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Sonic Rivals

From Sonic Retro

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SonicRivals title.png
Sonic Rivals
System(s): PlayStation Portable
Publisher: Sega
Developer:
Supporting companies: 4Kids Productions (voice recording)
Genre: Action
Number of players: 1-2
Release Date RRP Code Rating
Sony PlayStation Portable
US
2006-11-21[1] $? ULUS-10195
ESRB: Everyone
Sony PlayStation Portable
US
(Greatest Hits)
20xx $? ULUS-10195GH
ESRB: Everyone
Sony PlayStation Portable
EU
(Promo)
2006 €? ULES-00622
PEGI: 7+
Sony PlayStation Portable
UK
2006-12-01 £? ULES-00622
INL-U00622-UK
PEGI: 7+
Sony PlayStation Portable
UK
(Platinum)
2007 £? ULES-00622/PL
INL-U00622-PL-UK
PEGI: 7+
Sony PlayStation Portable
UK
(Essentials)
20xx £? ULES-00622/E
INL-U00622ES-UK
PEGI: 7+
Sony PlayStation Portable
FR
2006 €? ULES-00622
INL-U00622-FR
PEGI: 7+
Sony PlayStation Portable
FR
(Platinum)
2007 €? ?
PEGI: 7+
Sony PlayStation Portable
FR
(Essentials)
20xx  ? ULES-00622/E
INL-U00622ES-FR
PEGI: 7+
Sony PlayStation Portable
DE
2006 €? ULES-00622
INL-U00622-GE
USK: 6
Sony PlayStation Portable
DE
(Essentials)
20xx  ? ULES-00622/E
INL-U00622ES-GE
USK: 6
Sony PlayStation Portable
ES
2006 €? ULES-00622
INL-U00622-SP
PEGI: 7+
Sony PlayStation Portable
ES
(Essentials)
20xx  ? ULES-00622/E
INL-U00622ES-GE
PEGI: 7+
Sony PlayStation Portable
IT
2006 €? ULES-00622
INL-U00622-IT
PEGI: 7+
Sony PlayStation Portable
IT
(Essentials)
20xx  ? ULES-00622/E
INL-U00622ES-IT
PEGI: 7+
Sony PlayStation Portable
RU
(Essentials)
20xx  ?RUB ?
PEGI: 7+
Sony PlayStation Portable
AU
2006 $? ULES-00622
OFLC: General (G)
Sony PlayStation Portable
AU
(Platinum)
2007 $? ?
OFLC: General (G)
Sony PlayStation Portable
US
2009-10-01[2] $6.99[2] ULUS-10195
ESRB: Everyone
Sony PlayStation Portable
UK
2010-08-18[3] £3.69[3] ULES-00622
PEGI: 3+
Sony PlayStation Portable
EU
2010-08-18[4] €4.49[4] ULES-00622
PEGI: 3+
Sony PlayStation Portable
DE
2010-08-18[5] €4.49[5] ULES-00622
USK: 6
Sony PlayStation Portable
AU
2010-08-18[6] $6.75[6] ULES-00622
OFLC: General (G)

Sonic Rivals is a game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series, developed by Backbone Entertainment exclusively for the PlayStation Portable. This is the first Sonic game to be developed by a Canadian company, and the first to be released on the PSP.

Sonic Rivals starts as a competition between Sonic and Knuckles, but expands as further rivals get added to the mix, including Shadow, Silver, and Metal Sonic.

Story

One day, a mysterious landmass known as "Onyx Island" suddenly appears in the south seas as if out of nowhere. Suspecting another scheme by Dr. Eggman, Sonic and Tails head for the island to investigate, and their suspicions are proven correct when they find Eggman holding up a card depicting Amy Rose.

The evil genius claims he has sealed Amy away inside the card. While Sonic simply brushes off Eggman's supposedly ridiculous story, Tails is suddenly turned into a card by Eggman. At that point, Knuckles also arrives to confront Eggman regarding the Master Emerald, which he has also turned into a card. As Eggman flies away, both Sonic and Knuckles compete with each other to defeat Eggman.

Shadow and Silver also arrive on Onyx Island with their own goals, with the former summoned to the island by a request for help from Eggman.

Gameplay

Sonic racing Knuckles in Forest Falls Zone.

