Sonic... "the blue dude with a tude" (as Sega still like to refer to him) is finally back in what many fans consider to be a long overdue return to form. Now, some of you reading this might think it odd to start a review by hailing this latest incarnation as a return to form; so for the Sonic-cynics and non-aficionados amongst you let me attempt to explain...

During a decade known only as "the nineties" a new videogame superstar was born; this character featured spikes, sneakers, was blue from head to toe and had attitude. Oh and was y'know, like faster than the speed of light/sound and all that... his name of course was Sonic the Hedgehog.

Now, without going into an overzealous amount of detail from this point; Sonic's debut and subsequent sequels were of the highest caliber. The early sonic titles (from STH to S&K) represented an entirely new concept for platform games and featured unparalleled gameplay. This was for Sonic Team (as far as the Sonic series was considered) their finest hour. From 1996 onward however, the Sonic series started its decline with the release of Sonic 3D. For this title (and a subsequent two) Sonic Team handed over development to the lesser known "Travelers Tales" While they tried to bring Sonic into "the next dimension" they ultimately failed overall by creating a Sonic game that was insultingly easy and didn't even live up to nearly half of the hype that surrounded it at the time.

Ever since Sonic 3D, Sonic Team attempted to take the blue-blur in so many directions that he inevitably got lost along the way. In the past five years as most of you are aware, the two Sonic Adventure games and the three Sonic advance titles (also Sonic Pinball Party) have all helped to raise the teams fast diminishing profile. However the less said about Sonic Battle and Sonic Heroes the better... oh and don't even mention Shadow the Hedgehog, seriously just don't go there!

Anyway, back to the review... where was I? Oh yeah, justifying why Sonic Rush is a well overdue (just like this review) but most welcome and needed return to form. And what a comeback! Platforming heroes may come and go (at a speed equal to the blue blur) but when Sonic bounces back he does it with style.

Building upon what can only be described as the combined foundations and mechanics created by Sonic and Knuckles and Sonic Advance 3, Sonic Rush takes its gameplay traits prominently from the aforementioned two plus every successful element used in Sonic titles over the past decade and a half. In addition to Sonic Rush's selective inheritance it adds to the experience by delivering more than any title before it at a fast, frantic and almost unfathomable pace which really has to be seen to be believed; and even when you do see it you still won't quite believe it. This may seem like something of an unnecessary exaggeration but it really is "that" good.

The creative usage of the dual screens genuinely improves the game tenfold; this isn't just a mere port that happens to take advantage of two screens and adds overcomplicated touch screen elements where they aren't needed but is instead a concept designed specifically around the hardware. There is stuff in the game that just wouldn't be possible on any other format, the difference in gameplay quality is instantly received and appreciated by the player from the moment you start the first Act/Zone and thankfully to the very end. Sonic zips around both screens at such a blistering pace that it's a wonder how the player can keep track of him! Fortunately though it's easy to instantly adjust to the high-octane, speed orientated gameplay and it soon becomes unbelievably instinctive.

Few new gameplay elements have been added in this incarnation but what has been implemented has been done to an exceptional standard, as opposed to ST's other recent offering (Shadow) which implements too many elements and none of which are particularly well designed. Still at least Sonic has resisted the urge to pick up a gun, so were all safe, for now...

But I digress; namely the most notable of new features is the speed/boost meter which resides on the left-hand side of the screens, alternating instantly depending on which screen you're on. The speed meter increases with each ring that's collected/enemy decimated and even each "trick" that's performed. You can then use the power that's built up in the meter to substantially increase your speed for as long as you have power left, this is when the game is at it's most impressive; particularly when you consider that you can keep traveling along at an almost unfathomable pace for even longer by taking out vast amounts of badniks and performing tricks en-route.

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But wait! There's more! The ever useful and oh so ingenious speed meter has one other notably important use... Yes the steadfast feature of nearly every decent Sonic game to date returns, oh yes prepare to enter "the special stage!" Fans will no doubt be pleased to know that the special stage is easy to get to by simply grabbing onto a distinctive swing like device and then powering it up using the Y button, and providing you have enough in your meter you'll be warped to the special stage which is oh so worth visiting, after all, how else are you going to get all the chaos emeralds?

The stage itself is VERY reminiscent of Sonic 2, for those of you who haven't played Sonic 2 (and I'm imagining that's not very many) this is most definitely a very good thing. The main difference this time however is that ST have implemented touch screen control for this stage, which works so fluidly it makes you wonder if it works a little too well. Nevertheless speaking once again as a long term Sonic Team fan the special stage is just the icing on an already elaborately decorated cake and to carry this analogy unnecessarily further once you take your first bite you'll want to eat the whole damn thing.

However, no amount of over the top analogies can do this game justice, there are so many other brilliant aspects to this game, sumptuous two and three dimensional graphics detailing glorious varied yet familiar locales and features from the lush forests of the first Zone to Icecaps, Pyramids and the outer reaches of space.

Each Zone also has its own boss stage; this is where graphically the game truly excels as well as delivering an experience like no other. Boss encounters are rendered almost entirely in impressive 3D with the control being limited to a scrolling axis which helps to provide an experience which is both collectively heart pounding and truly satisfying.

Another great triumph of Sonic Rush is (as with most of Sonic Teams games) the superbly original and subtly brilliant audio. Each section of the game has background music which is perfectly suited to it. The music itself is of a very distinct style which you'll only find in Sonic Team games; while adding in repeated speech sample and some D&B (which I might add is done to great effect) in the overhaul process ST even manages to keep it familiar even though it's dramatically different.

Now, there was some other aspect to this game which I have thus far failed to mention... oh yes. The inclusion of a certain original feline character... No don't worry, Big (the cat from Sonic Adventure) hasn't managed to procreate with his amphibian friend in order to spawn some hideous creature of mutant proportions, the character I am of course referring to is Sonic's new feisty, female counterpart Blaze the Cat. Yes, Sonic Team has been at it again in the character creation department, however this time they have succeeded (where they failed recently countless times before) in creating a worthy alternative character which actually manages to add to the gameplay as opposed to unnecessarily detracting from it.

The way playing as Blaze works out is basically the same as Sonic but easier... She is slower than Sonic (obviously) and has a double jump/hover maneuver to try and compensate for this shortcoming. Also there is no special stage for Blaze; instead you must defeat bosses in order to retrieve the mysterious "Sol emeralds" which are different to the Chaos emeralds which Sonic collects. Lack of a special stage doesn't take anything away from the experience of playing as Blaze though, in fact if anything it helps to differentiate between the two characters and as a result you'll want to play/replay levels as both for different reasons.

Presentation in Rush is as slick as most decent ST titles are, with decent menu systems, a map screen which helps to move the story along, (a story which isn't actually too bad by recent Sonic game standards) and also contains "helpful" hints/advice from your allocated story mode character. (Tails and Cream assigned to Sonic and Blaze respectively).

Essentially Sonic Rush is one of the best damned Sonic games ever conceived by Sonic Team, every single decent aspect used in Sonic's 15 years of speed orientated platforming has somehow been incorporated and blended with some unexpectedly pleasant new gameplay additions to provide a truly sublime and ingenious hybrid. Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed and of course... Something Blue; Sonic Rush is the perfect "marriage" of everything that's great about the series and more; Sonic is back! And this time he's here to stay.