Sonic brings his trademark speed to multiplayer extreme sports racing!Sonic Riders integrates speed, extreme sports and head-to-head battles, offering a new racing experience with Sonic.Features* Air board racing – a unique blend of snowboarding, surfing and high-speed combat * More than 14 wide-open courses, plus different modes, equipment upgrades and bonus unlockables * Innovative "Turbulence" effect

In Sonic Riders, Dr. Eggman challenges Sonic and his friends to a Worldwide Grand Prix, and the winner takes all the Chaos Emeralds! Gliding on air on many different hover-boards, gamers experience sports-style racing tension as Sonic and his pals perform tricks and stunts over treacherous wide-open terrain.Sega breaks out an all-star cast of more than 15 characters to get their race on. Wave the Swallow, Jet the Hawk and Storm the Albatross join staple Sonic characters in this fast-paced racer. Add to that more than 14 courses, different modes and upgradable equipment and you get a game with plenty of depth to go along with its flash.And of flash there is plenty. Each course looks great and the design of each one provides room for plenty of jumps for you to show off your mid-air tricks. If you play your cards right, you can get caught up in a jet stream to turbo through parts of each course.For fuel, look for a Sonic series staple: gold rings. The more you get, the fewer pit stops you need to make. Of course, your ring collection is short lived if you run into an obstacle or tangle with an aggressive opponent.Although you're racing against several opponents, and there are lots of weapons and power-ups to pick up on the course, there isn't always as much battling or jockeying for position as you might expect. Because of the frantic course graphics, the status of the other racers isn't always clear until they are close, so sometimes you may feel alone on the course. On some courses, the game's fast paced rhythm is slowed by zip lines where you must rotate the control stick as you hang on in order to keep up your speed.Bottom LineEven with its minor distractions, Sonic Riders delivers a fun, full-bore racing experience on Nintendo GameCube. It successfully delivers what every Sonic game does -- a great sense of barely-in-control speed. If you're a Sonic fan, you'll definitely want to check this one out.

Source:

www.nintendo.com – GameCube

Sonic takes on Dr. Eggman's call for the fastest air-rider at the World Grand Prix. Compete against new rivals - the Babylon Rogues - as you pull off insane tricks and catch massive air!## Think you got what it takes?The Bigger the Trick, The Greater the Power! Hang Tight! Ride the Turbulence to ramp up speed!TRY TO KEEP UP!Beat'em or Get Beaten! Test your skills against your friends in Multi-Player Mode

Source:

Back of Case - PlayStation 2/Xbox/GameCube (US)

SONIC RIDERS

Dr. Eggman has thrown down the gauntlet, calling out Sonic and friends to join his World Grand Prix. But, just what is the egg-shaped genius really planning? And who are the legendary riders known as the Babylon Rouges that beat Sonic to the signup? At unparalleled breakneck speeds, you’ll catch the turbulence air stream of your board-bound opponents and blaze past them while busting out wild stunts and tricks. Take full advantage of your characters’ talents in Speed, Power, or Flight and challenge up to three friends to find out who really is the fastest rider in the world!

Features: * All-new air board racing. New blend of snowboarding, surfing and high-speed racing combat. * Innovative “Turbulence” air-system. Catch the drift of your opponents and leave them in your wake! * Insane tricks. The more difficult trick you pull off, the more points you get! * 4-Player Ultimate Battle. New rival group, the Babylon Rogues sets the stage for scorching head-to-head multi-player battles up to 4 players. * Over 13 outrageous tracks, plus multiple modes, and tons of bonus unlockables. * Collect and customize your Extreme Gear with over 40 unique types of equipment to choose from, as well as equipment upgrades. * Unravel the mystery in Story Mode. You’ll play as two opposing teams, complete with cut-scenes.

Source:

Sega of America Website

SONIC TAKES RACING TO THE EXTREME WITH SONIC RIDERS™

**Air Board Racing Game Features Fan-Favourite Cast of Characters; Brand New Group of Rivals

SAN FRANCISCO & LONDON (September 09, 2005)** – SEGA® of America, Inc. and SEGA Europe Ltd. today announced the development of Sonic Riders™ for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, the Xbox® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, and the Nintendo GameCube™. Developed by SONIC TEAM, Tokyo, Sonic Riders integrates Extreme sports, high-speed racing and head-to-head battles, offering a new racing experience with Sonic which is unlike any before in other racing games. Sonic Riders is slated to ship in Winter 2006.

In Sonic Riders, Dr. Eggman challenges Sonic and his friends to a Worldwide Grand Prix, and the prize for coming out on top is an ultra-rare Chaos Emerald! Gliding on air boards – which are performance-oriented for each playable character – gamers will experience a heightened sense of Extreme sports-style racing tension as Sonic and his pals perform tricks and stunts over treacherous wide-open terrain.

"It's been great watching this game develop over the last year into what it has now become - and that's a perfect blend of character, speed and competitive gameplay", commented Matt Woodley, Creative Director, SEGA Europe and SEGA America. "This game will delight Sonic fans of all ages".

Sonic is dubbed the speediest on the ground, but will he be able to out run all the others on his air board? Could Dr. Eggman and his legendary air rider group, The Band of Thieves: Babylon, have a shot at winning the Chaos Emerald this time around?

Now, gamers will have the chance to play as one of their favourite Sonic characters or compete against three other friends to determine the champion of the Worldwide Grand Prix!

Source:

Press release (9th September 2005)

Sonic brings his trademark speed to extreme sports racing for some intense multiplayer fun! Sonic Riders™ integrates extreme sports, high-speed racing, and head-to-head battles, offering a new racing experience with Sonic unlike any before in other racing games.

In Sonic Riders™, Dr. Eggman challenges Sonic and his friends to a Worldwide Grand Prix, and the best racer takes all the Chaos Emeralds! Gliding on air on many different boards, experience a heightened sense of sports-style racing tension as Sonic and his pals perform tricks and stunts over treacherous wide-open terrain.

• Air board racing: Play this unique blend of snowboarding, surfing, and high-speed combat.
• Rival group: The Babylon Rogues provide the impetus behind multiplayer excitement.
• Extensive gameplay: More than 14 wide-open courses, plus different modes, equipment upgrades, and bonus unlockables keep the game fresh.
• Rock and roll: The innovative “Turbulence” effect is the key basis behind the extreme sports angle.

Source:

www.xbox.com