Over the last fifty years, we’ve made technological advancements in the racing industry that have eclipsed the creation of the wheel. The very technology that we use has redefined how we operate and move as a species. The genre of racing games has been revolutionized as part of this, but never have we experienced fasts such as this, and here it is in our hands.
Before I talk about this title I’m about to share, we need to look back at our past.
We’ve seen such titles as Need for Speed, Gran Turismo, F-Zero and Mario Kart. All legends in their respective right. However, none have ever allowed us to experience the true definition of Fast, to the point where you feel like you’re kissing death in the tender embrace of the old Gods. You just gotta go fast, and when the speed takes you into overdrive and there’s nothing there to hold you back, the amount of fasts you do is a true test of your soul.
Join me in this harrowing tale of the soul, and the need to Go Fast:
SanicBall is the premier racing game of 2016, and arguably one of the fastest games on the planet. Don’t let its simple design fool you — that’s what the Greeks did with the Trojan Horse, and look how that turned out for the Trojans, #RipPrinceHector
SanicBall features some basic online features, along with more complex features that will make veteran racers white-knuckle their keyboards.
Let’s start with the controls. WASD — the cleverly-laid-out control scheme that ensures maximum fasts. This omni-directional design allows the racer to meet and exceed world-record speeds in mere seconds, while maintaining excellent control. At these speeds, the game also balances the frame rate, to ensure you can still see what you are doing at these super-Sanic fasts.
I tried this game with a flight stick to earn my true mantle as a warrior of the fasts, but needless to say, the flight stick did not work, as this is a racing game and not a flying sim. You could have fooled me, though — sometimes, when you just go too fast, you take literal flight. I was convinced my Sanic was about to turn into a Boeing AH-64 Apache Attack Helicopter.
I was wrong.
The game offers five worlds to race on: Green Hill Zone, Fire Core, Ice Mountain, Rainbow Road, and Dusty Desert.
Green Hill Zone is a great place to practice your skills in either local single-player, or in online play with servers of up to 64 players. Let’s see a triple-A title do that! (Looking at you, Secret of the Magic Crystal… )
The true test of your fasts lies within your heart, and Rainbow Road. As a true professional racer, I can’t suggest a better trial of your might than Rainbow Road. Never in my life have I ever felt so tested by a higher power. I joined a server of thirty brave warriors and took on the challenge. It is arguably the most difficult race in the game; it truly puts your keyboard to the test with break neck fasts. This is the ultimate race in the game.
That being said, there were no survivors.
As we dabble further into more features of SanicBalls, you’ll be happy to know that you have a wide selection of racers to choose from. Their character pool is deep; without spoiling their genius, I can tell you that Sanic is clearly a premium racer, followed closely by Super Sanic. The other racers I will leave for you to discover.
The best part of this game? It is clearly a work of passion. There are no microtransactions or DLC. The developer put a lot of heart into ensuring we were given a top-quality product without the garbage of today’s triple-A games.
In the end, I can only suggest this game to people who have a gut of Iron Will, a true heart, and the courage of a lion. If you have any doubt in your soul, and your resolve is not pure like Hellmann’s New Spicy Chipotle Mayo, then just ignore everything I wrote and go play something like Fallout 4, or The Order 1886 — games that don’t require such things.
You can find SanicBalls here and you can check out the developer’s other projects here, where you can donate to their hard work as well, should you wish.
*SanicBalls is in Alpha; this is a review of a work in progress.
Steve Noel is a Senior Editor for AYBOnline.com, Team lead for Streaming & Video Content & Producer of the Level One Scrubs TalkShow.
When he’s not working behind the desk you’ll find him spending time with his cat “Jeff Bridges”
