Team Sonic Racing

Team Sonic Racing refines and advances the genre in creative ways that make it a must play for both kart racing and Sonic fans alike, which is easy to do thanks to its budget price.

73%Game Brain Score

gameplay, story

optimization, stability

71% User Score Based on 2,794 reviews

Critic Score 75%Based on 44 reviews

Platforms

Buy Nowfrom $10.50

Buy NowGet on Steam$39.99

Buy NowGet on Xbox Games Store

About

Team Sonic Racing is an arcade-style racing game that combines competitive gameplay with teamwork. Race with up to 12 players online or 4 players split screen, and use team moves to assist teammates and unleash your Team Ultimate. Customize your vehicle's appearance and handling, and use 14 offensive and defensive items to overcome rival teams. The game features outstanding gameplay, compelling visuals, a beautiful soundtrack, and plenty of humor, but can be very grinding and buggy.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

71%

Audience ScoreBased on 2,838 reviews

gameplay332 positive mentions

optimization20 negative mentions

The game features fun in-race dialogue between characters, enhancing the overall experience.
The team mechanics add depth and strategy to the gameplay, making it enjoyable to play with friends.
The graphics are decent, and the music, including tracks from Crush 40, is solid and adds to the game's charm.

The online multiplayer is nearly dead, making it difficult to find matches with real players.
The AI teammates can be frustratingly unhelpful, often dragging down the team's overall performance.
The game lacks content compared to its predecessor, Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, with fewer characters and tracks.

