<s>
is	O
a	O
2006	O
racing	O
video	O
game	O
for	O
the	O
GameCube	B-Application
,	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
,	O
and	O
Xbox	B-Operating_System
in	O
which	O
the	O
player	O
controls	O
characters	O
from	O
the	O
Sonic	B-Application
the	I-Application
Hedgehog	I-Application
series	I-Application
on	O
hoverboards	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
developed	O
by	O
Sonic	B-Application
Team	O
and	O
Now	O
Production	O
,	O
published	O
by	O
Sega	O
,	O
and	O
released	O
in	O
February	O
2006	O
in	O
Japan	O
and	O
North	O
America	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
Game	B-Device
Boy	I-Device
Advance	I-Device
version	O
developed	O
by	O
Backbone	O
Entertainment	O
was	O
canceled	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
produced	O
in	O
commemoration	O
of	O
the	O
Sonic	B-Application
series	I-Application
 '	O
15th	O
anniversary	O
and	O
was	O
the	O
first	O
Sonic	B-Application
racing	O
game	O
since	O
the	O
1997	O
Traveller	O
's	O
Tales	O
game	O
Sonic	B-Application
R	I-Application
.	O
Sonic	B-Application
Team	O
wanted	O
to	O
make	O
their	O
own	O
game	O
that	O
was	O
superior	O
to	O
any	O
previous	O
Sonic	B-Application
racing	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
designed	O
to	O
appeal	O
to	O
fans	O
of	O
Sonic	B-Application
as	O
well	O
as	O
extreme	O
sports	O
video	O
games	O
;	O
the	O
development	O
team	O
did	O
not	O
take	O
inspiration	O
from	O
any	O
prior	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sonic	B-Application
Riders	I-Application
was	O
also	O
the	O
last	O
Sonic	B-Application
title	O
produced	O
with	O
the	O
involvement	O
of	O
franchise	O
co-creator	O
Yuji	O
Naka	O
,	O
who	O
acted	O
as	O
executive	O
producer	O
and	O
left	O
Sega	O
shortly	O
after	O
its	O
release	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sonic	B-Application
Riders	I-Application
was	O
released	O
to	O
mixed	O
reviews	O
from	O
critics	O
,	O
but	O
was	O
a	O
commercial	O
success	O
and	O
was	O
later	O
re-released	O
under	O
the	O
GameCube	B-Application
and	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
bestseller	O
lines	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Many	O
deemed	O
it	O
a	O
lackluster	O
game	O
—	O
both	O
within	O
the	O
Sonic	B-Application
franchise	I-Application
and	O
the	O
racing	O
game	O
medium	O
—	O
that	O
did	O
have	O
its	O
highlights	O
but	O
ultimately	O
fell	O
to	O
its	O
shortcomings	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Retrospectively	O
,	O
it	O
also	O
has	O
developed	O
a	O
cult	O
following	O
,	O
spawning	O
into	O
two	O
sequels	O
,	O
Sonic	B-Application
Riders	I-Application
:	I-Application
Zero	I-Application
Gravity	I-Application
(	O
2008	O
)	O
and	O
Sonic	B-Application
Free	I-Application
Riders	I-Application
(	O
2010	O
)	O
,	O
which	O
were	O
developed	O
and	O
released	O
to	O
similar	O
commercial	O
success	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sonic	B-Application
Riders	I-Application
is	O
based	O
around	O
characters	O
racing	O
each	O
other	O
using	O
devices	O
known	O
as	O
"	O
Extreme	B-Application
Gear	I-Application
"	O
,	O
anti-gravity-equipped	O
vehicles	O
consisting	O
of	O
hover	O
boards	O
,	O
hover	O
skates	O
,	O
and	O
hover	O
bikes	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Air	O
serves	O
as	O
the	O
fuel	O
for	O
Extreme	B-Application
Gear	I-Application
,	O
and	O
is	O
depleted	O
gradually	O
as	O
the	O
race	O
goes	O
on	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Players	O
can	O
refill	O
their	O
air	O
by	O
using	O
pit	O
stops	O
on	O
the	O
track	O
,	O
which	O
force	O
them	O
to	O
stay	O
in	O
place	O
while	O
their	O
air	O
meter	O
recharges	O
,	O
or	O
performing	O
tricks	O
when	O
jumping	O
off	O
ramps	O
or	O
off	O
an	O
opponents	O
 '	O
slipstream	B-General_Concept
,	O
with	O
higher-rated	O
trick	O
sequences	O
restoring	O
more	O
air	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sonic	B-Application
Riders	I-Application
features	O
16	O
playable	O
characters	O
,	O
nine	O
of	O
which	O
must	O
be	O
unlocked	O
,	O
including	O
guest	O
