is a 1994

racing In sport, racing is a competition of speed, in which competitors try to complete a given task in the shortest amount of time. Typically this involves traversing some distance, but it can be any other task involving speed to reach a specific goa ...

video game developed and published by

Sega is a Japanese multinational corporation, multinational video game and entertainment company headquartered in Shinagawa, Tokyo. Its international branches, Sega of America and Sega Europe, are headquartered in Irvine, California and London, r ...

for the

Game Gear The is an 8-bit fourth generation handheld game console released by Sega on October 6, 1990, in Japan, in April 1991 throughout North America and Europe, and during 1992 in Australia. The Game Gear primarily competed with Nintendo's Game Boy, ...

in Japan; the gameplay involves players controlling one of four characters as they race to the finish line, with levels themed after the original ''

Sonic the Hedgehog is a Japanese video game series and media franchise created by Sega. The franchise follows Sonic, an anthropomorphic blue hedgehog who battles the evil Doctor Eggman, a mad scientist. The main ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' games are platformers mo ...

''. The game was created as a rival to

Nintendo is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational video game company headquartered in Kyoto, Japan. It develops video games and video game consoles. Nintendo was founded in 1889 as by craftsman Fusajiro Yamauchi and originally produce ...

's ''

Super Mario Kart ''Super Mario Kart'' is a Kart racing game, kart racing video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. The first game in the Mario Kart, ''Mario Kart'' series, it was released in Japan and North Ameri ...

'', which released in 1992. The game released exclusively in Japan, with a North American release planned, but cancelled due to concerns about its quality; it later saw release as part of ''Sonic Adventure DX'' in 2003. Reception to ''Sonic Drift'' has been mixed-to-negative, with the general criticism being its similarity to ''Super Mario Kart'', and the low view distance. A sequel, '' Sonic Drift 2'', released in 1995.

Gameplay

''Sonic Drift'' is a

racing video game Racing games are a video game genre in which the player participates in a racing competition. They may be based on anything from real-world racing leagues to fantastical settings. They are distributed along a spectrum between more realistic rac ...

in the vein of games like ''

'' (1992). Players control one of four characters―

Miles "Tails" Prower , better known by his nickname , is a fictional character in Sega's ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' series. Tails also appears in his own spin-off series, comic books, cartoons, and films. He is the second character to consistently appear by Sonic's side ...

Amy Rose The ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' video game franchise began in 1991 with the game ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' for the Sega Genesis, which pitted a blue anthropomorphic hedgehog named Sonic against a rotund male human villain named Doctor Eggman (or Doctor ...

, and

Dr. Robotnik Doctor Ivo "Eggman" Robotnik is the main antagonist of Sega's '' Sonic the Hedgehog'' franchise. Eggman was created and designed by Naoto Ohshima as part of many design choices for Sega's new mascot. After the creation of Sonic the Hedgehog, Oh ...

―and race around a series of tracks, with the objective being to cross the finish line in first place. Tracks are divided into three

grand prix Grand Prix ( , meaning ''Grand Prize''; plural Grands Prix), is a name sometimes used for competitions or sport events, alluding to the winner receiving a prize, trophy or honour Grand Prix or grand prix may refer to: Arts and entertainment ...

modes and are themed after levels from the original ''

'' (1991). Each character has their own attributes that make them weaker in some areas and stronger in others. For instance, Sonic has fast acceleration but poor control, while Robotnik has poor acceleration but moves at high speed. Driving into television monitors scattered around the track awards the player a

power-up In video games, a power-up is an object that adds temporary benefits or extra abilities to the player character as a game mechanic. This is in contrast to an item, which may or may not have a permanent benefit that can be used at any time chosen ...

, such as a temporary speed boost or

invincibility {{Short pages monitor