Things you liked about Secret Rings

[Chaosmaster8753]

As the title says, what are some things you liked about the 2007 Wii game, Sonic & the Secret Rings?

[The Weeb with No Name]

Shahra's tube top.

[Sega DogTagz]

I thought the on rails mechanic brought up a ton of oppertunities to merge gameplay and really cinematic moments.

I wasn't a fan of being restricted to the rails like that, but to be honest a good deal of the stages had breathtaking moments that were really only possible to such a format. Riding the massive storm waves in the pirate stage was a blast. I feel that Sonic Team has gotten better into infusing those kind of moments into game lately, but Secret Rings really was a bright spot.

The story was refreshing too.

[DJ FLiGHTS]

Handkerchiefs. Mountains of them. You just can't have enough.

I kid. The infinite lives were a godsend, which I wish they kept for later terrible games using similar mechanics. (*coughSatBKcough*)

Edited April 23, 2011 by DJ FLiGHTS

[Ferno]

This is the game that started the whole "On rails" phrase, even for later games where you pretty much had tons more control. **coughunleashedcough**

So naturally, I'm not too fond of it, but the game is still ok.

[Meemz]

The dinosaurs! Rawr!!! >:3

Edited April 23, 2011 by Mimi

[Shoot em up Capbusta]

well the only thing that I liked about secret rings was the moves you gained. In secret rings sonic had different abilities besides just using the homing attack. Sonic doesn't get many other moves so this was a nice change. Other than that I have nothing else positive to say about secret rings.

[Nepenthe]

The best thing I liked about Secret Rings hands down was its music. The melodies were infectious, and the silly lyrical accompaniments properly punctuated each piece without necessarily getting too obnoxious. I could listen to Unawakening Float and The Palace That Was Found all day. <3

[Ebby]

Infinite lives and only for that game. If I had use actual lives I would have given up out of frustration by Dino Jungle. Sonic's lack of acceleration was the my biggest gripe in that game.

[Octarine]

A few of the levels were very pretty, and the music was rockin'. The place, specifically.

[SuperStingray]

What didn't I like? Secret Rings is definitely in my top 5 Sonic games. Great story (ending aside), fantastic environments and graphics, awesome music (though that's usually a given for Sonic games), cool level up system and fun, diverse gameplay. Really, I love the mission-based gameplay and how it added so much time and ways to appreciate each level rather than just dumping each environment after two stages. It's one of the few games I 100%ed.

Only thing I didn't like is the rail jumping mechanic. It just... never worked.

[Carbo]

For one Shahra was a mildly good new character added into the Sonic series. It still has one of my favorite soundtracks when it comes to Sonic music, and the settings were pretty damn inspired and original.

Truth be told I hope to god that Sonic Generations will include http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKzbAP4RILs. It was quite a view and experience when I first played that level, and just imagining that level fully remastered in HD, both Classic and Unleashed style makes me tingle inside.

[Agent York]

I really liked the level themes they used in that game. They were unorthdox and out of the norm without feeling like they don't belong in a Sonic game.

A tutorial on a series of book pages and a glowing, ominous background.

A beginning stage that doesn't take in green lushes, beaches, or a city but a desert. Palace buildings, falling pillars, and flying spears everywhere!

A lush rain forest jungle and cave series littered with dinosaurs.

A steam-punk styled magma factory with iron golems and a rusty feel to it.

A floating crypt high in the sky being carried by giant Mantis Rays complete with living gargoyles that leave trails of light.

A stormy ship graveyard with massive tidal waves and pirate booty, flying through the air on a missile and surfing on doors.

An underground underworld area, ash is raining down like snow and a dome centered around a graveyard and layered with twisting passages.

A shining palace of many riches, booby-trapped and with the ability to reverse time as well as explore the cosmos with strong zodiaz influences and shining paths.

[Senator NinjaShark]

Some of the Music I found pretty nice, especially the Main theme and 'Let the Speed Mend it'. Aside of that, I liked the concept of the game itself (Being a Fan of Fairy Tales myself and such), The Infinite Lives, Some of the Cutscenes (especially the ones with Sindbad) and the way Sonic Finished off Erazor in the ending Cutscene (Mountains of Hankerchiefs aside).

Shahra's tube top.

The dinosaurs! Rawr!!! >:3

also these

[Dr. Crusher]

Erazor was a great Not-Robotnik villain, and I find him to be sadly overlooked by other, less deserving villainous characters. (Isn't that right, Mephiles?)

Also what Dusk Golem and Jayhawker said.

[CanofEpicSauce]

The fast paced levels, customization, leveling up, dodging shit, homing attacking into shit, mission style gameplayer, and the overall flashiness. I found the music kind of eh, but there are some tunes that are pretty good

Shahra's tube top.

This too

[DarkLight]

I really have not played Secret Rings in a while, since I'm still on Lost Prolouge. But after watching some playthroughs on it, I will commend for the following:

1. The style of the cutscenes. I like how they didn't just go with all 3D rendered cutscenes and went with handrawn rendered ones. Makes them feel more unique/different compared to the previous 3D games and and the facial expressions are mostly fun to see (i.e. Sonic's face when he first meets Sharah. )

2. Interesting new villain. Erazor Djinn was definetly refreshing villain to see. I like how over the story, it was subtly implied he had previously known Sharah and how she must still have feelings for him. Being the heartless villain he is, he used that to his advantage and didn't regret killing her and cursing Sonic with the Flame Arrow when it was originally meant for her.

