- Release Year: 2010
- Platforms: Android, Arcade, BlackBerry, iPad, iPhone, Macintosh, PlayStation 3, Wii, Windows, Xbox 360
- Publisher: 1C-SoftClub, ak tronic Software & Services GmbH, Feral Interactive Ltd., Sega Amusements U.S.A., Inc., SEGA Corporation, SEGA Europe Ltd., SEGA of America, Inc.
- Developer: Sumo Digital Ltd
- Genre: Driving, Racing
- Perspective: Behind view
- Game Mode: Online PVP, Single-player
- Gameplay: Boosting, Drifting, Power-ups, Track racing, Tricks
- Setting: Fantasy
- Average Score: 77/100
Description
Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing is a kart-style racing game reminiscent of Super Mario Kart, featuring iconic SEGA characters like Sonic the Hedgehog, Dr. Eggman, Billy Hatcher, and others racing across fantastical tracks drawn from SEGA’s franchises. Players compete in high-speed races using power-ups, drifts for boosts, tricks, and character-specific All-Star actions, with single-player modes including Grand Prix, time trials, and diverse missions, alongside split-screen and online multiplayer battles, earning SEGA miles to unlock more content.
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Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing Reviews & Reception
metacritic.com (75/100): Bursting with modes, missions and mascots, it is easily the most polished kart racer of recent years
ign.com : Mario Kart meets Smash Bros. in a clone that gets it right.
gamespot.com : Smooth controls and a bunch of awesome tracks make this an exciting kart racer.
imdb.com : It’s colourful, fun and easy-to-play.
Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing Cheats & Codes
Nintendo Wii (EU, Game ID: R3RP8P, Gecko Codes)
The following codes work only when used with a softmodded Wii running the Gecko OS (or compatible homebrew application).
| Code | Effect |
|---|---|
| 04550C70 XXXXXXXX | Always have Dollars Modifier (*XXXXXXXX=Number in Hex) |
| 284E9EF8 EFFF1000 04C030A0 00000014 E0000000 80008000 |
Itemx20 (*Press – to Receive 20 of the Item your Holding*) |
| 04C0309C XXXXXXXX | Always Have Item Modifier (*Single Player* *Replace XXXXXXXX with Item ID: Red Rockets 11A9BC48, Green Punching Gloves 5F724DA9, Shield 953D2512, All-Star B678E022, Horn D8AE59CB, Sonic Shoes 26E96DA5, Remote Purple Bomb 9A67CB42, Star 0053F395, Bombs 3EBCDDED, Orange Pawn 805C3C3B, Normal Red Rocket 7711877D, Normal Blue Bomb EEC55D13*) |
Nintendo DS (EU, Game ID: CS3P-F22AB382, Action Replay Codes)
Action Replay codes.
| Code | Effect |
|---|---|
| 94000130 000000ff 0219e0cc 000f423f d2000000 00000000 |
Max Cash (Press L+R) |
| 521189a0 5f687373 021189a0 74736554 021189a4 63617254 021189a8 0000006b d2000000 00000000 |
Select ‘Whale Lagoon’ to Play Test Track |
| 62114600 00000000 b2114600 00000000 60000000 00000000 b0000000 00000000 20000090 00000001 00000150 00000001 d2000000 00000000 |
Always Have High Speed Shoes |
| 62114600 00000000 b2114600 00000000 60000000 00000000 b0000000 00000000 20000090 00000001 00000150 00000003 d2000000 00000000 |
Always Have Shield |
| 62114600 00000000 b2114600 00000000 60000000 00000000 b0000000 00000000 20000090 00000001 00000150 00000004 d2000000 00000000 |
Always Have Horn |
| 62114600 00000000 b2114600 00000000 60000000 00000000 b0000000 00000000 20000090 00000001 00000150 00000005 d2000000 00000000 |
Always Have KO Gloves |
| 62114600 00000000 b2114600 00000000 60000000 00000000 b0000000 00000000 20000090 00000001 00000150 00000007 d2000000 00000000 |
Always Have Rocket |
| 62114600 00000000 b2114600 00000000 60000000 00000000 b0000000 00000000 20000090 00000001 00000150 00000009 d2000000 00000000 |
Always Have Giant Rocket |
| 62114600 00000000 b2114600 00000000 60000000 00000000 b0000000 00000000 20000090 00000001 00000150 0000000a d2000000 00000000 |
