Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed receives temporary discount on Wii U eShop

A few days ago, a new patch was made available for Sega's hit racer Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed which fixed numerous issues and made some improvements. And now, the company has announced that the Wii U eShop version of the game will be available to purchase at a discounted rate through March 31st, this Sunday. The game is usually priced at $39.99, but the digital version can be yours for just $29.99 until the weekend is over. The offer is valid in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Brazil.

A few other Sega games are also available at a discounted rate on the PlayStation Network. You can check them out via the source link below.

Source: blogs.sega.com

Digital Foundry recommends Wii U version of Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed over other console versions

Digital Foundry has written up a detailed analysis of Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, and they recommend the Wii U version of the game over the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions. According to their article, the Wii U version's graphics hold up well against the competition, and in terms of performance, such as frame-rate, it is solid. They also note that it has exclusive content, and makes use of the GamePad's features for an experience not possible on the other platforms. Here's an excerpt from their conclusion.

    Side by side with the PS3 and 360 versions, which both suffer from tearing where water physics are involved, it's a strong performer too. Sony's platform suffers the most in this regard, and is also on record for the most severe plummet in frame-rates, though these are a very rare turns indeed. Performance holds close to the 30FPS goal on all three platforms, but it's ultimately the 360 that takes the crown here for sheer consistency. Alas, none of these versions can uphold this standard for split-screen play, with only a serviceable 20FPS available in each case.

    Putting the strong PC port aside, we'd pin the Wii U version down as the console version to opt for based on flexibility alone. Despite being a launch title, the range of options it boasts above the competition is commendable, with support for all original Wii control configurations, plus the GamePad and Classic Pro. Once set, all five players can also be taken online as a group, and, best of all, the visuals and performance aren't noticeably cut down in the process of adding these new modes and features. However, if these extras aren't a factor for you, Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed is also an easy recommendation to make on 360 and PS3.

Source: Digital Foundry - Eurogamer

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed demo now on Wii U eShop

The demo for Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed is now available on the eShop. It reportedly weighs in at 1.1 GB in size and can be played 15 times.

The game features a long list of characters from Sega's most popular franchises and lets players race by sea, air, and land. It has received very good reviews so far, but there were a few issues with the Wii U version. Fortunately, a patch was released about a week ago which was meant to bring it up to the same level as the other platforms. If you are interested, you can watch a review by Kwing here.

Sources: GimmeGimmeGames, Eurogamer

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed - Wii U version video overview

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed has a lot going for it, and it has received some very high praise from many publications. Sumo Digital has put together a new video overview of the Wii U version with commentary by Executive Producer Steve Lycett. You can watch it after the break.


For more posts on Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, including Kwing's video review of the Wii U version, click here.

Patch for Wii U version of Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed is now available

The update for the Wii U version of Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed is now available. Here's what executive producer Steve Lycett said about the patch yesterday.

And since it’s a matter of discussion, the Wii U US update to v1.1.1 should happen in the next few hours. Got confirmation of it from SEGA about an hour a go. Again, apologies for the delay as this went through the system. Hopefully you’ll spot a few tweaks and improvements too!

The update is meant to address a number of glitches that result in a few broken game modes and features.

Source: Sumo Digital via Sonic Stadium


For more posts on Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, including Kwing's video review of the Wii U version, click here.

Sonic & All-Stars Racing - Wii U Version Video Review by Kwing

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed is one of the most-hyped third-party Wii U games, and since Nintendo doesn't have a Mario Kart game for the new system, many have been hoping Sonic and his pals would fill the racing void. Unfortunately, gamers have been reporting glitches in the Wii U version of Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, and it has been receiving slightly lower scores than the other versions as a result. Fortunately developer Sumo Digital has confirmed that a patch has been sent to Nintendo and should be ready for download soon. Hopefully it will fix all of the problems and bring the game up to par with the other versions, which have been receiving very good reviews.

Popular YouTube reviewer Kwing has uploaded his video review of the Wii U version of the game, and the quality is top-notch. If you want to see what the racer looks like on Nintendo's new console, you should check out the video review after the break.

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed - Wii U patch sent to Nintendo

Update 12/5/12 - A patch which is supposed to fix the bugs in the game is now available. Click here for details.

Original Story
The staff of developer Sumo Digital have confirmed that a patch for the Wii U version of Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed has been sent to Nintendo and they hope it will be available soon.

An update on the Wii U too, SEGA have confirmed the issues are fixed and it's currently over with Nintendo. We're hoping it will go live very soon!

The patch is meant to address various bugs and glitches, including some that result in broken features and game modes. For more about the issues in the Wii U version of Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, check out our article on the subject here.


