Sonic Free Riders

 Xbox 360
  • Publisher: Sega
  • Release Date: Nov 4, 2010
User Score
2.6

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 156 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 26 out of 156
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 156
  3. Negative: 119 out of 156
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  1. SonicKlonoa216
    May 12, 2011
    4
    All I can say is the game is worst of the 3 Sonic Riders games.I am a Sonic Fan But I can't recommend even with Controls for the Kinect. It's also disappointing about Roger Craig Smith How I like him in Sonic Colors as Sonic and Resident Evil 5 as Chris Redfield, but I felt his work was wasted. If you want a good Sonic Racing game, Get Sonic Riders(Either one of the first two) or Sonic andAll I can say is the game is worst of the 3 Sonic Riders games.I am a Sonic Fan But I can't recommend even with Controls for the Kinect. It's also disappointing about Roger Craig Smith How I like him in Sonic Colors as Sonic and Resident Evil 5 as Chris Redfield, but I felt his work was wasted. If you want a good Sonic Racing game, Get Sonic Riders(Either one of the first two) or Sonic and Sega All stars Racing! They are much better than this!… Expand
  2. GreatL
    Jun 10, 2012
    1
    I like sonic but this is just horrible.HOLDING HANDS for who is it for you and your loved one or your own friends but you'll be constantly hitting each other.I actually thought this game might me good, like a Mario kart game but you are moving.Great idea!Oh and I must say about the theme song which is a bit good.
  3. TheBlacky
    Mar 20, 2013
    2
    good job you destroyed kinect dont detecting movements crappy meniu shameeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee on yooooooooooooooooooooouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu
  4. kayllen2000
    Apr 27, 2013
    0
    I cant believe critics like IGN have the balls to give this game a perfect score this game is broken if you want a reviewer who says the truth go to AngryJoeShow on youtube I promise you he will save your money

    1/10
    2/10 If you can get the game to work right
  5. Vandral007
    Dec 11, 2012
    1
    This game is about has fun as castrating yourself with a toffee hammer. The controls don't work! The controls make you slam into a wall! The music is loud, blaring, and incredibly annoying! The graphics are sub par, not that you'll be able to make out much between the high speed and waves of naseua playing this game instills. Avoid at all costs... even if you're a fan of Kinect.
  6. MrSonicFan
    Apr 28, 2013
    0
    Defiantly the worst out of the sonic riders games by a mile. The game is completely broken. You basically can not control your character. Though the thing people complain about the most, The menus. Are the only thing i can get to work. Odd. The graphics and sound are nothing special. If you are going to play a sonic riders game play zero gravity. Avoid this game like it's the plaque.Defiantly the worst out of the sonic riders games by a mile. The game is completely broken. You basically can not control your character. Though the thing people complain about the most, The menus. Are the only thing i can get to work. Odd. The graphics and sound are nothing special. If you are going to play a sonic riders game play zero gravity. Avoid this game like it's the plaque. Unlike games like Big Rigs which are so bad they are fun. Playing this game is torture… Expand
  7. Derivat949
    Jan 13, 2015
    0
    I'm just writing this review to compensate for the idiots who know nothing about game design and give this game a 10/10. If the menus in your game don't even work properly, then you should probably think about choosing another career to pursue.