Always Have Confusing Star |
| 62114600 00000000 b2114600 00000000 60000000 00000000 b0000000 00000000 20000090 00000001 00000150 0000000b d2000000 00000000 |
Always Have Bomb |
| 62114600 00000000 b2114600 00000000 60000000 00000000 b0000000 00000000 20000090 00000001 00000150 0000000d d2000000 00000000 |
Always Have Mine |
| 62114600 00000000 b2114600 00000000 60000000 00000000 b0000000 00000000 00000090 00000001 00000150 0000000f d2000000 00000000 |
Always Have Rainbow |
| 62114600 00000000 b2114600 00000000 60000000 00000000 b0000000 00000000 20000090 00000001 00000150 00000012 d2000000 00000000 |
Always Have Star |
| 62114600 00000000 b2114600 00000000 60000000 00000000 b0000000 00000000 20000090 00000001 00000150 00000014 d2000000 00000000 |
Always Have Star ON |
| 94000130 fffb0000 62114600 00000000 b2114600 00000000 60000000 00000000 b0000000 00000000 20000090 00000003 00000150 00000002 d2000000 00000000 |
High Speed Shoes X3 (Press SELECT) |
| 94000130 fffb0000 62114600 00000000 b2114600 00000000 60000000 00000000 b0000000 00000000 20000090 00000001 00000150 00000003 d2000000 00000000 |
Shield (Press SELECT) |
| 94000130 fffb0000 62114600 00000000 b2114600 00000000 60000000 00000000 b0000000 00000000 20000090 00000001 00000150 00000004 d2000000 00000000 |
Horn (Press SELECT) |
| 94000130 fffb0000 62114600 00000000 b2114600 00000000 60000000 00000000 b0000000 00000000 20000090 00000003 00000150 00000006 d2000000 00000000 |
KO Gloves X3 (Press SELECT) |
| 94000130 fffb0000 62114600 00000000 b2114600 00000000 60000000 00000000 b0000000 00000000 20000090 00000003 00000150 00000008 d2000000 00000000 |
Rocket X3 (Press SELECT) |
| 94000130 fffb0000 62114600 00000000 b2114600 00000000 60000000 00000000 b0000000 00000000 20000090 00000001 00000150 00000009 d2000000 00000000 |
Giant Rocket (Press SELECT) |
| 94000130 fffb0000 62114600 00000000 b2114600 00000000 60000000 00000000 b0000000 00000000 20000090 00000001 00000150 0000000a d2000000 00000000 |
Confusing Star (Press SELECT) |
| 94000130 fffb0000 62114600 00000000 b2114600 00000000 60000000 00000000 b0000000 00000000 20000090 00000003 00000150 0000000c d2000000 00000000 |
Bomb X3 (Press SELECT) |
Nintendo Wii (USA, Serial: R3RE8P, Gecko Codes)
All codes require the use of the OSSleepthread hook.
| Code | Effect |
|---|---|
| 042CB554 48000010 042CB564 38600005 0475A560 00000000 |
Always Lowest LoD |
| 042CB554 48000010 042CB564 38600000 0475A560 00000000 |
Always Max LoD |
| 04505A1C 00001200 | Infinite Timer In Time Trial |
| 0400B820 38600002 | Sixty Frames |
Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing: Review
Introduction
Imagine the blue blur of Sonic the Hedgehog rocketing past a roulette wheel straight out of Sonic Heroes, only to dodge egg shells laid by Billy Hatcher from his obscure 2003 adventure, all while a maraca-shaking monkey named Amigo samba-dances his rivals into oblivion. Released in February 2010 across Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, and PC (with ports to DS, iOS, and more following), Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing was Sumo Digital’s audacious bid to rally SEGA’s vast legacy into a kart-racing extravaganza—a genre dominated by Nintendo’s Mario Kart since 1992. As a historian of gaming’s console wars era, where SEGA once challenged Nintendo’s supremacy with Dreamcast dreamers and Genesis speedsters, this title feels like a victory lap for the underdog. My thesis: While unapologetically borrowing from Mario Kart‘s blueprint, All-Stars Racing transcends mere imitation through its encyclopedic SEGA nostalgia, razor-sharp controls, and multiplayer mayhem, cementing it as the definitive kart racer for non-Wii owners and a pivotal revival of SEGA’s crossover formula.
