Sonic Riders is a fun racing game, but it does have a couple of downsides.

User Rating: 7.5 | Sonic Riders GC
Sonic Riders is a multiplatform racing game involving flying skateboards. The game introduces 3 new friends, the Babylon Rouges, to the Sonic universe. This game has many highs and lows, but which outweighs which?

The controls of Sonic Riders is quite simple: use the control stick to move, A to hold power/jump, and L and R to drift and make a trap (when pressed together). Gameplay is just as simple: get to the finish line before your foes. Each stage has 3 laps. Before the race, you begin by the starting line and you have to run over the start line at the perfect time to get a head start. too early, and you get stunned and your opponents will pass you easily: too late, and you won't get a good head start. Once you leave the starting gate, then you officially begin the race. The meter on the screen shows your air tank: once it runs out, you have to refill it by going to a pit stop or getting a container with air in it. Air goes down gradually while racing, but will also deplete when you hold A, boost, or make a trap. You can boost as long as your air gauge isn't in the caution area. Once you run out of air, you have to run until you find a pit stop or a container with air in it. This can easily allow you to be passed, so be cautious with the air. Throughout each stage there are rings: collecting enough will level you up, and increases your gauge size, boost, and stats. Rings also allow you to buy new extreme gear. If you get hit in a race, you lose your rings and level down. Each stage has multiple ramps you jump off and do tricks: the better you do, the more air you get. By holding A and releasing it on a ramp, you can go farther and do tricks faster. Holding A longer allows you to go farther and reach shortcuts. Be careful when releasing: accidentally jumping over the ramp and falling to your death can happen. Stages are usually fair, but also can have some gimmicks that can be very annoying. The sometimes quirks with controls don't help either. Each character has a special ability which can be useful for finding shortcuts in a race. Speed characters can grind on rails. Flight characters can use air ride, which allows them to fly through the air. Power characters smash things. Different extreme gear can give a character an extra ability, which can be useful for winning. one of the best things about this game is its sense of speed. It gives you a good rush of speed, which is very pleasing.

The story involves Sonic and his friends entering a Grand Prix (hosted by none other then Eggman (also, Prix is pronounced Pree)) for the 7 chaos emeralds. Against the heroes are the Babylon Rouges, who are thieves who are in the race to get the emeralds and find the treasure of Babylon. There are two stories: Hero and Babylon. Both are very short, however. Not much happens in the story either. It's very simple and can be lame.

While the story isn't fun, Sonic Riders has other, much more enjoyable things. First, there is the Free races, where you just race in the stages and can do Time Trials. Basically, just race to the goal in Free Races, and go for best time in Time Trials. There is also tag mode, where you and a partner (CPU or player) race using the same air tank. However, you have to be in a close enough range, or the players get shocked. Not much other to say about this mode. Survival mode is where you battle other players on a battle field. You collect items throughout the stage that can increase speed, power, defence, and air tank size. By boosting into others, you damage them. Each player has 3 life. This is an enjoyable mode. You can also have a race battle, where you have to be the first to get a Chaos emerald and try and head to the goal without it being taken. Not that fun. Sonic Riders also has a mission mode, which is unlocked once you beat the story mode. There are 3 sets of missions: Storm's missions, Wave's missions, and Jet's missions, and a total of 100 missions. The missions can provide a good challenge, especially if you are going for all gold missions. Although, the missions can sometimes be frustrating, so prepare for bits of anger.

The game has many things to unlock, including extreme gear, stages, and characters. There is a wide variety of extreme gear to choose from. There are also a total of 16 stages, however half of them are basically the other stages, but with aesthetic changes and a few course changes. More variety in stages would've been nice also.

PROS:
*Great sense of speed
*Multiple things to unlock
*Good variety with extreme gear
*Other modes can be enjoyable

CONS:
*Controls can be annoying
*Times of frustration
*Short and lame story
*Poor variety in stages

Score Breakdown:
Presentation: Decent
*Gameplay: 8
*Replay: 7
*Fun: 8
*Music/Sounds: 7
*Graphics: 7.5
*Story: 5/10

Final Score: 7.5

Sonic Riders can be a fun game at times, but it isn't for everyone.