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Double the screens... Double the excitement!


— Tagline

Sonic Rush (ソニック・ラッシュ Sonikku Rasshu?) is a 2.5D platformer handheld video game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series for the Nintendo DS. It was released in November 2005 and was co-developed by Dimps and Sonic Team. The game capitalizes on the "dual screen" aspect of the DS in multiple ways, utilizing two screens as one extended vertical screen for very steep climbs and drops. Designed as a 2.5D side-scroller, Sonic Rush is the first title in the Sonic series to explore both 2D and 3D venues by combining two-dimensional environments with three-dimensional models.

In Sonic Rush, Sonic learns that Dr. Eggman is up to no good again, and thus embarks on an adventure to stop him. Along the way, however, he also faces a new foe named Eggman Nega, who looks much like the original Eggman. From Tails, the hedgehog learns that a tear has emerged from the spacetime continuum and is putting the fate of the universe to odds as it expands. Meanwhile, Blaze the Cat, an antisocial princess from another universe called the Sol Dimension, has been flung to Sonic's world after the Sol Emeralds from her world were stolen by Eggman.

Sonic Rush was well received by critics, with praise towards the music, art style, and the gameplay style derived from the Sega Mega Drive Sonic games. It was, however, criticized for the quickness. In 2007, it received a sequel, Sonic Rush Adventure.

Plot[]

Spoiler warning: Plot, ending details or any kind of information follow.

Storylines[]

Sonic[]

Rush titlescreen

The title screen of Sonic Rush.

On a day racing through Leaf Storm, Sonic finds Dr. Eggman in his Egg Hammer Mega, who gloats that the ultimate power will soon be his, and confronts him. After Sonic has defeated Eggman's Egg Hammer Mega, the doctor flies away, but he drops the blue Sol Emerald, which Sonic notices. Before he can pick it up however, Blaze the Cat appears in a column of flames, grabs the Sol Emerald, and leaves. Full of questions, Sonic goes to see his friend Tails and tells him of the situation. Deducing that Eggman is up to his old tricks, and that Blaze is somehow involved, the duo runs off to stop Eggman's plans.

Eventually, Sonic explores Water Palace, where he finds an Eggman-like figure, who introduces himself as Eggman Nega. After Sonic defeats Eggman Nega and his Egg Turtle in battle however, Eggman Nega flies away. Although Sonic and Tails think that Eggman Nega is just Eggman in another disguise, Tails suspects something is up, and heads to his workshop with Sonic to check something out. There, he discovers that there is an expanding tear in the space-time continuum, which will eventually alter the fabric of reality if it is not stopped. Looking for answers, the duo heads out once more. After encountering and defeating Eggman Nega and his Egg Scarab in Mirage Road, Sonic realizes that they are getting nowhere, so he and Tails start looking around for information. They subsequently go to Cream's house, where Vanilla tells them that Cream has gone out with a new friend, which Sonic and Tails believe to be Blaze. Following Vanilla's directions, the pair arrive in Night Carnival. There, Sonic has another confrontation with Eggman Nega, where he defeats his Egg Libra.

Soon after, Sonic and Tails find their path blocked by a pile of rocks. Suddenly however, Knuckles emerges from the boulders, enraged because of a confrontation he had with Cream and Blaze earlier. In a fit of rage, he punches the pile of rocks blocking the path to pieces and leaves. Free to continue, Sonic and Tails make their way through Huge Crisis, where Sonic defeats Eggman Nega and his Egg Hammer Fortress. Afterward, the duo finds Blaze and Cream. Sonic and Tails try asking Blaze about Eggman Nega and the space-time continuum tear respectively, but Blaze insists that the problems are hers to deal with and that she will handle them alone. Despite Sonic's insistence that they should work together, Blaze leaves with Cream, prompting Sonic and Tails to follow them. After then passing through Altitude Limit, where Sonic defeats Eggman Nega's Egg Eagle, Tails discovers that the space-time continuum tear is expanding. Immediately after, they meet Amy, who tells them that she had seen Cream and Blaze go to Dead Line.

