Sonic Speed Battle review: Gotta flip fast

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2024 saw me devoting far more time to pondering Sonic the Hedgehog than I had initially anticipated. With the release of Shadow Generations and the upcoming Sonic 3 film, there was a whirlwind of Sonic-related events! To keep myself updated, I even revisited Sonic Adventure 2 in my spare time. As fate would have it, post-holidays, Kess Entertainment approached me to demonstrate their new game, Sonic Speed Battle. Despite not typically being a fan of tabletop games, with Sonic the Hedgehog constantly crossing my mind lately, I found myself agreeing readily.

According to Sonic Adventure 2, Sonic Speed Battle is a card-based game where a central deck supports three unique game modes. Similar to the character-focused stages in the original Dreamcast version, each mode offers a distinct set of characters for play. The design of the rules allows for multiple games from one deck, but some modes might seem somewhat shallow on their own. However, when combined for a “Team Battle,” the gaming experience becomes more comprehensive.

Action Race

In the first mode, named Action Race, reside all the swift characters, including Sonic and Shadow. Yet, what’s fascinating about Sonic Speed Battle is that it features a larger roster of characters than you might anticipate, including under-the-radar favorites such as Blaze the Cat, along with quirky characters from games like Sonic Riders.

In this game called Action Race, you’ll find yourself turning over cards alongside your opponents, much like a round of the classic game War. However, the aim here is not to match numbers to rack up points but to avoid them. If you happen to match, it triggers a “homing attack,” where all players must discard more matching cards to keep playing. Imagine Sonic and Shadow clashing in their infamous boss battle from Sonic Adventure 2, bouncing off each other constantly. Unfortunately, this game might not be the strongest in the collection as there isn’t enough card drawing to ensure that homing attacks are competitive throughout.

Shooting Battle

This game draws inspiration from the levels featuring Tails and Eggman in Adventure 2, while playing much like Action Race. However, instead of earning points, you inflict damage on each other. Additional elements, such as saving up extra damage to unleash it later, increase complexity and tension. Despite being more rewarding to play, the game remains heavily dependent on a card-revealing mechanic reminiscent of war, which can be seen as a weak foundation. The inclusion of more ties and faster pacing make Shooting Battle more dynamic and captivating compared to Action Race.

Treasure Hunt

Initially, I found Treasure Hunt unenjoyable as my teammate-cum-child rammed me with Knuckles’ unique move at an astonishing speed during our first playthrough. However, after several more attempts, it turned out to be the most engaging game in the bunch. Instead of clashing cards, Treasure Hunt centers around managing your personal battlefield and competing to gather emerald fragments, much like the challenging stages from the video game.

In this game, although players aren’t directly competing by playing cards against each other, there’s a high degree of interaction and card combinations. The cards in the deck belong to different “suits,” each with its unique in-game effect. I haven’t mentioned them before, but they become significant here. Games can quickly reach their conclusion within two or three turns, making additional moves and manipulating an opponent’s gameboard crucial strategies. Utilizing Springs to draw extra cards or Rings to discard from other players’ fields enhances the sense of frenzied digging the game aims for, effectively capturing the gameplay mood.

Team Battle

Playing these games singly is convenient for short sessions, but joining them in the Team Battle mode offers a more fulfilling experience. Since they aren’t large or intricate, combining them into a single competition feels like a complete gaming experience. Moreover, you get to collect adorable Chao tokens by punching them out from the game, and there’s always excitement in starting a new game and uncovering cardboard tokens.

Incorporating tokens for play and a randomizer to select game modes between rounds infuses Sonic Speed Battle with a thrilling, frenetic atmosphere, making it seem more authentically representative of its name. By allowing all players to choose from a selection of characters at the outset, followed by dynamic rule changes during a single gaming session, the action becomes interconnected and hides some flaws inherent in each game mode.

Essentially, Sonic Speed Battle is an enjoyable, compact game that’s more complex than it appears at first glance. Transforming Sonic Adventure 2, one of the most intricate platform games ever made, into a straightforward family-friendly card game is quite a challenge if you consider it thoroughly. Despite being slightly light on content, it offers plenty of fun when played in the Team Battle setup that combines all the action. However, playing each game mode independently won’t be as rewarding. But if you have young Sonic enthusiasts at home and are looking for an upgrade to traditional board games like Monopoly, this is a far superior choice.

You can get your hands on Sonic Speed Battle right now from multiple outlets! For this review, we received a copy of the game directly from its publisher.

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2025-02-11 17:27