SEGA Announces Sonic Free Riders For Xbox 360 Kinect

SEGA of America and SEGA Europe have officially announced Sonic Free Riders for Microsoft’s Kinect for Xbox 360. The the much-rumoured title was revealed as a launch title at Microsoft’s E3 Press Conference for its Kinect peripheral, which will launch in North America November 4th 2010.


SEGA have unveiled the above artwork and logo as well as new info contained in a press release which you can see below.

SEGA ANNOUNCES ITS FIRST TITLE FOR “KINECT” FOR Xbox 360
Sonic Free Riders™ brings full body motion controlled fast-paced boarding action into people’s homes!

LOS ANGELES (June 14th, 2010) – SEGA Europe Ltd. & SEGA America Inc., today announced Sonic Free Riders™. Set for release Holiday 2010, Sonic Free Riders™ offers an extreme fast-paced boarding game and is developed to take full advantage of “Kinect” for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft.

For the first time ever in a SEGA game, full-motion body control will allow you to twist and turn your way through a range of visually stunning courses in an action-packed Sonic experience unlike any other! “Kinect’s” unique motion sensor means Sonic Free Riders™ will see family and friends controlling their fully customisable hover board or bike by twisting, turning and jumping in an exhilarating race to be the first to cross the finish line!

Choosing from one of your favourite Sonic characters, or your own Avatar, you can reach out and grab a variety of pickups along the course. By throwing, shaking, or swinging your arms to launch your weapon, you can gain the competitive edge over your rivals in high octane single or multiplayer races.

“SEGA is immensely excited to be a part of Microsoft’s line up for “Kinect” for Xbox 360, the full body motion control is an innovative avenue allowing for complete immersion in the game” commented Gary Knight, Senior Vice President of Marketing at SEGA Europe and SEGA America. “This is a whole new way to play as Sonic! By providing a complete level of freedom, movement and ease of play, “Kinect” for Xbox 360 and Sonic Free Riders ensures all the family can enjoy the thrill of racing as if they were actually on their hover boards.”

Sonic Free Riders™ will be available to play with “Kinect” for Xbox 360 for Holiday 2010.

TSS Staff nuckles87 and Jason the Jackass are at the show to bring you coverage of all things Sonic at E3 so stick with us for more developments.

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38 Comments

  1. No… Kinect? This is disastrous! I hope to god that it’s compatible with the standard controller…

  2. Put it like this… whats effectively Sonic Riders 3 was the most exciting thing of the whole MS conference…. that says it all!

  3. Well, I just wasted an hour and a half of my time. Sonic Free Riders was the only thing that peaked my interest at Microsoft’s press conference. Hopefully Nintendo and Sony will do better.

  4. Wait, i have a gift, i share my special gifts with you guys, i can see the future, i see, IGN.COM, i enter to (xbox 360 kinect ), i wait, i see a wendy’s spot, i skip it, i see now, Sonic free riders Review, wow, you cant believe me, i see a 3.2 in total score, wow, awful control and lack music…
    Okey,,,you know what, i dont need any gift to know that.

    Lets the milking begins.

  5. @crap: Hilarious, yet I think it will be true. Personally, I’m not going to buy up Free Riders.

    What I’m really stoked for is Forza with Kinect coming in 2011.

  6. I am not looking forward to this game at all, and guess what, it’s the most interesting Kinect game so far

  7. Here’s hoping for a good entry into the series.

    Can’t help but feel a little left out, though. I don’t have a 360, nor will I be able to afford one, let alone one with Kinect packed in with it.

  8. @Shadzter

    You may want to remove that square-bracket you have as the headline…

  9. Never liked Riders really, but good for the peeps who enjoy it that they´re making a new one. The first game, for me, was just flooded with frustration (never beat it), I also never played the second game. So, count me out for this one aswell. Just not my cup of tea I guess! :/

  10. @Scartillery
    Thanks, I originally had a [SEGA Update] there with an update part of the article but decided to clean the title and article up instead but missed that bracket lol!

  11. Good, I loved the first one, couldn’t play the second one as I don’t have a Wii, cool that the xbox is gonna get some new Sonic too.

  12. I’m guessing this is just going to be the original sonic riders with a camera control system

  13. Not another Sonic Riders. The first one was great (in my opinion), Zero Gravity sucked and now this? I will definitely buy this cause I am just a big Sonic fan as any other but to me Riders died after Zero Gravity. Bad controls, lame story and slow (and it being a Sonic game thats a major problem) Lets just hope that there aren’t any air or gravity type gimmicks that will no doubt sink this game faster than the S.S. Cement Shoes.

  14. Boooo it not being on PS3 or Wii!

    And guys, don’t complain about a game like this being made. You don’t have to play it.

  15. @Jim-x

    I know I don’t have to play it,
    Its just upsetting that if this flops, which is higly likely, it’ll be another blow to our beloved mascots reputation from every rutheless reviewer out there D=

    Sonic 4, Sonic Colours, All stars racing.. we were on a roll =P

  16. I think I would be sadder if it was a game I cared about.
    Other than that… I can’t look! Here comes the reviewers!
    *goes to hide*

    Poor Sonic…. I don’t think his reputation can take anymore hits…..

  17. Me and Nux just got back from getting our badges. Looks like I have a Kinect game to try out, but to be honest this is one Sonic game I’m not too hyped over.

    Oh, we peeked into the South Hall and saw the Sega booth with Sonic Colors posters up!

  18. After the last game, id have thought, thered be nothing else anyone could do here.

    As long as the presentation and the controls are built with effort, id be more than happy to check out the game. I hope it comes with online play!!

    Whats a Kinect? anyone?

    Im asking because this is for the XBOX world and thats not really my specialty.

  19. I would so buy this, but Kinetic sounds far to expensive, and it’d be likely that this would be the only game i’d buy for it =/ so looks like i’ll have to give it a miss unfortunately =(

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