After getting through Dead Line, Sonic confronts Eggman Nega once again, demanding answers. Blaze then shows up, and Eggman Nega reveals to her that he used Dr. Eggman to get the Sol Emeralds for him. Blaze tries to make Sonic go away since Eggman Nega is her enemy, but Sonic ignores her, saying that he owes him a few things as well. Insisting that she does not need anyone's help, Blaze has a fight with Sonic. During their fight, Blaze reveals how her powers and duty "cursed" her to a life of solitude, which is why she has to be alone. Following their clash, Sonic notices Blaze's overzealous and the rough past she has had, and convinces Blaze that she can rely on others for help. With that settled, the two properly introduce themselves to each other. Afterward, as the heroes notice how depressing things are looking, Blaze explains that the Sol Emeralds are drawing her dimension into Sonic's, which Tails speculates will result in the destruction of both dimensions. To stop the disruption, they have to stop Eggman and Eggman Nega. Noticing that Blaze is in no condition to continue, Sonic convinces her to let him deal with Eggman Nega.

In Unknown, Sonic has a final showdown with Eggman Nega, who is piloting the Egg King. Despite the odds, Sonic manages to destroy the Egg King. After the battle, he is met by Tails, Knuckles, and some Animals. As everyone celebrates however, Sonic is approached by Amy once again, prompting Sonic to run away with Amy hot on his heels. Meanwhile, Tails is glad that everything has gone back to normal.

Blaze[]

Blaze the Cat, an antisocial imperial princess from the Sol Dimension, has appeared on earth in Sonic's universe. Finding herself alone in this world, Blaze recalls that Dr. Eggman stole the Sol Emeralds, which her dimension relies on for survival, and that she was engulfed by a white light that sent her to this world while she was chasing the doctor. She subsequently sets out to collect the Sol Emeralds as soon as possible and return them to her world. She soon after encounters Eggman in his Egg Libra in Night Carnival. After the doctor is defeated, Blaze takes back one of the Sol Emeralds back and kicks Eggman away.

In the aftermath, Blaze wonders how will she be able to collect the six remaining Sol Emeralds and return to her world. However, she soon spots Cream the Rabbit and Cheese hiding in the bushes and tells them to come out. As Cream introduces herself, Blaze is surprised by Cream's politeness. The young rabbit, eager to befriend Blaze, brings her to her house for a cup of tea. There, Vanilla and Cream convince Blaze to have the latter be her local guide after hearing her story. However, Blaze dismisses their advice to seek Sonic's aid, believing she can do this alone. Despite having Cream tag along, Blaze remains mostly indifferent to the young rabbit's efforts to be her friend. Later, after passing through Leaf Forest, Blaze defeats Eggman and his Egg Hammer Mega and is able to get the second Sol Emerald, but not without getting spotted by Sonic. Despite this encounter, Blaze continues with her mission.

Eventually, after defeating Eggman and his Egg Scarab in Mirage Road and collecting another Sol Emerald, Blaze and Cream come across Knuckles, who mistakes the Sol Emeralds Blaze has for the Chaos Emeralds. He advices her to give them to Sonic for safekeeping, but Blaze insists that she does not have the Chaos Emeralds. When Knuckles believes otherwise, Blaze leaves with Cream, leaving an upset Knuckles behind and buried under a pile of rocks.

In Water Palace, Blaze is able to collect the fourth Sol Emerald after defeating Eggman and the Egg Turtle. At this point, Blaze is convinced that she does not need Sonic's help and that she will be able to get the remaining Sol Emeralds by herself. Immediately after however, she and Cream come across Amy, who runs off shortly thereafter, believing that Sonic is nearby. Afterward, Blaze in convinced by Cream to follow Amy, as she can lead them to Sonic. At the same time, Blaze starts to warm up and open up to Cream. After getting the fifth Sol Emerald in Altitude Limit by defeating Eggman and his Egg Eagle, Blaze and Cream come across Sonic and Tails. Sonic and Tails try asking Blaze about Eggman Nega and the space-time continuum tear respectively, but Blaze insists that the problems are hers to deal with and that she will handle them alone. Despite Sonic's insistence that they should work together, Blaze leaves with Cream. Despite this, Blaze has grown more curious about Sonic, and has Cream tell her about him.

Later on, Blaze collects the sixth Sol Emerald in Huge Crisis from Eggman after defeating his Egg Hammer Fortress. She and Cream later meet Amy again, who tells Blaze to ask Sonic for help, and that she cannot do certain things alone. This leads to a discussion about friendship that Blaze is surprised about. However, Knuckles soon after arrives, desiring payback at Blaze for their last encounter. Not wanting to get herself and Blaze into trouble, Cream grabs Blaze and flies away. After that, Blaze begins to see the appeal of friendship.

