Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing

Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing is a kart racer that puts characters from various Sega games on the starting line and turns their worlds into circuits. Alongside Sonic and his friends, heroes from the publisher's other well-known series get behind the wheel, each arriving in a vehicle that matches their origin, whether it's a classic go-kart, a motorbike, or something considerably more bizarre. The tracks draw on recognizable locations and alternate fast open stretches with tight passages where the standings are decided.

The driving model is built on drifting with a gradually charging boost and on collecting items that can be used for both attack and defense. Each character also has their own so-called All-Star move, a powerful moment that activates when a race is going badly and can shuffle the order completely. The game offers a series of cups, time trials against ghosts, a same-screen multiplayer mode, and the online racing of its era, with vehicles and characters gradually unlocked through points earned by racing. It can be controlled either by tilting the Wiimote or with a classic gamepad, which was appreciated by players who found motion controls a poor fit for racing.

Technically, this is a very solidly made effort for the console: the tracks are colourful, densely decorated with references to older games, and run smoothly even in split-screen. The music works with remixed themes from the original games, which is a big part of the appeal for Sega fans. At the time, the game was received as one of the few kart racers that could stand comparison with Nintendo's in-house competition without embarrassment, and criticism was aimed more at the smaller amount of content than at the quality of the driving. Today it's a pleasant alternative for those who have finished the console's main kart-racing king and want the same feeling with different faces. For players who grew up on Sega arcades and consoles, it's also a stroll down memory lane, since almost every corner references something.