Latest Reviews of Big Red Button Games
Review Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric (Wii U)
Sonic Doomed
Sega's once-venerable Sonic the Hedgehog series has become a bit of a punchline in the gaming industry in recent years. With entries ranging from decent to mediocre to horrible, each new release is met with trepidation and well-earned cynicism. Sonic just hasn't been fully on top since his 16-bit heyday, and while his original 3D...
Latest Big Red Button Articles
Video Learn a Little More About Sonic Boom and The Rise (and Fall) of Lyric
"Oh shiiii...ooot"
Time can be a great healer. Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric wasn't a golden moment for the mascot, but the Boom universe continues to roll on with the animated series and the upcoming Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice on 3DS. Considering all that went wrong with the Wii U exclusive, it's a series that's done well to survive. The troubles of...
Random Someone Hacked The Original Sonic To Include Sonic Boom's Annoying Chatter
"It's like they're drawn to me!"
Like the vast majority of gaming icons who appeared during the 16-bit era, Sonic the Hedgehog was a silent protagonist. However, his journey into 3D saw him gifted - if that's the right word - with a voice, and in his most recent outings, he rarely shuts up. As if to prove that less is most definately more, hacker...
Video Enjoy the Glitchy Glory of Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric in This Summer Games Done Quick Speedrun
Don't forget to tune in all this week
As per the reminder we gave at the weekend, Summer Games Done Quick is currently providing round-the-clock entertainment with speedruns and competitions, covering classic games both old and relatively new. At the time of writing it's already raised over a quarter of a million dollars for the Doctors Without...
News Sega Is Focusing On 3DS For Sonic Boom Because It Wasn't Happy With The Wii U Version
"We totally feel the 3DS was the stronger of the two"
Sonic Boom was supposed to be a big initiative for Sega. Not only was the company pushing two brand-new games to market - one for Wii U and one for 3DS - but it was going to support these titles with a tie-in TV show and a flood of merchandise. Things didn't quite work out that way; while the 3DS...
Video Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric Blame Could Largely be With SEGA, Not Big Red Button
Seg-ah
Sonic Boom didn't do well on any metric; its sales failed to match those of fellow Nintendo exclusive Sonic Lost World, and it was panned by many critics and Sonic fans alike. Like any project it has its defenders, but many are agreed that it was a major disappointment, with Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric on Wii U being the biggest culprit. It...
News Sega Producer Explains Exactly What Went Wrong With Sonic Boom
"Speed is always a Sonic thing, we didn't focus on that"
Sonic Boom was supposed to be a rebirth for Sega's iconic mascot - a cross-media blitz that would earn the company millions and create a whole new legion of loyal fans. Sadly, it didn't quite turn out that way - while the TV series was - and still is - decent enough, the Wii U and 3DS games...
Because lighting matters
Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric certainly received its fair share of criticism when it launched in late 2014, due to a mix of poor design, bugs and a general sense that it simply wasn't finished. A sizeable 1GB update was then deployed in Europe recently, with fans figuring out its changes; the key tweaks were to remove the...
News Sonic Boom is Doing Pretty Well!
As a cartoon
So it's rather well known by now that Sonic Boom: The Rise of Lyric is largely busted (although we think its 3DS counterpart, Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal, fares better). Even so, there may still be a silver lining when the word "Boom" is associated with "Sonic": the cartoon series that ties with the games seems to be picking up an...
News Sonic Boom Exploit Allows Players to Skip Large Sections of the Game
Current record for completion already under an hour
As we reported a couple of days ago, a number of game-breaking bugs have been discovered in Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric for Wii U. The plot thickens today with the discovery of an exploit which allows Knuckles to jump infinitely when the game is paused between hops, as shown below in this video by...
