Drop everything and download: Sonic Forces: Speed Battle
SAAAAYYYY-GAAAAAAA!
Ol’ blue spines is back on mobile, this time with a need for speed, in yet another lane-based racer.
Yep. Having remastered the original Sonic game for mobile a while ago, Sega’s now back to having him belt along in 3D, like he’s auditioning for Temple Run in fast forward.
But there’s a twist to the hedgehog’s latest outing that makes Sonic Forces: Speed Battle rather good…
How does it play?
It’s a lot like Sonic Dash. In fact, the underlying gameplay is basically identical.
If you’ve not played Sonic Dash before, it’s a 3D time-attack racer, where Sonic belts along into the screen. You swipe left and right, to try and avoid the sprinting hero smacking into something and spraying his bling everywhere, or becoming wall pizza.
Having had two cracks at Sonic Dash already, we weren’t pining for a third, but Sonic Forces: Speed Battle cunningly sucked us in by shoving everything online and also ripping off MarioKart. So instead of playing against the clock, you’re competing live against other players, periodically grabbing traps that you can detonate in their stupid furry faces.
Any downsides?
Because Sega just can’t help itself these days, Sonic Forces: Speed Battle is riddled with the usual freemium rubbish. There are two currencies, character upgrades, Clash Royale-style chests to unlock, and regular adverts.
There’s also a trophies system for unlocking new tracks, which is reminiscent of Clash Royale, too, in that it’s infuriating when you lose trophies and get ‘relegated’.
Oh, and you’ll want to punch the screen when someone hurls a fireball up your butt when you’re inches away from the finish line. But that’s MarioK— Sorry, we mean that’s Sonic Forces: Speed Battle for you.
Where can I get it?
If you’re on iOS, the game’s available for free on the App Store. The Android version’s officially out on Google Play on 16 November, but is already available in some territories.
Craig Grannell
Contributor 
