14 DAY TRIAL // Sonic Boom is certainly not the video game that long-term fans of the series have been waiting for SEGA to deliver and it might actively alienate some of them, but could open up the series to a new segment of players.
The E3 2014 demo for the title on the Wii U does not feature any sort of high speed segments or fast movement through open spaces, which have long constituted the core of the Sonic experience.
What it does offer are combat arenas, mostly closed off by walls or gates, where Sonic and his companions need to use their new array of moves and powers to take out robotic enemies that have clearly been created by new villain Lyric.
Sonic is a capable warrior and can nimbly move away from attacks before he strikes his foes with a variety of moves and Knuckles is even more powerful when he gets up close and personal with his enemies.
The player can switch between characters at will and both of them also have access to an all-new Enerbeam, which can be used to catch enemies and drag them close, but it is mostly linked to the puzzles that need to be solved in Sonic Boom.
The challenges were not too complex, but they offered a respite from the combat, which suffers from repetitive enemy design and from a control scheme that can use a bit more work.
The highlight of the E3 2014 demo for Sonic Boom was a boss fight that asked the player to use his Enerbeam to catch enemies and fling them into a powerful robot that spawned them, in order to take him out.
The title looks good on the Wii U, with plenty of detail to the world and the characters, but SEGA needs to include at least some high speed sections in order to keep its longtime fans happy.
The spin-off also has a 3DS version that is designed to focus less on straight up combat and more on platforming and puzzles.
The success of the Sonic Boom spin-off concept will also depend heavily on the new animated series that will use the same game world and characters because the TV product can serve as a powerful marketing force for the games.
Sonic Boom on the Wii U home console from Nintendo will be delivered to gamers on November 25 in North America and on November 27 in Europe.