The next Sonic game will be called Sonic Unleashed. Give yourself a moment to make an obligatory joke about it being time to put him back on a leash. Now carry on. 

Even though there are no details whatsoever to go on, forum-dwellers have kicked up the whole “will they, won’t they” debate about whether Sega will turn back the clock and create another 2D blur. As much as I’d like that to be true, I doubt it. 

The fact is that Sonic sells, whatever form he comes in and however annoying the cast he comes packaged with. I just hope it goes to Wii – I have suspicions following Sega’s recent defence of Wii as a serious console. Sonic and the Secret Rings was just so much better than Sonic The Hedgehog 2006 on PS3 and 360.

If Sonic fans are waiting for the hedgehog’s next great game (or even the first good racing game) then there’s bad news ahead: all Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity manages to do is scratch his legacy once more.

The game begins with Eggman trying to act out his evil plot in a story which is actually weaker and more contrived then the usual standard for one of Sonic’s games – even when compared to the spin-offs – and has a duration that will see you complete the game in a few hours.

Anyway, it sets up some reason why Sonic has to stop running and hop on a hover board and race. Unfortunately, once you’re on that board things don’t really improve.

A Sonic the Hedgehog racing game should be fast, and, at times, this game reaches levels of speed appropriate for a game bearing the blue mascot’s name. When using the Wii-mote, however, it’s hard to properly control your character even at a snail’s pace – imprecise to the point your poor avatar gets a beating as he’s slammed into each side of the track in turn. To salvage anything, you’re going to have to dig out a Gamecube controller.

When a particularly sadistic corner approaches, you’re able to slow your character down by holding a button. Now you can position yourself suitably to make it around the bend, until you decide to release your racer off again. It’s a great idea that does shine in the few moments the game allows it to.

Using this turn technique is one way you can use up your energy points, earned through jumping. The other way is to dash, giving you a quick boost to overtake some rivals. Crashing into things can speed you further, although it’s best not to ponder the logic of this (as is true of many elements of the game, including the aforementioned story).

There are different boards to ride, with different types of board allowing you access to different shortcuts on levels. One grants you the ability to grind your way to victory, cutting seconds off your lap times by making use of the various rails dotted around. There are other styles of shortcut, which could have lead to interesting play if used properly.

This feature is another victim of the weak and infuriating level design — often demanding several runs before you can find a successful route around the course. None of the techniques (such as turning) or other intricacies built into the play are properly explored on each track, leaving the whole thing seeming another missed opportunity.

It looks and sounds like a Sonic game, but Zero Gravity is another failed attempt at a worthy addition to the Hedgehog’s once great franchise, and is best left alone.

What does this score mean? Check out our review scoring breakdown.

What do a Lara Croft impersonator, an elaborate ice sculpture, and a new drink called the “Zeemotini” have to do with a joystick peripheral for cellphone games? We weren’t sure, but Ripten set out to find the connection when we went to Zeemote party at the W Hotel in San Francisco after the first day of GDC.

To launch their new Bluetooth controller for mobile games, the first of its kind, the Zeemote company threw a bash Monday night featuring thumping techno tunes and all the seared Ahi you could keep down. There were plenty of demo units available as well, if you weren’t snacking on potstickers, sliders, or grilled tenderloin — and we got our greasy hands on the tiny and surprising comfortable device for a few rounds of Sonic the Hedgehog and Tomb Raider Anniversary.

Zeemote ice sculpture proudly displays the company’s Mortal Kombat like logo

Andrew shows off his ice cold Zeemotini

The initial model of the Zeemote comes with four buttons, and thanks to deals with the mobile divisions of Sega and Eidos, the Zeemote will be compatible with a select few of their games when it launches later this year. However, there are currently only about 20 mobile games that will work with the Zeemote, and the device can’t be used for other phone functions like surfing the web — at least, not yet.

The Zeemote looks sort of like the nunchuck half of the Wii remote, and we’re not too sure that the similarity to “wii-mote” is accidental. While the Zeemote company claims that control is one of the barriers to entry for mobile games, we actually demoed the device on a handset that has its own little joystick built in already.

Jon’s zeemotional breakdown

Oh, by the way … this is the Zeemote

Since mobile gaming is all about immediacy and portability, will sticking another device in your pocket when you leave the house make a difference? Promotional photos show dashing dudes in three-piece suits casually thumbing their Zeemotes out in public, but I think the more realistic picture is that the controls should be grafted directly onto the phone itself.

Hopefully, a larger array of compatible games for the Zeemote will be forthcoming, and we’ll have to see what kind of pack-in deals make the Zeemote an attractive concept for people who play mobile games. If the device comes with a new gaming phone, it might find its audience. However, if people have to pay a lot for the Zeemote, and there aren’t enough games that will work with it, this novel idea could add up to Zee-ro.