Development History & Context
Sumo Digital, the Sheffield-based studio behind OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast and Sega Superstars Tennis (2008), spearheaded development under executive producer Steve Lycett, lead designer Travis Ryan, and a credits list ballooning to 531 contributors. Fresh off Superstars Tennis‘s successful mash-up of SEGA icons in tennis whites, Sumo envisioned a high-speed homage to SEGA’s arcade roots and franchise pantheon. Early prototypes experimented wildly: Sonic dashed on foot, Dr. Eggman pedaled an Egg Pod with legs, Tails biplaned overhead, and Golden Axe‘s Gilius Thunderhead straddled a chicken-leg beast. These were scrapped due to scale mismatches—Sonic’s pint-sized sprint clashed with hulking riders—and drift mechanics that faltered without uniform vehicles.
Technological constraints of the seventh-gen era shaped the final product. HD consoles (Xbox 360/PS3) demanded 60fps fluidity, but frame drops plagued PS3/Wii versions, as reviewers noted. Wii’s motion controls were eschewed for precision analog handling, while PC lacked online play due to netcode hurdles. The 2010 landscape was ripe: Mario Kart Wii (2008) ruled motion-party gaming, but HD twins starved for kart chaos amid sim-racers like Forza. SEGA, post-Dreamcast pivot to publishing, leveraged its IP vault—Sonic, Virtua Fighter, Crazy Taxi—to counter Nintendo. E3 2009 demos promised 20+ characters; Xbox 360 exclusivity nabbed Rare’s Banjo-Kazooie, nodding to SEGA’s arcade past (Fantasy Zone, Alex Kidd). DLC like Metal Sonic emerged amid fan demand, but scrapped ideas (ToeJam & Earl, Nights as playable) highlighted IP clearance battles. Sumo’s vision crystallized: equal-speed vehicles emphasized skill (drifts, tricks), All-Star Moves added spectacle, birthing a 2010 sleeper hit amid God of War III blockbusters.
Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive
Kart racers rarely boast plots thicker than a boost pad, and All-Stars Racing leans into arcade brevity—no overwrought story, just a checkered-flag opener narrated by Nights the Dreamer as a whimsical rally across SEGA realms. The “narrative” unfolds via unlockable bios and loading-screen “Sonic Says” tips, framing a multiverse mash-up where Sonic’s Speed Star duels Ryo Hazuki’s forklift amid Chaos Emeralds and KapuKapu cats. Characters hail from disparate eras: Sonic’s heroic blur (Sonic Adventure), Alex Kidd’s rock-paper-scissors prince (1986), Ulala’s groove-reporter (Space Channel 5), evoking SEGA’s evolution from 2D arcade to 3D icons.
Thematically, it’s a love letter to SEGA’s history, celebrating underdogs and oddballs. Default roster (Sonic, Tails, Amy, Eggman, Shadow, AiAi, Billy, Amigo) spotlights accessibility; unlocks like Opa-Opa (32,500 Sega Miles) reward lore hounds. Dialogue is sparse—quips like Eggman’s cackles or Beat’s graffiti taunts—but All-Star Moves narrate spectacle: Sonic’s Super form blasts golden light (Sonic Heroes invincibility riff), Amy’s Piko Piko Hammer swings (Sonic Adventure), Ryo’s forklift tosses foes (Shenmue). Themes of rivalry (Sonic vs. Shadow), redemption (Zobio & Zobiko’s zombie jailbreak), and absurdity (ChuChus summoning a giant cat) mirror SEGA’s chaotic charm. Missions (64 on console, 55 on DS) add micro-stories: drift epics, ring hunts, boss-smashers. No deep lore binds it—it’s thematic chaos, a crossover quilt stitching SEGA’s fragmented legacy into joyful anarchy.
