Sometimes I run the risk of being a 'person who has only played Sonic games', stereotypically pointing at almost any 3D platformer and saying 'that's Sonic'. But come on, Rollin' Rascal is definitely more than little inspired by 3D Sonic platformers. It's got high-speed running, enemy robots, homing attacks onto springs, grind rails, and a spin attack. But this is no re-skin. Rollin' Rascal is more like an alternative evolution. It's even one that'll sport online multiplayer in its full release.
As I find out playing the short Steam Next Fest demo, developers Gabriel Gonzalez and Curiomatic have dialed into the appeal of the classic 2D Sonic games from back on the Sega Genesis for the premise of this three-dimensional take – that it's all about momentum. Say what you will about Sonic's forays into the third dimension, but many of them haven't really considered physics in quite that same way. Here, in Rollin' Rascal, every dip and dive of a stage is crucial for reaching and maintaining high speeds.
As Rascal dashes through each level, you can turn into a ball at any point to, as you might expect, roll over the surface you're on. While no slouch on foot, this can often accelerate Rascal to much higher speeds, which can then come in useful when launching off ramps. From this position he can even boost himself further by squashing himself and then unleashing a burst of speed in one go.
It's a system that allows Rascal to use the environment to reach top speed without having to rely on things like a boost button, while still feeling just as quick as modern Sonic games (and don't get me wrong, I love a good boost). It's thanks in part to some well-designed levels that combine density of routes with plentiful winding pathways, and, so far, a notable lack of extended hallways to simply speed down without having to think about much else. Moving at high speed across twisting pathways under your own control means you really do feel the sense of speed, and need to constantly
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