Sonic Rivals features competitive 2.5D gameplay, as players scramble to reach the end of a level before the other players do (whether they are computer-controlled or live opponents). Players are capable of performing Boosts to clear specific obstacles when prompted (with X to perform an Air Boost and Circle to perform a Speed Boost), and players can attack each other using Power-Ups or by pressing Circle when right behind them to shove them, or X twice to leapfrog over them. It otherwise plays very much like the older titles in the series.

Single player consists of a Story Mode, in which each of the four playable characters have separate storylines, and must race each other to the finish line in each stage in order to thwart Dr. Eggman's various schemes. Multiplayer mode is played via ad-hoc, and players can customize their racers using collectible cards won in Single player, trade cards with friends, and wager cards on races.

There are six Zones to play through, each with two regular Acts. Boss battles, which have their own dedicated Acts at the end of Zones, require players to not only defeat the boss, but also prevent their rivals from defeating it before them (except for Sky Park Zone). Badniks are featured as enemies, though some are similar to those of Sonic Heroes.

Rivals features an extensive collectible card system that spans a total of 150 cards, and performing objectives throughout the game will award a player with said cards. Such tasks include getting a certain number of Rings, hitting their rival a certain number of times and getting to the goal within a certain amount of time. Each of the cards feature cameo appearances of robots, major characters, minor characters, box covers, and items from past Sonic games such as Sonic Heroes, Sonic Adventure, Shadow the Hedgehog, and even dating back to the original Sonic the Hedgehog. The cards themselves are used to unlock secret costumes for the characters among other things.

Characters

Rivals Sonic.png Sonic the Hedgehog
This hedgehog is the fastest living being in the universe. He's defeated Dr. Eggman to save the world numerous times, but this time he's discovered that his best friends, Tails and Amy, have been mysteriously turned into Cards. Now it's a race to take down the nefarious Dr. Eggman once and for all and free his friends!Media:SonicRivals PSP US manual.pdf[7]

His Signature Move is Sonic Boom, which gives him a burst of speed.

Rivals knuckles.png Knuckles the Echidna
The guardian of the Master Emerald, Knuckles is as tough as they come. Unfortunately, the Master Emerald has been stolen right out from under his nose and turned into a Card by Dr. Eggman. Now this renowned echidna must race to find the Master Emerald and take down the evil mastermind behind this insidious plot.Media:SonicRivals PSP US manual.pdf[7]

His Signature Move is Hammer Punch, which stuns his rival no matter where they are.

Rivals Shadow.png Shadow the Hedgehog
Shadow was created as the ultimate life form by Professor Gerald Robotnik, the greatest scientific genius of his time. Possessing the power to use the Chaos Emeralds to perform "Chaos Control," he has the ability to manipulate time and space. Summoned by Dr. Eggman via a cryptic transmission asking for his aid, Shadow encounters something strange and now it's a race to find Eggman and uncover the truth!Media:SonicRivals PSP US manual.pdf[8]

His Signature Move is Chaos Control, which temporarily slows down his rival.

Rivals silver02.png Silver the Hedgehog
A mysterious young silver hedgehog, Silver is equipped with psychic powers that allow him to propel items through the air with the power of his mind! The only thing Silver really knows is that he is searching for someone... but for whom, and more importantly, why? Shrouded in mystery, Silver begins to chase after Dr. Eggman to find the clues that will unlock his quest.Media:SonicRivals PSP US manual.pdf[8]

His Signature Move is Psychic Control, which scrambles the controls of his rival.

Metalsonic rivals.png Metal Sonic
Metal Sonic is a hidden character who is fought as a rival by the other characters during the story. He can be unlocked as a playable character by beating the game with the other four characters (in no particular order).

His Signature Move is Copycat, which copies his rival's Signature Move.

Power-Ups

Players can find Power-Ups hovering in the air, and can be used by pressing Triangle. Each Power Up has an Offensive use and a Defensive use. When a player is ahead of their rival, the Power Up will be used defensively; if they are behind their rival, the Power Up will be used offensively.

Power Up Offensive effect Defensive effect Zones
Fire Rolling Fireball Fire Shield All
Ice Snow Blast Ice Cube All
Mine Floating Homing Mine Stationary Mine 3+
Illusion Confusion Decoy Zapper Rings 4+
Wind Shoot Tornado Drop Tornado 3+
Ring Magnet Ring Magnet Ring Magnet 3+
Star Signature Move Signature Move All

Unlockables

Cups

  • Blue Chaos Cup: Complete all challenges for Death Yard Zone.
  • Cyan Chaos Cup: Complete all challenges for Colosseum Highway Zone.
  • Green Chaos Cup: Complete all challenges for Forest Falls Zone.
  • Grey Chaos Cup: Complete every challenge in the game.
  • Purple Chaos Cup: Complete all challenges for Meteor Base Zone.
  • Red Chaos Cup: Complete all challenges for Sky Park Zone.
  • Yellow Chaos Cup: Complete all challenges for Crystal Mountain Zone.

