Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing

[HunterTSF]

I've noted earlier that were one to buy the ODST costume for their avatar, they would technically be racing as a Halo character. Same goes for Clonetroopers and Bioshock (at least the Bioshock helmet).

It would certainly be nice if Xbox LIVE implemented the ability to buy an entire character from the Marketplace. Costumes are nice, but the whole she-bang is far superior in my opinion. Surely I'm not the only one who wants to be able to play as Guybrush Threepwood in every game with Avatar support!

...well, and Sonic characters, of course.

Edited December 18, 2009 by Hunter the Christmas Fan

[Barry the Nomad]

I'm all for Guybrush as well! WHat are the Monkey Island clothing options? I'd assume one could make a convincing Guybrush with what is on hand.

edit:

Here it is! A Guybrush is totally doable.

Edited December 18, 2009 by Doctor Eggman

[Detective Shadzter]

Lol at the Tails Doll stuff.. xD

I think its like Shadzter said the Zombies. I can't think of anyone else who it looks like. Why would Banjo be goldish on his icon?

BTW, Shadzter. Whats the deal? You changed your Avatar D=. I didn't recognize you at first! Now I have to read names! ;_;

With the awesomeness and sexyness of Super Shadow in the trailer how could I not change my avatar?

edit: I actually think the icon is Banjo, considering we see the beginning of this race at the start of the trailer. See him? like a quarter view of him looking down and to the right?

I think the zombie character icon is in front and Banjo-Kazooie's icon with the hammers likely behind. It does look a bit like Banjo though. Maybe someone's icon is behind his and the colours are blending?

[Barry the Nomad]

I do like that despite the Sonic stages being very Heroes-inspired, the racers are all from Sonic Adventure 1&2. No next gen nonsense (besides Shadow's motorcycle). Rather than having Shadow do his lame Chaos Control from StH, he does the much preferred SA2 Super Shadow.

Also, even the stages themselves seem to be a mash-up of all games: the requisite cheery green intro level, the requisite casino level and the obvious final stage. The Final Fortress track looks much more like Unleashed's Eggmanland than Heroes.

Edited December 18, 2009 by Doctor Eggman

[NinMicroSega]

Guys, I saw this over at the Official SEGA Forums and couldn't stop laughing:

God, I miss Shadi

[Detective Shadzter]

HQ trailer now on SEGA Europe's website -

http://www.sega.co.uk/games/sonicracing/

Hasn't appeared on the U.S. website yet so U.S. folk will have to change the flag at the top right.

New press release too -

http://www.sega.co.uk/news/?n=3782

LONDON & SAN FRANCISCO (18 December, 2009) – SEGA® Europe Ltd., SEGA® of America, Inc. and Microsoft today announced an exciting new partnership for Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing™. For the first time ever in a racing game for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system, you will be able to jump in to the game in the form of your Avatar and race against your favourite Sonic & SEGA characters. In yet another addition to the character roster and exclusive to the Xbox 360 version, Banjo and Kazooie will make a welcome return to the console and take to the starting grid in their Bolt Bucket all terrain vehicle!

Working closely with the Rare Studio to bring the popular characters to life, Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing sees Banjo and Kazooie taking their place on the starting grid alongside classic SEGA characters such as Sonic, AiAi, Amy, Knuckles and Ryo Hazuki. As well as mastering the drift system to get the best out of the tracks, and picking up weapons such as Sonic speed boots and homing rockets along the way, Banjo and his faithful sidekick Kazooie will be able to unleash their own unique All-Star move in a bid to cross the finish line in pole position!

Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing will also be the first racing game for the Xbox 360 to feature fully playable Avatars. Have you ever pictured yourself speeding around the lush green hills of Sonic’s Seaside Hill Zone? Or wondered how you’d look rolling around the levels of Super Monkey Ball? Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing will allow your Avatar to hop in to the All-Stars Racing “Avacar” and put your pedal to the metal around SEGA world inspired tracks! If you find yourself towards the back of the race, or taking hits from everyone’s weapons, it’s your friends that will come to your rescue in the Avatar All-Star move, with recognisable faces from your Xbox LIVE Friends List offering a helping hand!

“We’re very excited to see Banjo and Kazooie back on the screen racing against these great SEGA characters” said Shintaro Kanaoya, Head of Business Strategy and Development at Rare. “We’re also very proud to see the Xbox 360 Avatars, which were conceived of and developed at Rare, incorporated into the game and allowing players to put themselves in the driving seat. The project has been an excellent collaboration between Rare and SEGA, and we’re looking forward to its retail release and tearing around the tracks!”

David Gosen, Vice President, Xbox EMEA says “Avatar characters are fast becoming integral to gaming for the Xbox 360 owner. We are therefore really excited to be bringing them to life as fully playable in this world exclusive. It’s even more thrilling to be launching this activity with such a big title especially when it heralds the return of Banjo & Kazooie to the platform.”

“Having characters as big as Banjo and Kazooie in the Xbox 360 version of game is huge for Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing,” commented Gary Knight, European Marketing Director, SEGA Europe Ltd. “SEGA are proud to have been able to work with such an acclaimed development team as Rare and to go one step further by being one of the first publishers to put truly playable Avatars in a game, really cements SEGA’s commitment to working with first party partners, bringing the best possible content for individual platforms.”

Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing sees Sonic and friends speed around tracks set in medieval castle ramparts, lush rainforests and bustling cities, all taken from the visually rich and varied universes of Sonic and SEGA. Are you gonna be faster than Sonic?

Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing featuring Banjo Kazooie will be in stores Early 2010.

[NinMicroSega]

Wow, cool! They added the Rare logo!

