Free Sonic Boom 3DS Theme Now Available For Download In North America

Downloaded it because free, and it's actually not bad for a free theme, and I get that it's for advertisement, but I'm still not getting the game, sorry.

Free Themes are cool.

Still not buying the game though, it just doesn't look very good.

I saw it yesterday. Even if it was free I thought, not downloading this garbage.

@Damo
Are you guys gonna wait for a copy or you're going to buy one for the review? (I assume you have NLifer staff in the US?) Or a US Wii U perhaps (is it on the US eShop already)?

@BensonUii I'd imagine they will wait for their copy since they're expecting a review copy.

I'll DL the free theme on both 3DS systems and my youngest son has been enjoying the demo.

Well, considering there is not a single review on Metacritic for either Sonic Boom, I guess Sega pulled the same stunt for all reviewers.

My money is on Smash anyway. And for Sega when they release their second batch of 3D Classics.

Eh, I got it because...why not? It's free!

"Now all we need is the game" you will get it and also get a 15gig patch to boot as well.

Your image for this article isn't actually officially Sonic Boom. It's a fan-made edit of other CGI art. Sonic is from the comic - issue Sonic 257. And Tails, I believe is a piece of art from Sonic Lost World.

I downloaded it since it was free, plus my previous theme was just the basic pink color, since I don't like spending money on themes for a 3DS menu

I actually like it, the folders look very nice.
As for the game itself, sorry BigRedButton, but I ain't spending a dime on either game, the Wii U is a glitchy mess & the 3DS game...while better, it still hasn't sold me on it.

Now if SEGA would stop giving Sonic to random companies and make an actually good game since Generations, then I might consider buying it.

Downloaded it last night. I gotta say I do like it. I like how the panoramic background kind of makes the home menu feel open, and of course the sounds and folder icons are cool. I'll get both games soon.

Sonic Boom Rise of Lyric is a total mess of a game and yet it is oddly charming. Reminds me of the Ty the Tasmanian Tiger series in terms of technical quality, practically none, and in its characterization and plot, which can be very funny at times.

According to IGN, there are no review copies. They had to wait until street date and then buy their own. That might be just for NA though.

I think the theme will be better than the game

My son found it last night and we both downloaded the theme. I think it's pretty cool. I'm waiting on my copy of the game to arrive. I would have gotten yesterday but Canada Post stopped deliveries for Rememberance Day. I'm hoping it will be here today since my son really wants to play it.

@Porky
What if Sega doesn't intend to so they could get more day one sales? a shame really. I am/was hoping for a very good Sonic platformer on the Wii U. Sonic Boom U seems to disappoint.

@Shotgunryugan

Nintendo fans reactions towards Nintendo games versus non-Nintendo games that get the same score of 7 here in Nintendolife:
Hyrule Warrors: 'It is exceedingly fun!'
Sonic Lost World: 'It is crap and garbage!'

Tell me that I am wrong!

Still, I'm glad America got at last one Free theme. I would have prefered the Shovel Knight one, even if it was not free, but hey, that's asking just too much to NoA.

This is a cool theme. I may get this game down the line. The music it plays in the menu screen is nice.

@Shotgunryugan

Yes because Shovel Knight got terrible reviews.

Bad games deserve bad reviews, Good Games Deserve Good reviews.

Maybe they wanted to fix the glitches before letting the final version be reviewed, since that generated bad press for the game. Let's hope.

@GreatPlayer >Implying I only buy Nintendo games.
It's enough to look at gameplay videos of Boom to see it's terrible and the 3DS demo didn't sell me.

Also, for the record, I want Sonic games to be good, because I know what they're capable of, stuff like Sonic 3 & Knuckles(Still my personal favorite), Sonic Colors(Wii version) & Generations(Console version).

But you can't hide the glaring problems Boom has. And Lost World didn't do anything for me, don't get me started on the 3DS version.

This will surely appease the Sonic fans who have been purposely starved for reviews of the games and who probably plunked down cash day 1 for what could, as far as they knew, be complete garbage.

Anyone else actually think the 3ds version is the best handheld sonic in years?? I went into the demo thinking it would be unplayable rubbish and was actually hugely surprised. Not a sonic fan, but here is a great example of a demo actually helping the undecided/previously uninterested.

@Pokefraker What does Shovel Knight have anything to do with what I said?
I'm talking about Sonic games here and how they haven't made a good one since the console version of Generations.

Not a bad theme too bad is for a terrible game,ah big red button why didn't use that button of your's to abort this travesty?

I just lost some respect for SEGA finding out that no review copies were sent out.

@Shotgunryugan I meant to tag Great Player, not you. I was trying to defend you lol.

