January 18th, 2013

A demo for Sonic and All-Stars Racing Transformed has arrived in Europe

22 Comments
Sonic and All Stars Racing Transformed 7

The demo for Sonic and All-Stars Racing Transformed has been available in North America for a while, but folks in Europe are now able to download it via the eShop. It’s limited to thirty play-throughs.

  • http://www.facebook.com/JonathanRider Johnny Rider

    I downloaded it last night. It’s a pretty good demo, it’s made me decide to get the game. As I guessed there’s not much to do with the gamepad but still it’s a good game, the boost challenge is crazily hard though.

    • Alex_Atkin_UK

      Indeed. There are a LOT of tricks to pulling it off, you MUST use stunts (the right analog stick during jumps, or otherwise in the air) and I still suck at it.

    • http://www.facebook.com/JonathanRider Johnny Rider

      Well I did easy and medium without any problem and then hard mode was ridiculous, I’ll try using stunts but I doubt I’ll be able to do it. I’m not complaining though, it’s a breath of fresh air getting a difficult game most games that come out these days tend to be too easy.

    • Alex_Atkin_UK

      I agree, it was a huge shock to the system at first as I was thinking “crap, what HAVE I bought, its too hard” as I was even failing on easy. But once you start to learn to mechanics, its a real breath of fresh air.

      I just fear it might be very off putting to some people encountering that on the demo.

    • Kaizar

      Are you going to get the 3D version (3DS)?

      Or the Wii U version.

      I’m personally getting the 3DS version because it looks like it would look badass in 3D.

      I’m dying for my pre-order. (February looking good)

      Also if U like Sonic the hedgehog games, then you should look forward to “Rodea the Sky Solider” (from the same creator)

      WE THE BEST!

    • http://www.facebook.com/JonathanRider Johnny Rider

      I’m not sure yet, I guess they both have their ups and downs, the 3DS one is probably best as I liked the 3D on Mario Kart 7 and obviously I’d be able to take it out with me rather than only playing at home not to mention it’s cheaper. But I’m not completely sure yet.

    • Kaizar

      The 3DS version is 60 fps.

      The PS3/360/Vita version is 30 fps.

      The Wii U version, I heard its somewhere in between.

      So there’s also frame rate to consider for some gamers.

      For Mii, well I just LOVE 3D.

      So the 3DS version gots me already……I’m a sucka for new 3D Ready games & movies & etc.

      But yeah, take your time to make your decision.

      And if U choose the 3DS version, then pre-order the Bonus Edition.

      GO TEAM VENTURE!

    • Alex_Atkin_UK

      All the console versions are “targeted” for 30fps, but they all drop lower during particularly active moments. The Wii U version is meant to cope the best, presumably due to its more powerful GPU.

      I am certainly interested to see how the 3DS version plays, but I can’t imagine it being as good due to the fact this game relies HEAVILY on being able to see where you need to go next. You can lose track on a 47″ HDTV at 720p, so its going to rely a LOT on the 3D to make up for running at 240p.

    • Kaizar

      That’s nice to know.

      But the 3DS polygon games are 240p on a 240p screen on a 3.53 inch screen, so the definition is not the problem.

      But the size of the screen is correct, but as you said, the 3D effect takes care of the screen size problem.

      The only reason I will never upgrade to the 3DS XL is because of the 3D effect giving me a bigger image without the upgrade in screen size.

      Plus the 3D effect in newer games is even better……including that Sega game; Rhythm Thief and the Emperor’s Treasure, so I have confidants in Sega for a spectacular amount of Depth & 3-Dimensions with the 3DS for their Sega games.

      But yeah, we can’t say we have a real judgement until it comes out, LOL.

      I like your caution about unreleased games.

      WE THE BEST!

    • Alex_Atkin_UK

      Ah but you miss my point, higher resolution = more detail = better ability to see where you are going/what you are about to crash into.

      I had Burnout Revenge on Xbox at 480p, then bought it again on Xbox 360 where it ran at 720p, and the ability to quickly react to oncoming traffic due to a better drawing distance made a massive difference to playability. More resolution means something in the distance can actually be drawn further away before it drops too small to be resolved in a couple of pixels.

      It may be a good game on 3DS, but I think its going to be a VERY different experience to the console version. I wouldn’t class them as the same game.

