Footage Of Lost Sonic Game Has Been Found

There was no shortage of Sonic the Hedgehog games during the 2000s--as well as the edgy Shadow the Hedgehog--but one obscure title that may have escaped the notice of all but the most devoted of fans is Sonic Kart 3DX, a kart racer not available on most platforms. Exclusive to Sega’s Sonic Cafe service in Japan during the early 2000s, the mobile game was a simple dip into the racing genre, and was thought to be lost to time once the service was shut down in the late 2000s.

As spotted by GamesRadar, footage of the game has appeared on a Japanese YouTube channel. The footage was first uploaded in December 2020, but the Sonic fandom didn't stumble onto it until recently. Two next-gen console launches during a very busy fourth quarter in the middle of a pandemic do tend to see quirky games like Sonic Kart 3DX fall under the radar. We'll have to make sure that never happens again.

It's an interesting look at the sequel to Sonic Racing Kart, which was also a Sonic Cafe exclusive. Seeing Sega's iconic mascot driving a vehicle that tops out a speed that would be glacial in comparison to how fast Sonic is makes for an interesting trip back in time.

In more contemporary news, Sonic's stock continues to rise. A sequel to the blockbuster film has begun shooting and the character celebrates his 30th anniversary this year. With Sega confirmed to appear at this year's digital-only E3 event, there's an expectation that a new Sonic game will be announced next month.