Sega Saturn Release Dates:
US Release Date: November 18, 1997
European Release Date: November 21, 1997
Japanese Release Date: December 4, 1997

Sega PC Release Dates:
US Release Date: November 11, 1998
European Release Date: November, 1998
Japanese Release Date: November, 1998

Genre: Racing
Players: 1-2 (Saturn), 1-4 (PC)
Rating: K-A
 
  The Story:
Sonic and Tails are enjoying a little time off from their adventure. The trip they have planned will be a nice, relaxing vacation. Or so they think.

Tails spots a huge sign alongside the road they are currently traveling on. It is a recurring advertisement for the World Grand Prix. "Sonic! Sonic! Look, there’s going to be a huge race with all the best racers in the world. What a great opportunity for you to show your speed and compete with the other great runners!"

Sonic thinks for a moment. He’s the world's fastest runner, but participating in races is not really his interest. Something on the sign, however, catches Sonic's eye. Dr. Robotnik, Sonic’s arch-enemy, is participating in the race. Sonic races off into the distance. "Wait Sonic! Wait for me!" Tails shouts to his friend.

Miles above the sign, a spy satellite focuses on Sonic and Tails. Dr. Robotnik snickers in delight. "Now that you have fallen into my trap Sonic, I will finally have the Chaos Emeralds, and beat you at the same time. With my new hover machine, and these." Dr. Robotnik looks to his left, and a row of gleaming eyes gaze back at him. "Nothing can go wrong! Hahahahahahaha." Little does Sonic know that Dr. Robotnik has learned of the location of the Chaos Emeralds.

But Sonic is not the only one who will be racing with Dr. Robotnik. Sonic’s rival, Knuckles, has learned that Sonic will be participating in a very important race. Knuckles never turns down a chance to be around Sonic when the action starts.

And Amy will be there too. After secretly overhearing Dr. Robotnik’s plans, she also will be racing to find the Chaos Emeralds.
 
  The Gameplay:
Sonic R is, well a racing game. Though Sonic was already in Sonic Drift 1 and 2, this game is a true Sonic racing game. Sonic Team looked on as Traveller's Tales did most of the work since Sonic Team had lots of other games to work on, like Sonic Adventure and Burning Rangers.

Use the D-Pad to make your character move or press the B button and press left or right on the D-Pad. Pressing the R or L triggers will make your character drift slightly. Pressing the L and R triggers at the same time is brakes and A, C, or Y buttons will make your character do his/her special action. There are also different camera angles that to get up close, press X button or to get overhead, press Z button, the PC version has another as well.

Grand Prix mode is the main game, the goal is to place 1st, second, or third. 1st will unlock a few things. There's a main path to each track and secret shortcuts. Items and other things to find in the tracks are rings, Accelerators, shields, Sonic Tokens, Gateways, and Chaos Emeralds.

Time Attack mode is where you have 4 different ways to play. Normal is where you must beat the clock and finish 3 laps. Reverse is backwards and to beat the clock in 3 laps. Balloon is where you must find 5 scattered baloons as fast as you can, and Tag Battle where you try and tag 4 opponents who try their best to get away.

1P VS 2P is where you play a friend in a split screen race to get balloons, race against him/her, or a reverse race. On the PC version you can play against up to 4 people online!
 
  Here's a guide to all the tracks on offer:

Resort Island

It's a wonderful day for a race in this tropical island paradise. A nice blue sky, lots of greenery, a pretty waterfall... It's all here. Get too enchanted though, and you might slip into the water or bump into a coconut tree. Take the time to hop around the smaller islands. Going for a little rock climbing is well worth the effort.

Radical City

This course is plenty wide. Gaps in the railings aren't just accidental breaks! Waterways look like slow going at first, but they can save you some time if you know what turns to take. And speaking of turns, there are a couple of tight ones to add to your fun. Ever wonder what it is like to be a pinball?

Regal Ruin

These ancient egyptian remains are an archaeologist's dream. The main path is pretty easy to follow, but there are many little roads and nooks which could be hiding treasure, so search well! Springs might help you out of tight spots in this course.

Reactive Factory

Here you are transported into the future! Enter the factory of tomorrow, a completely automated wonder. There is lots of room to run, but there are also many hidden surprises and traps. What appears to be a simple course is really the hardest of the four, well kind of.
 
  Items and More

Rings: Collect enough to open Gateways or speed off on Accelerators.
Item Panel: Item Panel's are where you find items like Fleet Feet, rings, and Lightning Shields, find a red, yellow, or blue version.
Fleet Feet: Get extra speed for a short time.
Lightning Shield: A yellow Sphere appears around you, it brings rings toward you.
Water Shield: A Blue Sphere that makes you walk on water once.
Sonic Tokens: Collect all of them to play one on one with a secret character to access them.
Chaos Emeralds: Collect them all to access Super Sonic, when you get all of them press up or down when choosing Sonic.
Loops: Pass through the arrows to try and collect rings up and around.
Accelerators: Get enough rings and run on these to blast off for a fast short distance.
Springs: Bounce your way up at high places.
 
  There are 10 characters to choose from, only 4 of them are avaliable at first.

Sonic the Hedgehog

Info: Sonic is the fastest of them all.
Moves List:
Jumping: Press A, C, or Y to jump. In mid-air, press again for a double jump, direction the jump with the D-Pad.

Spin Dash Roll: Press the D-pad while running for a Spin Dash Roll, then hold up to continue dashing. Or, press the D-Pad down while standing still to crouch, then press the B-button.

Miles "Tails" Prower

Info: Tails has an advantage as he can fly.
Moves List:
Flying: Jump in the air by pressing A, C, or Y then again to fly for a short distance.

Spin Dash Roll: Press the D-pad while running for a Spin Dash Roll, then hold up to continue dashing. Or, press the D-Pad down while standing still to crouch, then press the B-button.

Knuckles the Echidna

Info: Gliding helps Knuckles, he is also second to speed of Sonic.
Moves List:
Gliding: Press A, C, or Y and then again to glide.

Spin Dash Roll: Press the D-pad while running for a Spin Dash Roll, then hold up to continue dashing. Or, press the D-Pad down while standing still to crouch, then press the B-button.

Amy Rose

Info: Amy is very... very slow. She can also hover over water.
Moves List:
Turbo boost: Press A, C, or Y when a tyre appears at the top of the screen, it'll give Amy an extra boost. A boost usually costs 10 rings.

Dr. Robotnik

Info: He has great conering and can hover over water, but he's very slow.
Moves List:
Homing missile: Press A, C, or Y when the green target appears on the screen to shoot a missile at a character. A Homing Missile usually costs 10 rings.

See other Sonic R Sections

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