Ending up in Dead Line, Blaze comes across Eggman once again and demands him to give her the last Sol Emerald, although the doctor refuses. Sonic then arrives on the scene as well, but Blaze tells him to go away since Eggman is her opponent. After Sonic refuses however, a furious Blaze has a fight with Sonic. During their fight, Blaze reveals how her powers and duty "cursed" her to a life of solitude, which is why she has to be alone. After the battle, Blaze is able to get the final Sol Emerald from Eggman. Afterward, Sonic makes Blaze see the value of having others to rely on and Blaze realizes the error of her ways. Afterward, as the heroes notice how depressing things are looking, Blaze explains that the Sol Emeralds are drawing her dimension into Sonic's. Before she can head out with Cream though, the heroes notice that Cream is gone. They also find a letter from Eggman, who says he has kidnapped Cream and that he will return her if Blaze comes to him alone. Noting that saving Cream is her responsibility since she is her friend, Blaze declines Sonic's offer to help and heads out, with Sonic believing that Blaze can handle it. After defeating Eggman and his Egg King in Unknown, Blaze searches through the wreckage for Cream, only to see her fall down from the sky. Blaze, in joy, hugs Cream and finally acknowledges her as her friend.

Extra[]

With the disruption between Sonic and Blaze's worlds having stopped, Blaze wonders how they can restore their worlds and how she is getting back to her world. Immediately after, both Eggman and Eggman Nega show up in the Egg Salamander, revealing that their worlds, like the Chaos and Sol Emeralds, are inextricably linked like the north and south poles of a magnet. The doctors also explain that, in close proximity, the Chaos and Sol Emeralds hold enough power to destroy the world, but that they just intend to harness their power. Knocking Blaze out and draining the Sol Emeralds of their power, the doctors get ready to carry out their scheme of creating an Eggmanland beyond their dimensions. However, Eggman Nega wonders why the dimension is still stable even with the Chaos and the Sol Emeralds present, though Eggman reveals that Sonic is still in possession of the Chaos Emeralds.

Sonic and Blaze We are friends

Super Sonic and Burning Blaze parting ways with a handshake.

Appearing on the scene, Sonic is ready to battle the Eggmen, who leave to prepare for their fight. Sonic then notices Blaze, who has lost hope because the Sol Emeralds have been rendered inert. However, Tails, Knuckles, Amy and Cream soon come to cheer her up. Fueled by thoughts of friendship, the Sol Emeralds are recharged by Blaze's newfound feelings. Sonic then uses the Chaos Emeralds to transform into Super Sonic, while Blaze uses the Sol Emeralds to become Burning Blaze. The two proceed to chase the Eggmen to Exception, where they defeat the doctors and their Egg Salamander. As their dimensions return to normal, Sonic and Blaze talk about how they and their friends will miss one another. While Blaze insists that it is best she leaves like this, Sonic promises her that they will meet again, and the two shake hands just before the dimensional forces pull them back to their worlds.

Back home, Blaze realizes that carrying the world's weight on her own shoulders led her to act irresponsibly. Remembering Sonic's advice however, Blaze promises him that they will meet again. Meanwhile, back on Sonic's world, Cream is crying over Blaze's departure, but Sonic cheers her up by telling her that Blaze promised to return someday.

Characters[]

Image Character Biography
Sonic Art Assets DVD - Sonic The Hedgehog - 12 Sonic the Hedgehog Foot loose and fancy free, his only gripe is with evildoers. He's sometimes quick to anger, but will always lend a helping hand when somebody's in trouble. There's no stopping the world's fastest supersonic hedgehog![1]
Rush Blaze pose2 Blaze the Cat As guardian of the Sol Emeralds, she's currently hot on the trail of Dr. Eggman who's made off with them. Blaze is normally calm and level-headed, but may be concealing her real feelings. Devoted to her position, she sometimes gets bogged down by her own strict discipline, which may explain why she seems a little withdrawn.[1]
Sonic Art Assets DVD - Eggman - 4 Dr. Eggman An arrogant and self-professed evil scientific genius, with a passion for robotics, and dreams for enslaving the world in his own Eggman-land utopia. His schemes are invariably foiled by Sonic, but he's never let that detail stop him![2]
Rush eggman nega Eggman-Nega His speech and manner is eerily polite for such a cold and calculating individual. On the surface he resembles Eggman, but on the inside?[2]
Sonicchannel tails Miles "Tails" Prower A gentle fox with two tails, he adores Sonic and follows him around like a kid brother. In this game, Tails will support Sonic.[3]
Cream (Sonic Advance 3) Cream the Rabbit A rabbit who takes her friend Cheese wherever she goes. She is polite and hardworking. She can also fly by flapping her ears. She meets Blaze and becomes friends, supporting her in this game.[3]
Sonicchannel amy nocircle Amy Rose She calls herself Sonic's girlfriend, and chases him wherever he goes. She is cheerful and energetic, strong-willed and very active.[3]
Sonicchannel knuckles nocircle Knuckles the Echidna A powerful and spectacular echidna, he is always ready for a fight. Being so straight forward and earnest, he is easily fooled.[3]

Gameplay[]

Ruuushlimitnowhitespacing

Sonic in a Zone in Sonic Rush, demonstrating the dual-screen feature.