Video Early Sonic Boom: Rise Of Lyric Footage Hints At Game-Breaking Bugs
Wii U title is out this week, looks a bit rough around the edges
Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric hits North American stores this week after the release date was brought forward slightly, yet here at Nintendo Life we're still waiting patiently for our review copy to arrive. This could have something to do with the reaction Sega is expecting the Wii U...
News Sonic Boom: Rise Of Lyric Speeds To Earlier Release Date On Wii U
Now launching alongside the 3DS edition
Sega has confirmed that Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric will launch in North America a week earlier than originally planned. The Wii U title — being developed by Big Red Button — was given a November 18th release date not so long ago, but this has now been pushed forward to the 11th — the same day that Sega...
News Amazon Pre-order Bonus Will Light Up Your Sonic Boom Characters
Shine little glow-hog, glimmer, glimmer
UPDATE: This pre-order bonus only seems to apply to the US Amazon shop for now. We will update again if this changes. Step right up, my long-faced friend. Why, I know exactly what you're thinking: "My hedgehog! It spins, speeds, dives, dashes, slices, races, and saves the world but oh, woe is me why doesn't...
News Sonic Boom Games Now Have Their Official European Release Date, Shadow Confirmed
New trailer and character reveals, too
Update: The Sega Blog (thanks Max) has also unveiled a Gamescom trailer for the Wii U entry, and also confirmed appearances in the game for Shadow and Metal Sonic, below. [ Original Article: Both Sonic Boo
News A Pre-order of Sonic Boom Will Bag You an Exclusive Sonic Figurine
3DS or Wii U version, it doesn't matter
Any Sonic fans out there might be interested in this; if you pre-order either Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric for the Wii U or Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal for the 3DS you can get your mitts on an exclusive figurine of Sonic holding the Ancients' Crystal. The model itself looks fairly nicely done, Sonic has...
News Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric Set to Add "Two Fan Favourite Characters"
Developer addresses the 'steroid Knuckles' comments
Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric arrives on the Wii U as an exclusive this November, and it's a game that's had a remarkable and brief history to date. Its announcement earlier this year caused an internet meltdown, with plenty objecting to the character designs, in particular. It's part of a new Sonic...
First Impressions Taking Sonic Boom for a Spin on Wii U and 3DS
Lightning Strikes (Not Once But Twice)
Back in May 2013 Nintendo announced that it had entered into a partnership with Sega to bring a series of three Sonic games exclusively to its systems. Sonic Lost World and Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games were the first products of that arrangement, and the upcoming Sonic Boom games —...
News Sonic Boom Producer Explains Recent Silence Over Project
Expect a rush of new info at E3
Sonic Boom made a lot of noise when it was announced in February, but little more than a few peeps have been heard since. Producer Stephen Frost took to the forums of fansite Sonic Stadium to explain the drought in new information. According to Frost, much of the radio silence has come from working alongside the s
Minus input "the character would have been a lot more alien and different"
When Sonic Boom was announced as a TV show, toy range and — perhaps most importantly — a game for Wii U and 3DS, there was an explosion of interest around the web. Much excitable chatter in those initial hours wasn't so much about the setting of the show of the potential...
News Sega Unleashes Sonic Boom Behind The Scenes Video
All aboard...
Sega prompted an internet meltdown in early February when it announced Sonic Boom — a new branch of the Sonic universe that'll feature a TV show, toy range and, most excitingly, games exclusive to the Wii U and 3DS. Though the portable version of the game from respected developer Sanzaru Games is something to look forward to, there's...
News We Didn't Know It, But Sonic Boom Was First Shown in Spring 2013
Well darn
If Sega needed any evidence that its mascot can still generate buzz and hype, the online reaction to the reveal of Sonic Boom, with Wii U and 3DS games joined by the TV show and a range of toy merchandise, may have renewed the company's faith in the brand. Not all were immediate fans of the off-shoot's designs, admittedly, but Sonic was...