[Cortez]

Wow, Rare are abit egotistical about Banjo and Kazooie aren't they? They way they talk about them makes it sound like they're the most important characters on the disk. They aren't that big

I'll bet it was Rare's idea to stick 'with Banjo Kazooie' on the title.

[Detective Shadzter]

Yeah I thought it was cool the Rare logo has been added too.

U.S. trailer now on YouTube courtesy of SEGA of America.

[NinMicroSega]

Well, SEGA complied, so for all we know, it could have been SEGA's idea. Besides, SEGA wants more $$$, and Banjo-Kazooie's inclusion is sure to do that, despite all the supposed negativity..

Sumo and Rare are both UK developers, and they are practically right next to each other. I wouldn't doubt it if they are actually buddy developers.

Edited December 18, 2009 by NinMicroSega

[Barry the Nomad]

Anybody notice the rare logo as BK's hood ornament?

[Detective Shadzter]

Anybody notice the rare logo as BK's hood ornament?

I mentioned that here yesterday but no-one commented

It's pretty cool and like Sonic's hood ornament. Wish every racer had an hood ornament

[Barry the Nomad]

or you could BUY hood ornaments? ;)

that'd be cool.

[NinMicroSega]

Anybody notice the rare logo as BK's hood ornament?

In other news: Water is wet.

Nah, jk. Some people may have not noticed that. "BANJO" is his vanity license plate, too.

EDIT: OH! I just noticed that this just became more fanservicey. Sonic's car has the "Sonic Team" logo as a hood ornament, and Banjo-Kazooie's truck has the "Rare" logo as a hood ornament. I guess the dev teams are getting their fair share of being recognized.

Edited December 18, 2009 by NinMicroSega

[Cortez]

Well, SEGA complied, so for all we know, it could have been SEGA's idea. Besides, SEGA wants more $$$, and Banjo-Kazooie's inclusion is sure to do that, despite all the supposed negativity..

Sumo and Rare are both UK developers, and they are practically right next to each other. I wouldn't doubt it if they are actually buddy developers.

I'm all for third party characters, I just hate the way Banjo's being given more special treatment than ANY OTHER CHARACTER save for Sonic, especially now the Rare logo has been added, by all means have it on Banjo's car but don't make out this is a 'collaboration between Rare and SEGA' or tell us that they're lucky to have a character as big as Banjo in the game. Dicks.

[Barry the Nomad]

well, the Xbox is more of a Rare/Banjo system than it is a Sega system... technically. Imagine if Mario was in the Wii version. They'd be bonkers not to slap him in place of Tails and add "With Mario".

BTW, put this on Beat's hood PLEASE:

[Detective Shadzter]

SEGA Europe Blog Update

Friday Dec 18, 2009

Getting Jiggies With It: Banjo-Kazooie Join ASR On 360!

You saw this yesterday on the XBL Marketplace, but now its up on our YouTube!

Exclusively for XBox 360 (their home console), Rare’s Bear and Bird combination bring their racer, the Bolt Bucket to take on Sonic, Ryo, Billy Hatcher and SEGA’s best… AND YOU.

Yes, your avatar can join the fun personally in the “Avacar” and your All-Star move? Well… we all get by with a little help from our friends..

Working closely with the Rare Studio to bring the popular characters to life, Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing sees Banjo and Kazooie taking their place on the starting grid alongside classic SEGA characters such as Sonic, AiAi, Amy, Knuckles and Ryo Hazuki. As well as mastering the drift system to get the best out of the tracks, and picking up weapons such as Sonic speed boots and homing rockets along the way, Banjo and his faithful sidekick Kazooie will be able to unleash their own unique All-Star move in a bid to cross the finish line in pole position!

http://blogs.sega.com/europe/2009/12/18/getting-jiggies-with-it-banjo-kazooie-join-asr-on-360/#more-1545

[Marcello]

SEGA was the one who called them big characters, not Rare

[Barry the Nomad]

Banjo and Big would totally be BFFs.

[NinMicroSega]

SEGA was the one who called them big characters, not Rare

EXACTLY. And to think they aren't makes you a tool.

Banjo and Big would totally be BFFs.

Hells yeah. That's what I was thinking.

Edited December 18, 2009 by NinMicroSega

[Cortez]

OH.

I thought it was from Rare's site for some reason ;_;

But still, they're getting ridiculous amounts of attention, at least Brawl didn't wave Sonic and Snake in our faces until it became irratating.

[Indigo Rush]

As long as Kazooie doesn't eat Froggy. Otherwise, Big would totally whoop Banjo's grizzly arse to Spiral Mountain and back. No hopers, there.

[Barry the Nomad]

Consider these points:

- This is the first non-Nintendo crossover for Sonic

- This is the first next gen console racing game for Banjo-Kazooie

- Two different properties with legions of fans are appearing together in one game

- Sega has the opportunity to attract a different fan base

- It's a console exclusive

From a marketing standpoint, they'd be idiots to just give BK to a bullet point mention on the back cover.

[Detective Shadzter]

SOA version of Press Release reveals Feb 2010 release date in U.S.

http://blogs.sega.com/usa/2009/12/18/banjo-kazooie-playable-avatars-confirmed-for-xbox-360-version-of-sonic-sega-all-stars-racing/#more-3540

Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing featuring Banjo Kazooie will be in stores Feb 2010. For more information please visit www.sega.com/sonicracing or for press assets please visit http://segapr.segaamerica.com/.

Why do we in Europe still get stuck with Early 2010 while U.S. get's Feb 2010

[Marcello]

Don't forget that it was just revealed yesterday. Everyone is excited and have been waiting for this anouncement siince the leaks.