Sonic R - A Strange Case Of Quality over Quantity Done Wrong (A Friend Recalls)
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A retrospective review of Sonic R, the game that took Sonic into a dimension he may not have been ready for. A short retrospective video essay on why this game deserves to be remembered.
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
1:12 The Best Looking Games
1:55 Travellers Tales
3:25 There are two ways to Play Sonic R
4:49 In Mario Kart's Shadow
5:50 The benefits and downsides of Complexity
7:40 Going Forwards
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This is part of a video series providing retrospective analysis of popular culture (video games, books, comics, movies), trying to understand how our taste in entertainment has changed over the last few decades. In these videos look at topics such as the history behind their creation, the cultural impact they had on the wider world or just celebrate high watermarks - experiences that deserve to be celebrated. In 2018 video gaming became the worlds single most popular form of entertainment however that does not mean other forms are dead or deserve to be forgotten. We have been fortunate enough to reap the benefits of an evolving industry that learns from both it's successes and mistakes - and I've been learning as a consumer. This series is designed to celebrate and share important milestones and significant releases; be they good or bad.
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From Wikipedia:
Sonic R is a 1997 racing video game developed by Traveller's Tales and Sonic Team for the Sega Saturn. It is the third racing game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series, and the first to feature 3D computer graphics. The player races one of ten Sonic characters in various Sonic-themed race tracks as they attempt to stop Doctor Robotnik from stealing the Chaos Emeralds and enslaving the world. Sonic R features single-player and multiplayer game modes, and while similar to kart racing games such as Mario Kart, it places an emphasis on jumping and exploration. By collecting items and completing objectives, players can unlock secret characters.
Development began after the completion of Sonic 3D Blast in 1996 and took nine months. It was the second collaboration between Traveller's Tales and Sonic Team and was designed to take advantage of the Saturn hardware. Sonic Team designed the race tracks, while Traveller's Tales handled implementation and programming using a custom game engine. The soundtrack was composed by Richard Jacques; tracks from the game, most notably "Super Sonic Racing", have been reused in subsequent Sonic titles. Sega released the game for the Saturn in late 1997, for Windows the following year, and for the GameCube and PlayStation 2 as part of Sonic Gems Collection in 2005.
Sonic R was the only original Sonic title released for the Saturn; Sonic 3D Blast is a port of the Mega Drive game, and Sonic Jam is a compilation of the first four Sonic games. Initial reviews for the game were mixed, with retrospective reception being more negative. It was praised for its visuals and level design, but criticized for its controls and short length. Meanwhile, Jacques' soundtrack polarized audiences, who alternatively found it catchy and well produced or out of place in a racing game. Fan interest in Sonic R would inspire Sega to revisit the racing genre in future Sonic games, leading to the development of titles such as Sonic Riders (2006).
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All pictures are from gameplay recorded on the Nintendo Gamecube, Sonic Gems Collection release published by SEGA. Incidental music is from the game soundtrack by Richard Jacques.
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At present, A Friend Remembers has 234 views spread across 1 video for Sonic R, with his channel publishing less than an hour of Sonic R content. This makes up less than 0.35% of the total overall content on A Friend Remembers's YouTube channel.