Sega Readies A Double Dose Of Sonic For Mobile Devices

Get ready to see Sonic the Hedgehog race across your smartphone or tablet screen—and in more than one way.

After showing them off to some of the media (including GameSided) in New York last week, Sega did a full announcement today of not one, but two Sonic-related games that will hit iOS and Android devices over the coming months. Both “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” and “Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed” are on the way, and sooner rather than later.

We had a chance to talk to some of the devs, see both games and take one for a test drive in New York. Here’s the scoop:

•  You’re not mistaken. “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” is already out for iPad and iPhone. That was just a port though. The new version is substantially redone, with remastered audio and enhanced graphics intended to make it the definitive mobile iteration of a true console classic.It’s certainly a visually impressive trip down memory lane, with all the stages you remember faithfully reproduced and running super smoothly on iPad. If you already shelled out for the iOS version, you’ll be upgraded to the new hotness for free. The game will be a premium priced download on Android, but one that appears worth it for Sonic fans. Look for it in November.

• Perhaps not as much of a classic but still looking mighty interesting is “Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed” for mobile. It wasn’t ready for hands-on and is not as far along as “Sonic 2,” though it’s still expected to release this winter. Calling it a “tweaked” take on the console game, the devs touted daily and weekly events, local and online four-person multiplayer, and races that span land, sea, and air—with your kart transforming into a boat or plane as need be. The races will be shorter (two laps) to fit mobile play styles, and you’ll be able to grind out vehicle  upgrades or use IAPs to save time if desired. The plan is for simultaneous iOS and Android launch, but that’s not set in stone.

Sega has more mobile games in the pipelines, including the ambitious “Demon Tribe” by Masayoshi Kikuchi (who we chatted with at the media event) and the hard-to-pigeonhole rhythm RPG “Rhythm Thief & the Paris Caper.” Expect to see more details on all of these games over the coming weeks.