Sonic veteran Takashi Iizuka speaks out
Sonic Boom is the big news in the world of Nintendo at the moment, with Sega's new plan of attack covering TV, toys and games — the latter of which will be exclusive to Wii U and 3DS. Thrusting its most prized possession into the hands of a western developers is risky, and Sega's move has had many fans...
Video Learn a Little More About Sonic Boom and The Rise (and Fall) of Lyric
"Oh shiiii...ooot"
Time can be a great healer. Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric wasn't a golden moment for the mascot, but the Boom universe continues to roll on with the animated series and the upcoming Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice on 3DS. Considering all that went wrong with the Wii U exclusive, it's a series that's done well to survive. The troubles of...
Random Someone Hacked The Original Sonic To Include Sonic Boom's Annoying Chatter
"It's like they're drawn to me!"
Like the vast majority of gaming icons who appeared during the 16-bit era, Sonic the Hedgehog was a silent protagonist. However, his journey into 3D saw him gifted - if that's the right word - with a voice, and in his most recent outings, he rarely shuts up. As if to prove that less is most definately more, hacker...
Video Enjoy the Glitchy Glory of Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric in This Summer Games Done Quick Speedrun
Don't forget to tune in all this week
As per the reminder we gave at the weekend, Summer Games Done Quick is currently providing round-the-clock entertainment with speedruns and competitions, covering classic games both old and relatively new. At the time of writing it's already raised over a quarter of a million dollars for the Doctors Without...
News Sega Is Focusing On 3DS For Sonic Boom Because It Wasn't Happy With The Wii U Version
"We totally feel the 3DS was the stronger of the two"
Sonic Boom was supposed to be a big initiative for Sega. Not only was the company pushing two brand-new games to market - one for Wii U and one for 3DS - but it was going to support these titles with a tie-in TV show and a flood of merchandise. Things didn't quite work out that way; while the 3DS...
Video Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric Blame Could Largely be With SEGA, Not Big Red Button
Seg-ah
Sonic Boom didn't do well on any metric; its sales failed to match those of fellow Nintendo exclusive Sonic Lost World, and it was panned by many critics and Sonic fans alike. Like any project it has its defenders, but many are agreed that it was a major disappointment, with Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric on Wii U being the biggest culprit. It...
News Sega Producer Explains Exactly What Went Wrong With Sonic Boom
"Speed is always a Sonic thing, we didn't focus on that"
Sonic Boom was supposed to be a rebirth for Sega's iconic mascot - a cross-media blitz that would earn the company millions and create a whole new legion of loyal fans. Sadly, it didn't quite turn out that way - while the TV series was - and still is - decent enough, the Wii U and 3DS games...
Because lighting matters
Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric certainly received its fair share of criticism when it launched in late 2014, due to a mix of poor design, bugs and a general sense that it simply wasn't finished. A sizeable 1GB update was then deployed in Europe recently, with fans figuring out its changes; the key tweaks were to remove the...
News Sonic Boom is Doing Pretty Well!
As a cartoon
So it's rather well known by now that Sonic Boom: The Rise of Lyric is largely busted (although we think its 3DS counterpart, Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal, fares better). Even so, there may still be a silver lining when the word "Boom" is associated with "Sonic": the cartoon series that ties with the games seems to be picking up an...
News Sonic Boom Exploit Allows Players to Skip Large Sections of the Game
Current record for completion already under an hour
As we reported a couple of days ago, a number of game-breaking bugs have been discovered in Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric for Wii U. The plot thickens today with the discovery of an exploit which allows Knuckles to jump infinitely when the game is paused between hops, as shown below in this video by...
Video Early Sonic Boom: Rise Of Lyric Footage Hints At Game-Breaking Bugs
Wii U title is out this week, looks a bit rough around the edges
Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric hits North American stores this week after the release date was brought forward slightly, yet here at Nintendo Life we're still waiting patiently for our review copy to arrive. This could have something to do with the reaction Sega is expecting the Wii U...
