Released and then discontinued some time later by SEGA itself after being considered a commercial failure, though not a failure in downloads, Sonic Runners was a free mobile game combining elements of the endless-runner genre with the classic 2D “run-and-jump” style that established the blue hero's series during the Mega Drive era. Developed by Sonic Team, the same studio that has produced the main games since the first title, Sonic Runners relied on a variety of elements, good graphics, and a good soundtrack. It became a highly complete free app on the market, delivering a fun and addictive experience.
In addition to the pure gameplay, in which the character runs automatically and you simply tap the screen to make him jump, the game features a small story divided into episodes—silly, admittedly, but with funny dialogue; several unlockable characters with unique abilities; an RPG-like leveling system for progression; bosses; three different settings; and special stages arising from events distributed by SEGA over the course of updates.
Silver and a boss from Sonic Adventure 2 in the game's lava stage against Dr. Eggman.
Among the many events, there was one honoring Sonic Adventure in which we could play as Tikal; a NiGHTS into Dreams event that placed the classic SEGA character in the companion role; Phantasy Star Online 2; Sonic and the Secret Rings; and so on. Speaking of companions, they are support characters who help improve your performance, such as by extending item duration and boosting the score at the end of a stage.
Another successful aspect is that Runners ends up being perfect for those who want to learn about the mascot's universe, since several elements featured in most games return. These include the Wisps from Sonic Colors, extraterrestrial beings that grant the blue hero new abilities; Chip from Sonic Unleashed; Caliburn from Sonic and the Black Knight; Chao; as well as ordinary rings and Red Star Rings, which function in the game as a kind of “money” for buying items and improving your performance.
To fans' delight, practically every character who has been part of the series appears, including the classic trio of Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles; Amy Rose, who is in love with the blue hero, and her best friend Cream; the antiheroes Shadow, Rouge, and Omega; the obscure Chaotix, including Espio, Charmy, and Vector; as well as Silver, Blaze, Metal Sonic, and even Big the Cat, one of the most hated characters in the Sonic series. As mentioned earlier, each has unique abilities and they are divided into three main groups: speed, power, and flight. Speed characters have a triple jump, while flight characters can obviously fly through the stage for a short time, and power characters break walls to clear a path.
Sonic and Metal Sonic with two “companions.”
Sonic Runners was updated to version 2.0, and the new features included: “Quick Mode,” with the objective of earning the highest number of points within a predetermined time; “Daily Battle,” in which you challenge rivals while seeking the highest score; an increased maximum level for companions, or support characters; a simplified tutorial; and a general improvement in game performance for players, including shorter loading screens and a fix for a bug that randomly closed the game.
Even with all this, the game is not free of flaws. What bothered most players the most was the mandatory internet connection, as well as loading screens that could take a long time depending on the mobile device, even in version 2.0. Runners also suffers from the same problem affecting practically every free game: numerous advertisements and a strong incentive for players to spend money to “boost” their performance, a system known online as “pay-to-win.”
Even so, Sonic Runners was still one of the best titles in the “free mobile games” category. After its cancellation, Gameloft ultimately remade the game as a version called Sonic Runners Adventure, which is paid and has several differences in its graphics and many other elements. The fact that the new game requires payment to use is presumably due to the commercial failure mentioned earlier.
Nevertheless, the game can still be obtained through alternative means such as an Android APK.
Score: 7.5
Tested on an iOS system.
