Sonic Rush - Sonic Was Always Good
Pariah695
40,374 views
I normally don't mention music in these videos because I want to focus on the gameplay. But this game deserves a special shoutout to Naganuma for that awesome soundtrack. Of course, nearly every Sonic game has great music. But this one has a special unique flavor to it and it's great. Unfortunately, the sound mixing in the game isn't the best. The sounds of doing tricks drowns out so much. What a shame.
There are some things here about boost gameplay that I have deliberately left out here, as I'm going to go in greater detail in the Unleashed video.
btw, I'm playing the Japanese version. But if you play the US version, you can hack the game into being in widescreen. Here's a link to that and all of my other Sonic recommendations.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...
You can support here if you want. https://ko-fi.com/pariah695
20 Comments
@fireboltchamploo7620 3 years ago
Contrary to what most people say, the Homing Attack IS actually in Rush. If you're near an enemy or some select objects, you can use the right back trigger (R button).
@Harrinsain 3 years ago
Rush was not only my first Sonic game, but the first game I remember playing. I hardly remembered anything about it when I went back to play it a few months ago, and I was greatly surprised at how well it holds up. It's genuinely really damn good. Mind you, not all of its levels are hits, but when Rush is good, it's great. Definitely up there with the classics in the Advance games, even if it's merits are in different places than them. Though I struggle to say it's on-par with the best of them, particularly because of the fact that it goes so far to simplify the gameplay with the boost.
Although, Rush doesn't completely do away with the physics platforming, you still have plenty of opportunities to take advantage of the terrain for platforming opportunities, it's just that now it can't become an obstacle. Momentum is still at play, but rather, inertia has been left behind in the wake of the boost. The most obvious example that comes to mind is those platforms in Water Palace that tip over when you stand on a given end, which can become ramps as Sonic weighs them down on one side, allowing you to skip over the slow platforming sections by sending Sonic flying over it all.
My favourite thing about Rush is definitely the trick system and how it integrates with the ring on the tension gauge. It builds on the directional air dashes introduced in the Advance games and turns what were already really smart additions into a risk/reward mechanic.
Now whenever you get the chance to, you need to weigh your options as to whether you want to get back to the ground as quickly as possible to keep moving forward, or keep tricking to build up the tension gauge. That ring and the mental gymnastics it forces upon the player in utilising it effectively does a lot to mitigate the adverse impact the boost itself has on the physics, to where I'm not nearly as salty about it, since that trade off gave us something interesting to play with via the trick system, especially since now the directional air dashes act as combo finishers and have been streamlined to activate immediately upon pressing the buttons rather than having a split second delay. It really helps with keeping your flow going that they compound on what momentum you already have rather than setting it to a set level as in the Advance games. The 3D boost games could really benefit to take notes from Rush.
There's also a neat thing I've noticed where Sonic becomes much more maneuverable mid-air when the boost is active, like he's literally a rocket all of a sudden. I swear there's a segment in Deadline Act 2 where you're grinding up a rail and if you jump off it and do a u-turn while Sonic is gaining air, you can use the boost to get into a pathway which you're only meant to access when gravity is flipped above where you came in the room, allowing you to completely skip all the upside down platforming in the next room and immediately head for the exit now that you're on the ceiling. So the boost does give you some neat new mechanics to play with here and there.
Rush is also the only game in the entire series to my memory where the homing attack carries your momentum, but there are maybe 2 instances in the entire game where it's actually useful. One in Water Palace Act 1 and one in Deadline Act 1
Also sometimes Blaze will just get shit luck and die on automatic setpieces like those rolling ball chase moments because of her lower top speed.
Also also; note that entering a special stage takes exactly one full bar of the tension gauge to enter, which is probably why it has three levels of being full in the first place.
Side note: Rush is one of the only modern Sonic games to my memory to really do anything to evolve the classics' aesthetic, particularly in all its menus. it merges the pop-art sensibilities of the classics with a Y2K touch that goes really well together. And of course, the music.
Side side note: totally agree that the bosses suck ass to fight, but they've also got some of my favourite robot designs in the series, so personally, I don't mind just watching them fuck around for a while because I just like looking at them. Not really a good defense or anything. I just like cool robots.
tbh it's kinda nuts how people tend to throw the Advance and Rush games under the bus so hard when talking about good Sonic games, because in general, most of them are totally worthy of standing alongside those.
Advance 2's still better ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Although, Rush doesn't completely do away with the physics platforming, you still have plenty of opportunities to take advantage of the terrain for platforming opportunities, it's just that now it can't become an obstacle. Momentum is still at play, but rather, inertia has been left behind in the wake of the boost. The most obvious example that comes to mind is those platforms in Water Palace that tip over when you stand on a given end, which can become ramps as Sonic weighs them down on one side, allowing you to skip over the slow platforming sections by sending Sonic flying over it all.
