Three months until the release of Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, and there is still a lot we don’t know. What racers have we yet to see? How does the vehicle mod system work? Is Cream the Rabbit somewhere in the game? Thankfully, we’re not completely in the dark, as Sumo Digital and SEGA have revealed quite a bit since the game’s announcement. I thought I’d write up a short article collecting all we know of the game’s track roster. What has been announced, what has yet to be announced and what SEGA eras are getting represented? After the break, we’ll answer those questions! But not the one about Cream, sorry.
Exec Producer Steve Lycett has been very generous with his time, as he frequents the official SEGA Forums, the Sonic Stadium forums and even pops into our own SEGAbits forums. Steve has said again and again that there are 16 new tracks in the game, as well as 4 returning tracks from the first All-Stars Racing game. Below are 11 known tracks of the 16 new tracks, with the track title first and the game second. In the case of Sonic, it’s track name, zone/stage name and game name:
- Carrier Zone – After Burner
- Shinobi (unannounced, but appeared in the menu screen at Comic Con)
- Adder’s Lair – Golden Axe
- Ruined Palace – Panzer Dragoon
- Dream Valley – NiGHTS into Dreams…
- Samba Studio – Samba de Amigo
- Graffiti City – Jet Set Radio
- Rouges Landing – Skies of Arcadia
- Temple Tumble – Super Monkey Ball
- Ocean View – Seaside Hill – Sonic Heroes
- Galactic Parade – Starlight Carnival – Sonic Colors
For the returning tracks, 3 have been revealed of the total 4. No word on what we’ll see for the final one, but given the first game’s low count of IPs, it will most likely be from either House of the Dead or Billy Hatcher. Here are the three known returning tracks:
- Egg Hangar – Death Egg – Sonic 3 & Knuckles
- Sunshine Tour – Samba de Amigo
- Shibuya Downtown – Jet Set Radio Future
You might be saying “what about the OutRun track found in the Limited/Bonus edition?”, and if you are then you have a keen eye. But it appears that this track and any other bonus tracks are exactly what they are, they’re a bonus. So they are in addition to the 16 new tracks, making the total technically 17. Since it’s silly to bullet point one track, I’ll just type it here: OutRun Bay – OutRun
In total, 6 tracks have yet to be revealed and one of those is a returning track from the first game. There is no word on how many DLC or bonus tracks there are, so we may get lucky and see more beyond OutRun, either as pre-order bonuses or as DLC or both.
Many SEGA fans, including those from our forums, take the racer and track rosters very seriously in terms of which SEGA eras are being represented. The first All-Stars Racing game got some flack from fans for being too Dreamcast and Gamecube era heavy. So how does the sequel fare? Since we still have a dozen more racers to reveal, and six more tracks, it’s unfair to judge Transformed just yet, but here are the stats:
- Arcade (late 80’s): 4 tracks
- Genesis/Mega Drive: 5 tracks (all four arcade era tracks are also synonymous with this era)
- Saturn: 2 tracks
- Dreamcast: 4 tracks
- Gamecube/XBOX/PS2: 3 tracks
- Wii/360/PS3: 1 track
While I am not a hater of the first game when it came to the representation of eras, I am curious how fans who were critical take the above information. The game clearly shows a shift towards 80’s arcade and Genesis era games. Saturn representation isn’t strong, but it is huge compared to the last game. The Dreamcast era is well represented, but not bloated. Perhaps most surprising is the modern era getting just one track by way of Sonic Colors. The last game had zero track representation for modern games, and Transformed gives just one. Perhaps in the coming weeks and months we’ll see more Saturn and Modern era tracks, as that looks to be where the game lacks the most.
What do you think of the track roster? Which eras and games do you want to see represented?
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So far I’m liking the variety. I can’t wait to play a demo.
I can’t think of much appropriate from the Saturn era for race tracks other than Daytona, SEGA Rally, and Virtual On. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Canyon or Expert track from Daytona made it in, since they have a NASCAR character in the game.
Clockwork Knight and Bug! would be neat as hell, but I will astounded if they include either of those.
The House of the Dead is an obvious Arcade/Saturn era game which I’m sure will be in.
Now that Skies of Arcadia is comfirmed as a track, I’m holding out hope for:
-Phantasy Star track (Around the Central Dome from PSO?)
-Valkyria Chronicles track (Mill Plaza?)