    • Kaizar

      Well, I’m pretty sure the 3D effect takes care of that in all Sega & Nintendo & Capcom & Square-Enix games.

      But yeah, I see your point about the more detail graphics helping understand everything more…….I remember Star Fox 64, but then I got Star Fox 64 3D and the 3D effect was all I needed to be able to finally tell the actual distance, so I wouldn’t hit any objects.

      I also hated playing Super Mario Sunshine in 2D Standard-Def graphics because I couldn’t tell the actual distance and ended up retrying a billion times, just to stop playing the game because it wasn’t fun anymore.

      So it sounds like you either need true HD Graphics or Stereoscopic 3D. I have never played an HD game before, but it sounds like a nice substitute for 3D.

      I had to skip the PS3 & Wii, which turned out to be a good thing. (weak library in both for my taste in games)

      Thanks.

      SHABLAGOO!

    • Alex_Atkin_UK

      Indeed 3D DOES offset the issue to a point, but Nintendo are all too aware that if given the choice of 3D in 400×240 and 2D in 800×240, 2D would look better. Why else is the 3DS locked to 400×240 at all times (it pixel-doubles in 2D mode) when its perfectly capable of 800×240 with 3D turned off? Because you would notice the huge detail reduction when in 3D mode and never want to use it, thus killing its main selling point.

      I had an LG Optimus 3D Smartphone which worked the same as the 3DS only without the restriction. It was 800×480 in 2D, 400×480 in 3D, the games just worked better in 2D despite the much better spacial awareness in 3D. Although not having to obscure the screen with your fingers and being able to hold it easier, certainly helps on the 3DS.

    • Kaizar

      Well, the Nintendo 3DS was made for the purpose of pure 3D gaming.

      They only added the lowering & off setting for keeping as a system for all people, because Nintendo likes to have their products as affordable & universal in all other ways too, as possible.

      But I see your valid point.

      I personally find the 3DS screen looking visually better then the Vita when I have the 3D ON, but when I have the 3D off, it’s the 3DS screen that looks more dull looking then the Vita.

      So I’m personally glad for the restriction I guess, LOL.

      I just know my experience of playing Star Fox 64 on both systems, and the 3D effect fully eliminated all of the depth & distance problems I had with the original, which was a pain on the N64.

      But the restriction thing is nice to know, but the 3DS was made to be a full 3D gaming machine like the Virtual Boy & GameCube & Game Boy Advance SP. (which only 1 actually did and with Wire Frame graphics at that)

      Even though the 3DS would look better without restriction, it would not fix the depth problem with a 2D resolution of 800 x 240. It would need at least 720p in 2D mode from what you describe for gaming, so 3D is the only way for SD graphics.

      I would say it sucks to have restriction, but I actually like it, because I am personally a big fan of 3D.

      But I believe 1080p wouldn’t look any better in 2D from 3D on a TV size screen & smaller.

      And I personally don’t see the Difference in theaters, but that seems to be 4K HD to IMAX, but it sucks to know that Phones have force people to choose between better visuals & 3D.

      But I can see 3D tablets having 1080p on its screen sizes to not have a noticeable difference, I hope.

      Or maybe that other stuff is restrictions too.

      Either way, I would really hate having to choose between 3D & better visuals.

      MINT BERRY CRUNCH!

    • Alex_Atkin_UK

      Actually I was going to mention (but thought it was too much information) that in fact my 3DTV also halves the resolution in 3D mode, as its a passive 3D TV. It is very obvious as at 47″ in size, you can see the missing rows of pixels, although for movies with good 3D effect its well worth the loss.

      However for films converted poorly into 3D (eg Harry Potter), you are much better off watching in 2D. Although that is partly as movies that long end up using a lower bitrate to fit double the information on a dual-layer Bluray, compared to the 2D version.

      Games is a mixed bag. Most 3D home console games I find look rubbish, although Zen Pinball 2 looks really nice. I guess its no surprise seeing as they have a 3DS version so will have worked harder on getting the 3D right. I have even played GTA IV in 3D on PC at 1080p, I wasn’t very impressed. I think probably the more freedom of movement you have in a game, the worst it works in 3D as it just gives you a headache.

