Screen Shot0055 1401476158

With E3 around the corner, Sega has confirmed that demo builds of its Sonic Boom titles will be playable at the event, and has revealed their final titles — we'll have Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric on Wii U and Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal on 3DS. Each title will have a separate storyline and wildly different play style.

To start with the Wii U version, screens and a fact sheet from Sega highlight how this will be a title that, despite some speed stages, will be focused mostly on action adventure and team play. Lyric is the "deadly snake-like ancient villain" that you're taking on, and levels will make much of exploration and the 'Enerbeam', which is used for swinging around, engaging with the environment and fighting enemies. There'll be four playable characters with different abilities — newcomer Sticks doesn't seem to be playable in this one — throughout the main story mode, though it'll only support two player local action, which is drop-in drop-out. Four players can play locally in a special Team Challenges mode.

The 3DS entry is single player-only, and is pitched as an action platformer, which basically seems to mean a continuation of the style seen in previous portable Sonic titles. In this one's standalone story Lyric has kidnapped team member Amy, so this is where new character Sticks will emerge. There'll be boss battles, rival races and special stages beyond the story, collectibles in-game and via StreetPass, and some of these items can be transferred to the Wii U version via local wireless — this is similar to Sonic Lost World, it seems.

In the standard PR pitch Hiroyuki Miyazaki, Chief Content Officer for the Sonic Brand at SEGA of America, says the following:

This is a new Sonic, with gameplay built on action-adventure and collaborative play. They are unlike any previous games featuring the iconic blue blur. We are looking forward to our first hands-on showcase at E3 for fans old and new alike to experience the exploration, combat and new moves for the entire team.

Some interesting details, certainly, though whether the familiar style of the 3DS game and the slower adventure tempo on Wii U will hit expectations is up for debate. We'll aim to get time with both demos at E3.

Are you excited about Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric and Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal, or worried? Let us know.