Welcome back Sonic. Damn, I missed you.
I guess the most successful thing about this installment is that they've completely overhauled the gameplay. No more horrible camera, no more clumsiness. They transformed Sonic into an on-rails action game, and although risky, it pays off VERY much. This game is FAST and FUN, just the way a Sonic game should be. The stages are very well designed, and you'll want to replay them again and again for scores, unlockables, or just for fun. Not only that, but each one of the stages is diverse and full of variety. You hold the controller sideways (think excite truck), use the 2 button to jump, the 1 button to stop, and the D-pad for special moves. Pulling homing attacks off by thrusting the wiimote is pretty cool, and the experience point system rocks. Now, Sonic has an RPG edge, because you can earn EXP and use it to upgrade your skills, and powers like Time Break are awesome and a welcome addition to the Series. Thanks to some effort and creativity, SEGA has really pulled off some fun and unique gameplay.
The story goes something like this. Sonic is reading Arabian Nights, and a genie tells Sonic that this guy called Erazor is destroying pages of the book. It's up to Sonic to set things right, obviously, and thus the adventure begins. The story is a welcome departure from recent titles, as those stories were too serious and way too surreal. It's a fun premise, and what's really cool is that the Sonic characters are characters in Arabian Nights. Knuckles is Sinbad and Tails is Ali Baba for example. The dialogue is kinda "kidsy", but that's just a minor blemish. The music is decent, and the sound fx is spot-on. The graphics are lush and crisp, and full of detail. No matter how fast things get, the framerate holds up. There's also an inspired art style, appealing to the eyes. Great graphics for a wii game.
Aside from the satisfying story mode, there's a 4-player multiplayer mode, which includes dozens of fun minigames. I haven't had a chance to play with friends, but you can put in CPU opponents. The minigames I've played so far are fun, and are better than the half-assed Monkey Ball ones. So if you want a break from story mode, the minigame collection is a fun alternative.
On top of that, there's also unlockables. Unlockable characters, minigames, concept art, music, etc. Overall, this is a promising sign that Sonic does not have a bleak future ahead. Not only is it the best Sonic game in years, but it's also one of the Wii's finest titles so far. I totally recommend it to Sonic fans and action fans alike. This game is blazingly fast, a lot of fun, and there's even some decent multiplayer. So if you've been aching for Sonic's triumphant return, the time is now.
Bravo, Blue Blur.