Source: Sonic Stadium

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed - Launch Trailer

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed is now in stores, and Sega has released the official launch trailer for the game, which gives a brief overview of its features and gameplay modes. Sega recently released another trailer specifically for the Wii U version which revealed that it has a lot of features the other versions won't, including weapons tracking via the GamePad touchscreen, motion controls, exclusive multiplayer modes, and five player split-screen.


If you are thinking about buying Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, there's something you should know. The staff of GameSpot encountered some serious issues in the Wii U version of the game and gave it a score of 6.0 out of 10, much lower than the 8.5 they awarded to the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions. One gamer has uploaded a video of himself trying to beat the Roulette Rush boost challenge which shows one of the glitches. In the event, the player is tasked with reaching the end of the track under a certain amount of time and there are missing boost pads that are found in every other version of the game. This makes it impossible to complete that particular challenge as extra bursts of speed are required for success. Developer Sumo Digital has announced that a patch is in the works that is supposed to address the problem, but I would wait to see if they get everything gets sorted out.


You can watch both trailers after the break.

Sumo Digital: Mario Kart could learn something from Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed

In an interview with Ben Salter of My Wii U, Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed executive producer Steve Lycett said that while the Mario Kart games tend to draw almost exclusively on the Mario games for track design, his company's racers draw material from other Sega franchises aside from Sonic, producing a more varied experience.

Salter: The obvious comparison is Mario Kart, which could be years away on Wii U. Even though Sonic has become an iconic multiplatform character, Nintendo fans are still loyal to their mascot. How do you convince Nintendo gamers to play a game like Sonic & All-Stars Racing instead of waiting for Mario Kart?


Lycett:  Well I’d say that we’re a very different experience. Not only does the multi-surface play have make it very fresh, but we’re also exploring lots of different SEGA games which really varies the levels you’ll play on. Mario Kart tends to stick to the Mario universe instead.

On top of that the split-screen everywhere mantra means that you can take 5 players all the way through the game, and online, which is a big step up from what’s been before.

What I’m hoping is Nintendo will now have to take a leaf from our game for their next Mario Kart. I think we’ve pushed the genre forward with this game – that and it’s really good honest fun and real gamers games. Try it, I think you’ll love it!

"What I'm hoping is Nintendo will now have to take a leaf from our game for their next Mario Kart. I think we've pushed the genre forward with this game."

You can read the full interview via the source link below.

Source: My Wii U

Glitches reported in Wii U version of Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed

Update 12/5/12 - A patch is now available which is supposed to fix the bugs in the game. Click here for details.

Original Story
The staff of GameSpot noticed an unusually high number of broken features in the Wii U version of Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed and gave it a score of 6.0 out of 10, much lower than the 8.5 they awarded to the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions. IGN gave the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions an impressive 8.5 out of 10, but they also included a disclaimer saying that the score does not apply to the Wii U version, and have announced they will reveal the score at a later time.

Average gamers are also reporting various bugs and glitches in the Wii U version of Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed. In fact, one player has uploaded a video of himself trying to beat the Roulette Rush boost challenge that has caught the attention of developer Sumo Digital themselves. In the event, the player is tasked with reaching the end of the track under a certain amount of time and there are missing boost pads that are found in every other version of the game. This is effectively a game-breaking problem as the challenge is impossible to complete without the extra bursts of speed. Thankfully, Sumo Digital have announced that a patch is in the works that is supposed to address the problem.

You can read GameSpot's review of the Wii U version of the game via the following link:

Sonic & All Stars Racing Transformed - Wii U version - GameSpot

 You can see the glitch in the video after the break.

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed - Wii U trailer

We've seen a number of trailers for Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, but now Sega has released one specifically for the Wii U version. As it turns out, it has a lot of features the other versions won't -  weapons tracking via the touchscreen, motion controls, exclusive multiplayer modes, five player split-screen - it could very well be the best version of all. Video after the break.

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed - Wreck-It Ralph trailer

Racing by sea, air, and land.

Disney's animated comedy Wreck-It Ralph is now playing in theaters, and the title character will be one of the racers in Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed. Sega has released a new trailer which shows Ralph and his vehicle in action. You can check it out after the break.

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed - Danica Patrick trailer

Introducing the "Danicar." Yes that's its real name.

Famous racer Danica Patrick is one of the playable characters in Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, and Sega has released a trailer which shows her in action. She will be driving a vehicle known as the "Danicar" which will also be available for purchase as a Hot Wheels toy. Video after the break.