Sonic Rush is a 2D platformer game, similar to earlier games in the series as well as later ones like Sonic Advance. The player controls either Sonic the Hedgehog or Blaze the Cat (Blaze becomes playable after defeating the Egg Hammer Mega in Sonic's story). Each character may differ in terms of abilities, but share otherwise similar moves for exploration and combat. In the tradition of past Sonic games, the goal is to reach the end of each Act of a Zone (a level in the game) in ten minutes. During regular Acts, both of the Nintendo DS's screens are used to display the area, with the playable characters moving between them when they reach certain heights or depths. After clearing the Boss Act, the progress is saved automatically and the player can proceed to the next Zone.

Trick-Actions-Sonic-Rush

Sonic performing Advanced Trick Actions.

A new feature introduced in Sonic Rush is the "Tension Gauge" mechanic. The energy it generates allows the player to use the Super Boost and Fire Boost for Sonic and Blaze respectively, new abilities debuting in this game which give them a boost in speed while moving and lets them plow through enemies and obstacles without harm. When overcharged, the Tension Gauge has unlimited energy for a short time. The Tension Gauge is filled by performing Trick Actions, defeating enemies, passing Checkpoints and certain power-ups. The first method is an expansion of the Mid-Air Trick Actions introduced in Sonic Advance 2, and allows the playable characters to pulls off acrobatic stunts on Grind Rails or when sent flying into midair by gimmicks like Springs or Jump Panels. Performs such trick combos lets the player rank up energy for the Tension Gauge and points. Certain tricks also enable wider aerial movements. However, they will fail if interrupted.

Sonic Rush also introduces the Ranking system from the console Sonic titles on the handheld for the first time. After completing an Act, the player receives a rank (C being the lowest and S being the highest) based on the total Time, Trick, Ring and Speed Bonuses in the Act.

The player can collect Rings as a form of health. Like the traditional Rings, they give an extra life after collecting 100 of them, award points, and protect the player from damage. When taking damage, the player will drop all their Rings. However, a unique mechanic in this game compared to previous 2D games is that the more the player gets hit, the further the Rings will scatter. Taking damage without any Rings at all will cost the player a life. The player will also lose a life if the playable character spends too long underwater without replenishing their air supply (air underwater lasts for 18 seconds), falls into a bottomless pit, gets crushed or runs out of time. Losing a life makes the player start from the last Checkpoint they passed, or from the beginning of the Act if they have not passed any Checkpoints. If a character loses a life when the number of tries remaining is zero, the game is over. Aside from Rings, Sonic Rush also features Item Boxes and their balloon variants which contain the classical power-ups. The game introduces as well the Tension Bonus and Max Tension Bonus power-ups which can fill up the Tension Gauge.

Sonic Rush-Nintendo DSScreenshots2401Stage3 Boss03-1-

Sonic fighting the Egg Scarab. All boss battles in the game utilize 3D-rendered graphics.

Although Sonic Rush is primarily two-dimensional, it also incorporates three-dimensional elements to create a 2.5D effect. This is presented in the Acts focusing on 2D side-scrolling action with multiple sections containing gimmicks rendered in 3D, along with Sonic and Blaze's having 3D models as well. Each Zone's Boss Act is also entirely 3D, where Blaze fights Dr. Eggman and Sonic fights Eggman's doppelganger Eggman Nega. The game features as well Special Stages in 3D exclusive to Sonic which he can access via Special Generators in order to obtain the Chaos Emeralds.

As the characters' stories progress, they meet each other several times and unite in the final Zone that comes after the seventh. Noticeably, Blaze earns Sol Emeralds throughout her story's default Boss Acts, unlike Sonic and the Chaos Emeralds. To unlock the final Zone in the game, the player must collect the seven Chaos Emeralds and clear both Sonic and Blaze's stories.

