Like arabian days, this game is hotter than hot.
Graphics: In this generation of gaming, we've come to expect almost every game we play to be beautiful and Sonic and the Secret rings does not disappoint. The menus and cutscenes are done in a story book fashion to capture the feel of exploring the tale of 1001 arabian nights. The ingame graphics are no joke either. The environments are lush and vibrant, with lots of action going on in the background. This is probably one of the first Wii games by a third party to actually push the Wii technology. The fact that there is no hint of slowdown and support of widescreen format plus progressive scan doesnt hurt either.
Sound: The music in the game is pretty much standard Sonic fare. Either you will like it or you won't. I find it catchy and think they fit each stage nicely, though thats up for debate. The sound effects are great though, from the flare up of Sonic's flame, to the explosions and rushing waterfalls. It all sounds crisp and clear, especially with the supported Dolby pro logic enabled. The voice acting actually sounds pretty good this time around, and the characters lines, whether in game or during cutscenes are actually of good quality as well. The only complaint here is Erazor, the main enemy, english voice actor. His voice just doesnt convey the evil of the character's personality. And for you lovers of the japanese voice actors, there is an option to set the voices to japanese.
Gameplay: Sonic and the Secret Rings tries to incorporate a new style of gameplay for the blue blur, a "on rails" type of gameplay akin to the Panzer Dragoon series. While this may sound restricting, its not. The stages often have branching paths to take, and multiple action scenes such as running away from stampeding dinosaurs, surfing on a log down a raging river, or dodging flying spears and falling stone pillars. The controls in the game are also pretty tight, and the homing attack, now a staple in the Sonic series, has been improved with a better lock on mechanic. This enables players to almost always hit their mark. There is also a experience points based skill mechanic that allows you to power up Sonic with numerous skills, some that make him faster, stronger, or simply improve the controls. Even with all this, the game still has its frustrating points, especially if you dont know the layout of a level, or have the right skills equipped for the challenge you are facing. Another detriment to 3d Sonic games has been the camera system. No more dealing with wonky camera angles here though. Sonic and the Secret Rings incorporates a dynamic camera which tends to give you the best angles to view the action from, and it actually works well.
Conclusion: Sonic and the Secret Rings is a good all around adventure/platforming game, and a great game for a Sonic fan. The gameplay has been improved along with the camera and controls. Though the game is not without its flaws. Some stages can prove challenging, and some challenges might frustrate you, but the frustrating challenges are few and far between. So if you are looking for a new addition to your Wii library and are a Sonic fan, this is a definate purchase. Even if you're not a Sonic fan, you owe it to yourself to at least rent the game and give it a shot.