Press release: 1997-11-17: The World's Fastest Hedgehog Races To The 3D Winner's Circle With "Sonic R"

This is an unaltered copy of a press release, for use as a primary source on Sega Retro. Please do not edit the contents below. Language: English Original source: Sega.com (archived)

THE WORLD'S FASTEST HEDGEHOG RACES TO THE 3D WINNER'S CIRCLE WITH "SONIC R"

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. -- (November 17, 1997) --
Dust off the track spikes. Get out the checkered flag. Sonic the HedgehogTM is ready to RACE! Sega® of America announced today the premier of the newest Sonic the Hedgehog game -- "Sonic RTM." Sonic is now taking it to the race track in full 360 degree 3D. The game will be available in stores nationwide starting November 18, exclusively for Sega Saturn®.

Combining racing and action genres, Sega has created an all-new gaming experience for every Sonic fan. In "Sonic R," gamers assume the role of Sonic or one of his four pals -- Tails, Knuckles, Amy or Dr. Robotnik. Players race against the other characters to find the stolen Chaos Emeralds, collect gold rings and make it to the finish line, all the way looking for hidden power-ups and short-cuts in the expansive, fully-explorable 3D environments.

"Sonic appeals to everyone, from kids to kids at heart," said Bernard Stolar, chief operating officer, Sega of America. "Sonic R adds to our fall Sega Saturn line-up by providing a fun gaming experience that every member of the family will enjoy."

And gamers have a rich experience with "Sonic R." The game contains five areas in which to race, including Resort Island, Radical City, Regal Ruin, Reactive Factory and a special secret zone, Radiant Emerald. Each course and character is rendered in full, colorful 360 degree 3D. The incredibly detailed graphics and speed were developed using proprietary "12 Layer Distance Cross Fading," which utilizes the Sega Saturn's second graphics processor to draw 12 layers of transparency to create objects smoothly without the "pop-up" found in other 3D games.

Three modes of play -- Grand Prix, Time Attack, and Versus Mode, featuring exciting two-player split screen action -- add an even deeper dimension to "Sonic R:"

Grand Prix Mode
In Grand Prix Mode, players race against all five characters in all four areas to find the Chaos Emerald and score the best time. But they shouldn't forget to look for hidden areas and tokens. Collect all the tokens and score a hidden character. Finish first in each area to access a secret track.

Time Attack Mode
Time Attack Mode features four separate racing options -- normal, reverse, tag and balloon. It's the player versus the clock in Time Attack Mode as he/she race to score his/her personal best time. In the normal option, racers select the course and let it fly. In reverse, they run the course the opposite direction. The tag option challenges gamers to catch up to other characters on the course and tag them out. In the balloon option, players must race the course, breaking all the balloons along the way. The race isn't over until all the balloons are burst.

Versus Mode
It is head-to-head racing in the Versus Mode, as players battle it out in split-screen action. Two players select their characters and their course and then hit the track. May the fastest gamer win!

History of Sonic
Since his birth, Sonic has had a history of appearing in games that anyone can pick up and enjoy. Sonic the Hedgehog was universally applauded upon his release in 1991. Sales of "Sonic" skyrocketed, selling more than two million units that year alone. By year's end, the "blue dude with a 'tude" had the highest penetration of any video game in history, breaking the previous record set by Atari's "Space Invaders."

The release of "Sonic 2" in 1992 heralded in another benchmark, as the game sold more than 400,000 units in just five days to become the top selling 16-bit game of all time. By 1995, sales of Sonic games had reached 50 million units. Today, Sonic is a cultural phenomenon, having had his own float in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, his own cartoon, his own SpaghettiO's and even a Christmas television special. "Sonic R" continues the rich tradition of the blue hedgehog by bringing tons of fun to the masses.

"Sonic R" will be available in stores for $49.99 SRP. "Sonic R" supports the enhanced 3D analog control pad for Sega Saturn.

Sega of America is the arm of Tokyo-based Sega Enterprises, Ltd., responsible for the development, marketing and distribution of Sega video game systems and software in the Americas. Sega Enterprises Ltd. is a nearly $3.6 billion company recognized as the industry leader in interactive digital entertainment media and is the only company that offers interactive entertainment experiences both inside and outside the home. Sega of America's World Wide Web site is located at http://www.sega.com.