Sonic Unleashed

Sonic Unleashed was released in November 2008 on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in a version made by Sonic Team, but it simultaneously arrived on Wii and PlayStation 2 in a different take developed by Dimps, a studio that had mainly worked on the series on handhelds, specifically the Sonic Rush series for Nintendo DS. The basic premise stayed the same – fast platforming running by day, slower combat sections as the werewolf-like Werehog by night – but the execution was fundamentally different due to the Wii's weaker hardware.

The Wii version used a similar, graphically less demanding engine to the parallel PlayStation 2 release, with mostly 2.5D level design instead of the more open 3D stages from the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 version. It also made use of the Wii Remote's motion controls – the Werehog's attacks could be performed with controller swings instead of buttons, a feature unique to this particular release compared to the other versions. The level design and the hub worlds Sonic moved through between missions were simplified and shorter compared to the HD versions, but better suited to the Wii's broader, less hardcore audience.

Critical reception of the Wii version was mixed – the effort to adapt the controls to the console was praised, but many reviewers considered the motion controls in combat less precise than the classic button-based scheme from the more powerful HD versions on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

Even so, thanks to its simpler approach and Sonic's well-known character, the Wii version found its own audience among players who, in that generation, owned only a Nintendo console and had no interest in the more demanding HD releases anyway.

Shared development with the PS2 version at Dimps meant both releases were content-wise nearly identical, with only minor differences stemming from the different control schemes of the two consoles – the Wii version additionally offered a classic button-control option for players who preferred to keep motion sensing switched off. Graphical performance of both versions remained noticeably more modest than the pair of HD releases.

Why play: If you prefer classic button controls, you'll appreciate being able to choose them instead of motion sensing, though graphical performance remains noticeably more modest than in the HD versions.