      Like you said though, when it comes to the 3DS when I play Starfox, Mario 3D Land or Mario Kart, I HAVE to have 3D on as it helps the depth perception so much. Its many times better on the 3DS XL than the 3DS too.

      No idea about active TVs that can do full 1080p, I found the fact they
      make the whole rooms lighting appear to flicker quite annoying and I
      knew I would never remember to keep the battery topped up.

      The biggest problem on all 3DTVs right now though is that you can only do 3D 1080p at 24fps with the current HDMI specification, so not all games are even tolerable at such a low frame rate. For the most part I will stick to 3D gaming on the 3DS XL, although it would be nice to have the choice on some Wii U games.

    • Kaizar

      I think the Home Console 3D gaming frame rate, might have to do with the disc speed of the games and/or Home Console specs, because the PS3 & 360 weren’t made for 3D.

      I know that both 3D Blu-Rays & Wii U Game Disc, have a disc speed of 22.5 MB a second vs. 2D Blu-rays & PS360 game disc, that have much slower disc speed.

      I believe the 3D blu-rays/Wii U disc is somewhere from 2.5 to 4 times faster then 2D Blu-rays/ps360 disc, in disc speed.

      The converted stuff is guarantee to look good on a minimum of 100 inch screen size. But I think on a smaller screen you can improve the convert 3D image by just sitting more far back away from the TV.

      The 3DS XL just looks better because it has a 90% bigger 3D image which gives everything a 90% extra depth & distance because the screen is 90% bigger, and the regular 3DS screen is only 3.53 inches.

      I’m personally going to get a 32 inch VIZIO Smart 3D HD TV, which is currently $300, because it is in my price range and the current latest firmwares already took care of any problem it use to have. And I need to get a HD TV for the first time in my life, so it’s the best way for me to go, plus I need a 3D Blu-ray and I want to get one that can convert 2D to 3D even though it probably won’t look that good, so I still looking for what Smart 3D Bly-ray player to get for my first Blu-ray player.

      I think the best way to go about converting 2D into 3D on a smaller then 100 inch display is to perfectly overlay the 2 images on top of each completely…….and also watch something stereoscopic right before the converted stuff.

      But yeah, I don’t think the HDMI cable has anything to with the low frame rate, and that it is most likely the low disc speed that PS3 & 360 & 2D Blu-Ray disc have. Plus when you look at how the market with from 1K HD to 2K HD and now 3D 2K HD which comes to 1K HD per eye and recombines into a 3D 2K HD image in our mind, well it seems like they were going for 3D all along and just needed the expensive HD, so they decided to milk what use to expensive 2D 720p technology, and then decided to milk 2D 1080p by just saying its better, and then they release the actual full product they where going for all along with 3D 1080p which was still expensive at first but then decided to start with a ridiculous mark up and then drastically drop the price when it was no longer selling fast at the higher price………it just seem like it was a pure marketing scheme all along. So I think HDMI cables are fast enough and that it’s just the disc speed on those cheaper to manufacture 2D Blu-Ray disc.

      Well, I’m glad that a lot of today’s movies are in stereoscopic 3D, like Superman 3D movie this year, and the Great & Powerful OZ and so many many more movies this year.

      But the converted stuff is called “monochromatic 3D”, and is best to see in theaters, like Star Trek 3D this year, because of the minimum of 200 inch screen which guarantees the 2 1/2 inch difference between the 2 images to make it be good 3D while not missing to much of the image on the left & right side (requires a minimum of 100 inch screen to be pulled off right for everyone).

      That’s why I saw the Avengers 3D in theaters, because it most likely won’t look that good on TV, unless I watch the TV sitting much more further away, which I hope will do the trick for monochromatic 3D on smaller then 100 inch screens like most TVs.

      So make sure to watch Star Trek 3D in theaters this year, because you won’t like the Monochromatic 3D on smaller screens like our TVs. But it looks perfect on a minimum of 100 inch screen.

      GO TEAM VENTURE!

    • Alex_Atkin_UK

      The HDMI specification only supports 1080p at 24fps, this is known fact. Its down to the fact the current specification was designed to max out at 1080p 60fps in 2D, once they added 3D they had to stay within that bandwidth limit so that meant 24fps as that is perfect for movies. Not sure why 30fps wasn’t possible though as that would have been slightly better for gaming, I guess it must be overheads in the protocol that prevented it.

