After releasing on consoles in 2012 to great success, Sega brought Sonic & All Stars Racing Transformed to mobile devices. It isn't precisely the same game - some events are limited to one type of vehicle, instead of "transforming" at different times in the race - but the cast line-up and track offerings come straight from the original. If you ever wanted to drive around with Wreck-It Ralph in the Panzer Dragoon universe, here's your chance.
The Good
For the most part, Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed features impressive graphics. The 3D environments look good on tablet devices, and the characters are fun to watch as they win races and use power-ups. The controls, meanwhile, are excellent, whether you prefer tilting, on-screen joystick or using a secondary controller; the controller is your best bet, followed by virtual controls. The game also contains plenty of value, between online multiplayer, which isn't bad, and a huge plethora of events to unlock.
The Bad
Unfortunately, the bad outweighs the good with All-Stars. First, Sega added a strenuous pay wall that requires you to drop cash on stars and rings to unlock higher difficulty settings or additional content, including a VIP pass. This is on top of the $4.99 price tag. It's not necessary to unlock events, but Sega should've just thrown it in for a flat rate. In addition, the game consistently freezes up, throwing off not only your momentum in the race, but also your control. We can't tell you how many times we crashed. It's irritating.
The Verdict
Had Sega simply bumped up the price and included everything in one shot, Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed would've been just as well received as its console counterpart. Instead, due to an unfair currency system and technical hiccups, it loses control.