characters	O
from	O
Nights	B-Application
into	I-Application
Dreams	I-Application
,	O
Space	B-Application
Channel	I-Application
5	I-Application
,	O
and	O
Super	B-Application
Monkey	I-Application
Ball	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Each	O
individual	O
character	O
has	O
different	O
statistics	O
,	O
altering	O
their	O
performance	O
slightly	O
in	O
races	O
,	O
though	O
some	O
characters	O
are	O
restricted	O
from	O
using	O
certain	O
types	O
of	O
Extreme	B-Application
Gear	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Players	O
can	O
spend	O
the	O
rings	O
they	O
acquire	O
at	O
the	O
in-game	O
shop	O
to	O
purchase	O
new	O
Extreme	B-Application
Gear	I-Application
,	O
each	O
of	O
which	O
possesses	O
unique	O
statistics	O
and	O
properties	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
's	O
Story	O
Mode	O
is	O
divided	O
into	O
two	O
campaigns	O
,	O
whose	O
events	O
intersect	O
with	O
one	O
another	O
:	O
The	O
"	O
Heroes	O
"	O
story	O
,	O
focusing	O
on	O
Sonic	B-Application
,	O
Tails	O
,	O
and	O
Knuckles	O
;	O
and	O
the	O
"	O
Babylon	O
"	O
story	O
,	O
focusing	O
on	O
the	O
Babylon	O
Rogues	O
,	O
consisting	O
of	O
new	O
characters	O
Jet	O
the	O
Hawk	O
,	O
Wave	O
the	O
Swallow	O
,	O
and	O
Storm	O
the	O
Albatross	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Completing	O
each	O
mission	O
awards	O
players	O
a	O
bronze	O
,	O
silver	O
,	O
or	O
gold	O
medal	O
based	O
on	O
their	O
performance	O
;	O
by	O
completing	O
missions	O
,	O
players	O
can	O
unlock	O
new	O
characters	O
and	O
special	O
Extreme	B-Application
Gear	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Rogues	O
agree	O
and	O
steal	O
an	O
Emerald	O
,	O
but	O
run	O
into	O
Sonic	B-Application
,	O
Tails	O
,	O
and	O
Knuckles	O
,	O
who	O
are	O
also	O
looking	O
for	O
the	O
Emerald	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sonic	B-Application
gives	O
chase	O
,	O
but	O
Jet	O
escapes	O
with	O
the	O
Emerald	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
next	O
day	O
,	O
the	O
three	O
heroes	O
see	O
Eggman	O
on	O
a	O
digital	O
billboard	O
advertising	O
an	O
Extreme	B-Application
Gear	I-Application
race	O
known	O
as	O
the	O
EX	O
World	O
Grand	O
Prix	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
Chaos	O
Emeralds	O
offered	O
as	O
the	O
grand	O
prize	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
When	O
they	O
realize	O
that	O
the	O
Rogues	O
are	O
participating	O
,	O
Sonic	B-Application
and	O
his	O
friends	O
enter	O
as	O
well	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Team	O
Sonic	B-Application
,	O
joined	O
by	O
Amy	O
Rose	O
,	O
compete	O
with	O
the	O
Rogues	O
in	O
several	O
races	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
During	O
the	O
final	O
race	O
,	O
Wave	O
sabotages	O
Sonic	B-Application
's	O
board	O
,	O
allowing	O
Jet	O
to	O
defeat	O
Sonic	B-Application
and	O
win	O
the	O
Grand	O
Prix	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sonic	B-Application
grabs	O
a	O
new	O
board	O
and	O
pursues	O
Eggman	O
,	O
but	O
Jet	O
challenges	O
him	O
to	O
another	O
race	O
,	O
seeking	O
to	O
defeat	O
Eggman	O
first	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Combining	O
their	O
powers	O
,	O
Jet	O
and	O
Sonic	B-Application
manage	O
to	O
retrieve	O
Amy	O
and	O
the	O
Key	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Team	O
Sonic	B-Application
follow	O
them	O
inside	O
,	O
where	O
they	O
encounter	O
the	O
Babylon	B-Application
Guardian	I-Application
,	O
a	O
giant	O
creature	O
tasked	O
with	O
protecting	O
the	O
treasure	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Using	O
the	O
Key	O
,	O
Jet	O
manages	O
to	O
make	O
the	O
carpet	O
fly	O
,	O
revealing	O
the	O
magic	B-Application
carpet	I-Application
to	O
be	O
an	O
early	O
form	O
of	O
Extreme	B-Application
Gear	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Team	O
Sonic	B-Application
and	O
the	O
Babylon	O
Rogues	O
go	O
their	O
separate	O
ways	O
,	O
with	O
Jet	O
promising	O
to	O
race	O
Sonic	B-Application
again	O
one	O
day	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sonic	B-Application