      Disc speed is irrelevant as anything within current viewing range of the player would already have to be in RAM anyway to display the 2D image, rendering the second image just uses the same data. Of course the fact it takes twice as much effort to render does impact the frame rate even in 720p where 60fps is supported.

      There are no guarantees that even the new Xbox or Playstation will support HDMI 1.4b (which finally upgrades to support 1080p 120fps / 60fps 3D), but we can hope. Its certainly highly unlikely the Wii U can support it as being the latest version the chips to support it will cost more than old 1.4a chips.

      As for TV size, it really varies. Avatar looks stunning on my TV but I never saw it at the cinema. G-Force doesn’t look as impressive on my TV as it did in the cinema though. On the other hand, I prefer the sound at home than any of the cinemas I have been to.

    • Kaizar

      Thanks for the facts about HDMI.

      But Nintendo did made GameCube to do 3D 60 fps SD back then for the 3D TVs at the time.

      So I’m hoping Nintendo made their Wii U as capable for 1080p, plus Nintendo started working on the Wii U since 2006, and started working on the controller since 2008, and it doesn’t seem that Nintendo had a reason to have the game disc do 22.5 MB a second if they didn’t have plans on using more newer chips to use the necessary technology to do 3D 1080p 60 fps.

      So I guess I remain more hopeful then you that they have the necessary chip, because they even tested getting the Wii (2006) to do 3D at 60 fps during development, but not that many people owned a 3D TV at the time, like with the GameCube.

      Can a Firmware Update shortening the source codes help the older technology do 3D 1080p at 60 fps with the older HDMI cable?

      SHABLAGOO!

    • Kaizar

      Also the older HDMI cable was meant to do 4K HD in 30 fps, not 2K HD in 60 fps, even though it can.

      24 fps & 30 fps, are for 2D.

      The GameCube had its 3D functionality disabled, but still did 60 fps, and then the PS3 & 360 ripped it off, and the Wii is the successor to the GameCube.

      60 fps is only 3D since the first 3D TV was made back in the 1930′s, which had a refresh rate of 120 (60 fps per video image).

      also 3D movies since the 1930′s have been recorded in 60 fps per camera.

      2D live action is only meant for 24 fps, and 2D everything else is meant for 30 fps. But the GameCube only did 60 fps because it was going to do 3D before Nintendo disable the 3D, and then Sony & Microsoft ripped off the frame rate of the GameCube with the 360 & PS3. So 2D was never meant to have any content beyond 30 fps and only gets high-power PCs & GameCube & Wii & PS3 & 360.

      But the Wii U is made for 3D on pre-install firmware.

      THIRD POWER!

    • Alex_Atkin_UK

      Its a very difficult choice if a lot of your gaming time is away from home.

      The 3DS version is not going to compare to the Wii U version, no way they can pull off all the physics in this game on the 3DS so it will end up being quite a different game.

      Fortunately I spend most of my time at home so it was easy to pick the Wii U version, although after seeing the Wii U exclusive features, I think I would have chosen Xbox 360 if given a choice now. Although from what I have read the Wii U version has the least frame rate problems, but its a lot more washed out on my TV than the demo on Xbox, presumably due to the Wii U not having expanded RGB HDMI output yet.

      I haven’t used GamePad only mode as much as I expected as the picture is even more dull, softer and I see the compression a lot easier than the media implied in their reviews. I find it somewhat distracting.

      Still overall, the game plays excellent which is the most important thing.

    • Kaizar

      Well, the PS3 & 360 & PS Vita versions only play it at 30 fps.

      I don’t know about the Wii U frame rate for this 1 game.

      But the 3DS version is at 60 fps, but it’s the only Video game system to have the game made for it.

      The Non-3DS versions seems to be made for PC and ported to their consoles & Vita.

      Plus I just sill can’t get enough of seeing new 3D stuff.

      I hope we end up upside-down and stuff, because the 3D effect makes you feel that.

      WE THE BEST! FOREVER!

  • Alex_Atkin_UK

    Seems awfully late to be releasing this. They would have gotten a LOT more sales had people been playing this over christmas.

  • Hybrilynx

    i wonder why demo’s have separate times too. i mean its just a demo.