gameplay
963 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
34%
60%
6%
The gameplay of Team Sonic Racing is primarily defined by its innovative team mechanics, which encourage cooperation among players through features like item sharing and slipstream boosts. While these mechanics add depth and strategy, some players find them frustrating, particularly when relying on AI teammates. Overall, the game offers a fun and engaging racing experience, though it lacks the dynamic elements of its predecessor, Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, and suffers from issues like repetitive track design and underwhelming single-player modes.
- “The gameplay was addictive, and the team dynamics added a layer of strategy that kept races engaging.”
- “Team Sonic Racing successfully combines the thrill of high-speed racing with teamwork mechanics, offering a unique twist on the Sonic gaming experience.”
- “The team mechanics allow for new ways to play with friends and add a depth of strategy that I haven't seen in other kart racers.”
- “The team mechanic is frustrating and needless as you can place first, but if the rest of your team doesn't their points drag you down the rankings.”
- “The team mechanics just feel shoehorned in and feel like they do nothing, items are even more useless.”
- “The team based gameplay was poorly thought out and the game was clearly rushed out of development.”
story
616 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
76%
9%
The story in "Team Sonic Racing" is generally viewed as lackluster and simplistic, often described as a mere backdrop to the racing mechanics rather than a compelling narrative. Many players find the presentation, which relies on static images and text boxes, to be uninspired and reminiscent of mobile games, while the dialogue is often criticized for being repetitive and cringe-worthy. Despite these shortcomings, some players appreciate the light-hearted tone and character interactions, suggesting that the story serves its purpose in providing context for the racing action, even if it doesn't stand out as a strong point of the game.
- “While it’s not the game’s strongest point, the light-hearted story serves its purpose in setting the stage for the racing action.”
- “The story mode is genuinely good considering racing games don't usually have stories.”
- “The story is simple and fun and that's all it needs to be.”
- “The story mode barely qualifies as a story and is basically just the same as transformed as well.”
- “The story is very bare bones; filled with recycled lazy interactions between characters, a disappointing and unfulfilling finish, and is stuffed with annoying challenges that seem pointless, and demand almost perfection to achieve the highest scores in them.”
- “The story mode is awful, just cringeworthy dialogue between racers between each race or challenge, just feels like a 10 year old mobile game that was aimed at a 3 year old.”
music
496 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
37%
1%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its energetic and catchy soundtrack, which features contributions from notable composers like Jun Senoue and Tee Lopes. While some tracks are nostalgic and reminiscent of previous Sonic titles, a few players noted that certain songs can become repetitive over time. Overall, the soundtrack is considered one of the standout features of the game, enhancing the racing experience and appealing to both Sonic fans and newcomers alike.
- “The soundtrack, true to Sonic tradition, is energetic and fitting for the racing theme.”
- “The racing is tight, the tracks feel unique and varied, and the music is phenomenal, with both excellent remixes and original pieces.”
- “The soundtrack is amazing and the race tracks are well designed.”
- “The music is a huge step down from the previous titles and I just don't know how to explain how weird it is to see these redesigns and new voice actors in a Sonic spin-off with no canon game to explain or tie these changes in characters... and it's been years now so I guess that's it then... what a goddamn shame and a waste of time/resources.”
- “The soundtrack in this game is forgettable and was actually beginning to get so annoying that towards the end of my playthrough I muted the game and booted up my own Spotify library.”
- “Awfully designed matchmaking that doesn't lead to full lobbies, boring tracks (both in terms of levels your race on and music you listen to) and I swear you spend more of the game getting disabled by weapons than you do in Mario Kart.”
graphics
280 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
49%
48%
4%
The graphics in "Team Sonic Racing" are generally praised for their vibrant and colorful presentation, effectively capturing the whimsical aesthetic of the Sonic universe. While many players appreciate the modern visual fidelity and artistic design, some report minor graphical bugs and performance issues, particularly on lower-end systems. Overall, the visuals are considered a highlight of the game, contributing to an enjoyable racing experience, though comparisons to its predecessor suggest only marginal improvements.
- “Team Sonic Racing dazzles with its visual presentation, capturing the vibrant and whimsical aesthetic of the Sonic universe.”
- “The graphics are a delightful blend of modern visual fidelity and nostalgic nods to Sonic’s storied history.”
- “The graphics are absolutely gorgeous, too.”
- “Somehow the graphics in this Sonic racing game, a game that came out in 2019, are worse than the Sonic racing game that came out in 2012.”
- “I actually reloaded my game 3 times to make sure I was on the highest graphics settings and there wasn't some kind of issue with my settings because the cars and characters look awful and all the textures (even on the character models, yikes) look like they have had a nasty dose of compression artifacting.”
- “The graphics in this game are not that great and overall this game just left me flat compared to how I absolutely loved Racing Transformed.”
optimization
104 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
64%
19%
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant performance issues, including stuttering, crashes, and long loading times, particularly on lower-end systems and laptops. While some users have managed to achieve smooth gameplay with specific setups, others have noted that the game requires manual adjustments to settings for optimal performance. Additionally, the presence of Denuvo DRM has been cited as a contributing factor to the game's performance problems, leading to a generally poor optimization experience across various hardware configurations.
- “The game also runs smoothly on my GTX 970 at max settings 1080p, which is nice.”
- “Performance is really good even with Denuvo bogging it down; the game never stuttered or dipped frames for me, and the loading times are really quick too.”
- “Vehicle performance and visual customization is nice - the mods allow for reasonable variety in car stats, and there are enough cosmetics to make your car stand out (that don't take very long to collect with credits and story mode progress).”
- “This game is really fun but poorly optimized and buggy. Online is pretty much dead, but this is my most played Steam game and I really enjoy my time, so take that how you will!”
- “Terrible stuttering brings me out of the race, even when running at a solid 60 fps.”
- “Sadly, the game is poorly optimized depending on your settings; some tracks like Mystic Mansion will freeze the game for at least a minute, and if you try to play these online, the lobby is more than likely going to get disconnected.”
