Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, also known as Sonic Racing Transformed or Sonic Transformed, is a developed by and published by . It was released for the , , and in November 2012, for in December 2012, for in January 2013, for in February 2013, and for and in January 2014. The PS3 and Wii U versions of the game were released in Japan on May 15, 2014.
Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed is the sequel to , and the fourth installment in the Sega All-Stars series. The game was a launch title for the in North America and Europe. Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed received positive reviews from critics, many praising the character roster and major improvements from its predecessor. It received a nomination for "Best Racing Game of 2012" from , and was nominated for a in 2013 for the "Best Multiplayer” category — losing to .Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed is a mascot-based racing game in which players race against each other using over 20 characters from various franchises, such as , and , although it features many new mechanics and improvements from the last game. The most obvious is that, at certain points in a race, vehicles can alternate between car, boat and plane modes. The car mode handles similarly to the previous game, in which players can earn boost by drifting around corners or performing tricks whilst in the air. Boat mode features true physics, requiring players to consider their vehicle's turbulence. They may also be affected by waves made in the water, some of which can be used to leap into the air and perform stunts. Plane mode, the fastest of the three forms, gives players the freedom to move both vertically and horizontally. Like the other modes, players can 'air-drift' around corners to earn boost and can also perform to quickly adjust their position, earning boost for narrowly dodging obstacles. Players alternate between these modes by driving through blue transformation gates. Certain tracks in the game as players proceed through them, offering different playstyles between each lap.