  8. SoporificSG
    Sep 2, 2018
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. You know this game wouldn't have been so bad if it wasn't for the ****ing Kinect.… Expand
  9. Segacritic1998
    Sep 15, 2013
    0
    When I first went to my friends house to play this I thought this was going to be a good game right? Well I played it and boy I was wrong. First off how the hell are you supposed to control the character!? Every time I make a turn instead of the controls responding I hit a damn wall and another and another and another. Second the main menu is a pain in the ass it took me like 5-10 minutesWhen I first went to my friends house to play this I thought this was going to be a good game right? Well I played it and boy I was wrong. First off how the hell are you supposed to control the character!? Every time I make a turn instead of the controls responding I hit a damn wall and another and another and another. Second the main menu is a pain in the ass it took me like 5-10 minutes to select a damn stage what the hell!? I just wanted to throw that game out my friends window. All I can say is that the controls are what ruined the game if they released it as a normal game with the Xbox controller instead of the motion controls it would have been ok but instead we get a broken mess that will damage the sonic rider series for a long time. Sega WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!!!!!… Expand
  10. NikoBocce
    Oct 28, 2018
    1
    Oh this game is sooooooooo bad, It doesn't even classify as a video game. A video game is defined as "a game played by electronically manipulating images produced by a computer program on a television screen or other display screen." Manipulating the image on screen is something that you have no control over. You can't even control the menus properly, I think I may have PTSD from how badOh this game is sooooooooo bad, It doesn't even classify as a video game. A video game is defined as "a game played by electronically manipulating images produced by a computer program on a television screen or other display screen." Manipulating the image on screen is something that you have no control over. You can't even control the menus properly, I think I may have PTSD from how bad this experience was 7 years ago.… Expand
  11. ShadowBladeXV
    Mar 30, 2014
    1
    The Kinect is a complete **** Sonic Free Riders proves this fact. Everything about this **** game does nothing correctly. If, and I repeat, IF anything functions, it only does when it wants to. This game even physically affects you and makes you sick from playing it. It's a **** shame that we now expect every Kinect-required game to be COMPLETELY terrible. That all started here. Sonic mayThe Kinect is a complete **** Sonic Free Riders proves this fact. Everything about this **** game does nothing correctly. If, and I repeat, IF anything functions, it only does when it wants to. This game even physically affects you and makes you sick from playing it. It's a **** shame that we now expect every Kinect-required game to be COMPLETELY terrible. That all started here. Sonic may have almost been dead many years ago, but this game takes him out to the backyard, and BLOWS UP his **** head with a shotgun blast.… Expand
  12. TheLooseHunter
    Nov 11, 2014
    0
    This is a perfect example of buyers remorse. I am still waiting for that game that can show the power of the kinect. But i have to rate this game and not the kinect. This game doesn't only ruin the franchise, it ruins partially the reputation of the kinect. Did the developers even read the manual for making a functional menu? Did they even took time for making good looking environments?This is a perfect example of buyers remorse. I am still waiting for that game that can show the power of the kinect. But i have to rate this game and not the kinect. This game doesn't only ruin the franchise, it ruins partially the reputation of the kinect. Did the developers even read the manual for making a functional menu? Did they even took time for making good looking environments? Did they took time for realising what the problems could be when they release this? The best question is : Did they even try the game? Seems like all of these questions have the same answer. I bought this for my little cousin who loved those old sonic games (i showed him the good sonic games and he isn't that kind of gamer who screams in a microphone and f***s your mom on a daily schedule), he has a X360 with the kinect and i was hoping it was a good game. Well clearly the answer is again a NO for this game. Nothing works in this game because you have to perform leaning in this game. When are the game developers finally gonna realise that the kinect will freakout when you lean? For short : Don't buy this game unless you wanna throw up after a race or if you just wanna give some money to some horrible developers.… Expand
  13. ShadowDogg115
    May 9, 2016
    0
    THIS GAME IS TERRIBLE, DON't Waste your money, the Kinect sucks and the Mechanics as well. The people who rated this positive are smoking pot or crack.
  14. DarkerSonic06
    Jul 12, 2018
    0
    This game is unplayable. Its more broken then Boom. I auctually broke my back. Gonna play Riders Zero Gravity instead
  15. GameDudeGuy
    Jan 21, 2021
    1
    yall thought Bubsy 3D was bad? this game might be worse i played this game and in controls super mega bad they should have put this game in to Wii HELL EVEN PLAYSTATION MOVE WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER WHY XBOX?! this game is just bad in every way and its by far.... THE WORST SONIC GAME EVER DONT BUY DONT LOOK AT IT DONT PLAY THEY DEMO DONT EAT WITH IT DONT SLEEP WITH DONT TAKE IT ON A DATEyall thought Bubsy 3D was bad? this game might be worse i played this game and in controls super mega bad they should have put this game in to Wii HELL EVEN PLAYSTATION MOVE WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER WHY XBOX?! this game is just bad in every way and its by far.... THE WORST SONIC GAME EVER DONT BUY DONT LOOK AT IT DONT PLAY THEY DEMO DONT EAT WITH IT DONT SLEEP WITH DONT TAKE IT ON A DATE JUST NEVER EVER AND I MEAN NEVER PLAY WITH IT!!!! WORST SONIC GAME EVER MADE… Expand
  16. Vesker
    Apr 12, 2012
    0
    This is by FAR, the WORST Sonic game EVER CREATED!
    The Menu! The fukin MENUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU Is pure Garbage!
    There are voice commands... But they dont even display them until you have it selected!
    What are we supposed to DO?! MEMORIZE THEM?!
  17. FlippySuper
    Sep 23, 2012
    0
    BROKEN!!THIS GAME IS BROKEN!!!IS JUST A PIECE OF GARBAGE!!!A HORRIBLE PIECE OF GARBAGE!!!!!!!! THIS IS A ****************************************************************!!!!THIS SUCKS MORE THAN NOTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!
  18. WolfyTP
    Mar 16, 2011
    0
    I am an active Sonic fan, playing nearly every one of SEGA's Sonic games. I have always liked the Sonic Riders series for bringing originality to hoverboard racing games and keeping a great amount of re-playability. NEVER have I been this disappointed with a Sonic game, especially in the Riders series. I was anxious to see how Kinect could perform with racing games, as all other motionI am an active Sonic fan, playing nearly every one of SEGA's Sonic games. I have always liked the Sonic Riders series for bringing originality to hoverboard racing games and keeping a great amount of re-playability. NEVER have I been this disappointed with a Sonic game, especially in the Riders series. I was anxious to see how Kinect could perform with racing games, as all other motion sensing games Kinect has respond very well. After playing it, I regret asking myself that question. At the start of the game there are even problems. The menu's controls are pure ass, requiring you to slide back to turn a wheel to get to the next option. Half the time, it directed me to the PREVIOUS option instead of the next. Adding to the problem, it requires you to drag the button down instead of hold your hand over the option. There are voice commands but would ANYONE want to remember the names of these buttons? Moving on to the gameplay, all characters play like complete ass. Turning your body either doesn't respond or sends your character FLYING ACROSS THE DAMN SCREEN(my Kinect is fully calibrated just so you know). Jumping will tire you the most, as the requirement of it is so frequent, as well as how you must turn to get a good ranking on the jump. On one of the maps, you need to jump off a ramp and start swimming by flapping your arms to get up to the surface. A jump, now horrible and unresponsive swimming? How much worse does it get? The unresponsive controls get worse too, as this game makes you reach out and grab rings. You will constantly find your characters arm reaching out and going back to their body, requiring you to reach your arm out AGAIN. It is a struggle to get anything above last place and after a few races you will be begging not to play again. Anyone with a sane mind should avoid spending even a cent on this piece of garbage. This game looks as if it was meant for a controller with the menus and everything, it looks like a regular 360 game ported to Kinect. If SEGA wanted to release a Kinect game, they should've added controller use too. AVOID PLAYING THIS GAME AT ALL COSTS.… Expand
  19. DrugsMeazureTim
    Jan 23, 2015
    0
    **** you sega. for allowing this to happen. this game sucks. worst sonic ever. terrible graphics. awful soundtrack and menu. crappy controls. MULTIPLAYER IS DEAD. DESIGN = DEAD END.

    ****
    THIS
    GAME

    IF I HAD THE ABILLITY TO GIVE THIS GAME A -1/10 I WOULD.
  20. Midmmmf
    May 19, 2018
    0
    You’ve heard it all before. Bad menus, obnoxious music, subpar graphics, and the controls don’t work at all. The biggest thing that makes racing games good is the great controls and this game doesn’t have it. Avoid at all costs. Also the Kinect sucks.
  21. Rahsmoove
    Jan 4, 2016
    3
    Even for kinect game, there is no excuse for a game to be completely rushed and unfinished. Sonic free riders has a boat load of issues from the gameplay up to the menu. The motion detection is very sluggish and when you have to move in the direction of where your back is, it's sort of strainful. They have you go through a faustraing and far out boring questionably needed toturial. TheEven for kinect game, there is no excuse for a game to be completely rushed and unfinished. Sonic free riders has a boat load of issues from the gameplay up to the menu. The motion detection is very sluggish and when you have to move in the direction of where your back is, it's sort of strainful. They have you go through a faustraing and far out boring questionably needed toturial. The menu as I mentioned before is also a hugh problem, simply because it has you select what you what to do in an aggarvating way. You have to take your hand, move it to the icon you what and drag the icon into an accept icon. It wouldn't be a problem if the the meinu didn't move so much while you're doing it. You should use the voice activation instead. Playing with your friends is a joke, you have to hold hands while moving, and you might bump heads while doing so. Sonic Free Riders offers a great and fun interesting concept, but is totally ruined by broken gameplay, flawed motion controls, terrible voice acting, a flawed menu and annoying mutiplayer.… Expand
  22. BlueSpeed
    Nov 26, 2015
    4
    Absolutely horrible controls!!!,this game is one of the worst sonic games ever!.But although this game is horrible the music in this game is awesome,Sonic free riders:Break Free song is my number 2 sonic song.
  23. RobertTheGreat
    Apr 26, 2018
    1
    The Xbox 360 Kinect Is Such A Piece Of Garbage. And So Is Sonic Free Riders, Which Ruined The Sonic Riders Series!
  24. JPK
    Jun 9, 2019
    4
    Kinect Does Not Compute
    Sonic Free Riders looks beautiful, But is pretty much completely ruined by Kinect.
  25. Metaisaac
    Aug 31, 2018
    0
    This game is in my top 10 worst games ever! also this is the worst game of 2010! This game hurts me to play!
  26. Daniel_N
    Feb 7, 2021
    4
    I feel like the biggest flaw of this game is the fact that you have to use your body, and the fact that it’s so hard to control. It’s better off a controller game. Although, the characters are fun and the animations are swell.
  27. gamingconsumed
    Sep 18, 2019
    1
    For those of you who are curious, yes, I have played it, and yes, it's horrible. The menus are clunky, the racing feels intense, but only because you are trying to get the thing to work. Gave it a one, because it looks BEAUTIFUL! It looks really nice, but doesn't play nice [no, not the competition term]. See it on the shelf, ignore it. You'll be disappointed.
  28. Psychie
    Jan 11, 2020
    1
    Sonic Free Riders is the opposite of Bethesda. It doesn't work. It just doesn't work.
  29. ibblue07
    Jun 13, 2022
    4
    Unfortunately, it’s impossible to overlook this game’s flaws due to the incredibly unresponsive motion controls, which is enough to declare Sonic Free Riders as possibly the worst Sonic game to ever exist.
  30. kaybeeguy
    May 20, 2022
    0
    Even as a kid, this game refused to function properly. I remember playing the Kinect back at my grandparents place, and this game was one of the games they had. After playing one race, I went back to Kinect Adventures because I didn't like not being to control the game properly. The game half the time refuses to accept motion inputs, and it feels unfinished because of that. And there is noEven as a kid, this game refused to function properly. I remember playing the Kinect back at my grandparents place, and this game was one of the games they had. After playing one race, I went back to Kinect Adventures because I didn't like not being to control the game properly. The game half the time refuses to accept motion inputs, and it feels unfinished because of that. And there is no way to use a controller. You HAVE to use the Kinect to do anything in the game. With something like Kinect Adventures, it was easier to do because it felt better to control, but this just made me think Sega and Sonic Team had no idea how the Kinect worked and never playtested or finetuned the game for release. If you want to go on a retrospective of different games for the Kinect, then I recommend you avoid this game, because it refuses to work. If you want to play a Sonic Riders game, then there are far better options than this. As much as I like the Sonic series, this is a lousy excuse of a Sonic game. At least with games like Sonic Boom Rise of Lyric and Sonic the Hedgehog (2006), you used a controller and the inputs worked. The controls weren't great, but they worked. Here, it barely works, even if you are a god damn athlete. I would go on all day. Please do not give this game a try, even out of curiosity. Case closed. The game sucks.… Expand
  31. ElliottJudy
    Jun 26, 2022
    0
    This might be my least favorite game of all time. When I was a kid, I loved every Sonic game I played. I wanted to play them all. So naturally when I see Sonic Free Riders at GameStop, I had too play it because It was a Sonic game I had never heard of. However, I soon found out that this game simply does not work. You would expect the controls to be bad because it is for connect, but thisThis might be my least favorite game of all time. When I was a kid, I loved every Sonic game I played. I wanted to play them all. So naturally when I see Sonic Free Riders at GameStop, I had too play it because It was a Sonic game I had never heard of. However, I soon found out that this game simply does not work. You would expect the controls to be bad because it is for connect, but this is on a whole new level. It is legitimately extremely difficult to get through the menu screen. It is indescribable unless you play it for yourself. The controls in the actual levels are so bad and broken, that neither my bigger brother or I could beat the first level. It gives you back pain trying too steer and most of the time it won't even work. After owning it for a week I took it back too GameStop and got like 2$ from it. This game is horrible and no one should ever play it. It isn't even funny bad... It just bad.… Expand
  32. Kdog152
    Dec 3, 2022
    1
    This game is awful. just awful!!!!!!! The idea of the game is good, the story is meh, but the reason why the game is so bad is because the controls are terrible. They are very unresponsive and the majority of the time they just don't work; they are worse than the Wiis motion controls. If you could just use the Xbox controller, this game would probably have been great. The track design isThis game is awful. just awful!!!!!!! The idea of the game is good, the story is meh, but the reason why the game is so bad is because the controls are terrible. They are very unresponsive and the majority of the time they just don't work; they are worse than the Wiis motion controls. If you could just use the Xbox controller, this game would probably have been great. The track design is very inferior to the original sonic riders. They're just bland.
    Honestly, the good thing about this game is the soundtrack, but then the soundtrack is always good in sonic games.
    Usually, Sonic team doesn't deserve the hate and criticism they get for their games, like the negative lies that were spread around about sonic unleashed when that game came out, but this game, deserve all the negative reception it gets. Thank God that the racing games got better from here, bc if they didn't...well, I don't want to think about it.    … Expand
  33. SFproductions
    Aug 18, 2023
    2
    Literally one
    of the worst
    games
    I've ever
    played⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
  34. Cosmic74
    Jun 17, 2023
    0
    This game make me look like Greg Heffely. 0/10. Worst game of all time. trash.
  35. TreasureOrTrash
    Sep 8, 2023
    0
    Trash!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Awards & Rankings

34
#34 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2010
38
#38 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2010

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
47

Generally unfavorable reviews - based on 52 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 52
  2. Mixed: 21 out of 52
  3. Negative: 27 out of 52
  1. Gamers' Temple
    Jul 11, 2011
    48
    Sonic Free Riders could have been a great game if the controls worked.
    Read full review
  2. XboxAddict
    Feb 10, 2011
    30
    With ring collecting and extreme gear upgrades, this should have been a fun racing game for Kinect; instead, it's an unresponsive mess that flat out doesn't work. Did no one test this game and see that it's broken?
    Read full review
  3. NZGamer
    Jan 18, 2011
    66
    Sonic Free Riders might look like just another board racing Kinect game, but it's a league above others like CrossBoard 7 in terms of depth and replayability.
    Read full review
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