Sega Sonic Rush Adventure

It's clear that the developers at Sega are playing the numbers game. With five Sonic titles set to release this year, odds are that at least one of them is bound to be halfway decent. It looks like they've hit their quota early, though, because Sonic Rush Adventure is actually pretty good.

Rushing forward

A sequel to 2005's Sonic Rush, Adventure is a side-scrolling 2D platformer that makes excellent use of both screens. As with most Sonic games, you can jam your finger on the right D-pad button, and for the most part, it will usually get you to the end. However, the slew of extra moves including double jumps, tricks, dashes and glides makes reaching the finish line a more varied and interesting affair. What's more, you actually have incentive to run the best race possible as you're rated on how well you run the course: the better the rating you get, the more material you receive, which allows your sidekick Tails to craft the various sea-faring vessels that shuttle you around from island to island faster.

Another great aspect of the game was its length: while there are only seven islands in total, there is a surprising amount of content that is unlocked. The graphics are also excellent as are the designs and layouts of the various levels.