As part of Sonic the Hedgehog's 15th-anniversary celebrations, a curious futuristic racing game by the name of Sonic Riders was released in early 2006. The game introduced the Babylon Rogues, a group of thieves consisting of Jet the Hawk, Wave the Swallow, and Storm the Albatross who serve as the rivals to Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles. While this sounds like standard Sonic fare, the game stood out in numerous ways. Thanks to the unique flavor of the title, fans still crave for it to make a comeback, and Sega should look into it for many reasons.
Like many of the Sonic the Hedgehog games that came out during the darker times of the hedgehog's history, it was given so-so ratings by critics, yet many fans adored the fast-paced and action-filled gameplay. The title sold well enough to warrant two sequels, Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity for Wii in 2008 and Sonic Free Riders for Microsoft Kinect in 2010. Both titles sought to capture the same audience that adored the first title but fell shorter and shorter with each installment. However, despite the series' shortcomings, fans still crave for the Sonic Riders series to return.
What Sonic Riders Brought to the Series
One of the biggest things that made the Sonic Riders games stand out was its style and attitude. It used a futuristic aesthetic for its levels, and in order to make Sonic and his friends mesh with the level design used to the game's courses, also gave the critters seen in the series a design overhaul. The designs were given a great chance to shine with a sharp and crisp sketchy 2D art style that many fan artists still copy for fan art to this day. The game also featured an animated intro by TMS Entertainment, the studio responsible for Sonic X, and it featured the same similar art style that remained sleek and memorable to this day.
However, many Sonic games have been sadly known to excel at one aspect, yet fall flat on others. Sonic Riders was a rare title at the time that, to many fans, lived up to its promises. The gameplay matched the aesthetics brought forward, bringing fast-paced racing that fans couldn't get anywhere else. With the use of Sonic Heroes' Flight, Speed, and Power-type dynamics, along with trick timing height and turbulence mechanics, one wrong move could cost players the race, and that made every race with Sonic Riders exciting. Zero Gravity may have fallen short with the track design and mechanics, but it still offered a fun experience for many Sonic fans similar to its predecessor.
The Sonic Riders Fan Community
How exactly Sonic Riders has remained in fans' minds all this time is made very clear by how said fans keep it alive 17 years later. Through what resources players have at their disposal, fans still find the game and play it on Twitch streams regularly. Among all the fan art that pays tribute to the game's iconic and unique style, there is also a modding scene that breathes new life into the original title with their passion on full display. Much like how Sonic Adventure 2 fans created an incredible music video tribute to their favorite game, modders have made a full HD remaster of Sonic Riders titled "Sonic Riders Tournament Edition."
The fact that mods are still being made for Sonic Riders is rather impressive, but Sonic Riders Tournament Edition takes the dedication to a new level. It's not only a mod that seeks to upgrade and improve several features, but it also features netplay code that allows fans to participate in multiplayer races through the internet. As the title says, the updated version of Sonic Riders serves as the "Tournament Edition," specifically made by and for a competitive scene for the 17-year-old game. Just like what's seen with Super Smash Bros. Melee, this can only be possible through fans' passion for such an old game.
It's very clear by the long-term fan engagement with the series that Sonic Riders has earned its place among fans. Sega seems to be aware of the attachment fans have to the series, as well, considering the Babylon Rogues have become reoccurring characters, and occasionally the artists at Sonic Team will pay tribute to it every so often. Considering how oversaturated the market is with kart racers from similar franchises, a revival for Sonic Riders could breathe life into the blue blur's party games that hasn't been there in years.
Though, if Sega did choose to bring back these unique racing games, how exactly they do so is important as well. While Sonic Riders ended up being somewhat of a cult classic among Sonic fans, the other two titles didn't nearly grab the audience in the same way. Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity had a fair bit of ambition, but it also broke what didn't need to be fixed with the formula. Sonic Free Riders, on the other hand, has been canned by critics and fans alike. If Sonic and friends are to race on their Extreme Gear again, Sonic Team understanding just why the first Riders game was a success is crucial for it to capture the old audience.