Scoring system[]

Main article: Point#Sonic Rush

Controls[]

Button formation Movement
Sonic-Icon-Sonic-Rush Sonic Blaze-Icon-Sonic-Rush Blaze
Controlpadds left/right Move
Controlpadds up Scroll screen up
Controlpadds down Scroll screen down
START Pause
WiiDSA/DSB Spin Jump Axel Jump
Controlpadds down + WiiDSA/DSB Spin Dash Burst Dash
Run + Controlpadds down Spin Attack Burst Dash
Snnwiidsxbuttondisco/Snnwiidsybuttondisco Super Boost[note 1] Fire Boost[note 1]
DSB x3 + WiiDSA when launched into the air Trick Action[note 1]
RBUTTONDSSNNdisco x3 while grinding Grind Tricks[note 1]
WiiDSA when taking off Grind Rail/Spring/Jump Panel Just Trick[note 1]
Controlpadds up + RBUTTONDSSNNdisco when launched into the air Hop Jump[note 1] Axel Tornado[note 1]
WiiDSA/DSB > Controlpadds left/right + RBUTTONDSSNNdisco Jump Dash
Homing Attack[note 1] (near an enemy)
Burst Hover
Controlpadds left/right + RBUTTONDSSNNdisco when launched into the air Humming Top[note 1] Jump Step[note 1]

Other moves[]

  • Grinding: A technique where the characters automatically slide down a Grind Rail they stand on. The player has to land on the Rail to automatically Grind on it and then jump to get off.
  • Boost Mode: A technique that enables the characters to run at maximum speed. The player has to either run at top speed for a few seconds or use gimmicks like the Dash Panel or horizontal Springs to enter the Boost Mode.

Objects[]

Items[]

Gimmicks and obstacles[]

Characters[]

Sonic-Rush-Cast

Playable characters[]

Non-playable characters[]

Enemies[]

Bosses[]

No. Sonic Blaze Extra
1 Egg Hammer Mega Egg Libra Egg Salamander
2 Egg Turtle Egg Hammer Mega N/A
3 Egg Scarab
4 Egg Libra Egg Turtle
5 Egg Hammer Fortress Egg Eagle
6 Egg Eagle Egg Hammer Fortress
7 Blaze Sonic
8 Egg King

Zones[]

Zone-Map-Sonic-Rush

Zone Map.

Sonic Rush consists of nine Zones, most of which are split into two Acts with a Boss Act at the end. The course of the game depends on the player's choice between Sonic and Blaze; the player will go through the same Zones, but in different orders according to the character. The ninth Zone becomes available after getting all the Chaos Emeralds and clearing both Sonic's and Blaze's stories.

The player moves between Zones on the Zone Map. The Top Screen shows the player's progress and the Touch Screen displays the player's position. Pressing Snnwiidsxbuttondisco lets the player view further sections of the map and DSB exits this feature. Pressing START gives the player the option of returning to the title screen. The player can also utilize the Nintendo DS stylus controls to tap on a Zone icon to move towards it. If the player has already cleared the Zone's Boss Act, they can replay any of its Acts upon selecting it.

The Zones in Sonic Rush, listed for each playable character, are in the following order:

No. Sonic the Hedgehog Blaze the Cat Extra
1 Leaf Storm Night Carnival Exception
2 Water Palace Leaf Storm N/A
3 Mirage Road
4 Night Carnival Water Palace
5 Huge Crisis Altitude Limit
6 Altitude Limit Huge Crisis
7 Dead Line
8 Unknown

Special Stages[]

Sonic Rush Special Stage

Sonic in the first Special Stage.

In Sonic's story, each Zone has Special Generators in different places. By swinging around on this gimmick with the Super Boost long enough, the player will enter one of seven Special Stages. Each Special Stage can only be entered via their Zone's Special Generator.

Special Stages in Sonic Rush involve the player running down a three-dimensional half-pipe route (akin to the Special Stages in Sonic the Hedgehog 2). The goal is to collect the requisite amount of Rings before hitting the next Checkpoint or the Goal in order to get a Chaos Emerald. In gameplay, the player uses the Nintendo DS's stylus controls to move Sonic around the half-pipe route. Avoid Bombs and enemies, and utilize gimmicks on the route to gather extra Rings. Hitting enemies also grant a few Rings. Only one Emerald is awarded per Special Stage, so the same Stage cannot be repeated for multiple Emeralds.

Other modes[]

Battle Play[]

Battle-Play-Menu-Sonic-Rush

The Battle Play menu.

Battle Play is the main multiplayer component of Sonic Rush, allowing gaming between two players. Two Nintendo DS handheld consoles are required for Battle Play and one or both players must have the Sonic Rush cartridge. There are two ways to access Battle Play: Single-Card Play or Multi-Card Play, though these options do not impact the gameplay.

