Team Sonic Racing PlayStation 4 Game Review

Sega's speedy-hero puts up his feet and gets behind the wheel.

Reviewed by Max C. on May 29, 2019

Rating:

Team Sonic Racing is Segas very-own kart racing game. Check out Kidzworlds PS4 review of the newest games!

By: Max Cannon

The idea of putting Sonic the Hedgehog behind the wheel of a car has always felt silly to me, considering the character's well-known trait being his on-foot speed, but the high praise for Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed made me less concerned. While Team Sonic Racing isn't an unplayable Sonic racing game -- that distinction goes to 1997's Sonic R -- it doesn't hit the heights of the other kart racers out on the track.

A Slow Story

The levels look dazzling and the karts and characters are visually awesome, but the story that motivates your racers is far from memorable. Things start out with a mysterious figure offering to fly Sonic through space to compete in some different races and win the car they're driving, he brings his friends along into what they all deem to be an obvious trap by Eggman and the adventure begins. The story itself is pretty weak but what's really disappointing is how the story is told.

It's too bad that these beloved characters don't get to shine in the story.

Rather than flashy, well-animated cutscenes, we get some odd voice acting over some pretty basic screenshots. We don't need any story in a game like this, Mario Kart has been traditionally pretty storyless, but the story that is there is so poorly told that it leaves a bad taste. Fortunately, the great looks and art were all saved up to be shown off in the game.

The worlds and karts animate well and are beautifully colorful.

Crash Course

So, you're likely familliar with how any other kart racer plays. You'll drift through turns, boost over chasms, and bop your opponents with items snagged through item boxes. Disappointingly, something doesn't feel quite as satisfying on the controller. Those drifts don't pop in quite the same way as they do in more well-known kart racers. It feels fine, but not neccessariliy perfect for such a saturated genre.

The hook that sets Team Sonic Racing apart is the focus on that "team." Snagging first place in a race won't neccessariliy guarantee you a win because you're always crusing alongside two allies in teams of 3. This gives you the opportunities to coordinate with your teammates by handing off valuable items or getting something from your friend while you're in a pinch.

Team Sonic Racing - Live Action Trailer

The coolest part of team play is the use of slipstreams, while riding behind your ally you'll be in a colorful boost trail that charges up your speed once you move out from behind your teammate. Positioning yourself to boost and also so your friends can catch up is an original idea that truly feels fresh. It's not enough to make the entire experience stand out, but it's certainly a step in the right direction and would be an awesome idea to expand upon in future games.

Any Sonic game needs an awesome trip to a Casino Zone.

The tracks are also a bit hit-or-miss. While the courses may look awesome 100% of the time, especially the always welcome trip to Sonic's iconic Casino area, they don't feel like they're well designed. They look great, but something feels off about the layout. The music is perfectly Sonic-y, which means that you may have some earworms kicking around your head after you've turned the game off.

The biggest Sonic fans may be happy to see some familiar faces on the track.

Final Thoughts

If you're a ride-or-die Sonic fan then you'll have fun with Team Sonic Racing. But, if you're just looking for some quality kart racing, you'll find better games elsewhere. Save your money for a copy of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe or the upcoming Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled, which is just a few weeks away. If you really are curious enough to try it out for yourself, see about renting the game, but I wouldn't help but feeling like I was missing out if I chose Team Sonic Racing over any other major racer.