Games
In Team Sonic Racing you're racing for more than personal glory. Here are the 6 top strategies to get your team across the finish line first.
The most obvious thing you can say about Team Sonic Racing, which was released for the Playstation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC on May 21, is that it's a kart racer in the same tradition as Mario Kart. Indeed, this game shares a great deal in common with that franchise: the booster items, the weapons, the drifting, the drafting and the slipstreaming.
This game even has the zero gravity of Mario Kart 8, though, to be fair, Sonic has been racing upside down and going through loop-the-loops since his debut in 1991. But what prevents this game from being a clone and makes it into something quite special on its own, is its emphasis upon team play. You're one part of a three-racer team and if you finish in first, but your teammates finish in seventh and eighth, you can lose the overall race.
This opens the game up from a solo glory pursuit into something more community-oriented. You have to watch your placement in the race, but you also need to watch your team-mates and give them the boosts and help that they need. Communication and coordination becomes key. It's easy to hang your loss on a slow team-mate, it's harder to figure out how to support and carry that team-mate to a gold cup.
Here are 6 strategies you should use if you're a beginner.
1. Know your racing classes
There are three classes of racer in this game, each with its own strengths and weakness. The first class is Speed, represented by Sonic himself (if you're a Mario Kart fan, think Yoshi). A speed racer's strengths are his top speed and drift, which can ward off projectile attacks. The drawback is poor defense. You can easily get jostled and bumped off the track by an aggressive racer.
The second class is Technique, whose racers have a lower top speed, but corner extremely well. If you're a Mario Kart fan, think Koopa Troopa. A technique racer can also drive equally fast on all surfaces and has a better hitbox detection for collecting items, like rings.
The third class is Power (Bowser for Mario Kart fans), whose racers have slow acceleration, but extremely high defence. It's difficult to spin out as a power racer and you also have immunity to environmental obstacles, like the massive buzzsaws that populate the track.
So, who do you choose? If you're a beginner, the Technique class is a safe bet, since it offers the most control. You won't have the top speed, but that top speed doesn't do you much good when you're spinning off the side of the track. You can also take shortcuts to compensate and upgrade your gear.
Beyond that, it's a matter of preference, but there's obvious situations that call for a specific class of driver. If you have a track with lots of hairpin turns, where you're judged more on accuracy than speed, then go with Technique. If the track is crawling with obstacles, or if you're squaring up against a boss, go with Power.
2. Hone your skills in the single player campaign
There's no tutorial in this game: there is a tab that lists all the loading 'hints', but without the right context, it won't do you much good. Thus, before you log onto the multiplayer and test your skills against the world, make sure you run through the single player campaign. There's no ranking at stake and you can try out your weapons and boosts, not to mention your different drivers and customisables, to find the ones that work for you.
3. Play and replay Ring Challenge
There are several stages throughout the single player campaign called Ring Challenge. Play and replay these sequences as often as you can, because it's the single best mode to practice pure driving in the entire game.
The premise is simple – collect rings while a timer runs down. Each time you collect a ring, you earn points and each time you drift (not drive) into a ring, you get time added to the clock. The higher the score, the better, and the more time you have to collect rings, the higher the score.
It sounds easier than it is. There'll often be a continuous line of rings, where you have to drift perfectly on a curve to collect them all. The clock is also very unforgiving. If you miss even one of these long chains, you're going to run out of time.
Play these stages and you'll learn how to precision drift. And since you're going to be drifting for the majority of your races when you get good, you should practice that skill early.
4. Spend your credits in Mod Pods
You earn credits in the single campaign, but it's not immediately clear where they're usable, or how to apply them. Go to the main menu and then to Mod Pod, and this is where you can unlock additional engine and car parts to improve your top speed, handling and performance. Then, you can save these as a preset loadout and always go back to the custom builds that work.
5. Create a smooth, drivable slipstream
If you're ever behind your team-mates in a race, you'll notice that they create a yellow slipstream in their wake. If you can stay in this slipstream for an extended period of time, you'll get a slingshot 'boost' upon exiting it.
Always remember that if you're in the lead, creating the slipstream, it's important to create one that's easy to drive in. Try not to weave, or make weird turns. If you're a Technique racer, don't race through mud. If you're a Power racer, don't lead the slipstream through obstacles. Your other team-mates don't have the immunities you do. Think about the optimal route for the team, rather than the optimal route for yourself.
6. Always give items
Unless you get the perfect projectile or boost at the exact time you need, you should be giving every item you acquire to your team-mates. Work this out beforehand if you're playing with friends. Everyone should be unilaterally generous.
The reasons are numerous. First, if everyone on the team gives items, then it should all balance out. Second, there are some special, powerful items that are only accessible through the act of giving. Third, the more you work together, the quicker you'll get your Team Boost, which allows everyone to race at rocket speed for a limited amount of time.