  • DS Wireless Battle: Play the game with Multi-Card Play. Player 1 has to create a "room" for Player 2, who must join it after its creation. Choosing the Multi-Card Play saves time to set up the game.[4]
  • DS Download Battle: Play the game with Single-Card Play. This option automatically create a "room" for the participants. Players have to download the game using the Nintendo DS Wireless Communications feature and pick up "SONIC RUSH" (Player 1) or "SONIC RUSH (BATTLE)" (Player 2) to enter Battle Play.

In Battle Play, the two players play as Sonic and Blaze in one of the game's Acts. However, the same character cannot be used by both players, and the only Zones that can be selected are those completed in the Gameplay Mode by either player. The goal is simply to race to the Goal Ring at the end of the Act. The first player to reach it wins. If players do not reach the goal before the time limit expires, the game ends in a draw.

Along the way, players can attack each other to briefly stun them (without causing loss of Rings) or use the Item Box power-ups Attract, Confusion, Max Tension Bonus, Random Ring Bonus and Slow to obstruct each other. Along with the standard data, the game's HUD also shows the player's position during the race. While lives are not use in Battle Play, players are still sent back to the latest Checkpoint or the beginning whenever they fall into a situation where they would lose a life in the Gameplay Mode.

During gameplay, the Nintendo DS's Top Screen shows the playable character, while the Touch Screen only shows the player and opponent in form of icons. Pressing SELECT will switch these displays.

Time Attack[]

Time Attack allows players to replay previously cleared Acts and bosses with the goal of getting the fastest record possible. The top five records will be saved for each Act. Time Attack becomes available after clearing the Gameplay Mode either as Sonic or Blaze.

Options[]

Options is the settings menu for Sonic Rush. An image of Tails appears on the top screen. It should be noted that the Language Settings for the game can only be done via the Nintendo DS's Menu Screen before starting the game.[5] The following options are:

  • Player Data: Views the player's name (the name is shown without any prior warning and cannot be changed in the game) and the records of their performances in Battle Play and Time Attack.
  • Difficulty: Changes the difficulty level of the game. There are two levels, "Normal" and "Easy" (Easy mode lowers the hit points of bosses from eight to six, and eases the attack pattern behaviors of some bosses).
  • Time Limit: Select whether or not exceeding ten minutes in an Act causes characters to lose a try.
  • Sound Test: Listen to the various music tracks and sound effects used in the game. Becomes available after clearing the main Gameplay Mode as Sonic or Blaze. Tracks 110-127 become available after clearing Exception.
  • Delete Save Data: Delete all game data. After doing this, the player returns to the title screen.
  • Download Demo: Allows other players to download a Demo version of the game by using the Nintendo DS's Wireless Communication feature.

Cast[]

Role English voice actor Japanese voice actor
Sonic the Hedgehog Jason Griffith Jun'ichi Kanemaru
Blaze the Cat Erica Schroeder
(credited as "Berra Hudson")
Nao Takamori
Miles "Tails" Prower Amy Palant Ryō Hirohashi
Cream the Rabbit Rebecca Honig Sayaka Aoki
Dr. Eggman Mike Pollock Chikao Ōtsuka
Eggman Nega

Development[]

Before Sonic Rush was released, a short demo, Sonic E3 Demo, was developed. The gameplay involved rubbing the DS's touch screen to make Sonic run along a predetermined path and trying to complete a simple race course. The demo was rendered in 3D, but only one level could be played. After the demo was finished, Sonic Team began work on Sonic Rush.

SR2005TokyoShow

Sonic Rush playable at Tokyo Game Show before its release.

The game's 2.5D format was based on Sonic Team's idea to combine elements from 2D and 3D games in the series. Developer Akinori Nishiyama said that "for [the] Sonic DS title, we wanted to keep the elements from 2D, yet still explore some of the new elements from 3D. So we wanted to try to find a way to somehow marry both elements from 2D and 3D."[6] At TGS 2005, he stated that while working on Sonic Advance 3, he realized that the series was becoming more complicated, opting for a "fast, dynamic action" approach to the next title in the series.[7]

At E3 2004, Yuji Naka, Sega's executive managing director, announced the game.[8] A demo of the newly titled Sonic Rush was featured at E3 2005,[9] and won video game publication IGN's "Biggest Surprise" award.[10] Blaze the Cat, a new character, was revealed at Tokyo Game Show (TGS) 2005.[9]

