It isn't all about the racing, oh no, there are power-ups to be had as well, they aren't particularly special or unique but they can certainly help you gain the lead, the missiles for instance can be used to take apart an enemy upfront while mines can be dropped behind to stop those pesky players trying to play catch-up with you. Each character does have its own special pick-up which can be a blessing, but you'll only be able to get it if you're not in the lead, and even then it's mainly just an extra boost in speed which you otherwise wouldn't get from drifting. Still, each of these character specific pick-ups do have a nice animation for the chosen character such as Ryo getting his forklift from the Shenmue racing sequences.
One of the key elements people will be interested in the game for is its multiplayer, and thankfully it doesn't disappoint. Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing has support for four player split-screen offline racing, or up to eight players online if you fancy your chances against some of the worlds best. While setting up your game you have the option to toggle items on or off should you choose and rubber-banding if you prefer racing through skill. The multiplayer games are just single races, you can't set up your own Grand Prix or tournament sadly but you have plenty of tracks to race on or battle through if you fancy something different. The battle modes offer some variety on the racing theme and are centred more on either taking opponents down, defending, or capturing Chao around the level, this is where the pick-ups really fall short because they don't provide enough variety. The online side of things also has leaderboards for time trials, this is a separate mode and is something you'll be doing alone, but still, it's a nice inclusion.
The game certainly doesn't fall short in its graphical prowess on either of the platforms, although you should expect to find the PC coming top while the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions are pretty similar, the Wii on the other hand isn't as pretty as the former but certainly an impressive display given the Wii's capabilities. Most of the tracks as a whole are very vibrant and full of details you'll most likely miss on your first few laps, but each theme has its own impressive visuals, most notably the Samba De Amigo levels for their use of cartoonish cut-out style backgrounds. What is most impressive is the history you'll find among the tracks, little hints and surprises from previous games depending on the stage, you'll no doubt have the odd nostalgic moment during the Sonic themed tracks but we won't spoil it. The only real issue is the occasional frame rate drop, it isn't something that happens often but it's noticeable on the odd occasion during online play. Mostly however the game runs without any hiccups and something that certainly shouldn't put you off.
So Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing is definitely a good game, it doesn't do anything defining and it doesn't reinvent the wheel, but what it does it does well, and most of all it's a fun experience, more so when you play online with a group of friends. If you're struggling to decide which platform to go for then you should look no further than the Xbox 360 or PS3 version since they include voice chat and you'll likely find more players online, however, the Wii's controls do add some fun by using the motion controls instead of a traditional controller, but then it's really up to the player whether to decide if they prefer playing with fancy controls or more options online.
