SEGA of America and SEGA Europe have issued a press release regarding yesterdays official announcement of Banjo-Kazooie and Avatar’s presence in the Xbox 360 version of Sonic & SEGA All Stars Racing. An high quality trailer has also been released on SEGA Europe’s website. SEGA of America have also uploaded the U.S. version of the trailer to their YouTube account.
LONDON & SAN FRANCISCO (18 December, 2009) – SEGA® Europe Ltd., SEGA® of America, Inc. and Microsoft today announced an exciting new partnership for Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing™. For the first time ever in a racing game for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system, you will be able to jump in to the game in the form of your Avatar and race against your favourite Sonic & SEGA characters. In yet another addition to the character roster and exclusive to the Xbox 360 version, Banjo and Kazooie will make a welcome return to the console and take to the starting grid in their Bolt Bucket all terrain vehicle!
Working closely with the Rare Studio to bring the popular characters to life, Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing sees Banjo and Kazooie taking their place on the starting grid alongside classic SEGA characters such as Sonic, AiAi, Amy, Knuckles and Ryo Hazuki. As well as mastering the drift system to get the best out of the tracks, and picking up weapons such as Sonic speed boots and homing rockets along the way, Banjo and his faithful sidekick Kazooie will be able to unleash their own unique All-Star move in a bid to cross the finish line in pole position!
Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing will also be the first racing game for the Xbox 360 to feature fully playable Avatars. Have you ever pictured yourself speeding around the lush green hills of Sonic’s Seaside Hill Zone? Or wondered how you’d look rolling around the levels of Super Monkey Ball? Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing will allow your Avatar to hop in to the All-Stars Racing “Avacar” and put your pedal to the metal around SEGA world inspired tracks! If you find yourself towards the back of the race, or taking hits from everyone’s weapons, it’s your friends that will come to your rescue in the Avatar All-Star move, with recognisable faces from your Xbox LIVE Friends List offering a helping hand!
“We’re very excited to see Banjo and Kazooie back on the screen racing against these great SEGA characters” said Shintaro Kanaoya, Head of Business Strategy and Development at Rare. “We’re also very proud to see the Xbox 360 Avatars, which were conceived of and developed at Rare, incorporated into the game and allowing players to put themselves in the driving seat. The project has been an excellent collaboration between Rare and SEGA, and we’re looking forward to its retail release and tearing around the tracks!”
David Gosen, Vice President, Xbox EMEA says “Avatar characters are fast becoming integral to gaming for the Xbox 360 owner. We are therefore really excited to be bringing them to life as fully playable in this world exclusive. It’s even more thrilling to be launching this activity with such a big title especially when it heralds the return of Banjo & Kazooie to the platform.”
“Having characters as big as Banjo and Kazooie in the Xbox 360 version of game is huge for Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing,” commented Gary Knight, European Marketing Director, SEGA Europe Ltd. “SEGA are proud to have been able to work with such an acclaimed development team as Rare and to go one step further by being one of the first publishers to put truly playable Avatars in a game, really cements SEGA’s commitment to working with first party partners, bringing the best possible content for individual platforms.”
Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing sees Sonic and friends speed around tracks set in medieval castle ramparts, lush rainforests and bustling cities, all taken from the visually rich and varied universes of Sonic and SEGA. Are you gonna be faster than Sonic?
Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing featuring Banjo Kazooie will be in stores Early 2010.
The U.S. version of the Press Release (revealed via the SEGA of America blog with the Banjo-Kazooie artwork) ends a little differently –
Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing featuring Banjo Kazooie will be in stores Feb 2010.
Let’s hope a European release month/date is revealed soon.
Alright! This is one game on my list that I’m sure to pre-order in 2010!
IGN correspondent – ” any words to the other console companies missing out on exclusives Mr.Kanaoya? ”
“…..”
“…. ****ah You Nintendoroh! and ****ah You Sony! ”
IGN correspondent – ” And there you have it folks, things are sure to heat up this February, so keep your eyes peeled for this title! Back to you in the studio ”
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*Every time someone says Sonic Adventure 2 was good, all Sonic players worldwide are disconnected from their online Smash Bros Brawl game*
I’m really impressed with everything I’ve seen and heard about this game so far. I just hope that after all this hype, it actually plays good. Mario Kart could do with some decent competition.