Sonic Rush Adventure (DS)
Posted by Guest Writer on Mon, 24 Sep 2007.
The sequel to one of the highest scoring DS games to date... but can it live up to it's expectations?
Sonic Rush Adventure tells the story of Sonic and Tails as they find themselves stranded on an island in the middle of the ocean. The last thing they remember is a storm... but before they have time to assess the situation, a little girl named Marine ushers them to her house until they recover.
They soon realise that they are on Southern Island, a small chunk of land surrounded by other islands. However, pirates have been popping up everywhere lately; and it's up to Sonic to stop them. It soon becomes apparant that they'll need a form of transport, and a waterbike is built - the first of four different vehicles you can make.
Yes, in this game, you not only get to travel across incredible locations at blistering speeds, but you get to explore the area around you using different vehicles. They all work differently, and play like minigames: which is good, seeing as you'll be doing a lot of it. Choose a path across the uncharted sea and set sail, jumping from ramps and shooting enemies in fully 3D stages. They're a nice break from the main game, and are actually quite addictive.
When you reach an island, you can zoom across it in an action-filled 2D stage, progressing the plot and improving your skills. These levels are very interactive, and you must perform tricks, snowboard, shoot from cannons, catch rides from dolphins and defy gravity as you race to your goal. These levels are undeniably enjoyable, and you'll be sure to choose your favourites when you've finished the game. At the end of the two stages (two stages per island), you will face a boss who threatens to stop you from defeating the pirates. These stages aren't labourous at all: although they are quite hard, sometimes....
Of course, to get home (not spoiling the plot) you'll need to collect the seven Chaos Emeralds and the seven Sol Emeralds. Chaos Emeralds can be won in waterbike races against the infamous Johnny, and Sol Emeralds are awarded by completing certain missions...
Missions? Yes, there are one-hundred seperate missions for you to complete, unlocking items and bonuses for Southern Island. Whilst they aren't my idea of fun, they extend the game's lifespan no end - which can't be a bad thing, right?
All in all, Sonic Rush Adventure is a solid, enjoyable game with no real bad points. Engaging visuals, a fantastic soundtrack and fantastic levels push this game way above other DS titles. I'm still not sure whether or not it's as good as the original, Sonic Rush, because it's simply so different, but it's still worth your money (especially if you see it at a lowered price). I think they could improve it slightly, however - it wasn't as hard or as challenging as the original, and I completed the main story in about a day.
- Review by Maz