Sonic Riders [PS2]

• Watch the exclusive videos from Sonic Riders, and read the interview with Takashi Yuda, the game's producer.

In that period of ancient history known as the 16-bit era, Sonic went head-to-head with Nintendo's mighty Mario, and even won a few battles. Since then, Mario has worn many hats, while Sonic pretty much just runs fast and rolls around. Sonic Riders is, in a way, Sega's answer to Mario Kart. But instead of driving little buggies, the hedgehog and his homies glide above the ground on air boards known as Extreme Gear.

Sure, Sonic is fast enough on foot, but this game goes even further toward demonstrating the character's speed dominance. The usual assortment of friends is here: Tails, Knuckles, and Amy. Joining them is a motley crew of bad guys that includes Storm the Albatross, Wave the Swallow, and Sonic's new nemesis Jet the Hawk (does this mean Shadow is put out to pasture?). There's potential to unlock a whole lot more riders, too. Characters fit in one of three categories -- power, speed, and fly -- that affect their stats and how they handle in races. Additionally, Sonic Riders features dozens of boards to unlock.

The game itself is not a simple "hold A until you cross the finish line" affair. For starters, if you run out of air supply (and we don't mean the band behind "All Out of Love"), you can kiss the race goodbye. To avoid this, make sure to pull off an assortment of tricks any time you can get some hang time.

On the other hand, if you've got air to spare, you can sacrifice some of it to get a speed burst -- which may also take out an opponent if done in close proximity. When other riders are cruising, they sometimes create a tunnel-like wake behind them. If you're lucky, you can actually get in and ride inside of it, gaining some good miles-per-hour. Failing that, it's going to hinder your performance.

Turning corners at such high speeds is perilous, but Sonic Riders has a nifty solution. It's possible to execute a powerslide-type move that actually makes you pick up the pace out of a turn. Even the start requires some skill, as every racer tries to get as close to the starting line as possible before the electrified field goes down. Jump the gun, and you'll get zapped something fierce.

Courses are amazing in scope and detail. Each one is filled with exclusive attributes and obstacles. In Metal City, you'll need to dodge much larger traffic -- including vehicles trying to cross in front of you. Green Cave has a huge centipede that you'll ride atop as you try to refill your air meter. In Splash Canyon, the track is full of roaring rapids and a giant waterfall.

Sonic Riders is chock full of modes. Story is the big one, telling a tale of Sonic and friends running into the evil rider gang and hearing about Dr. Eggman's racing competition simultaneously -- to no coincidence. World GP has you racing each course one after another in typical circuit fashion. Then there's Time Attack, Survival Mode, and others -- many of which rely heavily on multiplayer. Once you have a stock of rings, spend them on goodies in the shop.

The game exhibits some smokin' graphics -- not the least of which being the sense of speed, of course. You'll enjoy them as long as you're not too prone to motion sickness. Aside from the above-mentioned level design, Sonic Riders' cutscenes and character models also look good. The CG is especially sweet -- showing detailed textures on every surface.

One concern is whether this game has the goods to trump Mario Kart and other character-based driving titles. The difficulty level and complexity may betray its target audience of younger and more casual players.

Before its appearance on GameCube's Sonic Gems Collection last August, you'd have to be a pretty hardcore gamer to have played Sonic R -- the first racing game starring Sega's mascot. Sonic Riders is looking like a much deeper, more polished product. If anybody knows speed, it's the blue guy. And with levels this cool and action this intense, it won't be hard to justify learning Sonic Riders' ropes.

More from Sonic Riders

• Watch the exclusive videos from Sonic Riders.
• Read the interview with Takashi Yuda, Sonic Riders' producer.