When released in 2007 on the Wii, Sonic & the Secret Rings was a wildfire on Nintendo’s console. Adapting the iconic speedy platforming of 3D Sonic and translating it to motion controls was a big challenge. While the game didn’t completely nail everything, it was cool to see the Sonic series take risks and try exciting new things.
Many years later, the Sonic community takes matters into their own hands once more. Demand for remasters and remakes of early 3D Sonic titles is high, with the Wii Storybook games (Secret Rings & Black Knight) near the top of the list.
One of those titles is receiving a remake, spearheaded by KumaPauZ. Here’s everything you need to know about this Sonic & the Secret Rings remake!
What is Sonic & the Secret Rings?
Originally released on the Nintendo Wii in 2007, Secret Rings puts Sonic in the land of the Arabian Nights. After the Genie of the Ring pops out of the book he was reading, Sonic is tasked with saving the world from an evil Genie, stealing the stories of the book’s world.
Using the Wii Remote to control Sonic’s speedy platforming, I personally enjoyed elements of the game, specifically its original level themes, amazing music, and explored gameplay ideas that later powered Sonic Unleashed. However, the forced motion controls soured the overall experience.
Even with its issues, key aspects of Secret Rings made it stand out in the Sonic community years later.
Turning the Page – Story
Context is important, as Secret Rings directly followed the serious tone of Sonic 06. So going from a Sonic who is reserved and lacks much of his ‘cool factor ‘ to a characterization the Blue Blur sported in the Adventure games was appreciated.
This is supported by a villain you love to hate and your companion (Shara), who has some enjoyable moments with Sonic throughout the adventure. Another enjoyable aspect of the story is seeing Sonic’s friends in the Arabian Nights setting.
They look like Tails or Knuckles, but they actually aren’t. So seeing Knuckles act like the Heroic Simbad or Eggman act like a good-natured King was a welcome inclusion, helping elements of Sonic adapt to an original location.
Rock the Place – Music
Sonic is a franchise infamous for amazing music, and Secret Rings was no exception. Every world had its own vocal theme. From the ironic ‘Let the Speed Mend It’ gearing you up for tearing up the sandy shores of Sand Oasis, the smooth guitar of ‘The White of the Sky’ for Skeleton Dome, and the emotionally powerful ‘Unawakening Float’ from Night Palace, it’s one of my favorite soundtracks in the series.
And of course, the main vocal theme ‘Seven Rings in Hand’ is a banger too, as it features the high-energy guitar and vocals expected from early 2000’s Sonic themes.
A Speedy Flame – Gameplay Ideas
Alongside a fun story and awesome music, Secret Rings was a test bed for several ideas and mechanics that Modern Sonic games like Unleashed and Generations would build off of.
It all starts with the behind-the-camera perspective, loosely based on the Mach Speed sections from Sonic 06. Sonic always runs forward, with the player focused on going forward quickly. In addition, the ‘Speed Break’ ability gave Sonic a powerful boost.
That became a core ability for the Blue Blur in Sonic Unleashed. Other abilities, like the Stomp, were also introduced in Secret Rings. Even with the lackluster Wii Motion Controls, when it worked, going fast in Secret Rings felt amazing.
What is Project Reignition?
With a promising core to build from, the Sonic Community created another exciting remake project. KumaPauZ and their team released Project Reignition on August 31st.
This remake aims to faithfully preserve the original experience while adding modernized controls, streamlined progression, and several quality-of-life fixes to Secret Rings.
As of this writing, most retail Secret Rings content is fully playable on PC, Mac, and Linux (including Steam Deck). The original game’s Party Mode (this time supporting full online play) will come to the project in the future.
A Stronger Flame – Improvements Over Secret Rings
Playing through the story mode, I was blown away by how offering traditional Modern Sonic-esque controls transformed the game. When you start the adventure, you can toggle on Free Roam controls or the traditional movement from the original (where Sonic walks backwards when pressing down on the left stick).
Controlling Sonic with an analog stick makes a significant difference. While level design was built around a Sonic that always moved forward, several alternate paths and challenging side-missions require that extra precision. So, having tighter control over the speedy hedgehog makes Secret Rings match the quality of recent Modern Sonic adventures.
This is only further supported by unlockable skills that bring abilities from other Sonic games into Secret Rings. They include the bounce from Sonic Adventure 2, double jumping from Sonic Colors, and the quick step from Sonic Unleashed.
However, those used to the Motion Controls can use devices like the DualSense or Switch Pro Controller to replicate that gameplay experience. However, the game also received musical improvements.
Rocking Out – New Remixes
One issue was music repetition, as each world featured only one track. And the main theme, ‘Seven Rings in Hand’, sadly got grating due to playing in menus all the time.
Thanks to the musical talents of AoiMusicOfficial, Zakkujo, and Stuart Woolley, this issue is beautifully addressed. Every major world has an Act 2 and Act 3 theme, alongside many of the game’s menus and sub-menus having original compositions.
You can listen to the full playlist of these amazing tracks, with several standouts. They fit so organically; you would assume they always belonged in the retail Secret Rings.
Make Believes Reborn – Closing Thoughts on Project Reignition
Not unlike the outstanding work the community has done with Sonic Unleashed and Sonic the Hedgehog (06), it’s impressive to see that happen again with Secret Rings. The original has a strong core, one that was later evolved into what eventually became the Modern Sonic gameplay formula.
To KumaPauZ and everyone who worked on this project, thank you. With this remake, Sonic & the Secret Rings is now easily accessible to modern Sonic fans. It’s beautiful to see the full potential of what Sonic Team tried to accomplish on the Nintendo Wii back in 2007.
Stay tuned for future updates on Project Reignition and everything Sonic, here at Lords of Gaming!