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed - Ways to Play trailer

Sega has released a new trailer for Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed which shows the different modes featured in the game. Ten player online, split-screen online, split-screen offline...just a few of the different ways to play. Video after after the break.

Developer: Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed framerate is fine now

Disney's Wreck-It Ralph will be a playable character.

Sumo Digital is bringing their upcoming racer Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed to Nintendo's new console, and it was widely reported that the Wii U demo had framerate and other graphical issues. According to Executive Producer Steve Lycett, those problems are a thing of the past. When a Sega forum user posted a statement claiming the PS3 version would be superior, Lycett replied:

"Wrong. If anything the WiiU version is now the closest to the target framerate, well discounting the PC version that is."

Lycett has also explained that the demo that's been making rounds is from a build created from code dating back to July, and the development team has been so focused on getting the Wii U version ready for launch that they haven't had time to create a new demo.

Source: sonicstadium.org


For those of you missed it, Sega staff were on hand at Nintendo's press event to discuss the game. You can see the video overview as well as the E3 trailer after the break.

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed Bonus Edition

A few extra bells and whistles.

Here's something that hasn't received much coverage. There is going to be a special "Bonus Edition" of Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed which features extra material for those who pre-order. This includes a level based on Sega's classic racer OutRun, a playable Metal Sonic character and vehicle, and an in-game "Emoticon Sticker Pack."

The vehicles in Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed can morph into aircraft and high-speed boats, making the gameplay similar to Mario Kart 7. It has been confirmed as a launch day title.

Source: Joystiq

If you would like to pre-order the special Bonus Edition of Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed from Amazon, you can do so via the link below:

Sonic and All-Stars Racing Transformed Bonus Edition


Sega staff were present at Nintendo's press event in New York, and they gave an overview of the game. You can see the video after the break.

Gameplay video of Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed

The GamePad will show an overhead view each course, along with player rankings.

The staff of GamesRadar attended Nintendo's big press event in New York, and they got some hands-on time with the Wii U version of Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed. In this video, Sonic flies around the track in his car, which transforms into a high-speed watercraft when it comes into contact with water. We also catch a glimpse of some of the items that will be featured in the game. Pretty cool. Video after the break.

Box art for Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed

Click for full-size.

Sega has revealed the box art for the Wii U version of Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed. Pretty sweet cover if you ask me. The game allows players to race by sea, air, and land. It's pretty much Sega's version of Mario Kart 7, but much faster and in HD. I've said it before and I'll say it again: it looks like Mario Kart 7 on steroids. You can check out the trailer after the break.

Sonic & Sega Racing dev: Wii U specs are surprising

If you like speed, keep an eye on this one.

Steve Lycett, the executive producer of Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, has good things to say about the Wii U. Speaking with Official Nintendo Magazine, Lycett said the tech specs for the new console are better than he and his team expected, specifically those for the GPU and memory.

Lycett: "When we first got out hands on the kit, the first surprise was the capability of the GPU (Graphics Processing Unit). We'd been worried we might need to re-engineer all the effects and shaders in the game, but they worked just fine."

Lycett also said "The Wii U looks as good as any of the other platforms," before moving on to the question of memory. Though he didn't give any figures, he did say that the Wii U has far more memory than the Xbox 360 and PS3, which will allow them to create graphics with "less compression on models and textures." This is definitely a good sign for future owners of Nintendo's new console.

Source: Official Nintendo Magazine

Trailer after the break.

Sonic & All-Stars Racing dev says Wii U might have best graphics of all consoles

Update: Eurogamer's headline was misleading. Sumo Digital said the graphics of Sonic & All-Stars Racing are on par with the other versions. They weren't speaking about the system itself. They have apologized. See this post for more information.

While showing off Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed to Eurogamer, Sumo Digital told the site's staff that the Wii U's graphics capabilities are "on-par" with the 360 and PS3, "or maybe even better." This is definitely a good sign, which meshes with what many others in the industry have said. In a recent episode of Invisible Walls, GameTrailers editor in chief Shade Satterfield said he believes Assassin's Creed III looks best on Nintendo's Wii U. "I'm definitely getting Assassin's Creed III," Satterfield said. "I've seen pretty much all three versions at this point. To me, the Wii U version looks the best. It also has added functionality, so that would probably be the one game I'd buy with the Wii U, would be Assassin's Creed III."

His comments about added functionality also apply to Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed. The Wii U version will allow users to play on the GamePad's screen without the need for a TV, and can also be used as a rear view mirror. There are also some other interesting ways the title utilizes the screen, one of which lets you use it aim weapons at other characters.

Here is the latest trailer for the game. Like I said a few days ago, it looks like Mario Kart 7 on steroids.