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Sonic Rush Adventure

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8.7 User Score:

Generally favorable reviews

Based on 32 critic reviews
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Based on 17 votes
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Game Info

Publisher: Sega

Developer: Sega Studios

Genre(s): Action, Platform

Players: 2

ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)

Release Date: September 18, 2007

Summary

Sonic returns to the DS with all the classic 2D dual screen action of "Sonic Rush," as well as a new high-seas adventure where he clashes with ruthless pirates. As Sonic, set off from Windmill Village to explore seven islands for action-packed adventures spread across a large map. As you venture, you'll uncover valuable items and materials that will help Tails build new ships so that Sonic can track down the villainous pirates in a variety of ways. With a fleet of up to five ships, including a submarine, water bike, and hovercraft, you will use the touch screen technology in exciting new ways to control your ships as you race across the ocean gathering rings, busting tricks, and torching pirate ships in fierce ship-to-ship battles. At the end of each level, test your skills in epic 3D boss battles that span both screens, including the ultimate showdown with the evil pirate, Captain Whisker. A high-speed ocean adventure: Battle with wicked pirates both on land and at sea throughout 14 action stages on seven different islands. Navigate the oceans and perform aerial tricks to avoid treacherous water mines and aim your cannons during ship-to-ship battles by using the stylus and touch screen on the Nintendo DS. Compete with friends via Wireless DS Single-Card Download Play in two battle modes. Two players will face-off in intense dual screen races or collect the most items spread throughout the map in exciting mission battles. [Sega]

Also On Metacritic

GAMES: Sonic Rush

Cheat Codes & Hints: Cheat Code Central

Also On The Web: Official Website

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...

Nintendojo

New and old interwoven, Sonic Rush Adventure is a shining example of what a sequel can and should be.

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Official Nintendo Magazine UK

A consummate Sonic experience, reminding us exactly why the blue blur was great in the first place - plus, it's got tons of replay value tucked inside. [Oct 2007, p.84]

Nintendo Power

Sonic's become somthing of a message-board whipping boy these days, but Sonic Rush Adventure proves that the ol' hedgehog can still deliver a top-notch platformer. [Nov 2007, p.100]

GotNext

It's great to see Dimps and Sonic Team really hit the bull's-eye. The classic Sonic games stand among the best 2D platformers ever, and it's been difficult to see the franchise lose much of its former glory.

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AceGamez

Like a gift that never stops giving, Sonic Rush Adventure is chock-full of content that never gets dull.

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Worth Playing

It's far from a perfect package, but whether you're a veteran who remembers the series' heyday back on the Sega Genesis or a newbie looking to dip your feet into the series, you won't be disappointed with Sonic Rush Adventure.

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Games Master UK

A reminder why Sonic has lasted 16 years. Fast, frantic and, most importantly, fun. [Oct 2007, p.71]

Cheat Code Central

Overall, I thought this game was an excellent representation of a series that has a sacred place in the heart of many a gamer.

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Play Magazine

True to form Sonic Team gets the action just right on the DS. [Oct 2007, p.98]

NintendoWorldReport

The main mode of the game is a little short, and some poor game structure choices dampen the playability a bit, but that doesn’t erase the fact that the game includes some of the best platforming experiences available.

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GamePro

Another great aspect of the game was its length: while there are only seven islands in total, there is a surprising amount of content that is unlocked. The graphics are also excellent as are the designs and layouts of the various levels.

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Maxi Consolas (Portugal)

A great platformer and one of the best Sonic games in side scrolling. Along with Wii’s The Secret Rings it’s probably enough to dislodge Sonic the Hedgehog for the 360 and PS3 from our memory. [Nov 2007]

Jolt Online Gaming UK

Once you’ve got to grips with your stylus as Sonic manfully sends plumes of salty white foam splashing over the hot pussy pressed against you, you’ll forget the MegaDrive even existed [naughty, naughty – Ed]. For a while, at least.

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Gamer 2.0

While Sonic Rush Adventure has some tedious rough edges to it, it's definitely a true blue Sonic experience to be had on the Nintendo DS.

