Sonic Rumble

Sonic Rumble
Sonic the Hedgehog runs to the left whilst looking at the player in front of a blurred background.
App icon
Developer(s)
Publisher(s)Sega
SeriesSonic the Hedgehog
Platform(s)
Genre(s)
Mode(s)

Sonic Rumble is an upcoming multiplayer party battle royale game in the Sonic the Hedgehog video game series, developed by Sonic Team and Rovio Entertainment.[1] Anticipating release in the winter of 2024/2025,[2] the game will be available on mobile and PC platforms.[3] The game features players as toy versions of Sonic characters competing in various challenges and minigames.[4]

The game was announced in May of 2024, with a closed beta test being available from 24–26 that same month.[1][5]

Gameplay

Gameplay screenshot, in which Sonic is seen running away from a giant chopper

Sonic Rumble is an online party game in which players compete against each other in various mini-games and challenges, with the goal of collecting the most rings. The game supports up to 32 players[6] in the first round, with half of the players being eliminated afterwards. The second round features the remaining 16 players, and again, half of them are eliminated. The final round then consists of the remaining 8 players, who compete in a final round to determine the winner.

Game modes

The game features multiple game modes, which consist of the following:

  • In 'Ring Survival', players compete to collect the most rings while surviving against challenges and other players. This is the game's main multiplayer mode.[7]
  • In 'Co-Op Battles', players team up as a group of 32 to fight the Death Egg Robot, working together to defeat it and earn rewards.
  • 'Special Rumble' features a variety of competitions, including Run Battles and Survival Battles, where players race through three consecutive rounds with fixed rules. It includes challenges like Hyper Boost Battles and Low Gravity Battles, allowing players to race in alternate ways.

The game also supports custom matches; players can host their own lobbies in this mode, allowing them to compete against CPUs, friends, or other players.

Reception

Giovanni Colantonio's pre-release review on Digital Trends praised the gameplay as fun, but criticized its slow pace, considering the game's place in the fast-paced Sonic the Hedgehog series. Colantonio compared the game to Fall Guys and felt it was like "an unrelated game that's been reskinned to look like the franchise", not having what "make[s] Sonic games fun".[8]

References

  1. ^ a b Cardy, Simon (1 October 2024). "Sonic Rumble is a New Platformer Battle Royale Game for iOS and Android". IGN. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
  2. ^ GameRant. "Sonic Rumble Pre-Registrations Live". Retrieved December 9, 2024.
  3. ^ "Sonic Rumble adds PC version, customization, and modes; trailer". Gematsu. 29 September 2024. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
  4. ^ Dean, Takashi (5 October 2024). "How Sonic Rumble is taking Sega into mobile games: Interview". VentureBeat. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
  5. ^ "Sonic Rumble officially announced: new details and screenshot". Tails Channel. 28 September 2024. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
  6. ^ Shirey, J Brodie (8 October 2024). "Free to Play Sonic Game Removing Controversial Feature". Game Rant. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
  7. ^ "TSS Hands-On Preview: Sonic Rumble Beta". Sonic Stadium. 3 October 2024. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
  8. ^ Colantonio, Giovanni (November 14, 2024). "Sonic Rumble is a fun battle royale, but an oddly slow Sonic spinoff". Digital Trends. Digital Trends Media Group. Retrieved November 14, 2024.