score of 9/10, saying "this manages to be more than just a tribute to the great and good of Sega's past - it does enough to earn its own place alongside them." The Daily Mail reviewer gave the game their perfect score of 5/5, saying that the game was bad on multiplayer, but overall a revisit to Sega's greatest memories.[19] GameTrailers gave the Xbox 360 version an 8.7/10, saying that "it's a fun, challenging, and easily enjoyable racing game that uses a lot of familiar mechanics and ideas but knows well enough to try and do its own thing".[17] In their last Sonic game review, Nintendo Power gave the Wii U version an 8.0/10, commenting on its "well-behaved multiplayer and tracks that were born to become a race track." The Official Xbox Magazine gave Transformed an 8/10, praising for its beautiful track graphics and awesome multiplayer, with the exception of poor quality on its split screen in multiplayer mode.
On 18 February 2013, the game was the first third-party game to score a Wii U number one.[20] As of March 2013, Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed has sold 1.36 million copies worldwide.[21]
Update history[edit]
iOS[edit]
- Version 1.0 (2 January 2014)
- Version 1.1 (2 January 2014) - Bug Fixes
- Version 1.2 (17 January 2014) - VIP Pass included for FREE, please sign into iTunes when you first open the game to redeem.
- Version 1.7 (28 February 2014) - Many minor fixes and optimizations.
- Fixed the issue some users were experiencing which would cause the game to crash upon launch.
- Version 2.0 (24 April 2014) - Now you can record and share video clips of your favorite gameplay moments in Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed with Everyplay!
Trivia[edit]
- This is the only Sonic racing game where the Sonic characters were not dubbed in French, Italian, German or Spanish following Sonic Generations.
- Only the Announcer was dubbed in these languages.
- All sixteen characters from Sega Superstars Tennis return in this game.
- This is the second time in which a Sonic game was leaked due to the premature release of toys, the first time being when toys of Rouge the Bat and Shadow the Hedgehog had been revealed before both characters' debut game, Sonic Adventure 2, was even announced. Both of these games happen to be sequels.
- AGES, Amy Rose, Danica Patrick, Knuckles, Pudding, Reala, and Wreck-it Ralph are the only non-DLC racers to not be on the Japanese cover.
- Unlike the first game, the PC version of the game features an online multiplayer mode.
- There is a minor change in the title compared to Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing, as the "Sega" part is missing, just making it Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed rather than "Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing Transformed". This is because other characters, such as Wreck-It Ralph, Danica Patrick, and Yogscast are not Sega characters.
- General Winter was a THQ character before Sega claimed the franchise.
- The first three trailers for the game use the song "Promises" by Nero for the background music. All the trailers that followed the August trailer used "Acid Cube" by Richardson & Macklin & Ford.
- Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed is the second Sonic game to have a trailer that uses non-Sega music, the first being Sonic Generations, which had trailers that used the songs "Tenderoni" by Kele for the Gameplay/Green Hill trailer and "Na Na Na" by My Chemical Romance for the City Escape trailer.
- Although Beat appeared in Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing game with his Jet Set Radio Future design, he appears in Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed with his original design from Jet Set Radio, although a bit shorter in height.
- The cars in the game have undergone a radical design change due to the transformation mechanics in this game. Notable examples include Sonic's Speed Star, which now has sharper angles, different wheels, and less "Sonic spines"; Amy's Pink Cabriolet loses the tire cover, gets a bigger wind shield, and becomes rounded; and Dr. Eggman's Egg Monster is now a six-wheeled red "tank". Every racer now has a car, a tank-like vehicle, or a quad bike instead of a bi-plane (e.g. Tails' Tornado Racer) or a motorcycle (e.g. Shadow's Dark Rider).
- This is the first Sonic the Hedgehog game (as well as the first spin-off title) on the PlayStation Vita (not counting the PSP re-releases on the PlayStation Network) and the Wii U. Inversely, this is the final Sonic game released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.
- During development of the game, Sumo Digital considered adding a Story Mode. The story would’ve involved a villain kidnapping characters from various SEGA universes and forcing them to race for his amusement. At the end of the story, the villain would turn out to be Dr. Eggman in disguise. However, the team thought there was no good reason for these characters to come together and abandoned the idea. They also worried about the cost for voice acting and animating the cutscenes, which only gave them more reason to scrap the Story Mode.[22]
- Wreck-It Ralph, from the 2012 Disney film of the same name, is a playable character in the game, which is likely a reference to the fact that in the film, Ralph "game jumps" through different arcade games. The game including Ralph might reference the fact that Sonic, Dr. Eggman, and other Sega characters appear in the film Wreck-It Ralph.
