Sonic Rumble is a fun battle royale, but an oddly slow Sonic spinoff

digitaltrends.com:

True to its titular hedgehog’s ethos, the Sonic series never slows down. After releasing what might be the franchise’s best game in decades, Sonic X Shadow Generations, yet another new game is set to launch this winter. Sonic Rumble will turn the series into a free battle royale game that takes some clear notes from Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout. It’s an elimination game that’s more about clearing platforming minigames and collecting rings than combat.

Digital Trends recently went hands-on withSonic Rumble, playing a few rounds on an iPhone. While it has all the right elements of a free-to-play multiplayer game, its slow movement doesn’t quite feel like a fit for the fast-paced nature of Sonic. It may end up being a fun enough mobile obsession, but it’s one of Sega’s odder uses of its legendary IP that I’ve ever seen.

Get ready to rumble

In Sonic Rumble, Dr. Eggman turns Sonic and his pals into adorable toys. It’s a light narrative that sets up its battle royale hook and cute aesthetic well enough. The hook here is that 32 players pop into a three-round test of skill. Some rounds have players racing through a long stage at the same time, while others are simple ring-collecting minigames. Each round, half of the players are eliminated. The final battle is between the top eight players, with only one coming out on top. It’s all par for the course for the genre, right down to its microtransactions, battle pass, and collectible skins.

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If you love games like Fall Guys orKirby’s Dream Buffet, Sonic Rumble will check a lot of boxes. At its heart, this is a lighthearted battle against physics. The first round is a chaotic match as 32 players all bounce around obstacles at the same time. It can feel a little derivative as I bounce between inflatable bumpers or run against spinning treadmills. There are a few unique ideas here, though. For one, it makes use of Sonic’s