Sonic is bursting onto the scene in an all-new adventure that should please the fans.

E3 gave us the opportunity to check out the latest chapter in the Sonic series, and as we had predicted it’s looking set to please long-term Sonic fans who were disappointed with the tedious nature of the Sonic Adventure series.<br><br>Making his debut on the Playstation2 and Xbox alongside the GameCube version, Sonic Heroes is built upon the RenderWare technology that powered the likes of GTA3 and Burnout2 to mention but a few. <br><br>Wisely realising that the Sonic sections were the most fun in the Sonic Adventure series, Sonic Heroes plays very similarly to these sections with emphasis on speed and multiple routes. In a twist to the proceedings and bearing similarities to the Sonic Arcade title released in 1994, players take control of a team of three characters each of which have unique attributes in order to progress through each stage. Sega are promising four different teams (Team Sonic, Team Dark, Team Chaotix, Team Amy) that will feature in the final game, however we only had the opportunity to check out Team Sonic in action, comprising of Sonic, Tails and Knuckles.<br><br>Naturally Sonic relies on his speed, Tails on flight and Knuckles is the powerhouse; these unique abilities allow you to progress through the levels, access secret areas and destroy the enemy according to how you see fit. Levels are designed with multiple paths and so the choice of how you go about progressing is left completely to the player; for example, Tails could fly the team up to a higher stage, or Knuckles could destroy the blocks that block the path below. This system should provide the scope for some very impressive level designs, which we’re hoping will have a similar look and feel to those from the original MegaDrive titles.<br><br>Players switch between characters by using the appropriate face buttons, the said character then becomes the leader of the group and you can use his chosen ability. It’s a confusing technique to grasp initially, however you soon become accustomed to the system and switch characters seamlessly which allows you to speed through levels in an impressive manner akin to the Sonic sections from Sonic Adventure. All three characters can team up to pull off a variety of ‘team moves’, ranging from multiple combo attacks to gliding as a trio in order to cross wide open spaces. We’ve only seen a few of these manoeuvres in action, however the scope for a wide range of these certainly creates an intriguing prospect.<br><br>The E3 demo only contained two levels however you can instantly tell they’re from a Sonic title as they’re decorated with spiraling loops, speed strips and even the Killer Whales from Sonic Adventure. At present the GameCube version is looking the most impressive with sharp visuals and a rapid frame-rate, however the use of RenderWare should ensure all three versions look similar in quality.