Sonic & All-Stars Racing: Transformed -- Portable Versions (3DS,PSVITA,iOS)

[Barry the Nomad]

Question: Does the 3DS version have mirror mode?

[BlueTidalGamer]

Question: Does the 3DS version have mirror mode?

Yes. Same way you unlock it in the console version.

[Barry the Nomad]

Whew! Okay, good. I was making a mental checklist of that was omitted from the 3DS version and I was hoping mirror mode was still in.

 

The content cut that I know of:

 

• Traffic Attack and Tank battle missions

• Select music segments 

[Sephy]

Drift Challenge, battle race and ring race were removed too...

And you only battle one character in Versus

[Supaidaman]

Whew! Okay, good. I was making a mental checklist of that was omitted from the 3DS version and I was hoping mirror mode was still in.

 

The content cut that I know of:

 

• Traffic Attack and Tank battle missions

• Select music segments 

 

• I can live without Traffic Attack and Tank Missions
• But the music... Argh. It takes away so much from the game. And I'm pretty sure the 3DS can handle the music just fine, I don't see see any technical reason for this cut.

edit: Whoa, they cut a lot of thing then. That sucks.

Edited February 13, 2013 by ViniciusLC

[Crash]

They cut the music! Wow, the stages must be boring.

[Barry the Nomad]

Thus far, the loss of bits of music hasn't hurt the game at all for me. I mean, the music is still awesome, it's just that its a bit less dynamic. I can see why they couldn't fit it all on the cartridge, given the sheer amount of music. So glad we didn't get downgraded tunes like the DS version of the first game.

[EmmBee]

Were any characters cut from this version? That, and are there any videos of some later stages yet? I'd like to see how tracks like Burning Depths fared on the 3DS.

[Barry the Nomad]

No characters cut from what I can tell. Even Alex Kidd is in the game, and interestingly he appears at the end of the roster next to Metal. Almost as if he was meant to unlock on 12/25/12 but due to delays the unlock was removed.

 

Would be very interested if hackers could find out if the "Happy Holidays from SEGA" message is in the game. I tried changing my system date and Alex was still in the game pre-12/25/12.

 

So thus far cut content includes:

 

• Traffic Attack

• Tank Attack

• Ring Race

• Drift Challenge

• Battle Race

• Slot Machine and star coins

• Versus cut down to one character

• Stage music has been truncated in select tracks

 

 

I have noticed that World Tour is taking less time to complete than the console version, due to many types of missions being cut. World Tour is mostly races, rival races, and time attacks. It's still fun, mind you, but a lot less variety.

Edited February 13, 2013 by Barry the Nomad

[Cola]

So, what's the general consensus on the 3DS version? Is it worth buying?

[Barry the Nomad]

If you've already played, and love, an HD version and want a portable version and don't have a Vita, I say get it. Missing content and low framerate aside, I still am having a lot of fun with the game.

 

With the second control scheme I can play the game as well as the console version, and the 3D effect is effective even if it doesn't add much to the game. 

[Ming Ming Hatsune]

Basically what Barry said. If you have a 3DS and a Vita, and you want a portable Sonic racer get the Vita version hands down. Goes up to 30FPS (however has framedrops from time to time), has the same modes and World Tour as the PS3/360 version (including online), better graphics (except water colors in some courses), and the music isn't cut!

 

But if you have only the 3DS, still get the 3DS version. From what I heard it is still playable and fun.

Edited February 14, 2013 by Ming Ming Shana

[-Mark-]

Yeah, I'll admit, the technical issues with the 3DS version did put me off quite a bit at first, but it is growing on me quite a bit.

 

The omission of certain mission types makes the game much easier, which is a bit of a double-edged sword; on the one hand, it's much less frustrating and unfair, but at the same time that means there's that much less play time and replay value in there due to the lower difficulty. 

 

I will say though, I must have been unlucky the first time I tried Outrun Bay on the 3DS version. I'm not sure what the cause was, but the framerate for the stage was quite literally 3-5 frames a second. It was painful to the point of almost being unplayable. Thankfully upon trying the stage a second time it ran normally, I was worried it would play like that every time.

 

Online does seem to be less reliable in terms of finding opponents compared to the (already not brilliant for it) Wii U version, and I have encountered the odd glitch where the tricks will randomly disable for the rest of the race.

