It may seem hard to believe in this day and age, but there was a time when some games just didn’t see the light of day in the west, even those featuring big names like Sonic the Hedgehog.
While you might think Team Sonic Racing is a modern idea, Sonic appeared in several earlier kart racing games, including Sonic Kart 3DX, a 2005 game released only in Japan for the Sonic Cafe service. This was a mobile phone service with a library of titles available for a monthly fee.
Consequently, the majority of western gamers, including Sonic fans, have been unaware of Sonic Kart 3DX, or know of it only by name.
That is, until 18 minutes of game footage appeared on a Japanese YouTube channel, which you can watch above. Boasting arcade-style graphics and apparently switchable between closeup and pulled out views, Sonic Kart 3DX doesn’t appear to have any competitors to challenge the main racer. However, playing the game in the original online environment gave you the chance to play against other sonics or engage in time trials, which still work.
Sonic Kart 3DX is revived here thanks to emulation software. The original game disappeared in 2007 when Sonic Cafe was taken offline.
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Christian Cawley is the founder and editor of GamingRetro.co.uk, a website dedicated to classic and retro gaming. With over 20 years of experience writing for technology and gaming publications, he brings considerable expertise and a lifelong passion for interactive entertainment, particularly games from the 8-bit and 16-bit eras.
Christian has written for leading outlets including TechRadar, Computer Weekly, Linux Format, and MakeUseOf, where he also served as Deputy Editor.
When he’s not exploring vintage consoles or retro PCs, Christian enjoys building with LEGO, playing cigar box guitar, and experimenting in the kitchen.
