After a failed attempt at futuristic racing on both the PlayStation 2 and Nintendo Wii, we were expecting better things with Sonic Riders’ third go-around, this time on the Microsoft Kinect. We figured that Sega had learned its lesson by now, skipping all the gimmicky formalities in favor of a smooth playing futuristic racer. Unfortunately, Sonic Team has yet to learn its lesson, as Sonic Free Riders simply can’t get the job done. As with previous entries in the series, Sonic Free Riders has a fast-paced high-tech presentation. The tracks look like they were taken straight out of the Wipeout world, complete with numerous structures and dazzling neon touches. There are also plenty of twists and turns on each track, along with boost points and occasional shortcuts that provide a chance to give you the lead. The frame rate runs very smoothly, even when a lot is happening on-screen, and the music keeps up pace. However, we could’ve done without the monotonous announcing. C’mon, Sega, put some heart into it. But appearance was never Sonic Riders’ biggest fault.
The reason the past two games in the series didn’t fare well was because Sega failed to implement addictive gameplay. Turns ended up being too hard to take, power-ups didn’t work so effectively, and computer AI was way unbalanced. However, Sega manages to make matters even worse with the Kinect version. Along with the returning AI issues and power-up issues (you actually need to initiate throwing motions to activate them), steering has been completely overhauled to use the Kinect. You have to stand sideways in order to begin a race (rather than face forward, like with other games) and lean to the left or right to steer. You also need to perform complex actions to perform tricks off of ramps, including a crouch-and-leap action and a quick spin. It’s a very physical game, but it ends up being all for naught. The fact of the matter is, steering in Sonic Free Riders is incredibly frustrating. You’ll find yourself leaning over heavily just to keep from hitting the walls, only being successful half the time. Plus, if you have a bad back, this game will be absolutely murder on you.
The jumping motions are more awkward than enjoyable, and the spinning tricks barely work. And by barely, we should say never, though there were a couple of times we accidentally pulled them off – only to botch the landing, which isn’t a good thing. The single player campaign is frustrating thanks to the gameplay and AI issues, and multiplayer fares no better. While the game supports Xbox Live hook-ups, the lobby was barren during each of our visits. Co-op and local two-player matches are also available, but if one of you is having struggles trying to play properly, do you really think things will fare any better with a friend in tow? Sonic Free Riders is clearly the black sheep when it comes to Kinect-powered racing. Its presentation goes the distance, but the cruddy gameplay and unbalanced AI keep this ride firmly grounded. Get your cruising kicks elsewhere.