@Pokefraker Ah ok, no problem then

@Knuckles Review copies come with restrictions. The world would be better without them. (For NSMBU one of the restrictions was not mentioning Rock Candy Mines). Without them the incentive to write in a way that means you are going to continue to get more is gone.

I don't see how anybody could complain about a free theme. Well ok people complained about the free U2 album on iTunes but that was forced on them, I'm assuming this isn't installed by default or anything.

My kid had some fun w/ the 3DS demo but he wasn't impressed enough to buy the game, he does want the U version as we're all about couch co-op in our house. And this still looks like a skinned Ratchet and Clank: All 4 One so that's what were expecting, not a Sonic game. And can it be any more broken than Sonic '06? I'm really not sure how that game got released.

Just got my free email offer for $1 for a month of Gamefly so may make use of it for the game.

The Sonic cycle is in full flow. In the same week people see that Sonic Boom turns out to be a stinker and people start getting excited over the next Sonic game as its being done by the same team that made Generations.

I enjoyed the 3DS demo and I think that game will end up being better than the Wii U version. It just doesn't feel like a true Sonic game - its slow and lacks all the classic Sonic attitude. It is a solid platformer though, and I think the 3DS version will suffer by association with the Wii U one.

You know what no review copies/embargoes until the last minute means. It means the game is terrible and they know they'll lose a lot of sales if they allow people to find out how terrible the game is too early. So this is a telltale sign.

@Shotgunryugan How does Shovel Knight has to do with Sonic?

@TeeJay GTA V was embargoed as long as it possibly could have been.

@rjejr I don't think it'll be as broken though it does seem Ubisoft's managed to achieve that goal of being more broken than Sonic '06 with Assassin's Creed Unity.

@unrandomsam I don't know anything about GTA V or non-Nintendo news so I wouldn't know, but I'm gonna need more than a single example. From my experience, every time they embargo reviews to the last minute, it turns out the game was disappointing and they just wanted as little people to know as possible.

I won't comment on the game itself because, save it for the 3DS demo, I haven't played it, but the lack of review copies and some bad feedback from gamers are not good signs. It's almost like SEGA knows that it's Colonial Marines all over again and they are trying to salvage what they can, while they can...

All themes should be free. It's ridiculous Nintendo charges the same amount for these wallpapers as they do for a number of actual games.

@Grumblevolcano - I don't think ACU is broken, Ubi will probably just say it's an effect of time travel on the guys brain or central nervous system or something. Or maybe it all takes place inside of a strobe-light lit disco? Smooth it certainly is not.

@Grumblevolcano Can any game be more broken than Game and Wario?

getting it.
you people dont give the game a chance, maybe its just my nostalgia for the series

This theme made my 3ds lock up .-.

That's really just regular Tails with some goggles and straps drawn on up on the image there.

What @espy said.

@creeprtrainer52 agreed! They've already decided they don't like it.

@GreatPlayer I like how you completely ignored everything else I said.

@Grumblevolcano What I don't understand is why after the metacritic for Assassins Creed Unity (And Watchdogs) is so high but the games are garbage people don't think something shady is going on. (And with the price tanking for Ubisoft after about 2 weeks consistently people get stuff straight away).

@GreatPlayer You are right if Lost World was reskinned with Nintendo characters (Like say Kirby) it would have got a 9 here.

Laugh all you want (I am not religious) but I think this is the best review of Sonic Lost World there is : https://www.christcenteredgamer.com/index.php/reviews/62-console/wiiiu/5643-sonic-lost-world-wii-u

Going to download it because its free. Even if I dont ever use it lol

They should release a lot more free themes if you ask me

@unrandomsam I tried Kirby on Wii before. I found there are creative ideas there but I just did not like the fact that you cannot die in that game. The game seemed to design for little kids. I tried Mario Wii. Its stage design is better than Mario U but the New Mario Bros series always stay the same - i.e., uninspiring and unimaginative. I really cannot get why Mario U gets like 9 why Sonic Lost World gets a lower score. The only reason is that one is developed by Nintendo and another by Sega.

The review you forwarded was good, and it is interesting that they even have a morality score for the game.

sega have publicly refused to send review copies if i hear correctly. and people on this very site gave me hate for saying this game would fail!

@GreatPlayer The salt is real.

:>

@Shotgunryugan I like how you hate a game without even trying it for a second.

Sorry folks, Rise of Lyric is GARBAGE

I got it, but we get this theme, Europe get's a Shovel Knight theme and Japan get's a bunch of themes that have to make it to the west....if only we could all get the same themes at the same time, I mean really.

I got this theme because it was free and I like the Sonic characters. I have yet to play a Sonic game I actually like. I have watched and read a lot of Sonic I enjoyed though.

I would like the game to have the classic "hold down and tap a button" for speeding up but otherwise the 3DS demo seemed surprisingly good. I'm not paying full price for it but maybe later when it's discounted.