stability
70 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
77%
The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant bugs and poor optimization, particularly on Windows, leading to a frustrating experience in online play. While it runs well on the Steam Deck, issues such as long loading times, network errors, and various glitches detract from the overall enjoyment. Despite its potential, the game's stability problems have left many players disappointed, especially in multiplayer modes.
- “The game runs great for me and can be played at uncapped frame rates unlike the previous game.”
- “Gameplay is solid, it's not glitchy, it's not buggy, and it's a well thought out game.”
- “Game looks beautiful and runs great.”
- “Sadly, this game has potential but the servers are really poor and the game is a buggy mess online.”
- “It's incredibly buggy, barely works in fact.”
- “But no matter how good the gameplay in a multiplayer game is, it is for naught if the online is a buggy mess, finding no lobbies, and if you do, network errors galore.”
humor
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely appreciated, with players finding the character banter, one-liners, and self-aware writing to be entertaining and often hilarious. While some lines are noted as cringeworthy, the overall comedic tone enhances the experience, especially during multiplayer sessions. The voice acting and witty dialogue contribute significantly to the game's charm, making it enjoyable for players who appreciate humor in gaming.
- “The banter between the characters is very witty; I really enjoyed the humor in this game.”
- “The voice acting is hilarious.”
- “A lot of the lines are pretty funny or otherwise memeworthy, and I felt compelled to put time in as each character just to hear what they say.”
replayability
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
46%
13%
The game's replayability is mixed; while it features various modes like grand prix and team adventure that enhance replay value, many players find the single-player experience lacking in challenge and replayability. Online play and vehicle customization offer some additional replay potential, but overall, it doesn't match the replayability of other titles in the genre. Despite its fun mechanics and music, the game may feel short and less engaging for some players.
- “The game offers various modes, including grand prix, time trial, and team adventure, providing a good range of challenges and replayability.”
- “You have to work together to do well and the ways that you can do that give this game quite a bit of replay value.”
- “Overall, Team Sonic Racing might have a few issues, but it's a fun, replayable, and innovative kart racer that I think will have some legs.”
- “Firstly, there are score-based single player events that exist only in the campaign mode; they can be a good test of proficiency for newer players but lack replayability.”
- “It's not nearly as replayable as other games in the genre.”
- “Single player has no challenge or replayability.”
grinding
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
9%
91%
The grinding aspect of the game is a mixed bag; while it offers replay value and customization options that some players enjoy, many find the upgrade process tedious and frustrating. The reliance on item boxes and the difficulty of unlocking upgrades contribute to a grindy experience that can detract from the overall enjoyment of racing. Overall, while some appreciate the depth it adds, others feel it makes the game more exhausting than fun.
- “It takes the fun out of the race and makes it tedious.”
- “Mix in the reliance upon item boxes to charge the ultimate meter faster (which are random from the vending machine, only a maximum of 5 can be held in reserve at a time, and are used up regardless of the race ending in victory or defeat) results in racing feeling a tad grindy and frustrating.”
- “I have little interest to play any of the characters other than Sonic because I just don't have the mods for them; it's a tedious, unnecessary grind with loot boxes.”
emotional
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
62%
38%
Players report a wide range of emotions while engaging with the game, from laughter to tears, largely driven by its vibrant soundtrack and team-focused gameplay. However, the emotional impact is somewhat undermined by a lackluster story and frustrating gameplay mechanics, which detract from the overall experience. Despite these criticisms, the game manages to evoke a sense of fulfillment and joy during races.
- “I laughed, I cried, I felt every possible human emotion.”
- “I won't lie, I cried when 'Rooftop Run' started playing.”
- “This game excels in team-focused gameplay and promotes an extremely wholesome dynamic within each race, making every map and race feel individually fulfilling and different.”
- “The player shouldn't have to put in more effort than it takes to get a license in Gran Turismo just to see the ending of the boring story mode in a silly little Sonic the Hedgehog racing game.”
- “[stiff, unresponsive driving, overly complicated, forgettable tracks, lack of meaningful content, boring story presentation]”
- “Aside from a lackluster and boring story, Team Sonic Racing is a joy to play from beginning to end, mostly thanks to the rocking soundtrack that places among the best in the entire series.”
monetization
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
50%
33%
The game features no microtransactions, allowing players to earn all necessary credits through gameplay. However, the random nature of unlocking character parts can be frustrating, as players may receive unwanted items instead of desired upgrades. Overall, while the absence of microtransactions is a positive aspect, the monetization system's randomness has drawn some criticism.
- “Fortunately, all the credits needed to use the vending machine are earned through gameplay and there are zero microtransactions.”
- “No microtransactions at all!”
- “The tracks in this game are just not fun and imaginative like the previous entry, and this game just feels like a lazy cash grab.”
- “There's no microtransactions or anything, but it can be annoying to want to unlock parts for a certain character you like, only to get random paint jobs or parts for characters you don't want, all because it's completely random.”
- “There's also something called mod pod where you use credits you get from a race (no microtransactions) to buy random modifications to your characters' cars and upgrades to your items.”
atmosphere
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
13%
13%
The game's atmosphere is generally described as pleasant and colorful, contributing to an enjoyable experience, especially when playing with friends or AI. However, the disorganized team composition and story detract from the intended sense of friendship and teamwork. Overall, while the levels are well-designed and some are atmospheric, the game's narrative elements hinder its potential.
- “So far the game is fine, it's a good solid little kart racer with a pleasant atmosphere and pleasant colorful graphics.”
- “Playing with the AI or friends online in that atmosphere is more fun and enjoyable than the latter one.”
- “While the levels are simpler, they're still very well designed and some are even pretty atmospheric.”
- “The disorderly team composition and story mars the friendship and teamwork atmosphere this game is supposed to have.”