Riders	I-Application
was	O
developed	O
by	O
Sonic	B-Application
Team	O
and	O
Now	O
Production	O
for	O
the	O
GameCube	B-Application
,	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
,	O
Xbox	B-Operating_System
and	O
Windows	O
in	O
commemoration	O
of	O
the	O
Sonic	B-Application
series	I-Application
 '	O
15th	O
anniversary	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sonic	B-Application
Riders	I-Application
was	O
the	O
last	O
Sonic	B-Application
game	O
that	O
Naka	O
was	O
involved	O
with	O
;	O
he	O
resigned	O
to	O
form	O
his	O
own	O
company	O
,	O
Prope	O
,	O
shortly	O
after	O
its	O
release	O
to	O
focus	O
on	O
original	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
the	O
series	O
 '	O
first	O
racing	O
game	O
since	O
Traveller	O
's	O
Tales	O
developed	O
Sonic	B-Application
R	I-Application
in	O
1997	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
Yuda	O
,	O
in	O
the	O
years	O
after	O
Sonic	B-Application
Rs	I-Application
release	O
,	O
Sonic	B-Application
Team	O
received	O
many	O
requests	O
from	O
fans	O
for	O
another	O
Sonic	B-Application
racer	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Though	O
he	O
played	O
and	O
enjoyed	O
Sonic	B-Application
R	I-Application
,	O
Yuda	O
believed	O
Sonic	B-Application
Team	O
,	O
"	O
who	O
knows	O
Sonic	B-Application
best	O
"	O
,	O
should	O
make	O
another	O
game	O
that	O
was	O
superior	O
to	O
any	O
previous	O
Sonic	B-Application
racing	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Being	O
able	O
to	O
do	O
this	O
in	O
a	O
car	O
was	O
illogical	O
;	O
Sonic	B-Application
Team	O
noted	O
that	O
surfing	O
and	O
snowboarding	O
were	O
more	O
flexible	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sonic	B-Application
Riders	I-Application
was	O
primarily	O
designed	O
to	O
appeal	O
to	O
fans	O
of	O
Sonic	B-Application
and	O
extreme	O
sports	O
games	O
,	O
while	O
the	O
multiplayer	O
modes	O
were	O
included	O
for	O
casual	O
gamers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Yuda	O
has	O
said	O
Sonic	B-Application
Team	O
did	O
not	O
take	O
any	O
influences	O
from	O
prior	O
Sonic	B-Application
games	O
,	O
reasoning	O
they	O
wanted	O
to	O
create	O
a	O
truly	O
new	O
experience	O
that	O
was	O
unlike	O
anything	O
else	O
from	O
other	O
Sonic	B-Application
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
's	O
antagonists	O
,	O
the	O
Babylon	O
Rogues	O
,	O
were	O
created	O
because	O
Sonic	B-Application
Team	O
wanted	O
to	O
include	O
"	O
Air	O
Pirates	O
"	O
as	O
Sonic	B-Application
's	O
rivals	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Yuda	O
considered	O
them	O
best-suited	O
for	O
Sonic	B-Application
series	I-Application
racing	O
games	O
,	O
and	O
noted	O
Sonic	B-Application
characters	O
are	O
usually	O
designed	O
with	O
one	O
specific	O
storyline	O
in	O
mind	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Levels	O
were	O
designed	O
to	O
be	O
"	O
crazy	O
"	O
but	O
still	O
feature	O
classic	O
Sonic	B-Application
elements	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Two	O
vocal	O
themes	O
were	O
written	O
for	O
the	O
game	O
and	O
performed	O
by	O
the	O
artist	O
Runblebee	O
,	O
"	O
Sonic	B-Application
Speed	O
Riders	O
"	O
(	O
written	O
by	O
Sawada	O
)	O
and	O
"	O
Catch	O
Me	O
If	O
You	O
Can	O
"	O
(	O
written	O
by	O
Runblebee	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
soundtrack	O
album	O
,	O
Sonic	B-Application
Riders	I-Application
Original	O
Soundtrack	O
"	O
Speedbeats	O
Grand	O
Prix	O
"	O
,	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
March	O
2006	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sonic	B-Application
Riders	I-Application
was	O
announced	O
in	O
the	O
September	O
2005	O
issue	O
of	O
Famitsu	O
,	O
before	O
being	O
showcased	O
at	O
the	O
Tokyo	O
Game	O
Show	O
later	O
that	O
month	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
Game	B-Device
Boy	I-Device
Advance	I-Device
(	O
GBA	B-Device
)	O
version	O
was	O
developed	O
by	O
Backbone	O
Entertainment	O
but	O
never	O
released	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
