For years the quality of Sonic games have been on the decline and Mario has pretty much stayed at a stand still doing nothing unique and new, but pretty much the same formula it has for years, after all, if it isn't broke, don't fix it.
Unfortunately we have seen first hand what happens if Nintendo tries to change a winning formula, they turn it into a putrid mix of diarrhea and vomit. A prime example would be Mario Kart DS and Mario Kart Wii.
I am well aware many people percieve Mario Kart DS to be the best Mario Kart ever made, but I beg to differ. If it weren't for Mission mode there would be no redeeming quality (with the exception to multiplayer). The game mechanics are broken and it started with Mario Kart DS and over flowed into a tsunami with Mario Kart Wii. Mario Kart Wii is approx 5% skill and 95% luck, and that is being generous with the skill percentage. Blue shells, POW blocks, Lighting bolts, Bullet Bills and so forth should either be completely removed from the game or put at much lower likely hood of getting them because it breaks the game severely. Super Mario Kart for the SNES was great, albiet a TAD broken. The fact that even chosing the fastest racer didn't make you the fastest or that the computer had top acceleration with Koopa and Donkey Kong didn't help, but the lighting bolt was fair. It could be obtained by ANYONE (not just the lower half) and it was so rare I didn't mind getting hit by it.
So why does Sonic trump Mario you ask? Well this is due to buying a little game called Sonic & All-stars Racing Transformed. Instead of going in depth into the pros, I will just make a bullet list (as there are MANY):
+innovative and fun track design better than ANYTHING Mario Kart has ever made
+fair weapons, the RC car (red shell) CAN be avoided if you are going fast enough and taking a lot of turns
+the same CPU character DOES NOT always place the exact same order, meaning you can place 1st, 5th, 9th, 1st, and still come in 1st place overall, which was impossible in Mario Kart as you had to finish first 3 out of 4 times
+actual planes and boats with unique handling, not bull shit "let's throw a hand glider on the top" and "let's put a propeller on the car and it otherwise is exactly the same" bull shit with Mario Kart 7
+the game focuses and rewards SKILL, not sheer luck (as is the case with Mario Kart)
+gameplay is 10x faster than Mario Kart Wii on 150cc. I played Mario Kart Wii with friends after having played Sonic & All-star Racing Transformed for the past month and it felt like I was controlling a snail. Mario Kart Wii is HORRIBLY slow paced even on 150cc.
Cons:
-game NEVER lets you start in 1st place even if you finished in 1st the last race, you always start in last
-people may not be familiar with the characters which doesn't effect gameplay whatsoever but I'm sure 90% of people buy Mario Kart because Mario is on the cover
Even though I am focusing most of my bashing on Mario Kart Wii, I would go as far to say Sonic & All-star Racing Transformed is better than ANY Mario Kart game that has been released to date hands down.
Sonic's platforming escapades may have come to a halt and hit rock bottom but his racing is one of the best racing games I have ever played in my life.
Unfortunately we have seen first hand what happens if Nintendo tries to change a winning formula, they turn it into a putrid mix of diarrhea and vomit. A prime example would be Mario Kart DS and Mario Kart Wii.
I am well aware many people percieve Mario Kart DS to be the best Mario Kart ever made, but I beg to differ. If it weren't for Mission mode there would be no redeeming quality (with the exception to multiplayer). The game mechanics are broken and it started with Mario Kart DS and over flowed into a tsunami with Mario Kart Wii. Mario Kart Wii is approx 5% skill and 95% luck, and that is being generous with the skill percentage. Blue shells, POW blocks, Lighting bolts, Bullet Bills and so forth should either be completely removed from the game or put at much lower likely hood of getting them because it breaks the game severely. Super Mario Kart for the SNES was great, albiet a TAD broken. The fact that even chosing the fastest racer didn't make you the fastest or that the computer had top acceleration with Koopa and Donkey Kong didn't help, but the lighting bolt was fair. It could be obtained by ANYONE (not just the lower half) and it was so rare I didn't mind getting hit by it.
So why does Sonic trump Mario you ask? Well this is due to buying a little game called Sonic & All-stars Racing Transformed. Instead of going in depth into the pros, I will just make a bullet list (as there are MANY):
+innovative and fun track design better than ANYTHING Mario Kart has ever made
+fair weapons, the RC car (red shell) CAN be avoided if you are going fast enough and taking a lot of turns
+the same CPU character DOES NOT always place the exact same order, meaning you can place 1st, 5th, 9th, 1st, and still come in 1st place overall, which was impossible in Mario Kart as you had to finish first 3 out of 4 times
+actual planes and boats with unique handling, not bull shit "let's throw a hand glider on the top" and "let's put a propeller on the car and it otherwise is exactly the same" bull shit with Mario Kart 7
+the game focuses and rewards SKILL, not sheer luck (as is the case with Mario Kart)
+gameplay is 10x faster than Mario Kart Wii on 150cc. I played Mario Kart Wii with friends after having played Sonic & All-star Racing Transformed for the past month and it felt like I was controlling a snail. Mario Kart Wii is HORRIBLY slow paced even on 150cc.
Cons:
-game NEVER lets you start in 1st place even if you finished in 1st the last race, you always start in last
-people may not be familiar with the characters which doesn't effect gameplay whatsoever but I'm sure 90% of people buy Mario Kart because Mario is on the cover
Even though I am focusing most of my bashing on Mario Kart Wii, I would go as far to say Sonic & All-star Racing Transformed is better than ANY Mario Kart game that has been released to date hands down.
Sonic's platforming escapades may have come to a halt and hit rock bottom but his racing is one of the best racing games I have ever played in my life.