Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Here's probably the most unusual of the racing games Sonic has ever gotten throughout the years. Yet ironically at the same time, that's because this is the most Sonic-like that a Sonic racing game has ever been.
Traveller's Tales' Sonic R (in another collaboration with Sonic Team after 3D Blast) is so far the only racing game that actually lets Sonic race on foot!
Although this doesn't apply to the whole cast (Eggman still uses his Eggmobile, and Amy picks up a different car), the tracks in this game feel like they were built around interacting with them almost as if they were in a traditional Sonic game.
But that's probably not what most people know about this game. The biggest deal with this game is its magical soundtrack, with the main songs composed by Richard Jacques with very inspiring lyrics by Teresa Jane "TJ" Davis.
I want to go through each of these courses and try to explain the theme behind each of these songs, as well as explain the unlockables.
Although this is a Sega Saturn game (and the most unique Sonic game on the console, for what it's worth) I am playing this game through the Sonic Gems Collection, which has its PC port with some more features and tweaks. It's also been a whole 21 years since that collection was released! The last time Sonic R even got a re-release, at that!
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The story (for what it's worth) is pretty simple: A Grand Prix competition was recruiting racers, but Sonic wasn't interested... that is until he caught wind that Dr. Ivo "Eggman" Robotnik was signing up for it, because he had learned that there are hidden Chaos Emeralds throughout the race tracks.
Sonic changes his mind to try and beat Eggman in these races while seeking out those Emeralds, first. His friends, Tails, Knuckles, and Amy also participate, but they seem more interested in trying their racing skills against Sonic, too!
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This is a very short racing game with only five tracks, and the fifth one is unlocked after beating the first four. They all start with an "R", too!
The first course is the tropical Resort Island. A mostly straightforward track with alternate paths to take. Falling into the water will just slow you don't if your character can't automatically float above it, but you may get a powerup that lets you walk over it, once.
Every track has a booster in it. It can take up to 50 Rings for an automatic speed boost, but it can still take less, as well. Your boost just won't be as effective.
Each character has their own abilities, as well. Sonic and Double Jump, Spin Attack while he's on the move, or Spin Dash while standing in place.
The PC version of this game has alternate weather versions of these tracks, too, Snow weather freezes the water, letting you walk over it without sinking. There's also a Rain version, as well, but I just kept the tracks at Clear. The tracks also change their time of day on their own on repeats.
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Further on with Resort Island, its theme song is "Can You Feel the Sunshine?"
The song is about the beauty of the sun. How its shining rays can represent joy and bliss, especially after times of darkness. How it represents smiles and friendship. How it represents love, the warmth in one's heart, and the blessing of sharing that warmth with others...
So I must ask to you viewers: *Can YOU feel it?*
----------
Playing these tracks out in Grand Prix has unlockables for you to find and get.
First off, there are Chaos Emeralds throughout the first four tracks, with just one being here in Resort Island.
Every track has Ring Gates for you to pass. Some of them cost 20 Rings to open, while others cost 50. Usually these 50 Ring Gates will have a Chaos Emerald hiding behind them.
But then... after picking up the Emerald, you must then win 1st Place in the race!
Any less, and the Emerald(s) will be dropped and you'll have to start the whole race over to pick it up and win again. You'll have to figure out your routing and your pacing all while collecting enough Rings between the 3 Laps so that you can reach these jewels without falling too behind against the other racers. At the very least, Resort Island's Blue Chaos Emerald isn't too far out of the way from any of the main paths.
----
The second of the unlockables are through the Medals. Every track has 5 Medals, and will require you to do more exploring through the course's multiple routes to find all 5 of them. From there, you have to finish the race within the Top 3 for this to matter, or you'll have to try again.
But then, once you have, you automatically go through a 1v1 race against an unlockable character. In Resort Island's case, it will be a race against Metal Sonic.
Beat Metal Sonic, and you unlock him as a racer!
Further on the topic of unlockable racers, Eggman is among them, but he's also the only one that isn't a secret. You won't get him until you've won the last course in this game!