My favourite thing about Rush is definitely the trick system and how it integrates with the ring on the tension gauge. It builds on the directional air dashes introduced in the Advance games and turns what were already really smart additions into a risk/reward mechanic.
Now whenever you get the chance to, you need to weigh your options as to whether you want to get back to the ground as quickly as possible to keep moving forward, or keep tricking to build up the tension gauge. That ring and the mental gymnastics it forces upon the player in utilising it effectively does a lot to mitigate the adverse impact the boost itself has on the physics, to where I'm not nearly as salty about it, since that trade off gave us something interesting to play with via the trick system, especially since now the directional air dashes act as combo finishers and have been streamlined to activate immediately upon pressing the buttons rather than having a split second delay. It really helps with keeping your flow going that they compound on what momentum you already have rather than setting it to a set level as in the Advance games. The 3D boost games could really benefit to take notes from Rush.
There's also a neat thing I've noticed where Sonic becomes much more maneuverable mid-air when the boost is active, like he's literally a rocket all of a sudden. I swear there's a segment in Deadline Act 2 where you're grinding up a rail and if you jump off it and do a u-turn while Sonic is gaining air, you can use the boost to get into a pathway which you're only meant to access when gravity is flipped above where you came in the room, allowing you to completely skip all the upside down platforming in the next room and immediately head for the exit now that you're on the ceiling. So the boost does give you some neat new mechanics to play with here and there.
Rush is also the only game in the entire series to my memory where the homing attack carries your momentum, but there are maybe 2 instances in the entire game where it's actually useful. One in Water Palace Act 1 and one in Deadline Act 1
Also sometimes Blaze will just get shit luck and die on automatic setpieces like those rolling ball chase moments because of her lower top speed.
Also also; note that entering a special stage takes exactly one full bar of the tension gauge to enter, which is probably why it has three levels of being full in the first place.
Side note: Rush is one of the only modern Sonic games to my memory to really do anything to evolve the classics' aesthetic, particularly in all its menus. it merges the pop-art sensibilities of the classics with a Y2K touch that goes really well together. And of course, the music.
Side side note: totally agree that the bosses suck ass to fight, but they've also got some of my favourite robot designs in the series, so personally, I don't mind just watching them fuck around for a while because I just like looking at them. Not really a good defense or anything. I just like cool robots.
tbh it's kinda nuts how people tend to throw the Advance and Rush games under the bus so hard when talking about good Sonic games, because in general, most of them are totally worthy of standing alongside those.
Advance 2's still better ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
@bradywoods6293 3 years ago
This was my first sonic game. Love sonic rush, such an underrated gem in the sonic series.
@soraingaegis3086 3 years ago
Also one thing I never see people talk about with Blaze's gameplay is how she technically gets less out of her boost gauge because she moves slower than Sonic; if you look at all the WR times for this game, you'll notice that Blaze's times are always noticeably slower than Sonic's.
But to make up for that Blaze's trick jumps give her way more distance, meaning that (combined with her hover) there are certain shortcuts she can take far more easily than Sonic.
But to make up for that Blaze's trick jumps give her way more distance, meaning that (combined with her hover) there are certain shortcuts she can take far more easily than Sonic.
@mrbanks456 3 years ago (edited)
You've put into words exactly why Rush is my favorite Sonic game. It's classic Sonic gameplay made accessible and enjoyable to someone with little patience for things like stopping to do a spin dash or getting stuck on a slope. Until you get to the bosses, in which case it asks you for all of the patience in the world.
@Voltricity435 3 years ago
pro tip if you play this game play on easy instead of normal, it makes the bosses have 6 hp intead of 8, and that's all it changes. the fights will be around 25% faster and make them a whole lot more bearable
@Zejgar 3 years ago
Regarding the parts of special stages where you have to tap the numbers - the game actually lets you hold down the stylus (or, well, the mouse) and drag on the screen from number to number, instead of tapping each individual number.
@Kuzu5993 3 years ago (edited)
One of the best Modern games.
Ironically, Geek Critique just did a retrospective on Rush himself recently, so that's a nice coincidence.
Ironically, Geek Critique just did a retrospective on Rush himself recently, so that's a nice coincidence.
@ChaddyFantome 3 years ago
Ah Sonic Rush. Your description couldn't be more applicable to my experience. This was also the game that got another one of my friends into the series for exactly as you said. The mechanics are more simplified and intuitive.
