CNET Networks Entertainment GameSpot | GameFAQs | SportsGamer | Metacritic | MP3.com | TV.com
Home | About Metacritic | About Metascores | What's New | Wireless Versions | Discussion Forums | Advertising Inquiries | Contact Us | RSS
Metacritic.com: We Deal With Criticism
     Help
> Switch to Advanced Search  
Film Video/DVD Music Games TV

Games

Playstation Reviews
PS3 | PS2 | PS One | PSP

Xbox Reviews
Xbox 360 | Xbox

Nintendo Reviews
Wii | DS | GBA | Cube | N64


PC | N-Gage | Dreamcast

How Metascores Are Calculated
Discuss Games In Our Forums

 

Upcoming & Recent Releases

sort by name sort by score

Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed games.



Printer-Friendly Version Email This Page Discuss In Our Forums
Sonic Shuffle drm Game Reviews
Sonic Shuffle
Critic Score
Metascore: 54 Metascore out of 100
User Score  
9.0 out of 10
based on 21 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
based on 10 votes
Read user comments
Rate this game

PUBLISHER: Sega
DEVELOPER: Sega
GENRE(S): Puzzle
PLAYERS: 4
ESRB RATING: E (Everyone)
RELEASE DATE: November 14, 2000

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

82
Antagonist
With a lot of creativity, Sonic Team has taken the boardgame to the digital age, and made a fun, sometimes frustrating board game that is a lot more than throwing some dice and moving around a rectangle.
80
GamePro
Can be tedious in one-player mode, but it's clearly intended for multiplayer fun. Although it's the only party game for Dreamcast, Sonic Shuffle deals a great hand for all to play.
Read Full Review
70
Dreamcast HQ
If you intend on playing by yourself, don't expect to win anytime soon. The computer players are cheap, if not downright nasty.
67
Sega X
Hello. My name's John and I'm a disappointed gamer.
67
Game Revolution
There are so many rules, combos, mini-games and quests that it's easy to get more than a little confused. But the essence of the game is fun, and all of the variation leaves tons of room for competition.
Read Full Review
64
Gaming Maxx
As much as I'd like to say yet another great Sonic title, this one just doesn't deliver past its looks and sound. So sorry to say this, but here's a Sonic game you probably should avoid.
Read Full Review
60
Hot Games
Play it long enough and you may start to enjoy it, but the long load times and cheap AI mean you'll likely never get to that point.
Read Full Review
60
Happy Puppy
If you're looking to feel bored and frustrated, pick up Sonic Shuffle.
Read Full Review
60
DC Swirl
Drops the ball in pacing, rewarding gameplay, technical use of the system (read: LOADING) and even the storyline. It's still moderately fun, but the potential for a blockbuster new franchise is not evident.
Read Full Review
55
Planet Dreamcast
Not only is the game lacking in innovation, but it's dragged way, way down by uneven and confusing mini games, far too many load-time interruptions and horrible, sophomoric music.
Read Full Review
52
Da Gameboyz
With frustrating gameplay and painful load times, this game just not fun.
50
Gaming Age
Most players will feel disappointed by Sonic Shuffle, especially if they expect a game of the same quality as other Sonic ones. Overall, Sonic Shuffle isn't awful, but the Dreamcast's library offers plenty of better choices.
Read Full Review
50
Games Radar UK (Pre-2006)
It's the snail's pace of the action that is Sonic Shuffle's main undoing. Against the computer, even with the speed of the moves turned up, it's agonisingly drawn-out and often just plain boring.
Read Full Review
47
IGN
Everything that can make a board game less enjoyable is done here... and I'm talking about load times up the wazoo, complex instructions, and too many options that will bewilder most players, especially during a multiplayer game.
Read Full Review
46
AllDreamcast
With the exception of the graphics, Sonic Shuffle does everything wrong. Don't be fooled by the visuals. Even fans of Sonic (and I'm one of them) will be extremely disappointed.
45
GameSpot
Not only a poorly realized party game, it's also a boring one to boot.
Read Full Review
45
GamerWeb Sega
For the love of gaming, avoid this title like the plague.
Read Full Review
42
Game Fan
Almost everything that "Mario Party" did right, Sonic Shuffle does wrong, and to add insult to injury, it expects you to sit through repeated, lengthy load sessions to get to the next sequence of absolute un-fun.
40
CNET Gamecenter
A game that blends all the fun of a long tedious board game with the excitement of staring at a loading screen!
30
Spank!
If the design document for Sonic Shuffle contained anything more than the sentence "Make a clone of Mario Party but with Sonic characters" I'll be very much surprised. (But) Sega HQ left out the all-important instruction of: "Make sure you don't leave out all the good bits".
25
Core Magazine
Load times and boring mini-games will have this one appearing in the used game bin faster than you can say "ugh." It's my duty as a human being to warn all against even thinking about buying this game.
Read Full Review