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Modojo

Overall, though, it's still a step in the right direction for the 'hog, especially considering where he's been lulling over the past couple of years.

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GameSpot

The extra bells and whistles that Sonic Rush Adventure add to the formula might not equate to much of an overall improvement, and the game might not have as much impact as its predecessor, but this is still a mighty-fine platformer that is guaranteed to satisfy Sonic fans.

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Pocket Gamer UK

Fun and furious, whether in terms of 2D platforming or 3D mini-gaming, Sonic Rush Adventure proves you can teach an old hedgehog new tricks.

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GameDaily

The music disappoints and the new characters lack that certain Sonic Team charm, but they don't slow down an otherwise very fulfilling adventure.

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Eurogamer

All in all, a bit of a must-have.

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IGN

Sonic Rush Adventure is an improved and worthy sequel to Sonic Rush, definitely the game to get if you haven't already made the leap with the original title.

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VideoGamer

While the game is not a massive departure from Sonic Adventure, and at £30 it's a tad expensive for the play-time you get, if you're new to the series on DS or love all things Sonic, we heartily recommend it. One of the best games on the system.

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G4 TV

Another solid DS game starring the little blue hedgehog, and will likely count as one of the only reasons series fans won’t write off Sonic and his friends anytime soon.

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1UP

The most obvious addition was the addition of dual screens and polygonal graphical elements. But the "tension meter," which built as players performed one-button aerial tricks and allowed bursts of even greater speed, is what really made the game so exhilarating.

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PALGN

Sonic Rush Adventure is in many ways an improvement over its predecessor, but an ill-conceived plot, annoying new characters and an awful lot of repetition hold it back from being truly great.

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Game Informer

Multiplayer now includes online play, but most people will probably focus on bettering their online time trial rankings.

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GameTrailers

Sonic Rush Adventure more or less hits all the notes we’ve come to expect in a good Sonic game. It stays largely in safe, familiar territory, which is not necessarily a bad thing.

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Electronic Gaming Monthly

Like these guys say, the standard Sonic action is easily the main draw, especially when it gets more challenging--and satisfying--toward the end. [Oct 2007, p.102]

NGamer UK

This isn't as mind-spinningly enjoyable as we hoped. [Nov 2007, p.54]

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Zentendo

While the standard levels are classic fast-paced Sonic action, some of the standard adventure mode elements are a mixed bag. The game is over too soon and the game is to fragmented.

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Game Revolution

Boring repetition.

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Edge Magazine

Often dwarfing the key action, these minigames are a manifestation of a series that’s been unrecognisably perverted from its original purpose, flashes of brilliance or speed only serving as a reminder of what has been lost. [Nov 2007, p.99]

games(TM)

A Sonic game struggling for its own identity. [Nov 2007, p.108]

What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 8.7 (out of 10) based on 17 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Mark K. gave it a9:
An improvment over Sonic's previous DS outing, and just the type of gameplay that fans demand of rather then the trash offered by Shadow's guns. It makes more use of the touch screen and sailing across the ocean world certainly works well. It's still as fast and frantic as ever, but my only complaint is that you still only play as Sonic and Blaze. Prehaps if you got to play as Tails, Knuckels or even the new Marine it would offer a bit more.