Gameplay Mechanics & Systems
At its core, All-Stars Racing loops like Mario Kart: eight racers, three laps, item boxes for sabotage, drifts/tricks for turbo. Innovation shines in balanced vehicles—cars (Sonic’s Speed Star: even stats), bikes (Ryo’s Naoyuki: nimble accel), hovercrafts (AiAi’s Blazing Banana: off-road kings)—all equal top speed, forcing mastery of boosts (drifts >3s, air stunts, ramp pads). Power-ups elevate chaos: Mega Horn’s spin-out wave, K.O. Glove’s bouncy punches, Mines’ proximity blasts (triple-sets for lines). All-Star Moves, collected mid-race (lower positions favored), are game-changers: Sonic’s Super flight homes chaos spears; Billy’s egg-shell roller squashes packs; Amigo’s samba forces dances. UI is crisp—minimalist HUD (speedo, items, minimap), shop for Sega Miles unlocks (tracks, characters).
Progression hooks via Miles: Grand Prix podiums (Chao to Robot Cups) yield currency for rarities like Opa-Opa. Missions demand variety—drift marathons, ring grabs, knockout survivals—unlocking via A/AAA ranks. Multiplayer thrives: 4-player split-screen (battle modes: King of the Hill, Capture the Chao), 8-player online races (sans All-Stars/PC). Flaws: AI ramps brutally (early rubber-banding), online limits single-race only, frame hiccups (PS3/Wii). DS/iOS adaptations shine with tilt controls, but lose depth. Verdict: Polished loops reward skill over luck, with SEGA flair trumping clones.
World-Building, Art & Sound
Tracks weave SEGA’s worlds into fantasy circuits: Seaside Hill’s loops (Sonic Heroes), Casino Park’s pinball ramps, Tokyo-To’s graffiti sprawl (Jet Set Radio), Curien Mansion’s zombie sewers (House of the Dead). 24 circuits (console) split cups (Chao/Graffiti/etc.), with shortcuts, hazards (crows, pots), and cameos (Ristar in DLC Egg Hangar). Battle arenas like Seaside Square amplify frenzy. Visuals pop: cel-shaded vibrancy, dynamic cams, HD sheen (Xbox best), though Wii/PC stutter. NDS/iOS scale admirably.
Soundtrack dazzles—remixed classics: Sonic‘s “Seaside Hill,” Heroes‘ “What U Need,” Jet Set Radio Future‘s grooves. Richard Jacques scores originals; All-Stars cue franchise anthems (Sonic’s invincibility jingle). Engine roars, item whooshes, announcer barks (“Drift! Boost!”) immerse. Nostalgia fuels atmosphere: roulette spins evoke arcades, egg chases nod Billy Hatcher. Collectively, it crafts a euphoric SEGA-verse, vivid and replayable.
Reception & Legacy
Critics hailed it a “Mario Kart killer” surrogate—MobyGames 7.8/10 (79% critics), Metacritic 75-78% across platforms, iOS 89%. App Spy/Pocket Gamer awarded 100% for mobile polish; IGN/GameSpot 8/10 praised tracks/controls; SEGAbits called it “best kart racer ever.” Gripes: “unoriginal” (Eurogamer 6/10), frame drops, short solo (2-3hr GPs). Players averaged 3.8/5; sales hit 1.07M by March 2010, fueling profitability.
Legacy endures: Best HD kart racer pre-Transformed (2012 sequel added vehicle shifts). Influenced crossovers (Lego, Crash), revived Sumo-SEGA ties (Team Sonic Racing). Xbox Banjo nod bridged Microsoft eras; trivia like Rectify TV reference underscores cultural ripple. Evolved rep: Nostalgia darling on Steam, mobile staple. It proved SEGA IPs viable beyond Sonic, paving multiverse revivals.
Conclusion
Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing masterfully distills kart racing’s joy—drifts, items, rivalries—into a SEGA tapestry of speed and absurdity, flaws like AI spikes notwithstanding. Sumo’s craft elevates a “clone” to essential, multiplayer legend. In gaming history, it marks SEGA’s crossover renaissance, a 2010 beacon for franchise unity. Verdict: Essential 8.5/10—buy for nostalgia-fueled laps that rival Mario’s throne. A timeless All-Star triumph.