Sonic and The Secret Rings

Download Sonic and the Secret Rings and join Sonic on an Arabian Nights-inspired adventure! Navigate treacherous levels, collect rings, and use powerful abilities to defeat evil genie, Erazor Djinn. Can you save the storybook world? Play now!
a game by Sonic Team
Platform: Wii (2007)
Editor Rating: 8/10, based on 1 review, 2 reviews are shown
User Rating: 7.6/10 - 14 votes
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See also: 3D Platformer Games, Sonic Download
Sonic and The Secret Rings
Sonic and The Secret Rings
Sonic and The Secret Rings

Any Sega fan will tell you that 3D hasn’t been friendly to everyone’s favorite blue hedgehog. Sonic and the Secret Rings tries to redeem the rocky history of uninteresting 3D titles of the blue blur by introducing the hedgehog to a whole new setting and a much more epic plot – but is that enough to satisfy long-time fans of Sonic the Hedgehog?

The answer is: it depends. While Sonic and the Secret Rings certainly isn’t the strongest entry in the series by a mile, it does enough things right to be at least one of the most competent 3D entries in the franchise. The lack of motion controls on Nintendo’s infamously gimmicky Wii will also make the game a hit with more traditional players that are averse to the console’s waggle controls.

Arabian Hedgehog

While the Sonic series has seen the titular hedgehog fighting against Dr. Robotnik and his minions countless times, Secret Rings changes things up a bit by moving Sonic to an alternate reality based on the classic One Thousand and One Nights book. This allows the game to feel a bit fresher than other contemporary entries, like 2006’s Sonic the Hedgehog, which relied a bit too much on nostalgia.

That said, since this is a Sonic the Hedgehog game we’re talking about, don’t expect to be blown away in terms of plot or character development. After all, these games have always been popular for their reliance on high-speed gameplay, and Secret Rings uses an interesting approach to the classic Sonic formula.

Instead of the classic Sonic gameplay where players control where their character goes in either a 3D stage or a 2D plane, Secret Rings has Sonic moving forward in what could be described as one of the earliest versions of Temple Run we’ve ever seen. Perhaps one of the main reasons for this change has to do with the Wii Remote’s button configuration, which doesn’t allow for easy use of the directional pad during gameplay, forcing developers to go back to older forms of control instead.

Back to Basics

Even if the gameplay of Sonic and the Secret Rings can feel dated and unresponsive at times, there are still some brief moments of genuine fun to be had in this Arabian adventure.

In terms of visuals and performance, the game holds up very well considering it’s an early title on the Wii’s library. Even though the game features a fixed camera, the scenery is spectacular – not that you’ll be able to see much detail at supersonic speeds.

Also new to the series are some light RPG elements that allow players to level up Sonic, giving him new skills and improved stats. There’s also a multiplayer mode that can be played locally with a friend, meaning that Sonic and the Secret Rings might just be a good fit for families who want to play together.

To sum it up, while Sonic and the Secret Rings may not be the best Sonic title out there, it’s definitely still worth playing. It brings a new perspective to the series, and offers a few hours of fast-paced fun for anyone with a taste for the blue blur.

8

Sonic and the Secret Rings is another great entry in the Sonic series, and an excellent way to bring back some old-school nostalgia in a modern package.

Pros

  • Great gameplay
  • Gorgeous levels
  • Outstanding sense of speed

Cons

  • Outdated controls
  • Lackluster soundtrack
  • Storyline offers nothing new to long-time fans of the series

Download Sonic and The Secret Rings

Wii

System requirements:

  • PC compatible
  • Operating systems: Windows 10/Windows 8/Windows 7/2000/Vista/WinXP

Game Reviews

Coming in the wake of Sonic's disastrous self-titled next-gen offering, Secret Rings seems like a godsend. While Sonic the Hedgehog painfully juggled a cavalcade of overly ambitious yet underdeveloped elements, Rings aims to rethink the gameplay of classic Sega Genesis Sonic with a Wii-mote twist. Here, you hold the controller horizontally as you steer the titular mammal through all manner of platforming perils. "Our goal was to create a simple, engaging game that brings Sonic's speed and personality alive in an entirely new way," explains Director Yojiro Ogawa. "The game is very fast-paced and Sonic is using his speed to constantly run forward, but there are alternate paths players can take within levels and different ways to complete the levels." At first, Rings' fixed camera, narrowly focused level design, and largely on-rails gameplay might seem oversimplified, but it's far more instinctive, addictive, and fun than any 3D Sonic game in recent memory. Plus, Sega plans to augment the single-player action with over 30 multiplayer minigames that make use of the Wii's controller in creative new ways.

Snapshots and Media

Wii Screenshots

See Also

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