Soundtrack[]

The music of Sonic Rush was written by acclaimed Sega composer Hideki Naganuma, along with Teruhiko Nakagawa, Masayoshi Ishi and Hiroyuki Hamada. Hironobu Inagaki and Atsuyoshi Isemura from Dimps are also credited for being involved with the game's sound, although it is unclear if they worked on music or sound effects. A CD containing a selection of songs from the game, Sonic Rush Original Groove Rush, was released in Japan on 23 November 2005 through Wavemaster Studios. The CD has forty five tracks, seven of which are digital remixes rather than master tracks. There are two pieces of music for each zone, one for when Sonic is running through the zone and another for when Blaze is running through it. There is also a Sound Test feature where one can listen to the tracks, level BGM and character voice recordings.

The soundtrack release is not complete, as it lacks the cutscene music, world map music, the invincibility and Battle Play mode remixes and "Medley Rush #1".

Reception[]

 Reception
Aggregate scores
Aggregator Score
GameRankings 83%[11]
Metacritic 82%[12]
Review scores
Publication Score
1Up.com B+[13]
GamePro 3.5/5[14]
GameSpot 8.2/10[15]
GameSpy 3.5/5[16]
IGN 9/10[17]
Nintendo Power 9.0/10[18]

Sonic Rush was released on 15 November 2005 in North America; November 18 in Europe; and November 23 in Japan.[19] It was the ninth best-selling DS game of December 2006.[20] It sold approximately 360,000 copies in Europe, making it Sega's fourth best-selling game during the third quarter of its fiscal year ending March 2007.[21]

The game was released to positive reviews, with a GameRankings score of 83%[11] and a Metacritic score of 82%.[12] Critics praised the game for its usage of elements from older Sonic games. Gamespot, IGN, and Nintendo Power compared the game to older games in the series, specifically those on the Sega Mega Drive.[15][17][18] GameSpy staff writer Greg Sewart offered a similar opinion, also praising the game for its "gorgeous graphics".[16] The game's overall quickness was not as well received. GameSpy's Greg Sewart, although giving a mostly positive review, complained that "it's so fast you almost can't tell what's going on most of the time."[16] 1UP.com and GamePro thought similarly.[13][14] The game's music was well-received, called "bright [and] buoyant" by 1UP.com and compared to that of Jet Set Radio by GameSpot.[15] GameSpy called the music "all very fitting and very catchy", noting its use of sampling and unconventional structure.[13] Official Nintendo Magazine scored the game with 92%, along stating to be "The Best Sonic Game Ever!"[22]

In 2008, Sonic Rush was listed at #17 in IGN's list of the top 25 Nintendo DS games.[23] On September 11, 2009, it was listed as one of the "cheers" on IGN's "Cheers & Tears" list of action games for the DS.[24] They later placed it as the ninth best Sonic game in their "10 Best Sonic Games" list in 2022.[25]

Re-releases[]

In 2009, Sega re-released Sonic Rush along with Super Monkey Ball Touch and Roll in the compilation title, Sega Fun Pack: Sonic Rush & Super Monkey Ball: Touch & Roll.

Trivia[]

  • There is a writing error on the back of the box of Sonic Rush: "Includes wireless play and new a [sic] mysterious female companion created exclusively for Sonic Rush!". It is supposed to read "a new mysterious female companion".
    • This was fixed for the European release.
  • This is the first Sonic handheld game to feature the 4Kids actors who, at first, did voice-work for the anime Sonic X.
  • Voice clips of Ryan Drummond voicing Sonic can be heard in the E3 demo build.[26]
  • This is the first Sonic game for the Nintendo DS and for a seventh generation video game console.
  • If the player taps the character on the Touch Screen, they will react to the input.[note 1] Sonic will turn to the camera and gesture that the player should go right (though if he is facing left, he faces away from the camera and waves his hand left), while Blaze will jump like a scared cat, turn to face the player, stomp her foot in anger and then turn her back at them, tapping her foot (which she does until the player performs another input).
    • The player can also tap them in Sonic Rush Adventure and the Nintendo DS version of Sonic Colors, though Sonic will instead do leg stretches and Blaze will hover in place for around 3 seconds (this only applying to the former title, as Blaze is not playable in Colors).
  • In the final cutscene of the game where Blaze returns to her dimension, the color of the skies appears green. However, in Sonic Rush Adventure, its color is sky blue.
  • In the Japanese version of the game, Most of Sonic's vocal work is in English. Some exceptions include Sonic saying "いくぜ!/Ikuze!" (Let's go!) when a level starts.
  • In the world map for Blaze's story, near Tails' workshop, there is an unknown level marker in the very top left of the screen. It is impossible to get to this level or know what it even is. It is likely a leftover from the beta map or a placeholder for another level marker. This occurrence does not happen on the map in Sonic's story.
  • This game marks the introduction of the Boost which would become a staple in Sonic the Hedgehog's moveset in the following titles.
  • Water Palace, one of the Zones in Sonic Rush is represented as a playable Stage in the Nintendo 3DS version of Sonic Generations.
  • The models used for the cutscene sprites are similar to the ones in Sonic Heroes.
  • This is the only Sonic game where bottomless pits are featured in all of the zones.