- Bayonetta was considered to be included in the game, but was rejected because the developers feared that including her would raise the game's age rating.[23]
- Sumo Digital approached Sony about possibly adding Sackboy to the game as a guest character, but was turned down because of the announcement of LittleBigPlanet Karting.[24]
- Despite this, a mugshot of Sackboy can still be found in the files of the Nintendo 3DS version of the game.
- All of the characters that appear on Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing's cover also appear on the Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed cover, though Tails and Amigo only appear on the Japanese cover.
- This is the first Sonic game to have a guest characters that are not a video game characters.
- This is also the first Sonic game to feature a real-life celebrity as a playable character.
- Just like its prequel, this game uses recycled voice clips from previous Sonic games, notably from Sonic Generations.
- Again, none of the Sonic voice actors were credited in the credits.
- Ocean View is the only new stage in the game that has been based off a stage (that stage being Seaside Hill) previously used in Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing tracks, which are Whale Lagoon, Lost Palace and Ocean Ruin.
- Similar to its prequel, the PS3 version does not get an exclusive character.
- Sonic Universe #45 ties in to this game, making it the first stand-alone issue of the series to crossover with a video game. It also marks the first appearance of non-Sonic characters in the comic series, such as Beat and Vyse.
- This is the first game in the Sega All-Stars series to have an RPG series represented.
- If one fails an event multiple times, a quiet mocking laughter can be heard.
- If the player turns the audio for the announcer or audience down, the announcer will attempt to stop the player and ridicule them, while the audience will boo. Conversely, if the player turns the audio for the announcer or audience up, the announcer will praise the player and compliment his own voice, while the audience will cheer.
- Some reused sound files are from Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (Sumo Digital start up) and Star Fox Assault (pressing Template:A Button (Xbox)/Cross whilst on the slot machine with no tokens).
- Amigo is the only mute character in the game, only communicating via whistle blows.
- This is not counting Metal Sonic in the Bonus Edition.
- This game and its prequel both have Seaside Hill as their background on the cover.
- Unlike the first game which had three female characters counting the player's Mii/Avatar, this time there are six, counting the player's Mii/Avatar if they are a girl.
- The announcer does not say "Final Lap" in the console/PC versions when the player is on their final lap of the race.
- Unlike Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing, the Xbox Live Avatars and Miis are given voices.
- World Tour mode is labeled as having the player travel from island to island while saving characters that they unlock.
- The "Takes AGES" achievement/trophy features an image of Tarō Sega, the main protagonist of the Japan-exclusive game Segagaga.
- It is possible to bypass the transformation gates in courses as a glitch. The character needs to move as close to the gate as possible and then face the opposite direction until the "Wrong Way" sign appears. After the "Wrong Way" sign appears for a while (the character will be respawned), the character will respawn in front of the transformation gate without going through it, which means the player could attempt to drive as a boat at car sections or drive a plane on boat sections, etc.
- This, however, may be fixed in some of the versions due to patches.
- This the first Sonic game to have Steam Trading Cards on Steam.
- Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed is the only Sonic game that appears in three Humble Bundles. The first one being Yogscast's Dwarven Dairy Drive, and the second one is being Humble Weekly Sale SEGA. In Germany only, it's because The House of The Dead: Overkill is banned in that country, the game is replaced. And the third one being Humble SEGA Bundle.
- Takenobu Mitsuyoshi is the announcer of the game in the Japanese version.
- Via this proxy, several characters gain and/or reprise their original Japanese voices in this game, while the prior game, Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing, did not have any Japanese dub.
- The Japanese version of this game is the only version to have the original The House of the Dead logo for Graveyard Gig course while the Race of AGES course has the "SEGA AGES" logo instead of the game logo.[25]
- In the video game Disney Infinity, Wreck-It Ralph has an unlockable vehicle called "Ralph's Wrecking Truck", which bears a resemblance to the red wrecking truck he drove in this game.
- Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed is the only multiplatform release on the Wii U to be given a Nintendo Selects re-release in North America. It is also the only Sonic title to be released under the label, and is the final Nintendo Selects release on the Wii U in general.
