[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3x3n7OvPPE[/youtube]
1UP.com and IGN.com recently got some hands-on time with SEGA’s first Kinect for Xbox 360 title Sonic Free Riders, 1UP.com’s preview comes in video form and IGN’s in written form but they say a video version is coming. 1UP seem pretty positive and both testers agree it controls very well, while IGN think it will cater more to the younger crowd than the hardcore gamer.
New weapons are shown in 1UP’s footage including a bowling ball, which we assume replaces the bowling bomb in previous games, and a golf club. Did we say a golf club? Yes, a golf club for whacking your opponents with. Another thing you may notice in the footage is Sonic swimming, without his life jacket from Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, we’ll let you debate that and everything else in the previews in the comments section.
Don’t forget to check out five new screenshots from IGN’s preview below –
Sources: IGN(thanks fammicomander at the SSMB) and 1UP via Spindash.de
Sonic can’t swim. This game is awful on those grounds alone.
supersrs
I think this game looks like a good laugh.
I just can’t see myself sitting…standing up on my own playing Kinetic games.
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡ hey hey!!!! Sonic can´t swim !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Its a spin off, get over it 😛
Maybe someone finally taught him how? My money’s on Amy.
But… Aren’t hedgehogs supposed to be good swimmers?
It all started to weird me out once I saw Sonic using golf clubs and bowling balls…….can’t we just stick to the bloody racing?!
Well, the fountain does just push anyone forward… swimming or not. (Just like in Hydrocity Zone?) :O
Also, glad the Air System is back. :]
@ Blue Blood
Sonic is able to swim in Brawl, yet that’s one of the best games ever. So you can’t discredit the game just for that.
I discredit the game because it is on XBOX and I don’t like XBOX (I am shamelessly biased). But I do hope this game does well and is fun, so to help Sonic’s rep.
It’s looks fun but i don’t want to spend $200 for this one game.
Sonic swam in SatAM in the episode “Warp Sonic”. That was also a badass show.:O While it’s funny to have him afraid of water, I think for the game’s sake that SONIC can get away with it in his own game.
@ sonictoast:
I think Blue Blood was being humorous.
@Sonictoast
He doesnt swim in Brawl, he splashes ’till he drowns.
Also I think in that part of the track, the water is already pushing Sonic outside, but you swing his arms to change the direction/go faster wich makes sense.
Well, if their’s one thing that will rock, iot’s the music. I mean, seriously, listen to that soundtrack!
Well, he looks like he’s more flopping around than swimming….. it reminds me a bit of the currents in Hydrocity Zone, when you get sucked in by a current.
But hey, some things don’t have to make sense. It’s better to keep going and ignore it. ^^
So Sonic can swim now?
Now all he needs to do is to learn how to breath underwater and he’ll be friggin’ UNSTOPPABLE!1! =P
May not pick this one up. Money and “control scheme” being reasons why.
Golf club? Sonic DIVING? Riders getting good reception?
Alright, who f***ed up the universe?
Seriously looks like a fun game but not worth the 200 bucks.
Actually it’s kinda embarrassing when every Kinect game shown at E3 from Microsoft is less interesting, than a 3rd party title.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Kinect fall flat on it’s face.
sonic can,t swim
@ everybody complaining about sonic’s sudden ability to swim
The creators of sonic (Iziuka/Naka?) at first thought hedgehogs were terrible swimmers. They apologized.What have other series done? Either retcon it or “develop” it.
We can conclude that Sonic’s ability to swim has improved over the years. SSBB acknowledged his ability, giving him the shortest swim-time. However, as we seen that Sonic, learning how to ride an extreme gear only days before, beat Jet, an seasoned pro, and beat KING Arthur after learning how to hold a sword only days ago, Sonic is a fast learner. It’s entirely possible that he has learned how to swim
@Milo the Echidna
Couldn’t of said it better myself. If people can accept Sonic learning these things quick, why not now? Sure it’s a series staple that he can’t swim, but hey. Everyone learns eventually. Besides, it might only be for this game. Never know really. At the end of the day, Sonic swimming is a pointless argument to begin with.
It’s just for the gameplay, Sonic can’t really swim.
I really can’t form an opinion on this game without trying it out. I can’t decide if it looks fun, or if it would just be tiring.
I’m kind of “eh” just watching it, I gotta try it first-hand.
This actually looks like fun! And more along the lines of the first Riders, which is the best for now. So….with that said….GREAT, looks like i need to get a Kinect…
Hmm, the game looks kinda fun. It sort’ve gives the whole hoverboard theme an acual purpose being on the connect, not to mention the KINET having a purpose for having a Sonic game. lol
As for Sonic swimming, I had just thought of that when they specifically showed HIM swimming through it. I’d assume all the characters would. But then again they all sorta just float through the currents and the “swimming” is just to go faster isn’t it? idk. Then again, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games was the first I heard of Sonic’s swimming point in the video game world. Otherwise, he’s only not been able to swim in Sonic Underground and Sonic OVA (both where Knuckles has a voice that matches his design more as well as being able to spin his arms) and Sonic X.