Downloading this once I'm back from school.

Ok, just saw some WiiU gameplay footage. Nope Sega, sorry, but not even a free Theme for me.

Seriously, there are no reviews for either game. What the heck, SEGA?

The Wii U version looks pretty glitchy, if only because the glitches are getting shared around, but are they really that bad/common? We would know, if there were any reviews! But there are no reviews, so all anybody knows about is the glitches.

The 3DS version...meh. I played the demo. It seems like it could be kinda fun, but I'm definitely not interested in seeing more. Maybe a 5/10 game.

(Although it's definitely worse than Lost World 3DS, and NL gave that a 5 for some reason?? I'd say Lost World 3DS was at least a 7.)

I think SEGA are seeing the theme idea more as a advertising opportunity then a cash grab, I guess it's good for us since we don't have to pay a penny.

@GreatPlayer I think that would depend upon why the seven was given. I personally feel that HW was a good game from a technical stand point. no crazy game breaking bugs or jarring glitches (that i encountered anyway) and it has an extensive amount of content. The main mode was somewhat short (the game has extensive replay value and of course adventure mode) but it did as advertised...Dynasty Warriors set in the Zelda Universe.

From what I've seen with Sonic there are a number of glitches. I can handle a game that isn't my cup of tea but is technically sound. But if the game is poorly made from a technical perspective...yeah no sale. I'm not getting AC Unity for the same reasons. I've heard enough horror stories about the PC version which is going to make me wait for some patches instead.

The problem is scores aren't always given out with a technical. I saw a few HW reviews knocking the game for not being a Zelda mainline game and playing like DW...it is supposed to. That is like knocking MLB for allowing you to play as michael jordan but getting mad that he has a bat and not a basketball.

@TeeJay The Evil Within is another example for a great game with an embargo in place despite it's quality (while not flawless).
Luckily I trust in Mikamis work without a doubt, I was not deterred.

They didn't send out any review copies.

From what I've seen so far, though, there's a reason. It would have gotten absolutely abysmal reviews, and, being right before the holidays, it would have severely damaged sales for the holiday season. I'm judging this based on the let's players that are already diving into the game as of its release, like the Game Grumps and ProJared. The Wii U version is a glitchy, unfinished mess [that's already being compared to Sonic '06], and the 3DS version is just awful, even judging by just the demo of the game. They even made the characters unlikable. Sonic and Tails seem the same as always, but they made Knuckles an idiotic brute [he had to figure out which way was left by using his hands as a reminder and dumbly talks about enjoying punching things]

I'm bummed, man. I was hoping these would bring life back to the Sonic series, by, once again, it was rushed for the sake of being out for the holidays, rather than having time put in to polish and properly debug the games. I might pick the games up in a few months/years when they're on super heavy discounts like they undoubtedly will be [I can see them down the line being like three bucks used at GameStop at best], but, for now I'm gonna be sad about the Dark Age of Sonic continuing on.

Maybe one day they'll be good again. Maybe.

I tried the demo for this game on 3ds. Sorry to so I'm NOT buying it! It seems like a very dull game...

Well since it is free there is obviously little reason not to download it!

So disappointed, I was really looking forward to this game, it looked like it could have been a good Sonic game, then all I hear is the game is bad and broken. What did they do? D Give up half and said good enough to work on the TV show? (which actually looks pretty good for a Sonic show). Sega/Red Button, I am disappointed. One last go, make Sonic Adventure 3 or Colours 2, if they suck, maybe it's time to let Sonic go.

Bada Bing Bada Boom

WTH?...

Wow that theme has the same Sonic model as this cover. I never knew SEGA can use artwork from the comics too? Hmmm interesting...
EDIT: Oops never mind. I got the article picture mistaken as the theme. lol No wonder though it's so badly made I can see the fake outlines with a close look on it. No offense who made though.

I'm not expecting this game to be some kind of top notch Mario beater but I'm at least cautiously optimistic until I see more reviews. Many people were too quick to slate Sonic Lost World as being a poor or average game without even playing it (I still say it's a very good game, more worthy of an 8/10 than a 7/10) so I reserve judgement on Sonic Boom until I've had a chance to try it myself.

Of course, it might be an awful game And it's not a good sign at all that they've been slow sending review copies out (same as Ubisoft with Assassin's Creed Unity recently), but I'm not going to jump on the hate bandwagon just for the fun of it.

>the theme is on offer in North America and Canada
But Canada is part of North America

Finally a free theme!

Interesting. I will probly download the theme.

the game, on the other hand, i tried the demo. Its not that "i gotta have it" kinda feeling but again i love the "tomodachi life" demo and bought the physical copy. Now looking to sell it.

@TeeJay Yep, yes, and yeah...