OK, so maybe they didn't care about Sega's star-crossed return as much they wanted a piece of the most powerful console in the world, the Sega Dreamcast -- and Sonic the Hedgehog. But whether they meant well or not, the next generation of consoles has arrived like a tsunami, with Sonic Adventure surfing the initial crest on Sega's Dreamcast, the first 128-bit console in the world.

Due to launch with the system on September 9, Sonic Adventure brings the speed and thrill of prior 2D Sonic games into a gorgeous realm of entirely 3D obstacles and endless skies with a mastery and care that's rarely been seen before. As in the Japanese version, the North American iteration enables players to see far, far into the horizon without a single object popping-up. It creates a whirlwind of speed along stunningly well-designed 3D courses that will rush by so fast you'll wonder what you missed. And perhaps, greatest of all for North American gamers, a more reasonable sense of control and visual balance have been securely implemented in this version, two criticisms that dogged the Japanese version as it was rushed out development doors to meet its launch schedule. Let's take a look at the big picture:

Super Sonic Control
Yes, Sonic is more controllable in this version, a huge benefit for US buyers. The Japanese version, in essence, was like a seven-year-old on a bike for the first time with no training wheels. Only the bike had a jet turbine strapped to it and no wings and no crash pad. Oh, sh*t. I remember playing through Sonic and slipping off courses in critical areas that were close to being completely uncontrollable. Or being pushed through gates into action-laden corkscrew paths from which I simply spun off into wild blue yonder flailing like that same kid from his 600 horse-powered two-speed Schwin. So, yeah, it was an amazing ride those first few times, but it was annoying, too.

Just one example of the change in control appears in the very first course. Sonic chases after Tails, who is about to crash an airplane. On his way between sandy isles, Sonic passes through several loop-de-loops, one from which the camera pans out a good distance to the side. Even on this most basic of levels in the Japanese version, Sonic would fly off the lower lip of that track and slip into the water, almost on cue. The first time I played the North American version I launched off that same loop and flew right to my destination. Going back to the loop just to see if I could fall off, I was successful in death, but I had to forcibly try. What happened? For the most part, Sega fixed the control problem in that players can still die, but now it's not because of the game's inconsistent boundaries and imperfections.

There's certainly no loss of speed in this version. That's something that no other game delivers so convincingly. Sonic was -- and is more than ever -- built for speed. Amazing speed. Nothing will prepare you for the blazingly fast trips you'll take. There are only few things that actually compare in real life, like rocket cars and jet planes, but nothing that compares in the videogame world. Flying through a level is putting it mild. In fact, within the first two worlds, Sonic outruns a giant whale and then runs through the center of a tornado, a few foreshadowing elements for shows up later in the game. Suffice it is to say, Sonic rips like never before.

Strangely enough I encountered slowdown (I so wanted to believe it wasn't possible on a 128 bit system, but alas...)in several areas. And not in the fast-moving scenarios, either. In several areas throughout the game, particularly where dozens of moving objects spin, bob, sputter, or animals walk in select patterns (mostly where Sonic is walking), the frame rates do descend into the mid '20s. True, this is the first of the Dreamcast games, and even truer is that it didn't effect gameplay, but it was surprising to see such a powerful system suffer from the same things that held back 32-bit games and cartridge titles.

Lights, Camera, Action!
Though Sonic is just as fast as he was in the Japanese version, he's also just as awkward. The build-up of his speed is almost too quick, particularly inside buildings and small rooms. That's remained consistent from in both the Japanese and North American versions. It was clear that the game was built around Sonic's speedy pace, so it's not too surprising that the camera angles fare poorly in enclosed environments. So, while there are awkward moments, usually -- but not always -- solved by the moving camera, fewer see-through walls, and less sticky cameras, some of the same camera problems weren't removed.

Having said that, many of the outdoor camera angles that were problematic in the Japanese version have improved. In the most annoying of the fast-moving areas -- the speedy tunnels and pinball-like bumpers -- the cameras stick tightly to Sonic. They don't slice through objects, or become hindered by large enclosed areas, as they did before. Part of the design causes it. In both versions, it appears that the camera has a difficult time keeping up with the blazing blue ball of hedge, but unlike the Japanese version, the American version sticks more closely to Sonic, and provides a better sense of control for the gamer, which in turn makes one feel as if the game weren't rushed or incomplete.

Mixed Overall Impressions
The mixed feelings I get from this game are different than those I received from playing Super Mario 64. There are aspects of this game I never asked about Mario's transition to 3D. Questions such as: Is Sonic meant to be a 3D game? Can it succeed in 3D? Does it really work?

I mean, after the thrill of simply seeing Sonic in crisp 3D ripping across the landscape, showing off only a tiny bit of the Dreamcast's technical ability, and after the stunning sensation of experiencing each character and handfuls of 3D renditions of former 2D levels (and recognizing them all), I had to ask myself, "Does this work?" That I have to ask at all means there's a problem, or problems.

Some parts of this game work brilliantly, and some parts don't work at all. As I mentioned above, the camera angles can bother to no end in small or enclosed environments. I think it'll be the most difficult aspect of 3D games to solve for any developer in this age, and the nature of Sonic doesn’t really help too much.

In terms of the story, I felt completely helpless in the Japanese version of the game, since I can't read the language, and I simply didn't know where to go. Thankfully, much of that despair is completely gone. In this North American version, lots of little helpful tokens, such as citizens and sparkly faeries, point Sonic in the right direction. While I'm not entirely sure, I think it's possible that more direction has been added, so that people aren't left hanging out to dry. I'm sure I missed all of the Japanese instruction, but it appears there is more direction given in this version.

But back to the mixed impressions. Playing Sonic as an adventure game, not just as a straight side-scrolling action game, is strange. Walking around and picking things up and exploring giant 3D environments seems, well, weird. Like I've just split through a time warp and mistakenly zapped Sonic into a 3D world that's really meant for Lara Croft. I freely admit to loving the action sections. I mean there's no doubt in my mind there are the brilliant parts of Sonic that are more like a giant roller coaster than a giant roller coaster. And I didn't even mention the overall lushness of each and every level. This game is deliciously gorgeous. It's jaw-dropping just to look at it, to be honest. But it's weird to trot along as Sonic exploring the nooks and crannies of things in 3D, and I'm not sure it's that fun. That's partly due to the sometimes awkward control and sometimes due to the feeling I'm getting when I'm speeding. When I'm really ripping along I just want to feel the speed. Yet, I always feel that I've just passed something important. So, should I speed by this little flashing thing or stop to pick it up? What makes me feel worse is that sometimes it's too late to return. The game demands that you speed by and stop and grab all of the cool bonus stuff simultaneously, which is a mixed, unclear message send directly from the developers. Yuck.

Well, it's getting close to 2 am, and I should really go to sleep. So, I'll leave you all with this. Sonic Adventure is a real roller-coaster of a game that'll bring you new thrills no other game can. That’s for certain. As for dethroning Mario...

The rental version is labeled a "limited edition," and Sega is still tweaking the retail final as you read this, so of course We'll be back with a full review of the full version. But in the mean time, this should give you a good idea on what to expect from the current rental edition. -- Douglass Perry, Sellout and closet Dreamcast whore (AKA Editor in Chief of IGNPSX).

Review: Sonic Adventure

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