-Fantasy Zone (Would kill 2 birds with one stone)
At first look, the track roster seems good to me. I’m particularly pleased by the After Burner track, and curious to practice the OutRun bonus one, as a supporter of golden age AM2 arcade titles. Unfortunately, some tracks are more like “inspired by” backgrounds than true re-creations of the legacy ; for example, the Golden Axe stuff is okay but doesn’t fit with any actual level of the franchise I can remember. It was the main problem of the House Of The Dead tracks in first episode, those were just generic horror sets without the original game flavour. On another note, I want the Shinobi track to contain some SF or mechanical elements to embrace the full identity of the games, not just an old feudal japanese town.
It was rumored a few months ago that Green Hill and Chemical Plant will make the roster too, so in this case it would make only four new tracks to discover.
If I could choose, I’d certainly pick :
– Fantasy Zone (mixing Fantasy Zone with some Space Harrier effects)
– Phantasy Star
– Daytona USA
– Space Channel 5
And about the fourth track to return, the snowy Billy Hatcher level could offer a nice balance ; not enough coldness and snow in the new roster.
I have an inkling that Burning Rangers is in, as one of those “single, huge building” tracks with explosions, water and some flying segments in it. That’d be a great 3rd Saturn Track.
For the 2nd Modern Track? They have to represent Valkyria Chronicles if they are going for the cutesy look. I don’t think Yakuza would suit the game as much as I wouldn’t mind it…same with Streets of Rage.
I do think Sonic has one last track for the game…and I think it’ll be an Adventure Era one as well.
Does some schmuck above me actually think they’d include Green Hill zone AND Seaside Hill??
My preferred stages would definitely be from the Genesis/Arcade eras, by far Sega’s more popular and prosperous time.
It’s hard to say THE track IPs I would want the most. But Chemical Plant zone is DEFINITELY very near the top, as you’d have to make a darn hard argument thatit isn’t the best Sonic level ever. And it would be a tragedy if House of the Dead doesn’t make a return, since EVERYone loves monsters and macabre themes
“ABSOLUTE NO EXCUSES for SEGA to not give us new DLC RACERS! Look at the possibilities here that I list. I would buy them all! Come on Sega! If Sumo Digital is the developer, let’s put that name to use and give us Digital Content Sega Racers and Tracks!
Altered Beast (Arcade)
Nights (Saturn)
Comix Zone (Genesis)
Canister of Puyos’s
Ecco the Dolphin (Genesis)
Kid Chameleon (Genesis)
After Burner (Arcade)
Toe Jam and Earl (Genesis)
Ristar (Genesis)
Space Harrier (Arcade)
Streets of Rage (Genesis)
Vectorman (Genesis)
Burning Rangers (Saturn)
Clockwork Knight (Saturn)
Polygon Virtua Racing (Arcade)
Mr. Bones (Saturn)
Astal (Saturn)
Bug! (Saturn)
Cosmic Smash (Dreamcast)
REZ (Dreamcast)
Tempo (32X)
Kolibri (32X)
Fighting Vipers (Arcade)
Panzer Dragoon (Saturn)
Yakuza (PS2)
The only thing I’d do is ditch the Samba de Amigo tracks (and Amigo while I’m at it) and put the Outrun track as default. There are way bigger names in Sega’s character roster. *hint*Kazuma*hint*
Are there going to be any more females represented and Japan only IP’s. Arle and Sakura Shinguji would be nice.
As for The House of the Dead track, I really hope that they include Goldman Building/Point A0063 from the second game this time around. Kinda need a break from Curien’s Mansion. Don’t get me wrong I still love the first game.
Phantasy Star, Valkyria and Yakuza should have some kind of representation, it’s kinda sad to not see any sign of Sakura Wars either, one of sega’s biggest franchises ever, just because the developers are western they seem to be ignoring the japanese audience hugely
This game isn’t planned to be sold in Japan, and the previous game didn’t get release there. It’s really a western title (hell, SEGA itself began as a western company). So Sakura Wars is highly unlikely, given only one of the titles made it west and SEGA wasn’t even behind the release.
genuinely did not know that and it seems crazy to me, they’re leaving money on the table there imo
I think it comes down to SEGA of Japan making the decision, and they must have thought that it wouldn’t sell in Japan. Which sucks, because the ASR titles are great. Guess Japan likes bad Shining rpgs instead.
Cream should be in sonic and all stars transformed