Skins

  • Knuckles Skin: Complete story mode with Knuckles.
  • Metal Sonic Skin: Unlock Metal Sonic.
  • Shadow Skin: Complete story mode with Shadow.
  • Silver Skin: Complete story mode with Silver.
  • Sonic Skin: Complete story mode with Sonic.

Cards

Sonic Retro emblem.svg Main article: Sonic Rivals/Card collection

Versions

Also released for

Production credits

Backbone Entertainment Vancouver
  • Producer: Taylor Miller
  • Lead Engineer: Peter Phillips
  • Lead Designer: Tyler Sigman
  • Lead Artist: Chris Bourassa
  • Senior Designer: Derek Tam
  • Lead Level Designer: Eric Emery
  • Lead Level Artist: Mabel Chan
  • Effects Artist and Animation Coordinator: Daniel Lam
  • Technical Artist: Eric Ronay
  • Lead Animator: Karen Matskiw-Rodriguez
  • Associate Producer: Zoë Curnoe
  • Engineers: Aaron Koenig, Brian Provinciano, Chuck Chow, Clinton Blackmore, Devin Murnane, Francois Laberge, Greg Wilson, Jim Lao, Kelvin Tang, Luke Huang, Melina Eby, Richard Orth, Erwin Tang, Marcel Barker, Pete Thompson
  • Designers: Cory Hasselbach, Kyle Mohammed, Nick Letizia, Richard Knight
  • Artists: Aaron Parrott, Beth Dewhirst, Brent Kirby, Erik Larsson, John Mah, Kate Freeman, Kim Sawula, Shane Holmes
  • Animators: Chun Sin Loh, Duncan Lin
  • Front End Artist: Mark Pearce
  • Additional Design Assistance: Josh Zisserson, Michael K. Donovan
  • Studio Quality Assurance: Tom "MrLuigi" McGarry
  • Testing Provided by QA Labs: Justin Bruckal, Chris Love
  • Music Composition: Chris Rezanson
  • Sound Effects Design: OMNI Interactive Audio, Alistair Hirst, Robert Ridihalgh, Daylon Walden, Tom Smurdon, Chase Combs, Lisa Elliott Cobb
  • Senior Producer: Ivan Allan
  • Assistant Producer: Jarett Metcalfe
  • Studio Head: Joe Bonar
  • Technical Director: George Phillips
  • Creative Director: Trent Ward
  • Art Director: Ryan Slemko
  • Business Development: Jim Sink
Backbone Entertainment Emeryville
  • Senior Engineer (CORE Engine Team): Ian McLean
  • Senior Engineers (Reaper Engine Team): David Aldridge, Issac Bender, Tanio Klyce, Peter Phillips
  • Engineers: Rocco Balsamo, Dan Halpern, Benn Herrera, Chris Marsh, Ian Sherman, J. Wilburn
  • Senior Technical Artist: Norm Badillo
  • Technical Artists: Mike Badillo, Glen McKnight, Justin Rosenthal-Kambis
  • Senior Designer: Aaron Keppel
  • Design-Scripting: Chris Opdahl, Marty Newcomb, Joe Morrissey, Dan Miller
  • Technical Director: David R. Sullivan
  • Creative Director: Micah Russo
  • Studio Head: Mike Mika
  • COO: Larry Kelly
  • Senior Producer: Steven Kovensky
  • PR/Marketing: Nicole Tanner (Communications Manager), Sandra Lew (Communications Assistant)
Sega of America, Inc. Staff Credits
Sega of Europe Limited Staff Credits
4 Kids Production, Inc.
  • Voice Directors: Christopher Collet, Julie Rath
  • Production Coordinator: Salvatore Oppedisano
  • Recording Engineers: Suzy Goldish, Paul Grassini, Mike Knoblauch, Alon Namdar, Questar Welsh
  • Special Thanks: Tom Zuber, Matt Osness, Bob Baffy, Jessica Sigman, Darren Tarnoff, Paul and David Chan, Lily, Kitty Tang, Marty Hasselbach, Carla St. Pierre, Tara Mustapha, Mary Jane, Teruko Mizuki, Audrey Bourassa, Lisa Poh, NeoGaf, Andrea, Tony Rodriguez, Lindsay Morris, Matthew Fortini, Geraldine Kor, Kim Keskinen, Conner Fan, Carlin, Nicole, Karl and Natalie, Coleco and Brooke, Brynn, Beejey Enriquez, Mina Provonsha, Aya Takeuchi, Lee Brotherton (Remix Factory), Sonic Committee
  • Presented by: Sega Corporation
Off Base Productions
  • Manual Documentation: Greg Off
Option-Shift Design
  • Manual Design: Tim Lindquist (a.s.h.)