- While motion controls were supported in the PlayStation 3 version of Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing, they are completely omitted from the PS3 version of this game.
- The PlayStation Vita version, however, does support motion controls.
- None of the Arcade Cup tracks were properly in the DS version of Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing, and ironically are fully functioning in the 3DS version of Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed.
- Though Shibuya Downtown and Roulette Road were selectable tracks in the former, they had considerably different layouts than in the console version.
Videos[edit]
Trailers[edit]
Commercials[edit]
Notes[edit]
References[edit]
- ↑ Kellie (22 April 2013). Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed on Intel Ultrabook. Sega. Archived from the original on 25 April 2013. Retrieved on 1 February 2015.
- ↑ ssf1991 (21 August 2017). North America: Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed Has Joined The Nintendo Selects Line. My Nintendo News. Retrieved on 30 April 2022.
- ↑ Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed (Wii U) European instruction booklet, pgs. 1-3.
- ↑ Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed (PC) United Kingdom instruction booklet, pg. 3.
- ↑ Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed (PC) United Kingdom instruction booklet, pg. 4.
- ↑ Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed (PlayStation 3) United States instruction booklet, pg. 1.
- ↑ SONIC & ALL-STARS RACING TRANSFORMED! NEW LEGEND OF DRAGOON LEVEL & GOLDEN AXE VEHICLES!. Revision3. Archived from the original on 12 December 2013.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Summer of Sonic 2012 EXCLUSIVE: NiGHTS and Reala are playable characters in Sonic & All-Stars Racings Transformed. Summer of Sonic. Archived from the original on 11 July 2012.
- ↑ NASCAR’s Danica Patrick joins Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed cast. GameZone.
- ↑ Keegan, Rebecca (13 July 2012). Comic-Con: How ‘Wreck-It Ralph’ infiltrated the game industry. Hero Complex. Archived from the original on 11 October 2015.
- ↑ YOGSCAST DLC REVEALED FOR SONIC & ALL-STARS RACING TRANSFORMED. Sonic Retro.
- ↑ 12.00 12.01 12.02 12.03 12.04 12.05 12.06 12.07 12.08 12.09 12.10 12.11 12.12 New Game Update Now Live! (3rd May 2013). Steam. S0L (4 April 2013). Retrieved on 2 December 2016.
- ↑ 13.00 13.01 13.02 13.03 13.04 13.05 13.06 13.07 13.08 13.09 13.10 13.11 13.12 13.13 13.14 13.15 13.16 13.17 13.18 13.19 13.20 13.21 13.22 Console Updates.... SEGA Forum. S0L (July 2009). Retrieved on 2 December 2016.
- ↑ LordDullahan (22 October 2013). Stellar Line Up Coming to Mobile & Tablets. SEGA Blog. Sega. Archived from the original on 22 October 2013.
- ↑ Oliver, Tristan (12 February 2014). ASR Transformed Coming to Japan. TSSZ News. Archived from the original on 26 July 2015.
- ↑ 『ソニック&オールスターレーシング トランスフォームド』ソニックと仲間たちが陸・海・空を舞台にレースで激突! (Japanese). Famitsu.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed - Review. GameTrailers. Archived from the original on 5 December 2012.
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed Review. IGN.
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 Review - Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed (Xbox 360 / PS3 / PC / Wii U). The Daily Mail.
- ↑ 'Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed' claims Wii U number one. DigitalSpy (18 February 2013). Retrieved on 29 July 2016.
- ↑ FY Ended March 2013 Full Year Results Presentation. Sega Sammy Holdings (13 May 2013). Retrieved on 15 August 2013.
- ↑ https://www.megavisions.net/interview-steve-lycett-on-sonic-all-stars-racing-transformed-10th-anniversary/
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20130911000015/http://forums.sega.com/showthread.php?409253-Semi-official-fire-questions-at-SUMO-and-get-vague-responses-thread&p=7832417&viewfull=1#post7832417
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20150728145718/http://forums.sega.com/showthread.php?409253-Semi-official-fire-questions-at-SUMO-and-get-vague-responses-thread/page265
- ↑ ソニック&オールスターレーシングTRANSFORMED コース紹介13 Dr.キュリアンの館. YouTube. Sega (14 April 2014). Retrieved on 16 February 2016.
External links[edit]
- Official website (Japanese)
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