I can’t really count the old games except his profiles and manuals as Tails’ swimming was to match his flying above water while Knuckles is a great swimming in Sonic Underground and Sonic Adventure 2 Battle but isn’t seen swimming in the old games either.
Let’s just say it’s just gameplay and as a programming he would automatically do that for being a “body” going through the course in general. =P
@PrjectZuel
Umm…NO!
That’d be a little fun but being able to attack each other is MORE fun. Hence Mario Kart, Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing and even freakin BLUR which has nothing to do with these games. xD
It’s fun-themed and competitive. Got a problem with that, don’t use it and request your friends not to use it. If they feel like using it, obviously they wanna use it. xD Maybe there will be a setting for it or something. xP
Guys why do you complain about SUPER MINOR THINGS! Is it really that important if Sonic can swim or not in Sonic Free Riders? NO! seriously it’s not going to make the game any worse! And even though it’s off topic why complain about the Modern Style of Sonic 4 Episode 1, Seriously it’s things like this that really get me to notice that YOU’RE LOOKING FOR ALL THE BAD THINGS OF SONIC INSTEAD OF THE GOOD THINGS!!! Give SEGA a chance for once!!! JUST ONCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DieHardSonicFan = Epic Win.
@SonikkuHedgehog
Agreed.
DieHardSonicFan = Actual Sonic Fan. (then again it’s his name so yeah xD)
@ Diehardsonicfan:
Calm down guy. Seriously nobody is really upset that Sonic can swim, we’re just making fun of it.
Oh and for the 2. thing nostalgia is a big reason.
Imagine they would change his current design again dramatically. What would you think?
Anyway I couldn’t care less as long I have my fun Sonic game.
Maybe Sonic has learnt to swim?
If so wish he could teach me 😀 Game looks fun but they could have done it on the Wii balance board ages ago. Infact they should do that! 😀 Don’ think I’ll be forking out for Kenetix tho. don’t think its worth the money but I do Like the riders games. Although will never beat the awesomeness of Sonic R.
Hopefully see loads of you tomorrow not that you’ll know who I am but hey. 😛
Summer of Sonic Here I come.
This is only a spinoff game anyway, so it doesn’t really matter if Sonic has suddenly gained the ability to swim..
@SonikkuHedgehog & Ax: Thanks for the comments! XD and yeah I am a true Sonic Fan.
@Eggman123: First of all let me just say I am really glad you didn’t come at me with swearing. To answer you’re question I guess it would be a little weird if the style suddenly changed but just like you I couldn’t care less as long as I’ve got my fun Sonic game. But is the design of classic or modern that important? Just askin.
@ Diehardsonicfan:
I don’t know why it is a big deal to many, but I can only guess that it’s because of childhood memories.
Well this debate somewhat died off anyway.
It’s all about uncurling and air momentum now.
On-topic, I really look forward to the reviews of this game.
Imo Riders found his home, as a family motion-gimmick game.
To me, it looks like the current’s pushing him along (like in recovery areas) and he’s just kinda flailing his arms. Like what people do when they CAN’T SWIM.
@DieHardSonicFan
YEP! Same here. I don’t go on a rampage over flaws. Mistakes happen. And I don’t think it sucks unless it actually sucks. Other than that I either like something or don’t, and except it’s just based on my personal taste and not on the game itself. =P
@Eggman123
Well I don’t know why. I assume it’s because fans are afraid of growing up. Particular “hardcore” fans who are usually those who have a passion for the series more than other things in life, thus, it is one of the only few things they care about and contributes to the hard path of maturing and changing.
As for the design changing again, we he somewhat has but it’s not as drastic. It’s half as drastic (which I say because classic design to Adventure design was drastic but still VERY much the same). It really depends on if they’re making him look better or uglier. When I was little and was playing Sonic 3 & Knuckles on Genesis, I got these magazines of Sonic Adventure for some reason and saw Sonic’s design. I figured it was just a better artist and better visuals/graphics. xD Other than that, I thought he looked less bubbly and more “cool”. I’ve found that Sonic’s looks were always somewhat meant to match his personality. =)
But as long as Sonic can deliver fun and anything that can interest and entertain me, regardless of whether it’s different or not, I support that. xD
Im actually surprised then even made a third game. The graphics look a lot better than the last wii game but like somebody else said, Im not buying a kinect just to play only this game. And I think they should have just made a remake of riders and not a full new game because it’s not really fair that others are going to miss it. Oh well, maybe they create a wii version using the wii fit thing in the future.