Dack C. gave it an8:
The hype and spree of critical praise that briefly enshrouded Sonic Rush seemed not so much to do with its gameplay than with its breaking the chain of stale mediocrity that had bogged down the series for about the past half-decade. This feat, in retrospect, was far more impressive (Let's face facts; Shadow had a gun, for Christ's sake), but the truth is the game was simply decent to the Advance series' tepid. Its flaws were still there; in its buzzkill enemy placement, lackluster bosses, and of course, the abundance of bottomless pits. But some more-inspired level design, Hideki Naganuma-penned music, and higher bracket of half-baked plot helped the game feel a whole lot fresher than the shallow GBA trilogy. Well, Sonic Rush Adventure capitalizes on that freshness. In fact, it smacks the nail so square on the head that it really feels like the kind of game that should be made on the DS, instead of a lazy Genesis-glory-day-chase. Someone at either Sega or Dimps did their homework on those 90's titles and came out merely with enough inspiration to patch up the leaky spots of Rush. The result is an honest-to-God sequel. Anything and everything you liked about Rush's gameplay is in here, only difference is whatever rubbed you the wrong way is probably gone as well. Each and every one of the bosses (barring the first) is a delicious challenge because of the strategy required, (instead of the maddening necessity to avoid cheap auto-kill hits); the badniks are in the right spots (and much more interesting-looking than all that Egg Pawn inanity); and somehow surviving the plothole nexus of Sonic 360, Blaze reprises her role as the lone playable alternative, but save for some Sol Emerald boss-replay challenges, she's purely optional this time out. Meaning you only have to play the same game once this time. Sure, it's probably beginning to sound like a showcase of improvement, but if Rush Adventure has one fault, it's a refusal to say when. To pad out the skimpy seven-zone playtime, you have to access these levels by setting sail and steering some kind of vessel to each one. You'll start with a fun (but short-range) jet-ski and expand to a set of larger-range ships that seem to exist only to make you miss the jet-ski enough to not mind it's also the meat and potatoes of the special stages. It can be tedious—the map feels a lot bigger than it is when you have to sail through it all yourself—but the DIY-approach can also be rather rewarding (as in, "don't think Sonic Advance 3's painfully useless between-act lobby-labyrinths"). On top of the structured game, you've got to track down seven Chaos emeralds, hidden island levels that hold the trigger to the seven Sol emeralds, and don't forget a laundry list of unlockable replay missions. After beating the last level, the linear structure disappears, and it's a very open-ended quest to explore the map and fulfill an enjoyably large amount of replayability before you finally get the emeralds required for the obligatory super-epilogue. Whether or not you enjoy exploring the island is hands down the dealbreaker between whether Rush or Rush Adventure is the more entertaining title, but if you find a mode of transportation you like in addition to the addictive jet-ski, (may I recommend the submarine, in all its arrhythmic Elite Beat Agents-bastardizing glory) it shouldn't even be that much of a contest.

Josh R. gave it an8:
While not phenomeonal, it is a large improvement over the last few years of Sonic games and will please anyone who wants that retro feel.

nam1018 gave it a10:
Better than the first.