[Alluusio]

I have encountered the odd glitch where the tricks will randomly disable for the rest of the race.

 

I've noticed that as well. I think it happens after you use an all-stars move. I'm not too sure about that though.

 

Also, is it just me or is it really easy to miss the transformation gates and end up in the wrong part of a stage with a wrong vehicle? This has happened to me a lot in the 3DS version and often made it impossible to finish a race. On the other hand I have sometimes accidentally skipped some sections of a stage by doing this and gotten a massive lead in the process while still being able to continue racing but it still shouldn't happen. 

 

And is the online in the 3DS version really bad or are people just rage quitting since I have yet to play a singe race online where no one leaves mid-race. And considering the already small number of players the game manages to put in a room (I've gotten 4 at most) this gets pretty irritating. Especially since there's little challenge to begin with.

 

At least the game is otherwise pretty solid. The framerate is shit but it's not a big issue once you get used to it. My biggest issue is that the 3DS screen is too small. It makes it impossible to see where you should turn sometimes if you haven't memorized the levels. Maybe it looks better on 3DS XL though. 

[xxbrothawizxx]

That same glitch is pissing me off. The Grand Prix in the 3DS version is unplayable. After using an all-star in Grand Prix you can no longer trick for the rest of the race and Graffiti City in the 3rd cup slows to 5fps for not reason half-way into the race (the track plays fine in all other modes). 

 

Ugh!

[Sephy]

I've noticed that as well. I think it happens after you use an all-stars move. I'm not too sure about that though.

 

Also, is it just me or is it really easy to miss the transformation gates and end up in the wrong part of a stage with a wrong vehicle? This has happened to me a lot in the 3DS version and often made it impossible to finish a race. On the other hand I have sometimes accidentally skipped some sections of a stage by doing this and gotten a massive lead in the process while still being able to continue racing but it still shouldn't happen. 

 

That happened to me in Graveyard Gig a lot of times. It's not that I missed the Transformation Gate, the gate itself wasn't there...I had to retry every time this happened

[Willsy]

So......The GP is impossible to complete, or just difficult?

[Alluusio]

So......The GP is impossible to complete, or just difficult?

 

I haven't had any game breaking problems with it. Just annoying minor things that might occur if you have bad luck or don't know about the all-star move glitch. 

[Willsy]

Oh I know about the All-Star move glitch....and it's cost me a few times. Hope it's gets patched soon...

[EmmBee]

"All-Star move glitch"? Mind explaining a bit?

Anyway, I might pick this up sometime. All things considered, the fact that all the courses and characters are here is pretty impressive. Even though a lot of missions are omitted and the framerate seems a bit jumpy. Honestly, I'm glad the Vita version looks so good, but I doubt I'll pick one up just for this game. 

[Willsy]

"All-Star move glitch"? Mind explaining a bit?

Anyway, I might pick this up sometime. All things considered, the fact that all the courses and characters are here is pretty impressive. Even though a lot of missions are omitted and the framerate seems a bit jumpy. Honestly, I'm glad the Vita version looks so good, but I doubt I'll pick one up just for this game. 

 

After you do an All-Star move, you can't do any stunts for the rest of the race.

[EmmBee]

Well that fucking sucks.

I mean, seriously, that's a huge glitch. Knowing the track record for 3DS games being patched, I doubt this'll be fixed.

[Thrippa]

Ah, is that what's happening?  I'd noticed that I kept losing the stunt ability, but hadn't made the connection with the All Star.

 

Seem to be moving through this fairly well otherwise; BD Joe definitely seems to be the car to beat.  And MeeMee is still cheating - I saw her simply appear in front of me in one race, popping in between me and the leader and dropping me to third.  She didn't pass me, she just appeared halfway down the slope from me.  I beat her anyway.

[Barry the Nomad]

I experienced the All-Star "No tricks for you!" glitch a few times too. I also experienced a variation of the glitch where my "up" trick didn't work, but the right, left and down still did.

 

Still, like -Mark- said, the game grows on you. Having already spent hours on the console version, I actually like the easiness of the 3DS version. Really, given the small screen I'd hate to have to try Ring Race and especially Traffic Attack. Tank Battle and Drift Challenge would have been welcomed though. Oh well, the racing itself is pretty solid.

[TunDiam!]

Mhm, they have quite abit of patching to do,,,,