The news on the upcoming Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing Transformed has been a bit of a rollercoaster ride so far – first we were over the moon that our favourite Mario-Kart-esque racer was getting a sequel. Then we were a bit concerned about the new redistribution of each character's special All-Star move, with it being awarded for being competent at the game, rather than incompetent, as it always used to go to the player in last place to help them catch up. Our expectations then dipped again when they announced that some NASCAR racing woman was to be included as a playable character, despite Danica Patrick seeming to be more famous for her bikini shots than any real talents on the track. Thankfully, our opinion's on the way up again now, with Sega revealing that the star of Disney's upcoming animated film, Wreck-It Ralph, will be racing alongside the old Sega favourites like Sonic and AiAi.
But I'd be done seein' 'bout everything, when I see a hedgehog fly.
Much like the original Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing, Transformed has you racing round a whole load of tracks themed around SEGA games of old, littered with obstacles, loop the loops, leaps and more, as you battle your way to first place. Battle is the operative word here too, because as you shoot through the course, you'll be able to pick up crates containing power-ups which can be used against your opponents – whether it's smacking them with a giant boxing glove; giving you a boost of speed or turning their world upside down, there's plenty of tools you can use to get ahead. And, taking a leaf out of Mario Kart 7's book, you'll also be able to race in vehicles that can transform into boats and planes, taking the race into the skies or across the water.
For those of you that don't follow Disney's release schedule that closely, Wreck-It Ralph is their upcoming comedy, packed full of references to video games through the ages. Poor Ralph has always been overshadowed by Fix-It Felix Jr., and is sick of always having to play the bad guy – so he sets off on a tour across the arcades to prove he has what it takes to be a hero too, especially when a deadly enemy gets unleashed that threatens to destroy the arcade.
Along with news of Wreck-it Ralph, we also finally have an official release date, which confirms that Sonic and Co will be touching down on November the 16th this year (which also just so happens to be our Editor's birthday) on practically every console imaginable, bar the Wii, as the game will be skipping the popular Nintendo platform in favour of their upcoming Wii U console. Until then, we have a funky new trailer to tide us over:
