Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice

 3DS
  • Publisher: Sega
  • Release Date: Sep 27, 2016
User Score
7.2

Mixed or average reviews- based on 165 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 102 out of 165
  2. Mixed: 31 out of 165
  3. Negative: 32 out of 165
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  1. DJ_Coco
    Oct 13, 2016
    7
    By no means a bad game. The controls are good, the level design is nice. However, the game never really changes as it progresses, and this really lowers your enthusiasm as you go on. The little minigames are forgettable, but a nice break from the main stages. There is some challenge for those who seek it, and the game both encourages speed and exploration - neither of which are reallyBy no means a bad game. The controls are good, the level design is nice. However, the game never really changes as it progresses, and this really lowers your enthusiasm as you go on. The little minigames are forgettable, but a nice break from the main stages. There is some challenge for those who seek it, and the game both encourages speed and exploration - neither of which are really necessary. You can play whatever way you want - whether you want to speed through the stages or find every hidden goodie - which is a big improvement over Shattered Crystal. Level design is also better this time round, and boss battles are in this time too, though they can be rather generic. I can recommend Fire & Ice to people who liked Shattered Crystal, but if you're on the fence of getting this game you might want to wait for a price drop.… Expand
  2. rwdixon1993
    Oct 12, 2016
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Perhaps the greatest improvement that Sanzaru Games made to Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice, the third video game installment of the Sonic Boom franchise, is the fact that they removed the necessity to backtrack for an arbitrary number of MacGuffins in order to advance through the game; whereas Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystals requires the player to continuously replay levels in order to collect a certain number of crystal shards to proceed to additional levels, Fire & Ice allows players to speed through the game without needing to replay areas. They do, however, hide secret, unnecessary collectable items throughout the levels, such as trading cards and Amy's hammers, although these are not required by any means.

    Of course, because this game doesn't require backtracking, the overall game time is slashed; even if you play all of the mini-game levels, this game will still only take approximately five or six hours to complete.

    Despite the relatively short length of this game, Fire & Ice has many strengths that, as a longtime Sonic fan, I really appreciate; the developers successfully found a strong and intricate balance between fast game play and smooth platforming, and the incorporation of the "fire" and "ice" functions, where one can run over bodies of water or blast through blocks of ice, was seamless and added an extra layer of challenge and entertainment. Players of the first game will be familiar with some of the mini-game levels, such as the Tails submarine quests and the Sonic running segments, but the developers added additional challenges to keep things fresh, such as the Sonic vs. Eggman robot races and the Tails boat levels. Swapping between characters during the level is essentially the same as the last game, except with the inclusion of a fifth playable character, Amy Rose. The music, while not particularly memorable, enhances the thrill of zipping-through beautifully-designed levels with gorgeous backgrounds. The cast of voice actors who play the main characters in the Sonic Boom franchise failed to disappoint, and the cut scenes were entertaining and had the feel of the Sonic Boom cartoon.

    Story-wise, I thought that they left much to be desired; whereas Shattered Crystals presented us with a plot with great urgency and a serious, albeit unmemorable, antagonist, Fire & Ice basically tasks the player with closing fissures induced by Dr. Eggman's ragnium mining operation. While fixing these fissures, Sonic and the gang pursue Eggman's supposedly failed robot experiment, D-Fekt, who occasionally transforms into large mechs for boss fights and eventually leads the party to Eggman's mining operation. After one final battle with D-Fekt, the game transitions to the end credits. Given the fact that Sanzaru utilized many of the assets from Shattered Crystals to create this game, and considering the fact that they intentionally fixed the backtracking problem that was present in the previous game, it seemed reasonable to expect that they would've incorporated longer levels and more stages and areas to compensate for the subsequent reduced game play.

    Another problem that I had with this game was the fact that it, essentially, highly incentivized players to primarily use Sonic. As a huge Tails fan, I typically used him when not required to switch to different characters to overcome obstacles, such as Sticks' boomerang to activate buttons or Amy's hammer to smash barriers. For the majority of the game, however, these characters rarely needed to be utilized, and because Sonic's advantage is his additional speed-up command, he is, objectively, the best choice for beating levels efficiently and completing time trial challenges that result in more ragnium collectibles. I still used Tails most of the time, but I sacrificed a level of efficiency in the process. I remember having to switch characters more frequently in Shattered Crystals, and maybe Sanzaru wanted to streamline the game play by requiring players to switch characters less often, but in the process, they took away nearly all of the unique usefulness of Tails, Knuckles, Amy, and Sticks.

    Overall, I give this game an eight out of ten, and I would recommend this game to anyone who enjoys the Sonic franchise, speedy game play mixed with succinct platforming, entertaining cut scenes and excellent voice acting, and being a completionist and collecting in-game items. I would not recommend this game for those who want a thorough, in-depth story, a game with a long running time, and a satisfying ending. While this game made pretty significant improvements over Shattered Crystals, Fire & Ice still leaves much to be desired, but that doesn't mean that it isn't worth your while to purchase (perhaps at a reduced price).

    On a side note, shortly after Sega announced Sonic Mania and what is essentially Sonic Generations 2, it seems as if most people forgot about Fire & Ice. With all of the hype centered around these upcoming games, Fire & Ice was a bit overshadowed...    … Expand
  3. JPK
    Jun 7, 2019
    7
    Not Bad At All
    Fire & Ice is MILES better than the previous 2 Sonic Boom games.
  4. AcroxShadow
    Sep 28, 2016
    8
    A genuinely good and enjoyable game, with platforms a plenty, exploration for collectables, nice variety in gameplay and some nice speed.
    Sanzaru did ok with Shattered Crystal and this game is an all around big improvement of it, for example numerous actions you could also do in Shattered Crystal now happen faster to keep up the pace more, such as Sticks' controllable boomerang throw.    A genuinely good and enjoyable game, with platforms a plenty, exploration for collectables, nice variety in gameplay and some nice speed.
    Sanzaru did ok with Shattered Crystal and this game is an all around big improvement of it, for example numerous actions you could also do in Shattered Crystal now happen faster to keep up the pace more, such as Sticks' controllable boomerang throw.

    Some things have been changed as well, such as Tails going from a bomb in SC to a full screen instantaneous laser shot (which you can also aim in cardinal directions while in the air, and on the ground you can line up your shot in any direction at all).

    The only real negatives the game has are the music (which is decent at best, nothing special), the visuals (could be better but are mostly fine enough) and Amy (who is now playable, unlike Shattered Crystal. She doesn't really have any uses aside from the time where the game forces you to use her to move pillars with her hammer).

    Overall, great game. Definitely would recommend.    … Expand
  5. idklol
    Sep 28, 2016
    9
    Personally I really enjoyed this game, it has great level design,great gameplay and the fire and ice gimmick is fun to use
    don't let the previous games in the sonic boom series make you assume this game is bad , because in reality it's a really good game
  6. Brandonnel2308
    Sep 28, 2016
    9
    It's a good thing that SEGA finally decided to go back and polish a game while taking their time. This is a perfect example of that. Gameplay wise, it very identical to Shattered Crystal a a first glance, but this game does houses a few tricks up it's sleeve. Now, you can switch your characters to Fire & Ice mode, which basically means that if your Character is in Fire mode, you can meltIt's a good thing that SEGA finally decided to go back and polish a game while taking their time. This is a perfect example of that. Gameplay wise, it very identical to Shattered Crystal a a first glance, but this game does houses a few tricks up it's sleeve. Now, you can switch your characters to Fire & Ice mode, which basically means that if your Character is in Fire mode, you can melt and pass through Ice obstacles, and so on, and is one of the game's best aspects. You can also take part in Robot races, which are somewhat easy, though sometimes offer some unique challenges and obstacles. The music is upbeat and decently catchy, while graphics are pretty good for a 3DS Game, and the Boss battles are also very fun and enjoyable, with them crawling through both of the 3DS's screens, similar to those Boss Battles found on Sonic Rush back in the Nintendo DS-days. Finally, the story is honestly the weakest point of the game, but no one plays a Sonic game for it's story anyway, so you can forgive it. Overall, a great game for anyone looking for an addictive platformer on the 3DS. And also, great job SEGA for not rushing out the undercooked meat!… Expand
  7. ultramecha
    Sep 27, 2016
    9
    A massive improvement on the Sonic Boom Series, but not quite perfect. Its very clear now the Sega is trying to make a difference in Sonic games, and it seems to be paying off.
  8. JTJSGamer
    Sep 27, 2016
    8
    To be honest, when I heard about this game, I could only think bad things about it, but after I bought the game and played it, I come to realise that there can be good sequels to bad games.

    Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice is no doubt an improvement to its predecessors. It features good level design, speedy gameplay, an expectable story, and fun gameplay. One of the best improvements to this    To be honest, when I heard about this game, I could only think bad things about it, but after I bought the game and played it, I come to realise that there can be good sequels to bad games.

    Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice is no doubt an improvement to its predecessors. It features good level design, speedy gameplay, an expectable story, and fun gameplay.

    One of the best improvements to this game is the removal of mandatory treasure hunting. If the treasure hunting is one of the things you hated in Shattered Crystal, then never fear because collecting treasure is option in this game, for you classic Sonic fans who like speeding through levels.

    It also features fun mini-games and co-op modes, such as racing, and submarine games.

    So in conclusion, Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice is a good game and I suggest you give it a go, even if you did not like Rise of Lyric or Shattered Crystal.

    This game has not been reviewed by critics yet, but hopefully it gets positive feedback.    … Expand
  9. SpiritOFBlue
    Sep 27, 2016
    10
    A very Fun adventure.

    Basically play at your own pace, you want to go fast (And I mean fast) pick Sonic you can do almost endless dashes and his spindash is insanely fast. You can go at a moderate pace or an evening jog its all in your hands. You can explore if you want but don't have to, see everything you do is option. Play the game how you want, thats what its all about. How    A very Fun adventure.

    Basically play at your own pace, you want to go fast (And I mean fast) pick Sonic you can do almost endless dashes and his spindash is insanely fast. You can go at a moderate pace or an evening jog its all in your hands.

    You can explore if you want but don't have to, see everything you do is option. Play the game how you want, thats what its all about.

    How I've been preceding.

    Speed run the level to get the best time and speedy experience, bonus for completing at a certain time too so more incentive to really learn all your tools (Which is the secret for going super fast)

    Than I proceed to play the level again this time to other paths I might have missed, you find challenge rooms and collectables when you explore which really motivates to explore while finding a fun new path.

    The stuff you get actually gives you good rewards, either upgrades for Amys hammer, unlock more race tracks and or help sticks build her Project which I wont spoil here.

    The green crystals can be used for bonus content like previews for the TV show Sonic boom season 2, concept art etc.

    Exploring is fun unlike shattered crystal with its maze like and confusing level design. Its easy to find your way and the you need so its never a chore and since theirs always a new path you never been on its pretty exciting to look around.

    Story isn't anything outstanding but the characters are what makes going through it a real blast, caught myself laughing a couple times.

    Sonic Boom fire and ice proves that a good boom game can very well exist, Joining the TV show on the road that leads to plenty of golden rings.

    This game is Gotta go fast and gotta go at a moderate pace at the same time which is truly impressive for a Boom game.    … Expand
  10. xswigertx
    Sep 28, 2016
    10
    For a Sonic Boom game it plays fairly well. It is definitely targeted to kids and not so much for the older players. I have not run into any bugs or anything game breaking it runs pretty smooth for a 3ds game. The story is a cute little story nothing to serious. The game play works it's nothing game changing but it's heading into the right direction for the sonic boom type games. The gameFor a Sonic Boom game it plays fairly well. It is definitely targeted to kids and not so much for the older players. I have not run into any bugs or anything game breaking it runs pretty smooth for a 3ds game. The story is a cute little story nothing to serious. The game play works it's nothing game changing but it's heading into the right direction for the sonic boom type games. The game is not a 10/10 but i'm giving it a 10 just to cut sonic a break. It's been such a nasty trend recently to hate on sonic games and it's sad to see you know. I'm a huge sonic fan and even with the bad games i try my best to find the good in them. Some of these reviews are saying it's sonic 06 bad or rise of lyric bad and it's for sure not even remotely close to being as bad as those two. Don't listen to critics on this one unless they give it a fair review because half of those are just bashing to bash you have my word if you go into it you'll have a pleasant Experience!… Expand
  11. yoshistar456
    Sep 27, 2016
    9
    Don't let the critics tell you this game sucks. It's the best Sonic game since Sonic Generations. Honestly this may be the game of the year for me. I mean wow. It may not be perfect, but you'll have a hell of a good time if you get this game.
  12. GamecubeLover
    Sep 27, 2016
    8
    Way better than boom and way better than crystal is fire and ice. While still being really flawed the gameplay is fun and exciting and the gimmick is good.
  13. EpicLadySponge
    Sep 28, 2016
    6
    This is indeed better than its predecessors. No easily-noticeable bugs, easily taken time, and it's only on the Nintendo 3DS instead of it being on both Wii U and Nintendo 3DS. However, Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice isn't trying to please the correct type of gamers. It's pleasing those that are forcing you to buy the game. I repeat, it's not a bad game, it just needs to be better than what it isThis is indeed better than its predecessors. No easily-noticeable bugs, easily taken time, and it's only on the Nintendo 3DS instead of it being on both Wii U and Nintendo 3DS. However, Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice isn't trying to please the correct type of gamers. It's pleasing those that are forcing you to buy the game. I repeat, it's not a bad game, it just needs to be better than what it is as of right now.… Expand
  14. shadowhedgehog
    Oct 3, 2016
    9
    i got this game yesterday and i can say its a great to play the zones are not to long or to short and offer just enough of a challenge to be fun and not too much to make me not want to play it. the best character is knuckles in my opinion i find him better to control and have gotten lots of item with him.
  15. fucciflakes
    Dec 7, 2016
    0
    Just a re-hash of shattered crystal. Save your money for Sonic Mania or Project 2017. Plus the game doesn't sell well either way. It's only a matter of time before SEGA pulls the plug on Sonic Boom which will be the best decision they've ever made.
  16. MediaFreak
    Mar 17, 2018
    2
    I think this might be the worst game I've ever played. Not for bugs or anything, but gameplay wise it's really bad. Slow paced, really boring level design, running and pull down doesnt roll. Felt like one of tbose knock of IOS games where they're "Sanik Hedhehog Runner"
  17. metalcritic
    Oct 19, 2016
    10
    The game has 5 characters and each has its own mechanics. Each character can be changed at any time causing the game is not repetitive. There are also some minigames. The game is fun, has beautiful scenery and good gameplay.
  18. midipon
    Jan 20, 2017
    10
    I was surprised by how great of a pickup this was! I heard it was welcoming to people who aren't good with platformers, and it's been years since I've played one, so I went on a limb and got Fire & Ice. It was immediately fun and engaging. I 100%-ed the game and loved every bit of it. Sonic is the absolute best character and there's no reason to use anybody but him unless you have toI was surprised by how great of a pickup this was! I heard it was welcoming to people who aren't good with platformers, and it's been years since I've played one, so I went on a limb and got Fire & Ice. It was immediately fun and engaging. I 100%-ed the game and loved every bit of it. Sonic is the absolute best character and there's no reason to use anybody but him unless you have to switch, and the game is on the shorter side, but I think Fire & Ice deserves the praise of a 10 for making a decidedly positive turn for the series.… Expand
  19. Tirah
    Jan 10, 2017
    8
    At first sight, this game looks identical to the previous Sonic Boom title, Shattered Crystal. The graphics are the same, as is the bland and boring music. Gameplay is also largely unchanged, with the only exception being the fire and ice powers that replace Shattered Crystal's enerbeam.

    This title is much better than Shattered Crystal, though. The controls are smoother and more    At first sight, this game looks identical to the previous Sonic Boom title, Shattered Crystal. The graphics are the same, as is the bland and boring music. Gameplay is also largely unchanged, with the only exception being the fire and ice powers that replace Shattered Crystal's enerbeam.

    This title is much better than Shattered Crystal, though. The controls are smoother and more responsive. The annoying delay when using Sonic's air dash move is gone, and all characters now move swiftly and fluently. Not having to stop and use the enerbeam to remove enemy shields or use catapults also makes the game faster. The fire and ice powers can be switched on the move and you don't have to stop, which makes the whole experience much more fun.

    The story is as dumb as ever, but that's pretty much what you'd expect from a Sonic game. Besides, no one plays Sonic for its complex characters and interesting plots. We just want speed and platforming, and Fire & Ice has just that. It's not revolutionary in any way, but it's a good time waster when you're stuck in public transport. Give it a chance despite the dreaded Sonic Boom label, you might be pleasantly surprised.    … Expand
  20. pikby
    Sep 29, 2016
    7
    Sonic Boom Fire and Ice is way better than its predecessor, and brings back the sensation of speed segas mascot once had, while having clever level design, but cant help but feel stale after awhile

    68%
  21. Untitled94
    Dec 29, 2016
    7
    Sonic Boom Fire & Ice is a big improvement over Shattered Crystal. Which doesn't say a whole lot, but it's still a good game. It is a little short if you're just trying to get through the story, and the story is kind of like a long episode of the show, or maybe like a TV movie in a way. I did find it odd that you had to use the circle pad to play, even though it would've made more sense toSonic Boom Fire & Ice is a big improvement over Shattered Crystal. Which doesn't say a whole lot, but it's still a good game. It is a little short if you're just trying to get through the story, and the story is kind of like a long episode of the show, or maybe like a TV movie in a way. I did find it odd that you had to use the circle pad to play, even though it would've made more sense to use the D-pad, considering it's mostly a side scroller, but it's not a big deal. Overall, it's a nice improvement over the Metroid-vania style gameplay. it's not the best Sonic game, but it's the best Sonic Boom game.… Expand
  22. thenerdynerd99
    Jan 3, 2017
    7
    I like Sonic, I don't like Sonic Boom, I saw trailer for this game, sent hate letters to SEGA asking them to cancel it, SEGA releases it, I buy it out of sheer boredom, 10 minutes later I think this game deserved some hype. Don't get me wrong, Sonic Boom: Fire and Ice ain't no Mario 64, but I still like it. The controls are responsive and tight, the level design is pretty damn solid, andI like Sonic, I don't like Sonic Boom, I saw trailer for this game, sent hate letters to SEGA asking them to cancel it, SEGA releases it, I buy it out of sheer boredom, 10 minutes later I think this game deserved some hype. Don't get me wrong, Sonic Boom: Fire and Ice ain't no Mario 64, but I still like it. The controls are responsive and tight, the level design is pretty damn solid, and the boss fights...are actually in this game. But the music and graphics are...generic at best. Bottom line is that it's DEFINETLY a step up from Shattered crystal. Just acknowledge that it's only "good" not "great"… Expand
  23. weskergamer
    Jan 23, 2017
    8
    Much better than the other sonic boom. More fast but very repetitive. It has but it is missing. Very similar to Rayman Origins.Good design of levels but a music forgettable.Graphics can be improved
  24. IlluminaTea
    Apr 12, 2017
    8
    It's not bad, but it's not good either. It fixes a lot of the problems with its predecessor, but it's still somewhat forgettable and not exactly to be expected of a Sonic game.
  25. robertoiglesias
    Jan 31, 2020
    7
    Finally a decent Sonic Boom game. Not perfect, but way better than Rise of Lyric and Shattered Crystal
  26. twinky4746
    Dec 20, 2017
    8
    Fire and ice: remember rise of lyric? it sucked! remember shattered crystal? better but still sucked! no acceptation here, Sonic boom fire and ice back in 2015 looked to be another laughable Sonic game but got delayed to 2016 for quality control. In the end it was nothing amazing but certainly better than the garbage we got back in 2014. Fire and ice is like a re-attempt of shatteredFire and ice: remember rise of lyric? it sucked! remember shattered crystal? better but still sucked! no acceptation here, Sonic boom fire and ice back in 2015 looked to be another laughable Sonic game but got delayed to 2016 for quality control. In the end it was nothing amazing but certainly better than the garbage we got back in 2014. Fire and ice is like a re-attempt of shattered crystal but being a better experience than that game with polish and care than that game. If you want to try a Sonic boom game then... get fire and ice but I strongly recommend the other well received Sonic games a little more.… Expand
  27. blacksterthebit
    Jan 5, 2018
    0
    This is the worst sonic boom game ever. Even sonic the hedgehog (2006) was better than this. I didn't enjoyed it at all. Sure it's a 3ds game but it could've been better. There are a lot of 3ds games that worth buying. Don't buy this game.
  28. YS99
    May 12, 2018
    7
    This is the only good sonic boom game but its the Worst Selling Sonic Game to date with Selling aroud 260K Copies when Rise of Lyric the 2nd worst sonic game of all time sold 630K Copies

Awards & Rankings

41
#41 Best 3DS Game of 2016
18
#18 Most Discussed 3DS Game of 2016
19
#19 Most Shared 3DS Game of 2016

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
62

Mixed or average reviews - based on 39 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 39
  2. Mixed: 32 out of 39
  3. Negative: 3 out of 39
  1. Vooks
    Apr 8, 2017
    60
    This is one game that won’t give you too much of a challenge however, you will be able to cruise through it, but there are things to go back and look around for. A fine-spin off game, but it still is missing something to make a proper stamp on the world.
    Read full review
  2. CD-Action
    Dec 12, 2016
    60
    It’s not the new Generations (that we’re all waiting for), but faithful fans of the series should be moderately happy with it if they can endure a subpar level design. [12/2016, p.77]
  3. Nintendo Force Magazine
    Nov 7, 2016
    75
    Developer Sanzaru Games seems to have taken the criticisms of Shattered Crystal to heart. [Issue #24 – November/December 2016, p.22M]
See all critic reviews »