The digital delights of Sony’s scrumptious PlayStation Network service know no bounds. Aside from letting punters compete in online gaming, stream films, browse the Internet and more, its premier attraction rests in the copious supply of downloadable games ripe for the picking. From PSN exclusives to PSOne Classics, minis and plain old add-on content, Sony’s online space is chock full of goodies battling it out for your hard-earned digital dollars.
Welcome back to another installment of Inside PlayStation Network, where every Monday – Friday we’ll pluck a PSN release—be it new or old—and put it in the spotlight for a thorough dissection. Fancy getting a new PSN game but don’t know what one to plump for? Perhaps this feature will help. Didn’t realize that a game was available in your region until now? We’ve got you covered. Or, perhaps you were musing over what those lucky Japanese folk were tucking into over in the Land of the Rising Sun? You can be sure our coverage will extend to those rare regional exclusives as much as those firmly embedded on the public consciousness.
For our latest entry, we strap on our sneakers and join Sonic and chums in the hit PSP speed ‘em up, Sonic Rivals.
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Developer: Backbone Entertainment
Region(s) available: North America, Europe
Players: 1-2
Given Sonic’s penchant for legging it all over the place at blindingly fast speeds, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the cocky anthropomorphic hedgehog has got himself yet another racing-centric affair. Conspicuously, Sonic Rivals would be one of only a handful of Sonic outings not to be released in the Land of the Rising Sun, having been developed by western-based studio Backbone Entertainment. Here, beating-a-dead-horse-style baddie Dr. Eggman rocks up once again, this time having cobbled together a gadget that turns people into trading cards. Pint-sized sidekick Tails and tag-along-chick Amy have fallen foul to Eggman’s latest plot, and so it’s up to Sonic to save the day once again for the umpteenth time.
Six worlds are up for grabs, all presented in the glorious “2.5” format. Along the way, our spiky blue hero must engage in the age-old ritual of bonking baddies on the head and seeing off a handful of bosses. Still, Sonic’s not the only one chasing his oversized adversary – Knuckles, Silver and Shadow are all in it for the chase too. Pleasingly, stages come in a variety of flavours, from the lush, vibrant distractions of Green Hill to the stoic, metallic halls of a swanky high-tech laboratory. Sonic purists will no doubt nod sagely in acknowledgement at the various series staples that punctuate each environment, including loop-the-loops, springboards, speed boosters and, of course, the ubiquitous gold rings.
In addition to the various hazards – including spikes, bottomless pits and other death-dealing devices – you also have to put up with your pesky rival, who’s only too quick to bonk you on the head or shove a fireball up your backside to hinder your progress. Fortunately, you can also return the favour, and thus you have the nucleus of Backbone’s whole ‘Rival’ twist on the Sonic universe. The contention also stretches to boss battles, where you and your rival slug it out to see who can dispatch the enemy first. Points are rewarded for each successful hit landed, though with both of you in on the action it won’t take long to duff up your opponent.
Elsewhere, Sonic Rivals also offers up an assortment of mini-games, including challenge mode and cup circuit mode. The former plonks you in the exact same locales as the main campaign, albeit with multiple objectives to accomplish. These include anything from bagging a specific number of rings, clobbering your opponent a set number of times with a power-up or sprinting through a level in a given time frame. Circuit mode, meanwhile, has you aiming for the best two out of three as opposed to a single race. Completionists will have their work cut out for them attempting to snag all 150 trading cards, though there’s no discernible reward for doing so other than braggin rights. Rivals also supports multiplayer for two gamers via ad-hoc, where you and a mate can indulge in head-to-head races and cup circuits.
Join us again tomorrow for another butcher’s Inside PlayStation Network.