Ok, but the "New" Sonic game never mentions how it compares to Cars 2. And checking the reviewers Dan did the "New" Sonic (9) and Martin the old Sonic (7) and Cars 2 (7).
Martin blah blahs all over himself about the Sonic license (which is weak, at best, and only really appeals to those invested in the old Sega consoles). This is funny, in a bad way, because the license is weaker now than when the Old Sonic came out an
d Dan was able from refrain from such overboard nostalgia.
It is nice to see some Bizzare folks show up here but I wish the reviewer had talked more about the driving model. Specifically the old review went into the issues with the Sega power slide model. Mario Kart, e.g., always seemed to reward smart use of the power slide--hit a corner right with it and you get a small, but significant, boost that can help you jockey for position. With Sega the driving model is very forgiving and you basically powerslide CONSTANTLY. No real strategy to "do it only 1x or 2x--get greedy and you could lose more speed than gain." The game always felt slightly sloppy and the weapons uninspired/lacking significant strategical design (this is where the best Mario karts shine--great weapon play, solid driving models, and maps that work well with the driving model/weapons so smart players can use them to a high degree of skill).
This is where Cars 2 comes in. The combat mode is way better than anything I have seen in a Kart game in a long time. The story works but is short (I don't really care for the license but the kids did). Where the game was rewarding was it has quite a few "skilled short cuts" and the weapons are simple. That is a downer, but also a positive because it keeps the game balanced. So no really cool toys but the ones there really work and can be used with skill. The driving model and the multiuse power meter work out well.
So back to the reviews: while the new reviewer fawns over the Sega license and gives it a 9 I am more curious if it is getting a 9 because they added a bit more content or if they actually addressed the core issues with the driving model and weapons and how they work into the map design (which was always colorful and themed but lacked much driving skill).
Heck, the new F1 Race Stars, as simple as the game is (and odd) at least the demo track has a lot of bends and twists that play well into a skilled driving model in the kart genre. Sega, as fun as it is in spurts and the kids love the colors and over the top theme, underneath the hood didn't scratch my itch as well as Cars 2 did.
I will go as far as saying that Cars 2, with its really big glaring faults, the core experience is one of the best for a kart game. It lacks the bells and whistles but the gameplay I felt was much more rewarding.
