Sega presents its argument for the renaming of the Xbox 360 "Games on Demand" service today (to something like "Here are Some Games,") with the release of Sonic Free Riders. We don't know who's been demanding immediate, at-home access to Sega's Kinect-only mascot hoverboard racer, but if you're part of that invisible contingent, here you go. It costs $50.
Okay, so it may not be the most desirable title, but Sonic Free Riders is actually one of just two Kinect titles on Games on Demand. Or the only one, depending on how you'd categorize Your Shape: Fitness Evolved.
Sega presents its argument for the renaming of the Xbox 360 "Games on Demand" service today (to something like "Here are Some Games,") with the release of Sonic Free Riders. We don't know who's been demanding immediate, at-home access to Sega's Kinect-only mascot hoverboard racer, but if you're part of that invisible contingent, here you go. It costs $50.
Okay, so it may not be the most desirable title, but Sonic Free Riders is actually one of just two Kinect titles on Games on Demand. Or the only one, depending on how you'd categorize Your Shape: Fitness Evolved.
If you've got a deep well of love for your Kinect, but a shallow reservoir of software for your Kinect, you can add a little something-something to the pile at no charge. If you're an Xbox Live Gold subscriber, you can now download a demo for Sonic Free Riders from the Marketplace.
Then again, based on meta-criticism that's called out the game's apparent unresponsiveness, just about anything could serve as a demo for Sonic Free Riders. Flail your arms while watching your daytime soap operas, for example -- that should deliver roughly the same interactive experience.
#kinect
I still think Sonic Free Riders for Kinect is a broken game. And I'm not alone. But it sounds like there is a whole other camp out there who haven't really had any problems with the game. So what gives? More »
#review
Sonic Free Riders is a cautionary tale about the importance of controls in gaming. Make a game interesting, give it solid graphics and some unique hooks, but don't lock down the controls and you're going to have a disaster on your hands. More »
On paper, Sonic Free Riders probably sounded pretty cool. Actually, on second thought, it probably sounded like a cheap and easy way to make a Kinect launch game. I can see the instructions to the developer: "Hey guys, you know that third game in the universally panned SonicRiders series that we shelved a few years back? Well, take it, make it work with Kinect just well enough to get past Microsoft, and get it out the door by November 4th. But don't, and we can't stress this enough, put any work into making it worthwhile."
Or at least that's what one would imagine transpired after devoting, as I did, entirely too much time to this mind-numbing mess of a game.
Not only does this Sonic Free Riders trailer make the game look more enjoyable and less ... back-breaking than the title's recent U.S. advertisement, it's also indicative of how much better Japan's commercials are than ours. "Have more fun," you say? Don't mind if we do.
#pressplay
Hands waving, feet jumping up and down, people doing who-knows-what. Yep, this isn't just a clip of people playing Sonic Free Riders on Kinect, it's a goldmine for possible forum GIFs. More »
Okay, we think we understand most of the motion-sensing controls demoed in the Sonic Free Riders trailer posted below, but -- man, are we going to have to bend our backs that far in order to adequately hover-race? We're not sure we ... hold on, we'll try. (oh god doctor call a doctor)
Sega announced the release date for its Kinect-exclusive animal snowboarding game Sonic Free Riders: November 4, the same day that the Kinect device launches in North America. That's right, you'll be able to use your body as a controller to make Sonic fall down a mountain on day one.
"Kinect's unique motion sensor means Sonic Free Riders will see family and friends controlling their favorite Sonic characters and their fully customizable hover boards or bikes," Sega's announcement notes, "by twisting, turning and jumping in an exhilarating race to be the first to cross the finish line!" It will see you, and it will judge you.
Sega seems to think that if you're underwhelmed by the use of Kinect in Sonic Free Riders (as seen at E3), you shouldn't give up hope yet. The publisher has had less than a year to work on these new motion-controlled titles, Sega's Mike Hayes told CVG, and hopes to improve efforts as the Kinect dev kits mature. "We've got one good idea and hopefully something will be out the back end of next year, perhaps early 2012, which we think will use the aspects of Kinect a lot more originally and in a more sophisticated way," he said.
What won't we see from Sega in the near future? XBLA and PSN ports of Saturn games, Hayes said. "No," he admitted plainly, "we're going to focus on Dreamcast; there's a significant catalogue there. Once we're done with that we'll see." Sega's Yosuke Okunari made a similar point recently -- in putting the emphasis on the Dreamcast lineup first -- though expressed a more optimistic viewpoint when he said Sega was already "thinking" about Saturn ports.