3. Sonic acted like himself for once. After coming off as bland in Heroes and 06', they really brought back the attitude Sonic was missing from those games. He could be smart-ass to Erazor (despite the fact that he blackmailed Sonic to bring him the World Rings otherwise he'll die and calling him a 'blue rat') and a bit to Sinbad. ("Wow! The wisdom of Sinbad, Adventurer of Adventurers!" Obvious sarcasm. .) I think this was also helped by Jason Griffth finally getting comfortable with the role after sounding somewhat awkward when he started to voice Sonic. The scene is which Sonic finally sealed Erazor into the lamp was definetly one of Griffth's best performances IMO. While he had some of his attitude, Sonic could also be very kind to Sharah, actually treating her more as a friend rather than a genie who can give him his greatest desires. Even when she almost betrayed him to be back with Erazor, he never thought differently of her and their friendship as she died, having her think she broke their promise. I don't think the hancherchief scene really needs explaining how Sonic could be anymore compassionate to Sharah.

Sorry I couldn't make any comments on gameplay, since, like I said, I'm not that far in the game yet.

[Vertekins]

No mention of Darkspine Sonic as a thing you liked about Secret Rings? For shame people, for shame.

I liked a lot of things about Secret Rings. Namely the characterization of Sonic (FAR more realistic than Colours could ever hope to be), the sheer atmosphere of the stages and the oodles of creativity and imagination behind them as proved by...ermm...playing them and seeing the explanations next to each piece of concept art in the Special Book, the clever skill system and overall game design which commands you to have intimate knowledge of the skills and how you can apply them in order to achieve gold in missions, the charming cutscenes (The ending happens to be my favourite cutscene in the series. With the Unleashed opening and the SA2 capsule scene very close behind) and the customisation and various ways you can approach the game.

"Should I use Crest of Fire? Or should I use Ring Exchange to trade Rings for Pearls even though that means one hit will kill me without Soul Ressurection? Or should I choose attack power over defense? Volcano Slider or Aegis Slider? Argh!"

Oh yeah. And Darkspine Sonic. Werehog vs Egg Dragoon? Nowhere near as vicious as Darkspine was vs Alf Layla Wa-Layla. What was both intriguing and infuriating about Darkspine was how mysterious he was. But he was still a fascinating, awesome form.

Secret Rings is pure class

Edited April 23, 2011 by Verte

[eXtaticus]

The draw distance was pretty good.

Yeah, that's pretty much it.

However, if this was a topic about the things that I disliked/hated about Secret Rings, then my post would be substantially longer...

[DarkLight]

No mention of Darkspine Sonic as a thing you liked about Secret Rings? For shame people, for shame.

*Looks at avatar*

Aww, crap, how could I?

*cries*

*Sniff* Anyways, yeah, Darkspine was very refreshing for a superform to see since the overuse of SuperSonic. It's interesting since he's pretty much the first actual 'dark' form in the games (Unfortunately though, EvilSuperSonic from STC and DarkSuperSonic from Sonic X tend to be more popular since most fans like Sonic to be more evil/psychopathic than dark.)

I like Darkspine because he didn't have to be evil or go all psychopath to be dark, but it also reinforces that Sonic's willpower is too great to be beaten by the emotional-driven power of the World Rings. This would later be more prominent in Unleashed with the Dark Gaia influence.

[Vertekins]

*Looks at avatar*

Aww, crap, how could I?

*cries*

*Sniff* Anyways, yeah, Darkspine was very refreshing for a superform to see since the overuse of SuperSonic. It's interesting since he's pretty much the first actual 'dark' form in the games (Unfortunately though, EvilSuperSonic from STC and DarkSuperSonic from Sonic X tend to be more popular since most fans like Sonic to be more evil/psychopathic than dark.)

I like Darkspine because he didn't have to be evil or go all psychopath to be dark, but it also reinforces that Sonic's willpower is too great to be beaten by the emotional-driven power of the World Rings. This would later be more prominent in Unleashed with the Dark Gaia influence.

I recently came to believe that Darkspine is actually the epitome or a personification of the dark type skills. And this is reflected in his appearance, name and abilities.

Dark-type skills is SatSR revolve around the soul gauge, pearls, EXP and rings whilst fire-type skills revolve around offense and wind-type skills revolve around mobility. I interpreted Darkspine's firey orange aura to be a nod towards pearls, the rings on his wrists and ankles a nod towards rings, his purple-indigo colouration to be a nod towards the colour associated with the dark-type.

The fact that he can generate the equivalent of pearl-collecting just by spinning and the other fact that his ring gauge is maximized far beyond normal Sonic could ever get in normal gameplay strengthens the dark-type affiliation of Darkspine even more as well as his usage of the soul gauge. There's also the fact that Darkspine is defensively weak. This may be a nod towards some dark-type skills that put emphasis on offense and mobility but severely affect defense (In the form of greater ring loss than usual) when activated.

The form is basically the darkness behind dark-type skills in physical form. And his name just strengthens this notion.

[DarkLight]

Yeah, could be true.

I kinda tend to think some people confuse the terms 'dark' and 'evil' to mean the same thing.

And sense Darkspine came after STC and SX, most would usually put Darkspine into EvilSuperSonic and DarkSuperSonic's category in terms of personality which isn't the case.

Interesting find on the 'Darkspine' reflecting off the dark skills, though.

[Aquaslash]

Darkspine Sonic. For the great can of Whoop ass that he opened for Erazor.

[Preston]

The game... when you get enough experience points for it to be playable.

[Ekaje]

I thought the music was pretty good, even the tracks with the cheesy lyrics...I can't really say much else, I never actually bought it, since having to slowly unlock not being really slow really put me off the game. Maybe I'll pick it up someday, since it's probably really cheap by now. Personally, I preferred SatBK [/badtaste].

Edited April 23, 2011 by Ekaje