I’m lucky I played Sonic R before getting a N64 and playing Diddy Kong Racing or Mario Kart 64 a year later. Else I might hate Sonic R as well.
The sense of gravity and traction with the track surface just isn’t there in Sonic R.
But if you want a really, really bad time with the handling go for Dr Robotnik or the Tails Doll. If you can get 1st place on a track on hard difficulty and also manage to get the Chaos Emeralds with these two zero g fudgepackers then you are a god of a truly shit video game.
Sonic R get’s a bit of a free pass because:
1. It’s fully 3D on the Sega Saturn, a rare thing
2. Sonic Adventure didn’t come out for another year in Japan
3. Kids like me on a Sega Saturn didn’t know any better at the time
4. The Richard Jacques soundtrack
I’ve met alot of grown up causal gamers that think Crash Team Racing on PS1 is the best karting game ever. It isn’t, it’s totally shite. But as a kid you only get games at Christmas and Birthdays so even if it sucks you’ll still pour an unholy amount of hours into it.
So for me, Sonic R is my shit but endearing racing game of my youth. I replay it maybe once every 5 years or so and unlock everything again.
The game had some impressive (for the Sega Saturn) visual effects too, like reflections and transparency on the Emerald Road final stage.