News Sonic Boom: Rise Of Lyric Speeds To Earlier Release Date On Wii U
Now launching alongside the 3DS edition
Sega has confirmed that Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric will launch in North America a week earlier than originally planned. The Wii U title — being developed by Big Red Button — was given a November 18th release date not so long ago, but this has now been pushed forward to the 11th — the same day that Sega...
News Amazon Pre-order Bonus Will Light Up Your Sonic Boom Characters
Shine little glow-hog, glimmer, glimmer
UPDATE: This pre-order bonus only seems to apply to the US Amazon shop for now. We will update again if this changes. Step right up, my long-faced friend. Why, I know exactly what you're thinking: "My hedgehog! It spins, speeds, dives, dashes, slices, races, and saves the world but oh, woe is me why doesn't...
News Sonic Boom Games Now Have Their Official European Release Date, Shadow Confirmed
New trailer and character reveals, too
Update: The Sega Blog (thanks Max) has also unveiled a Gamescom trailer for the Wii U entry, and also confirmed appearances in the game for Shadow and Metal Sonic, below. [ Original Article: Both Sonic Boo
News A Pre-order of Sonic Boom Will Bag You an Exclusive Sonic Figurine
3DS or Wii U version, it doesn't matter
Any Sonic fans out there might be interested in this; if you pre-order either Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric for the Wii U or Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal for the 3DS you can get your mitts on an exclusive figurine of Sonic holding the Ancients' Crystal. The model itself looks fairly nicely done, Sonic has...
News Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric Set to Add "Two Fan Favourite Characters"
Developer addresses the 'steroid Knuckles' comments
Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric arrives on the Wii U as an exclusive this November, and it's a game that's had a remarkable and brief history to date. Its announcement earlier this year caused an internet meltdown, with plenty objecting to the character designs, in particular. It's part of a new Sonic...
First Impressions Taking Sonic Boom for a Spin on Wii U and 3DS
Lightning Strikes (Not Once But Twice)
Back in May 2013 Nintendo announced that it had entered into a partnership with Sega to bring a series of three Sonic games exclusively to its systems. Sonic Lost World and Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games were the first products of that arrangement, and the upcoming Sonic Boom games —...
News Sonic Boom Producer Explains Recent Silence Over Project
Expect a rush of new info at E3
Sonic Boom made a lot of noise when it was announced in February, but little more than a few peeps have been heard since. Producer Stephen Frost took to the forums of fansite Sonic Stadium to explain the drought in new information. According to Frost, much of the radio silence has come from working alongside the s
Minus input "the character would have been a lot more alien and different"
When Sonic Boom was announced as a TV show, toy range and — perhaps most importantly — a game for Wii U and 3DS, there was an explosion of interest around the web. Much excitable chatter in those initial hours wasn't so much about the setting of the show of the potential...
News Sega Unleashes Sonic Boom Behind The Scenes Video
All aboard...
Sega prompted an internet meltdown in early February when it announced Sonic Boom — a new branch of the Sonic universe that'll feature a TV show, toy range and, most excitingly, games exclusive to the Wii U and 3DS. Though the portable version of the game from respected developer Sanzaru Games is something to look forward to, there's...
News We Didn't Know It, But Sonic Boom Was First Shown in Spring 2013
Well darn
If Sega needed any evidence that its mascot can still generate buzz and hype, the online reaction to the reveal of Sonic Boom, with Wii U and 3DS games joined by the TV show and a range of toy merchandise, may have renewed the company's faith in the brand. Not all were immediate fans of the off-shoot's designs, admittedly, but Sonic was...
Sonic veteran Takashi Iizuka speaks out
Sonic Boom is the big news in the world of Nintendo at the moment, with Sega's new plan of attack covering TV, toys and games — the latter of which will be exclusive to Wii U and 3DS. Thrusting its most prized possession into the hands of a western developers is risky, and Sega's move has had many fans...