Videos[]

Sonic_Rush_•_Trailer_TGS_2005_•_DS

Sonic Rush • Trailer TGS 2005 • DS

Sonic_Rush_Trailer

Sonic Rush Trailer

Sonic_Rush_Trailer-0

Sonic Rush Trailer-0

Sonic_Rush_JPN_Commercial

Sonic Rush JPN Commercial


Notes[]

  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 Cannot be performed in Boss Acts.

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Sonic Rush (Nintendo DS) United States instruction booklet, pg. 5.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Sonic Rush (Nintendo DS) United States instruction booklet, pg. 6.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Sonic Rush (Nintendo DS) United States instruction booklet, pg. 7.
  4. Sonic Rush (Nintendo DS) United States instruction booklet, pg. 27.
  5. Sonic Rush (Nintendo DS) United States instruction booklet, pg. 15.
  6. GameSpot Video: Sonic Rush Developer Interview 1 (12 September 2005). Retrieved on 21 February 2009.
  7. Nintendo Power (198): 17. December 2005.
  8. Adams, David (11 May 2004). E3 2004: SEGA Announces DS Titles. IGN. Retrieved on 3 December 2009.
  9. 9.0 9.1 Gerstmann, Jeff (18 September 2005). TGS 2005: Sonic Rush Hands-On. GameSpot. Retrieved on 3 December 2005.
  10. Harris, Craig (27 May 2005). DS Best of E3 2005 Awards. IGN. Retrieved on 3 December 2009.
  11. 11.0 11.1 Sonic Rush Reviews. GameRankings. Retrieved on 13 April 2008.
  12. 12.0 12.1 Sonic Rush (DS: 2005): Reviews. Metacritic. Retrieved on 13 April 2008.
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 Sonic Rush Nintendo DS Review Index, Sonic Rush Reviews. 1UP.com (16 November 2005). Archived from the original on 18 October 2012. Retrieved on 13 April 2008.
  14. 14.0 14.1 Ouroboros (17 November 2005). Review: Sonic Rush (DS). GamePro. Archived from the original on 7 June 2011. Retrieved on 26 February 2009.
  15. 15.0 15.1 15.2 Gerstmann, Jeff (14 November 2005). Sonic Rush for DS Review. GameSpot. Archived from the original on 3 February 2006. Retrieved on 20 February 2009.
  16. 16.0 16.1 16.2 Sewart, Greg (15 November 2005). GameSpy: Sonic Rush Review. GameSpy. Retrieved on 20 February 2009.
  17. 17.0 17.1 Harris, Craig (11 November 2005). Sonic Rush Review. IGN. Retrieved on 19 February 2009.
  18. 18.0 18.1 Thomason, Steve (January 2006). Nintendo Power (199): 105.
  19. Related Games. GameSpot. Retrieved on 31 March 2010.
  20. Nintendo Power (210): 18. December 2006.
  21. Fiscal Year Ended March 2007 Full Year Results (PDF). Sega Sammy Holdings (14 May 2007). Archived from the original on 12 November 2014. Retrieved on 11 May 2014.
  22. European cover art of Sonic Rush.
  23. The Top 25 Nintendo DS Games. IGN (24 October 2008). Retrieved on 3 March 2009.
  24. Thomas, Lucas M. (11 September 2009). Cheers & Tears: DS Action Games. IGN. Retrieved on 23 December 2009.
  25. IGN Staff (15 July 2022). The 10 Best Sonic Games. IGN. Retrieved on 2 December 2022.
  26. RupeeClock, (2008, Dec 17). Sonic Rush Beta - E3 Demo [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdCI4Kqkzq4

External links[]

Sonic Rush

Main article · Staff · Script (Sonic, Blaze, Extra) · Glitches · Beta elements · Gallery
Sonic the Hedgehog handheld games

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