Every Sonic Racing Game, Ranked

Sonic the Hedgehog is one of the most recognizable video game series of all time, and while much of that is because of the Blue Blur’s platforming adventures, another essential part of the series is the gang’s many spin-off titles. The most notable are the countless racing games Sonic and his friends have been in.

Sonic’s racing games have consisted of many different subseries, each with their own unique gimmicks to make them stand out from both other Sonic games and other racing titles in general. Some of them have proven to be enduring classics, while others haven’t stood the test of time.

11

Sonic Free Riders

A Glorified Kinect Tech Demo

The third and final game in the Sonic Riders trilogy, Sonic Free Riders was released as an Xbox 360 exclusive to promote its then-new Kinect technology. The game at its core had a lot of similarities to the first two, with tons of characters, tracks, and modes for players to enjoy.

However, it was poorly received by fans and critics, and the main reason for that was the motion controls. Players found themselves having a hard time controlling racers via Kinect, and at times the game would be totally unresponsive. Sonic Free Riders today is mostly seen as a prime example as to why motion control gaming had a short shelf life, and the Riders subseries was discontinued entirely.

10

Sonic Drift

A Super Mario Kart Clone

Sonic Drift was Sonic’s very first racing game. Released for the Game Gear in 1994, it was Sonic’s version of Super Mario Kart for the SNES, only with Sonic characters racing instead of Mario ones. Playable characters in the game include Sonic, Tails, Amy, and Dr. Eggman.

In contrast to Super Mario Kart, Sonic Drift garnered a more lukewarm reception. The game was heavily criticized for its lack of content, extremely simple gameplay, and generic and uninspired track designs. There’s a reason Sonic Drift is rarely brought up when Sonic racing games are talked about.

9

Sonic Drift 2

The Original Game, But With Knuckles

Released a year after the original Sonic Drift, this sequel for the Game Gear expanded on its predecessor by adding three new characters, Knuckles, Fang, and Metal Sonic, as well as updating the graphics. Thanks to these changes, Sonic Drift 2 was generally more positively received than the first game.

However, many of the criticisms of the original game carried over to the sequel, with fans continuing to view it as extremely simplistic and lacking in features. While it did manage to get an international release, Sonic Drift 2 would end up being the last game in this subseries.

8

Sonic R

Sonic R for the Sega Saturn is one of the most polarizing games among Sonic fans. Many fans liked the concept of a foot-based racing game to make Sonic stand out from Mario Kart, with its creative level designs, fan-favorite soundtrack, and intriguing cast of characters, including the infamous Tails Doll.

However, other players look back on the game less fondly. Many fans were disappointed there were only five race tracks, and others criticized how difficult it was to control the characters, with turns in particular being extremely hard to pull off. To this day, Sonic R is the only Sonic racing title to never get a sequel.

7

Sonic Rivals

An Awkward Mishmash Of Platforming And Racing

Sonic Rivals for the PSP was released as a tie-in game to Sonic the Hedgehog’s poorly-received 2006 reboot for the PS3 and Xbox 360. Rivals is a hybrid between a racing game and a Sonic platformer, similar to the multiplayer modes featured in mainline Sonic games. While reactions to the game were nowhere near as visceral as those of Sonic ’06, Rivals, both upon release and nowadays, still has its fair share of critics.

While Rivals is a very visually impressive game, given the PSP’s graphical limitations, its main issue was trying to strike a balance between being a platformer and a racing game. Most infamous was its rubber-band AI, in which computer characters would instantly catch up in ways an actual player could never do.

6

Team Sonic Racing

Team-Based Gameplay Makes 2019 Entry A Standout

After two entries in the Sonic All-Stars racing series, Sumo Digital’s third outing in the series, Team Sonic Racing, made some notable changes. First, it used a strictly Sonic roster, rather than a larger line-up of Sega characters. More notably, it focused on team-based gameplay, with characters racing in teams of three with the winner being the team who worked together the most rather than the first race across the finish line.

The innovative gameplay was highly praised by fans and critics alike, with some calling it the best in the series. However, the game received its fair share of criticism for a weak story mode and a lack of single-player content at launch. Overall, the game was a commercial success, though it ended up being Sumo Digital’s last game with Sega.

5

Sonic Rivals 2

More Gameplay Variety In PSP Sequel

Sonic Rivals 2, released a year after the original Rivals game, took everything that made the first Sonic Rivals work and fine-tuned it, while adding new features to keep players more engaged. Three new playable characters were added on top of the five from the original game, as well as an enhanced story mode and more variety in its multiplayer options.

Overall, the game was more well-liked than its predecessor, but a lot of the criticisms from the first game remained present. The game still suffered from technical issues, and the AI was once again overpowered. Ultimately, critical reception was mixed, and a third Rivals game was never greenlit.

4

Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity

A Mostly Impressive Sequel

2008’s Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity was praised by Sonic fans as a natural successor to the 2006 original, building upon what made the original game a hit and introducing new mechanics as well, such as allowing players to temporarily defy gravity and access new areas and introducing new types of gear such as yachts and wheels.

Many fans, however, found Zero Gravity a step-down from its predecessor, with the main point of criticism being simplified gameplay mechanics, presumably adapted to accommodate the Wii’s motion controls. Additionally, the game left a lot of areas for improvement on the table, like a lackluster story mode or a lack of online play, making the game feel more out of date than the original was in 2006.

3

Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing

Sega Crossover Racer Is A Worthy Mario Kart Rival

After previous Sonic racing games had unique styles of racing to stand out from others, Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing went back to basics with a kart racer. Its main selling point was that it would focus on Sega as a whole rather than being strictly Sonic focused. Other Sega series like Virtua Fighter, Super Monkey Ball, and Crazy Taxi would also have representation in the form of characters and tracks.

Taking a page from Mario Kart Wii, Sonic & Sega All-Stars racing would introduce multiple types of vehicles for racers to use, as well as character-specific abilities. The game was a success both critically and commercially, and Sumo Digital would return for two sequels.

2

Sonic Riders

Sonic Meets Extreme Sports In Subseries’ Debut

As the game that launched Sonic racing into the modern era, Sonic Riders has a special place in the hearts of many fans. Unlike traditional racers, Sonic Riders took a futuristic approach, featuring Sonic characters riding on hoverboards and motorcycles. The game would also have an original story, featuring Sonic and his friends being challenged by a trio called the Babylon Rogues.

The game is a fan favorite among the Sonic community, with praise being directed at its atmosphere, innovative gameplay, and level design. Professional critics, on the other hand, were more mixed, finding the gameplay too difficult to get into and seeing it as a cheap cash-in of extreme sports games.

1

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed

Titular Transformation Feature Is This Sequel’s Highlight

Released in November 2012, Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed built upon the successes of its predecessor and improved them. Like the first game, the roster would consist of characters from both Sonic games and other Sega series, and would also add third-party characters like Danica Patrick, Wreck-it Ralph, and the cast of Team Fortress 2.

The most notable new gameplay addition was the transform feature, which allowed cars to transform into boats and planes for water and air sections. This addition was highly praised, and made the game feel like more than just a Mario Kart copy. Reviews from both critics and fans were highly positive, and it is considered by many to be the best Sonic racing game ever made.