What Our Users Said

Vote Now! The average user rating for this game is 9.0 (out of 10) based on 10 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Zaron X. gave it an 8:
The game is not BAD, per se. Reviewers acclaim the graphics while dissing the game, but it should really be the other way around. The graphics are the SUCK. Overall, though, the game is fun. Mini games include shooting each other in tanks, passing bombs back and forth, jumping rope over a pit of doom, various random things, and about a billion different versions of tag. Playing against the computer is a mule, to say the least, but that makes it horribly amusing when you dominate them and get to the climactic (and only) boss battle in the game against Void. Multiplayer can be a lot of fun, with a little practice and no computer players. Unless you get paired up with someone with decent skill, the computer will OWN you. Get four players. For your own bloody good, get four players, lest you die a horrible and unspeakable death. Never pair up with a n00b against the computer. You WILL wind up playing with them against the computer in any 2-on-2 games. And you WILL lose if any cooperation is involved. Practice your partner. Game is fun. Computer is mean. Kill them, and you will be happy.

[Anonymous] gave it a 9:
Great graphics, fun gameplay and an amazing multiplayer experience makes this game amazing. The one player game can be quite difficult, but it's nice to have a challenge in a sonic game for once, eh? Overall decent game, music fitting, imaginative storyline.

David M. gave it a 10:
Well I think this game is not that bad at all it just needs so more mini games where you actually win more force jewels and ring combos. The music especially the introduction music is excellent without no doubt it is really cool. Sonic Room the picture prices could have been a little lower but otherwise thats not such a bad idea either. Peace Out.

Kaiza N. gave it a 9:
Ok, let me first start off by saying I have never played it yet, but I have read both sides of the reviews and here is my side of this. First of on graphics. Well remember that this is a party game, this is not Sonic so things change. The graphics are 2d and so are the charecters, kind of like a board game. Sonic Adventure is an action packed game while Shuffle is a party game, so you have to take both types of games for consideration. And as far as Shuffle emulating Mario Party, that's good. I think that is a good idea because of people who don't have a Nintendo 64 but wanting to play a game like Mario Party, this is their chance. As far as sound and music goes. This game isn't as fast paced, so don't expect Sonic Adventure type of music. I think that Music fitting each type of level and map is a good idea. Remember, if they are making a party game, the closer to Mario Party the better, and Mini Events make it even better. And on the difficulty. While it is commonly known that the computer does cheat, imagaine how good you would be if you could beat a cheating computer right and left, how can anyone beat you. I think it is good practice. On to the storyline. I am not going to give the storyline, because if you want it you should read a faq about the game. Anyway, party games in general don't have great storylines, even Mario Party didn't have a great one. On to loading times. Some Dreamcast games have loading times roughly ten times the 10-18 seconds you wait before you play a mini game or mini event [Worms Armageddon, MDK are two such examples]. Also, if you took the time to start practicing and getting better instead of losing once and finding each and every minute mistake this game has and making a big deal about it, you should play more and get better so maybe after you finally get good enough, you should be able to beat those cheating computers and maybe then you might enjoy this game. [These are the same kind of people who do the same thing in rpgs and spend most of thier time play racing games primarily, I call them pessimists, you can call them whatever you want.] Anyway, I think as far as the replay value, it depends. At the very start, the first time you play and you lose badly you want to give the game up, but if you have the patience to continue playing and never give up, the replay value rises the more you play it. It rises even higher if you have 3 other friends with controllers and vmus so they can play also. What I am saying is the more patient you are the more fun the game is for you. Instead of comparing this game to Sonic Adventure [completely different type of game] and start comparing it to Mario Party. This game has more charecters then Mario party 6 to 8 and some games are more fun then some on Mario Party and some are worse. All in all I think this is a pretty good version of Mario Party

Hawk N. gave it an 8:
This game aint as bad as most people say, the music can get annoying and can get cool, the graphics aren't to great but I don't really value that. If you liked "Mario Party" you should try this out and by the way, the loading times aren't as long as people say.

gangster 10453 gave it a 9:
The game is cool the graphics are not to bad and the mini games are fun but a certin board called firebird is really the down fall it is sobering. u wish u were in a vienmese conction camp.

Discuss this game in our forums

Return to top of page
Home | FILM | DVD/VIDEO | MUSIC | GAMES | TV | Forums | About Metacritic metacritic.com

Popular on CBS sites: Fantasy Football | Miley Cyrus | MLB | iPhone 3G | GPS | Recipes | Shwayze | NFL

About CNET Networks | Jobs | Advertise

© 2008 CNET Networks, Inc., a CBS Company. All rights reserved. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use