Duane W. gave it a6:
I never really got on with the first DS Sonic title, Sonic Rush, it started off well, but it soon became a case of dying without having any real control over what was going on. Even so, it was the best high profile Sonic the Hedgehog game we'd seen for a fair old while (by high profile I mean ignoring the Advance games which were pretty solid examples of a decent Sonic game). It did what we'd been wanting from Sonic ever since Sonic Adventure showed that the format really didn't work too great in 3D (with the exception of a handful of levels). Sonic Rush Adventure seems to be more of the same, but with the parts of previous Sonic games that were unwanted tacked on too. The core element of the gameplay is still running through levels as quickly as possible, collectings rings along the way. At the end of each level you break open a Treasure Chest, which awards you with some materials which Tails will use at various points in the game to create a new water based craft to aid in the adventure elements of the game. The adventure side of Sonic Rush Adventure basically boils down to this, each level (remember Sonic works on a basis of 3 acts per level, the final one including a boss) is on a different island. To travel to an island, you need some sort of craft. To start off with Tails builds you a waterbike, this is fine for short distances, but soon you need to travel further, resulting in another craft, then over ice resulting in another so you basically end up with four forms of transport to use between the various islands in the game. Once you have the craft capable of the task at hand, you plot your course on the map using the touch screen and your stylus, much in the same way as the tactical map elements of Star Fox Command, then choose to follow that course. The game then switches to a 3D mini game where you semi control the vehicle, or its weapons as you make your way to the island ahead, trying to shoot as many enemies or rings as you can while preventing your craft from recieving any damage. It's an incredibly tacked on way of Sonic Team attempting to add some depth to the franchise, something they've been trying to do for a fair while now with no real accomplishment. If anything, it affects the pace of the game, although not in so much a harmful way as the story does. Once again, Sonic Team have decided to tack on some sort of plot to a Sonic game, one thats not interesting in the slightest. Basically, Sonic and Tails are caught up in a storm in Tails' Typhoon plane. They're hit by lightning and crash, when they awake, they're on an island somewhere that they don't recognise, and they soon come across yet another annoying character addition to the series (as if Amy wasn't bad enough) in Marine, an Australian Raccoon who is somehow even more annoying than the aforementioned Amy Rose. Turns out that they're not just on some strange island inhabited by a bunch of Aussies, but they've somehow been transported to the realm or whatever where Blinx the Cat from Sonic Rush was from. A robot called Whiskers also turns up, and is the token bad guy for this instalment. He bares a striking resemblence to Dr. Robotnik/ Eggman (delete according to which generation of Sonic you started with), and you set out on a quest across these numerous islands to discover just what he and his pirate friends are upto. It's an awful plot, told in little scenes reminiscent of a Japanese RPG where you press the A button to cycle through what is being said. Its normally the same thing each time the characters pop up for a chat too. Well, not exactly the same, but it runs along the same line. Theres another way in which the materials and Adventure elements are attempting to try and add depth to this game that hasn't been mentioned yet. Whenever a new craft is needed, you can guaruntee that you won't have enough materials to give to Tails for him to build it. This forces you to play through previous levels numerous times throughout the game in order to collect the materials needed. While in the past, gamers have played their favourite levels of a Sonic game over and over again until they've perfected it, they've done that through choice, resulting in a more pleasurable experience. But Rush Adventure forces this upon you, and it doesn't even mean you can play your favourite level over and over again to get lots of materials as each different item is exclusive to a particular level resulting in you maybe having to play a level that you really didn't like. It's another way Sonic Team have tried to up the amount of time needed to finish the game, and it cheapens the experience more so. Thats not to say the proper Sonic elements of the game aren't bad, for the most part they're pretty enjoyable, but theres no particular level that really stands out amongst the rest like in previous instalments. A few also have really annoying parts like with Sonic Rush where you're not quite sure how you died or whats coming, a great example is Sky Babylon Act 2, one of the later levels, after running maniacally through the Act, your confronted with some baloon like contraptions which go up when you hang from them, you have to guide them through a verticle maze like area but its difficult to watch both screens to see whats near you and where you have to go next, plus it seems to want to drift towards the walls when you are changing direction. It makes for an annoying experience just as the game is getting to a point where its becoming fun, yet lightly challenging. Its too much of a sudden jump in difficulty and creates an air of poor design that seems to have been criminally overlooked. Fortunately, the levels aren't as long as those in Sonic Rush, with the longest clocking in at around 4 minutes in length. The games main redeeming element is in its boss fights, very similar in presentation to those of Sonic Rush, utilising a semi-3D playing field, they are rather inventive. One particular fight see's you facing off against a robotic whale, as its nose lands on the piece of ice you're stood on, you attack the red plate on its head. This stuns it, it opens its mouth and you jump inside. You're then taken to a mini level with a timer counting down from 30 seconds, the aim here is to attack some bombs to add more time to your timer, reach the end of the mini-level and attack the contraption at the end. the whale spurts you out of its blow hole, and you do it all again. The problem here is, do I reccomend Sonic Rush Adventure or do I condemn it? Whats left of my SEGA fanboyism says to do the former, but in all honesty, I feel those that love classic Sonic will be incredibly dissapointed with this instalment in the franchise. Its not that its a bad game, its just that its only just above an average experience, one that can be taken or left. It doesn't do anything worthwhile over whats already on offer in Sonic Rush, and is most definetly less of a game in terms of enjoyment than the 15 year old Sonic the Hedgehog 2 which you can now pick up for a fraction of the price on both the XBox 360 XBox Live Arcade service and the Wii's Virtual Console service.

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Sonic Rush Adventure

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