Here's probably the most unusual of the racing games Sonic has ever gotten throughout the years. Yet ironically at the same time, that's because this is the most Sonic-like that a Sonic racing game has ever been.
Traveller's Tales' Sonic R (in another collaboration with Sonic Team after 3D Blast) is so far the only racing game that actually lets Sonic race on foot!
Although this doesn't apply to the whole cast (Eggman still uses his Eggmobile, and Amy picks up a different car), the tracks in this game feel like they were built around interacting with them almost as if they were in a traditional Sonic game.
But that's probably not what most people know about this game. The biggest deal with this game is its magical soundtrack, with the main songs composed by Richard Jacques with very inspiring lyrics by Teresa Jane "TJ" Davis.
I want to go through each of these courses and try to explain the theme behind each of these songs, as well as explain the unlockables.
Although this is a Sega Saturn game (and the most unique Sonic game on the console, for what it's worth) I am playing this game through the Sonic Gems Collection, which has its PC port with some more features and tweaks. It's also been a whole 21 years since that collection was released! The last time Sonic R even got a re-release, at that!
----------
The story (for what it's worth) is pretty simple: A Grand Prix competition was recruiting racers, but Sonic wasn't interested... that is until he caught wind that Dr. Ivo "Eggman" Robotnik was signing up for it, because he had learned that there are hidden Chaos Emeralds throughout the race tracks.
Sonic changes his mind to try and beat Eggman in these races while seeking out those Emeralds, first. His friends, Tails, Knuckles, and Amy also participate, but they seem more interested in trying their racing skills against Sonic, too!
----------
This is a very short racing game with only five tracks, and the fifth one is unlocked after beating the first four. They all start with an "R", too!
The first course is the tropical Resort Island. A mostly straightforward track with alternate paths to take. Falling into the water will just slow you don't if your character can't automatically float above it, but you may get a powerup that lets you walk over it, once.
Every track has a booster in it. It can take up to 50 Rings for an automatic speed boost, but it can still take less, as well. Your boost just won't be as effective.
Each character has their own abilities, as well. Sonic and Double Jump, Spin Attack while he's on the move, or Spin Dash while standing in place.
The PC version of this game has alternate weather versions of these tracks, too, Snow weather freezes the water, letting you walk over it without sinking. There's also a Rain version, as well, but I just kept the tracks at Clear. The tracks also change their time of day on their own on repeats.
----------
Further on with Resort Island, its theme song is "Can You Feel the Sunshine?"
The song is about the beauty of the sun. How its shining rays can represent joy and bliss, especially after times of darkness. How it represents smiles and friendship. How it represents love, the warmth in one's heart, and the blessing of sharing that warmth with others...
So I must ask to you viewers: *Can YOU feel it?*
----------
Playing these tracks out in Grand Prix has unlockables for you to find and get.
First off, there are Chaos Emeralds throughout the first four tracks, with just one being here in Resort Island.
Every track has Ring Gates for you to pass. Some of them cost 20 Rings to open, while others cost 50. Usually these 50 Ring Gates will have a Chaos Emerald hiding behind them.
But then... after picking up the Emerald, you must then win 1st Place in the race!
Any less, and the Emerald(s) will be dropped and you'll have to start the whole race over to pick it up and win again. You'll have to figure out your routing and your pacing all while collecting enough Rings between the 3 Laps so that you can reach these jewels without falling too behind against the other racers. At the very least, Resort Island's Blue Chaos Emerald isn't too far out of the way from any of the main paths.
----
The second of the unlockables are through the Medals. Every track has 5 Medals, and will require you to do more exploring through the course's multiple routes to find all 5 of them. From there, you have to finish the race within the Top 3 for this to matter, or you'll have to try again.
But then, once you have, you automatically go through a 1v1 race against an unlockable character. In Resort Island's case, it will be a race against Metal Sonic.
Beat Metal Sonic, and you unlock him as a racer!
Further on the topic of unlockable racers, Eggman is among them, but he's also the only one that isn't a secret. You won't get him until you've won the last course in this game!
