This game is really hard for me to have set feelings on... I will say, that yes, this is the best Sonic game that Sega has released since Sonic Adventure 2: Battle. In fact, the ONLY good game Sega has released since then. But, it's just hard... (By the way, if you're going to read the first paragraph, say I suck, and automatically give me a negative vote, at least go don to the bottom where I list where this game excels. I really like this game, so don't just disagree right off the bat.)
First off, the storyline... What it is... Is something I wish it wasn't... Because this is the first good Sonic game in a very good while, I was hoping that this game would have followed the original Sonic cameo. Sega's done this countless times, where they throw in a couple throw-away characters from a storyline that will never again be mentioned in the rest of the Sonic series. I mean, I can stand adding a few characters, but making a game not set in Sonic's world is going too far. This doesn't even seem like I'm playing a Sonic game at all. I feel like I'm playing an Aladdin racing game. I only wish it had taken place in the Sonic world, not a throw-away storyline.
The next thing, is the controls in this game. I'll put it bluntly: They piss me off. Half the time. I like the running and turning and all that stuff, but pushing the remote forward to do a homing attack is a bit much. Why can't we press 2 twice, like in every other Sonic games. Another thing on the jumping, I find myself NOT jumping half the time. I hold down the 2 button, but Sonic seems perfectly content to keep running right into an enemy. And, when I DO get to just, while running, if I don't have enough time to hold the 2 button (because Sonic runs too fast; I mean, that's what he does.) then he gives me this half-ass jump that always sends me into a cactus, or sailing down a pit of lava, or something ridiculous.
Another thing on Sonic running too fast: it's either that, or he's running too slow. There is no perfect, or, in-between speed. Sonic's always either taking a calm stroll for ten minutes after you run into something, or he's going so fast that you sail off the course or slam into some God-awful monster.
Now, the ease of this game is just as sporadic as Sonic's speed. Some levels, I can just sit there and watch Sonic run through the level, without doing anything at all. Other times, I'm re-trying a level 80 times, because I can't get Sonic's jumps JUST RIGHT.
But, there are many ups to this game, don't get me wrong. I actually love this game, despite what I'm saying. The soundtrack for this game is awesome, which, coming from SonicTeam, it always is. (It's the one thing they never screw up.) The graphics in this game are very impressive for a Wii game. (As in, they don't stand up to PS3/360 standards, but it's not supposed to, anyway.) The game gives you a good sense of speed, and really depends on the players' reaction times. So, if you've got a fast brain, or you're a Sonic veteran, like myself, you'll hold up well in this game. The mini-games are a blast, really, they are. I sat playing for six hours, with just three computers, and I never got tired of them. Actually, I hardly found a repeated game in the entire time that I played. Literally, the mini-games in Sonic and the Secret Rings are like Wii Play on steroids. There are so many, I couldn't even be bothered to count them.
The environments in this game are huge and fun. Everything looks so huge and intimidating, but Sonic can always easily overcome them, which is always a very satisfying experience. The cut scenes in this game could really be better, I mean, they must have had absolutely zero in their animation budget, because it's just a few moving pictures for each cut scene. This alone disappointed me to no end, because I always love to see Sonic portrayed in a new way in CG movies. There are a few CG movies, but you have to unlock them in the Special Book. The voice acting is horrible, but every Sonic fan knows the voices and the voice actors, and I myself have grown to love the poor voice acting. It makes the scenes all the funnier, which Sonic is a series based highly on comic relief, so I see it as an advantage instead of a set-back. All in all, everything balances itself out. The game is fun to play, and every level has tons of different missions to play, and most of the time, that means a different experience in the level entirely. Sonic and the Secret Rings is wonderfully diverse and fun; a very creative game. If you're a true Sonic devout, buy this game. If you've heard of Sonic, and your are patient with game controls, buy this game. This game is fun for everyone, so just go out and get it!