I wanna go ahead and THANK you for the entire bit about how the Boost while mechanically monopolizing the game still adheres to the core principles of Sonic. It's something I often find myself having to explain in conversations as there is an unfortunate tendency for people to simply view the mechanic as a misunderstanding of Sonic game design as opposed to a deliberate design choice made with intent.
The entire concept of the boost exists as an upkeep system. This means that while the player is technically at top speed at the push of the button, mechanically there is is still maintenance to be had so that the player can continue to do so. In fact, the player is even punished in certain instances for failing to do so.
In this respect, it solves fundamental issues with design that existed in the Classics, as the Classics always had the unfortunate design limit caused by 2D where the limited view real estate made it difficult if not impossible to have the game be fast AND active at the same time. In game such as the classics, there is a division between what people refer to as "platforming sections" and "speed sections" because the player can't be expected to react to things as they come when going full throttle in sections the devs expect you to. So because of this, it is generally seen as a design flaw to have notable hazards or enemies in these sections. The Boost then turns this dilemma on its head. Now when someone runs into an enemy oir hazard in these sections, it is now not an oversight of the develops in regards to level design, but a failure of meter management on the player's behalf, and in that respect, it's quite ingenious.
Of course, this does mean the game is simplified compared to past games, but as you said, not in a way that feels completely braindead or unfun.
Sonic Rush is a game i like quite a lot, though I do very much prefer it's sequel as I feel it does a good job reining in a lot of the more rough aspects of the game, as you yourself mentioned.
The Ring system for bosses is something I really don't understand why it did not stick as a standard. It's a logical addition and I don't see why it was not made standard.
Special Stages are very much among the best in the series, and prior to Mania I likely would have claimed them to be my favorite. Very much a top example of the touch controls enhancing a game for the better rather than being tacked on and annoying on top of the entry method being great and tying in seamlessly with the games' mechanics. Although I will admit, on my first playthrough of Rush, I didn't even know those were for special stages. I jumped back and forth between Sonic and Blaze and was confused when Sonic had no Emeralds, lol.
As an additional, I'd like to thank you for making the distinction between the Boost and the BoostState/mode from Advance 2. I keep repeatedly seeing people treat one as an evolution of the other when they aren't at all. To the point that the latter exists in Rush itself alongside the former. It's just that like many aspects of the games, the Boost kinda trivializes it. :P
Btw, this was actually the game where I learned the handheld game shad the homing attack at all, and while it often gets a bad wrap for implantation in 2D, (which I partially agree with since it isn't necessary), I do think it is valid as an off button correction tool the way it is applied to Sonic's moveset in Rush. Where I get annoyed is with it being made into a core part of the level design like in...certain later entries.
Despite my preference for the games without boost to the ones that do, It's still a very fun and valid way to approach Sonic game design and it's unfortunate the Sonic fandom isn't notably keen on having measured evaluations of the mechanics in these games.
Great watch! Looking forward to your video on Rush Adventure!
Sorry for the late post btw. I was busy at work the day this dropped.
I wanna go ahead and THANK you for the entire bit about how the Boost while mechanically monopolizing the game still adheres to the core principles of Sonic. It's something I often find myself having to explain in conversations as there is an unfortunate tendency for people to simply view the mechanic as a misunderstanding of Sonic game design as opposed to a deliberate design choice made with intent.
The entire concept of the boost exists as an upkeep system. This means that while the player is technically at top speed at the push of the button, mechanically there is is still maintenance to be had so that the player can continue to do so. In fact, the player is even punished in certain instances for failing to do so.
In this respect, it solves fundamental issues with design that existed in the Classics, as the Classics always had the unfortunate design limit caused by 2D where the limited view real estate made it difficult if not impossible to have the game be fast AND active at the same time. In game such as the classics, there is a division between what people refer to as "platforming sections" and "speed sections" because the player can't be expected to react to things as they come when going full throttle in sections the devs expect you to. So because of this, it is generally seen as a design flaw to have notable hazards or enemies in these sections. The Boost then turns this dilemma on its head. Now when someone runs into an enemy oir hazard in these sections, it is now not an oversight of the develops in regards to level design, but a failure of meter management on the player's behalf, and in that respect, it's quite ingenious.
Of course, this does mean the game is simplified compared to past games, but as you said, not in a way that feels completely braindead or unfun.
Sonic Rush is a game i like quite a lot, though I do very much prefer it's sequel as I feel it does a good job reining in a lot of the more rough aspects of the game, as you yourself mentioned.
The Ring system for bosses is something I really don't understand why it did not stick as a standard. It's a logical addition and I don't see why it was not made standard.
