The Best Sumo Digital Games

Sumo Digital was among the more surprising and understated recent acquisitions of Chinese conglomerate Tencent as they continue expanding their influence in the multi-billion dollar video game market. This plucky British developer was born out of retro game studio Gremlin Interactive, perhaps best known for developing the Acuta Sports series and the PS1 classic Hogs of War, giving them a combined total of more than 40 years of experience in game development.

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That means that, despite its humble offerings, Sumo Digital has attracted some major licenses, particularly in its niche of sports game pedigree. There have been some high-profile misfires, such as the unfortunate Crackdown 3, but the developer has still turned their hand to some excellent games from AAA to Indie titles. These are the best Sumo Digital games.

7

Snake Pass

A Unique Physics-Based Platformer

• Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, GeForce Now, Microsoft Windows, Xbox One
• Released: 2017-03-28
• Genre: Puzzle-Platformer

Snake Pass doesn’t quite live up to the promise it sets with its innovative and tricky-to-master control scheme. Players take control of a snake named Noodle and must navigate a series of obstacles using strict movement mechanics befitting the slithering reptile. Players are forced to think like a snake, zig-zagging for speed and providing enough access points for their elongated frame to avoid pulling them down to frequent deaths.

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It can be a frustrating system at first, but it is a very satisfyingly challenging and unique platformer once mastered. Technical limitations, including an occasionally-rogue camera and infrequent checkpoints, unfortunately add to that frustration, leading to a lackluster response at launch, but puzzle-platformer fans will still have great fun wrapping their heads around this one.

6

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre

An Asymmetric Horror Twist On A Classic

Systems

Released

August 18, 2023

ESRB

M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a late arrival to the asymmetric multiplayer horror genre that was arguably popularized by the legally fraught Friday the 13th: The Game and mastered by Dead By Daylight. Sumo Digital’s entry takes that format and lovingly applies it to Tobe Hooper’s popular horror classic in much the same way Illfonic did with Jason Voorhees.

The game adds the novel twist of having three members of the Sawyer family pitted against four survivors. It helps balance the game, making the killers less overpowered and requiring them to work together to complete objectives. Sadly, like so many others in the genre, the game has suffered from connectivity issues and a repetitive loop that has decreased the regular player base.

5

Team Sonic Racing

Gotta Go Fast

Released

May 21, 2019

ESRB

e

Team Sonic Racing was the second entry in the Sonic Racing series from Sumo Digital, and it was an excellent addition to the karting genre that improved on their previous attempt. The main focus, as the title might suggest, is on a team-based racing system where players compete alongside two allies.

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The gameplay was adapted with players receiving a myriad of benefits for aiding their teammates and keeping their team together on the track. The fastest way is often together, eliminating the habit of speeding off into the distance to grab glory. Team Sonic Racing requires a more measured and thoughtful approach and features some of the best tracks in the genre.

4

Virtua Tennis: World Tour

A Grand Slam On The PlayStation Portable

Virtua Tennis: World Tour

Released

September 1, 2005

Virtua Tennis: World Tour is the most critically acclaimed title in Sumo Digital’s catalog, brilliantly adapting the popular tennis series for the PSP. For many, it was considered an essential purchase for the handheld console and an impressive technological feat for its high-paced gameplay.

Realistically though, it’s hard to recommend the game today, considering, like most sports titles, it quickly became dated and the only hardware it is playable on is all but defunct. It was a fantastic release in 2005, but not one that has stood the test of time.

3

Sackboy: A Big Adventure

Creative 3D Platformer

3D Platformer

Action

Adventure

Systems

Released

November 12, 2020

ESRB

E For Everyone due to Mild Cartoon Violence, Mild Lyrics

A PS5 launch title, Sackboy: A Big Adventure was Sony’s attempt to move one of their most beloved mascots into the next console generation. The game is a solid platforming experience and cleverly transplants the core mechanics of the Little Big Planet series into a 3D adventure.

However, the game didn’t quite find the same audience as the initial trilogy, perhaps suffering due to the limited availability of the console at launch. The game also lost some of the core fanbase by not carrying over the deep creative tools and community-built levels that were a significant feature in establishing the Little Big Planet series against a glut of mascot platformers at the time.

2

LittleBigPlanet 3

A Fitting Finale

Systems

Released

November 18, 2014

ESRB

E For Everyone due to Comic Mischief, Mild Cartoon Violence, Tobacco Reference

In many ways, Sackboy: A Big Adventure was an improvement on the original trilogy, with slick, modern physics supporting more precise platforming. Still, as mentioned, many fans preferred and would still play the original LBP trilogy even though support for those games has ended, again hurting those community builds.

LittleBigPlanet 3 marked the end of that series and, whilst not as well received as its predecessors, it still offers a fantastic offline campaign, especially with friends. The game oozes with the series’ signature charm of craft-like levels that evolve as the player advances, with a satisfying weight and sound to objects, and secrets hidden around every corner.

1

Outrun 2006: Coast 2 Coast

A Modern Classic Arcade Racer

OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast

Released

April 25, 2006

ESRB

Everyone // No Descriptors

Outrun is a definitive arcade racer that has sadly fallen by the wayside in recent years. Outrun 2006: Coast 2 Coast successfully modernized the classic series and maintained its hallmark of quality alongside the dominant successors of the time, such as the Burnout and Need For Speed series.

Outrun 2006: Coast 2 Coast has only grown in critical acclaim since its release, with many fans of the genre still lauding it as one of the best arcade racers ever. As such, it’s only fair that it ranks as Sumo Digital’s best game as well.

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