Sonic Rush on the DS really does pull off that Genesis feel the Sonic games once had.
Now on the Nintendo DS, the blue hedgehog returns in his sidescrolling format as he was in the Sega Genesis games, but instead of 2D graphics, we get 3D graphics on characters with 2D gameplay and some 2D backgrounds. The sidescrolling missions have 2D backgrounds with 3D character models, while the boss battle segments have 3D everywhere, but with 2D gameplay. Either way, the graphics are really nice and clean.
The story of the game is another "space time screw up" scenario, but with two worlds. Sonic's world and Blaze the Cat's world. In Sonic's part of the story, Tails finds out what is wrong and finds out that there are two different Eggmen. Dr. Eggman/Robotnik from he and Sonic's world, and Eggman Nega from the other world where Blaze is from, while Blaze goes into Sonic's world to get the Sol Emeralds (Sonic is still getting Chaos Emeralds as usual in secret missions). It's a pretty good concept, but how it's written is a bit confusing.
Now talking about the controls, the sidescrolling segments and boss battles use just the D pad and A and B buttons. The D pad is used for looking up, ducking, and running left and right, like the Sega Genesis games, while the A and B buttons are used for jumping. If you duck by holding down the down button and press the jump button, you'll get a speed charge. Sonic rolls forward, while Blaze charges some flames as they both get their boosts of speed. Also, if you keep holding down the button in the direction you're supposed to, speed will build up like in past Sonic games, and that's a really good thing. Also in the sidescrolling missions if you either jump from a trampoline, or slide of a ramp, you'll be able to use the A and B buttons to nail tricks to add more points, and that's pretty cool for those who want to beat their previous score. There are also 3D secret stages for Sonic for when he gets a Chaos Emeralds and in this one, you really need a stylus to drag him left and right while he's running forward and getting the required amount of rings. Touch screen controls for this are very precise for him dodging and even jumping at the side of the tube he's automatically running in.
There is a multiplayer racing mode like in past Sonic games, but unfortunately, it wasn't fun at all. Although it is cool that you can have multi-card or single card multiplayer and have races, the game lags in multiplayer no matter what the bar level is. I see it on full three bars as the other player does too, but it lags, even at that level, and in a game like Sonic, that is what ruined the fun of multiplayer racing. It's supposed to be a smooth, fast game.
And at times, we'll get some voiceovers. Although the story is mainly driven on text, there are sometimes when Sonic, Tails, Cream, and Blaze will talk. Like Cream and/or Tails will say something when Sonic and/or Blaze goes into a mission. The only times you'll hear Sonic and Blaze talk is once for Sonic at the title screen, once for Blaze at the character selection screen. They'll talk also when they get hit from something and lose their rings. To me, it's kinda pointless having voices in menu screens or mission select screens and the only place where I think is ok is when they get hit in addition to when they lose their rings.
Overall, despite some pointless places to have voice acting and laggy multiplayer, Sonic Rush is a very well done piece of 2.5D sidescrolling. It had the feel of the Sega Genesis with great graphics and gameplay. This is definately worth buying for blue hedgehog fans and even newcomers.