Special Stages are very much among the best in the series, and prior to Mania I likely would have claimed them to be my favorite. Very much a top example of the touch controls enhancing a game for the better rather than being tacked on and annoying on top of the entry method being great and tying in seamlessly with the games' mechanics. Although I will admit, on my first playthrough of Rush, I didn't even know those were for special stages. I jumped back and forth between Sonic and Blaze and was confused when Sonic had no Emeralds, lol.
As an additional, I'd like to thank you for making the distinction between the Boost and the BoostState/mode from Advance 2. I keep repeatedly seeing people treat one as an evolution of the other when they aren't at all. To the point that the latter exists in Rush itself alongside the former. It's just that like many aspects of the games, the Boost kinda trivializes it. :P
Btw, this was actually the game where I learned the handheld game shad the homing attack at all, and while it often gets a bad wrap for implantation in 2D, (which I partially agree with since it isn't necessary), I do think it is valid as an off button correction tool the way it is applied to Sonic's moveset in Rush. Where I get annoyed is with it being made into a core part of the level design like in...certain later entries.
Despite my preference for the games without boost to the ones that do, It's still a very fun and valid way to approach Sonic game design and it's unfortunate the Sonic fandom isn't notably keen on having measured evaluations of the mechanics in these games.
Great watch! Looking forward to your video on Rush Adventure!
Sorry for the late post btw. I was busy at work the day this dropped.
@YellowScar2014 2 years ago (edited)
Everything you've explained here, especially how the bosses could be improved, is exactly why I want a new Sonic Rush game.
I haven't even played rush 1, just the Colors DS game which reuses its assets and mechanics, and my experience with that likely inferior version already has me wanting more.
I haven't even played rush 1, just the Colors DS game which reuses its assets and mechanics, and my experience with that likely inferior version already has me wanting more.
@TaxXempt 1 year ago
As someone who only really played this game as a 5 year old, its kinda insane watching someone who knows what they're doing play lmao
@Visleaf 3 years ago (edited)
Before watching this I'd like to point out that the ending cutscene was disastrously mistranslated. "This is from me." was originally "That's what I mean.", a direct continuation of Sonic's final flashback monologue line: "You understand what I mean, right?"
Should be responsible to keep in mind for the story video.
Should be responsible to keep in mind for the story video.
@TrewDomko 3 years ago
3 videos in the span of like 2 days?? Hell yeah! Always love watching your in-depth gameplay analysis and story videos.
@soraingaegis3086 3 years ago
Oh God. It's my favourite game again.
No seriously his is actually my favourite video game of all time. Played it for the first time at 7 years old and well... the rest is history tbh. XD
No seriously his is actually my favourite video game of all time. Played it for the first time at 7 years old and well... the rest is history tbh. XD
@UltraThunderSurge 3 years ago
I always figured this was one of the most universally liked Sonic games. Even during that period of time where the "Sonic was never good" mindset was at its peak, this one (along with Sonic Advance) were still pretty well liked along with the Genesis games. I guess the simplified gameplay really did resonate with some people, that and the soundtrack which is one of the most unique and memorable parts of the game.
@porygonlover322 3 years ago
Definitely felt the bit about Boost games teaching people the fun of time attack - for me it was fucking Forces that finally made it click, with the timer requirements to unlock costume parts, and Frontiers 1-2 has definitely made a lot of people aware of how this stuff works
@PhirePhlame 1 year ago (edited)
I think what really did it in terms of boost gameplay getting people into time-attacking was probably the fact that it introduced meter-management into the equation. Attaching a resource meter to your "go fast" button is naturally gonna mix the part of a person's mind that wants to conserve the resource with the part that wants to go fast, and in a way that pretty much sets them up to fall right into a competitive mindframe of going as fast as possible while trying to never run out.
Sonic Rush - Sonic Was Always Good
Pariah695
40,374 views
I normally don't mention music in these videos because I want to focus on the gameplay. But this game deserves a special shoutout to Naganuma for that awesome soundtrack. Of course, nearly every Sonic game has great music. But this one has a special unique flavor to it and it's great. Unfortunately, the sound mixing in the game isn't the best. The sounds of doing tricks drowns out so much. What a shame.
There are some things here about boost gameplay that I have deliberately left out here, as I'm going to go in greater detail in the Unleashed video.
btw, I'm playing the Japanese version. But if you play the US version, you can hack the game into being in widescreen. Here's a link to that and all of my other Sonic recommendations.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...
You can support here if you want. https://ko-fi.com/pariah695
Once the infinite boost runs out, your boost meter drops from full red to full yellow. However, if you never boost while the infinite boost mode is active, then when the infinite boost runs out, you'll remain at full red.