the	O
review	B-Application
aggregator	I-Application
Metacritic	O
,	O
Sonic	B-Application
Riders	I-Application
received	O
"	O
mixed	O
or	O
average	O
"	O
reviews	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
GameCube	B-Application
and	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
versions	O
were	O
later	O
branded	O
as	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
Player	O
's	O
Choice	O
and	O
Greatest	B-Device
Hits	I-Device
budget	O
lines	O
,	O
indicating	O
strong	O
sales	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Of	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
music	O
,	O
IGN	O
and	O
GameSpot	O
agreed	O
it	O
was	O
just	O
generic	O
Sonic	B-Application
melodies	O
,	O
but	O
IGN	O
wrote	O
the	O
game	O
had	O
"	O
a	O
few	O
surprisingly	O
ambient	O
and	O
worldly	O
tracks	O
that	O
...	O
better	O
fit	O
with	O
the	O
themes	O
of	O
the	O
different	O
locales.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
also	O
found	O
the	O
hoverboards	O
were	O
technically	O
pointless	O
when	O
considering	O
that	O
Sonic	B-Application
is	O
fast	O
on	O
his	O
own	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
GameSpy	O
described	O
the	O
gameplay	O
design	O
of	O
racing	O
,	O
attacking	O
opponents	O
,	O
and	O
performing	O
tricks	O
as	O
inconsistent	O
:	O
"	O
Most	O
games	O
quickly	O
prioritize	O
these	O
actions	O
for	O
you	O
based	O
on	O
results	O
,	O
"	O
they	O
wrote	O
,	O
"	O
but	O
Sonic	B-Application
Riders	I-Application
seems	O
to	O
yield	O
similar	O
results	O
no	O
matter	O
what	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
IGN	O
wrote	O
"	O
Sonic	B-Application
Team	O
has	O
done	O
a	O
solid	O
job	O
of	O
delivering	O
on	O
speed	O
and	O
anarchy	O
"	O
and	O
cited	O
the	O
pace	O
as	O
making	O
races	O
unpredictable	O
and	O
fun	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Eurogamer	O
thought	O
the	O
speed	O
was	O
exciting	O
and	O
wrote	O
it	O
reminded	O
them	O
of	O
the	O
original	O
Sega	B-Operating_System
Genesis	I-Operating_System
Sonic	B-Application
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
pitstop	O
system	O
was	O
especially	O
criticized	O
;	O
GameSpy	O
wrote	O
it	O
made	O
no	O
sense	O
for	O
a	O
Sonic	B-Application
game	O
,	O
and	O
GameSpot	O
said	O
it	O
sucked	O
the	O
fun	O
out	O
of	O
Sonic	B-Application
Riders	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Overall	O
,	O
reviewers	O
deemed	O
Sonic	B-Application
Riders	I-Application
an	O
average	O
entry	O
in	O
the	O
Sonic	B-Application
franchise	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
IGN	O
believed	O
it	O
was	O
an	O
improvement	O
from	O
the	O
series	O
 '	O
previous	O
game	O
Shadow	B-Application
the	I-Application
Hedgehog	I-Application
and	O
would	O
be	O
fun	O
for	O
Sonic	B-Application
fans	O
,	O
but	O
was	O
nonetheless	O
found	O
its	O
design	O
choices	O
questionable	O
and	O
felt	O
it	O
simply	O
existed	O
to	O
cash	O
in	O
on	O
the	O
popularity	O
of	O
snowboarding	O
game	O
franchises	O
like	O
SSX	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
GameSpot	O
said	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
occasionally	O
entertaining	O
but	O
suffered	O
from	O
lackluster	O
gameplay	O
,	O
and	O
GamesRadar+	O
thought	O
it	O
proved	O
that	O
the	O
once	O
iconic	O
Sonic	B-Application
franchise	I-Application
"	O
has	O
now	O
become	O
a	O
dumping	O
ground	O
for	O
half-baked	O
games.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
sequel	O
to	O
Sonic	B-Application
Riders	I-Application
,	O
titled	O
Sonic	B-Application
Riders	I-Application
:	I-Application
Zero	I-Application
Gravity	I-Application
,	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
2008	O
for	O
the	O
Wii	O
and	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
third	O
title	O
,	O
Sonic	B-Application
Free	I-Application
Riders	I-Application
,	O
developed	O
by	O
O-Two	O
,	O
was	O
released	O
as	O
a	O
launch	O
title	O
for	O
the	B-Operating_System
Xbox	I-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
's	O
Kinect	B-Algorithm
peripheral	O
on	O
November	O
4	O
,	O
2010	O
.	O
</s>
