SEGA’s iconic blue speedster’s gotta go fast into new territory with “Sonic Rumble,” a multiplayer party game that promises fun for everyone. At this year’s Tokyo Game Show, creative officer Takashi Iizuka and creative director Makoto Tase gave everyone a peek behind the curtain of SEGA’s new title.
Sonic Rumble deviates quite significantly from the series’ traditional single-player focus, and instead sees everyone duking out in the most wholesome fashion.
“We wanted to bring together Sonic fans so that they could have a great time enjoying the series together,” Tase explained. The game allows players to represent their favorite characters in a party game setting, offering a unique blend of competition and cooperation.
The game will feature stages inspired by various Sonic titles, including Sonic Lost World, as well as classic locations like Green Hill from Sonic the Hedgehog 1 and Chemical Plant from Sonic 2. These stages have been adapted to fit the party game format, with multiple routes and pathways to keep gameplay fresh and exciting.
Takashi Iizuka
Sonic Rumble offers various gameplay options. Players can join random matches, invite friends to parties, or create private rooms. A squad mode allows friends to team up and compete against others. The developers emphasized replayability, with mechanics designed to enable comebacks and keep battles unpredictable.
To level the playing field between speedy characters like Sonic and slower ones like Dr. Eggman, the game takes place in a toy world. “Dr. Eggman has created miniature toy versions of Sonic and his friends,” Tase revealed, explaining the game’s unique setting that allows for fair competition among all characters. A level playing field, if you will.
While not explicitly labeled as a live service game, Sonic Rumble will receive regular updates. The team plans to implement smaller updates frequently, with major content drops every three months, including new skins, stages, and more. “We have a lot of characters in this game,” Iizuka added. “I think this is the first time where all the characters in the Sonic universe can be played together.”
Makoto Tase
The developers faced the challenge of creating a new Sonic design that would appeal to fans across regions. “We wanted to create something that both embodied his coolness and showed off a cuter side of the character than usual,” Tase said.
Sonic Rumble is set to launch in Winter 2024 on mobile devices and PC–the same holiday season as Sonic Shadow Generations, aligning with SEGA’s strategy to release new Sonic content annually. The team remains tight-lipped on any further details, as to not spoil any surprises. A small detail we can all appreciate.
For more information, make sure to check out the official website and social media page.