Voice actors

English Voice Actor Character(s)
Jason Griffith Sonic the Hedgehog/Shadow the Hedgehog
Dan Green Knuckles the Echidna
Pete Capella Silver the Hedgehog
Mike Pollock Doctor Eggman/Eggman Nega
Amy Palant Miles "Tails" Prower
Lisa Ortiz Amy Rose
Kathleen Delaney Rouge the Bat

Manuals

Sonic Retro emblem.svg Main article: Sonic Rivals/Manuals

Artwork

Box art

Wallpaper

Physical scans

Segaretro-round.svg Reception »
PlayStation Portable, US
Sonic Rivals US cover.jpg
Cover
PlayStation Portable, US (Greatest Hits)
Rivals psp us gh cover.jpg
Cover
Rivals psp us gh umd.jpg
Disc
PlayStation Portable, EU (Promo)
SonicRivals PSP EU promo front.jpg
Cover
SonicRivals PSP EU promo disc.jpg
Disc
PlayStation Portable, UK
Rivals PSP UK cover.jpg
Cover
PlayStation Portable, UK (Platinum)
Rivals uk BestOf psp.jpg
Cover
PlayStation Portable, UK (PSP Essentials)
Rivals uk PSP Essentials psp.jpg
Cover
PlayStation Portable, FR
SonicRivals PSP FR cover.jpg
Cover
PlayStation Portable, FR (Platinum)
SonicRivals PSP FR Box Platinum.jpg
Cover
PlayStation Portable, FR (PSP Essentials)
SonicRivals PSP FR e cover.jpg
Cover
PlayStation Portable, DE
SonicRivals PSP DE Box.jpg
Cover
PlayStation Portable, DE (PSP Essentials)
SonicRivals PSP DE Box Essentials.jpg
Cover
PlayStation Portable, ES
SonicRivals PSP ES cover.jpg
Cover
PlayStation Portable, ES (PSP Essentials)
SonicRivals PSP ES e cover.jpg
Cover
PlayStation Portable, IT
SonicRivals PSP IT cover.jpg
Cover
PlayStation Portable, IT (PSP Essentials)
SonicRivals PSP IT e cover.jpg
Cover
PlayStation Portable, RU
SonicRivals PSP RU Box.jpg
Cover
PlayStation Portable, RU (PSP Essentials)
SonicRivals PSP RU Box Essentials.jpg
Cover
SonicRivalsRUess.jpg
Disc
PlayStation Portable, AU
PSP SR AU.jpg
Cover
PlayStation Portable, AU (Platinum)
SonicRivals PSP AU p cover.jpg
Cover
PlayStation Portable, ZA (PSP Essentials)
SonicRivals PSP ZA Box.jpg
Cover
PlayStation Portable, PT
SonicRivals PSP PT Box.jpg
Cover
PlayStation Portable, PT (PSP Essentials)
SonicRivals PSP PT essential Box.jpg
Cover
PlayStation Portable, PT (Platinum)
SonicRivals PSP PT platinum Box.jpg
Cover

External links

  • Sonic Rivals on PlayStation.com: US, UK
  • Sonic Rivals on PlayStation Store: US, UK, AU

References


Sonic Rivals
SonicRivals title.png

Main page
Maps


Manuals
Promotional material
Magazine articles
Video coverage
Reception


Development
Hidden content
Bugs
Technical information


Card collection

Sonic the Hedgehog games for the following systems
Sony PlayStation Portable
 2006  Sonic Rivals | Sega Genesis Collection     2007  Sonic Rivals 2     2009  Sega Fun Pack: Sonic Rivals 2 & Sega Genesis Collection     2011  Double Rivals Attack Pack!    
 Prototypes  Sonic Rivals 2