Sonic Runners Adventure

Sonic Runners Adventure is a side-scrolling endless runner platformer video game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series, developed and published by Gameloft for Android mobile platforms. It is the sequel to Sonic Runners. The game was first released in select regions on June 10, 2017.

Development
Sonic Runners Adventure was first confirmed to be in development in April of 2017 when Gameloft released a FAQ webpage for a purported sequel to Sonic Team's 2015 game Sonic Runners, titled Sonic Runners Adventure. The page was taken down a few days later, but would be restored when the game was launched in PAL regions without an official announcement on June 10, 2017.

Plot
While on his own, Sonic receives a transmission from Tails, telling him to come to South Island as Dr. Eggman is up to his old tricks again by kidnapping Animals and turning them into Badniks. Locating Tails in Eggman's clutches, Sonic learns from Tails that the doctor had used him to build a robot teleporter. Sonic subsequently tracks down Eggman and defeats him, but Eggman escapes through his collapsing robot teleporter, forcing Sonic and Tails to go after him.

Gameplay
Similar to its predecessor, Sonic Runners Adventure is a 2.5D side-scrolling platformer with endless runner mechanics. The goal of the game is to guide the player's character through a series of levels based on locations from the Sonic the Hedgehog series that are ridden with hazards. Characters automatically move forward, so players must tap their screen to avoid obstacles and enemies. Scattered around each level are the traditional Rings; hold at least one Ring will protect the player from damage, though the player will drop all their Rings when they take a hit. Once dropped, the Rings will be unrecoverable. Taking damage without any Rings will cost the player a try. Star Posts help the player to deposit Rings to prevent them from getting lost when the player incurs damage.

When beginning the game, Sonic the Hedgehog will be the only playable character, but the player can unlock more characters by progressing with the game, each with their own unique abilities corresponding to their attribute (Speed, Fly or Power) and team affiliation (Hero, Chaotix, or Dark).

Before a run, the player can equip the playable character with "Booster items". Boosters items can be used during runs to aid the player's performances. Some can be activated by pressing the on-screen buttons at the right moment (albeit never at the same time), while others activate automatically when the level begins. One particular Booster item may even appear in the levels in Time Mode. The number of Boosters that can be equipped depends on the chosen character's level and number of acquired characters on their team. At minimum, a team can only have one character, who can only carry one Booster item, and at maximum, a team can have three characters, each one carrying three different Booster items. In addition to Booster items, the player can also equip "Buddies". Buddies are companions for the characters, and each on has unique abilities that provide different benefits during runs.

Several changes from the original game have been made as well; the game can be played offline, although an Internet connect is required for the first launch and certain external links, and there are three types of levels in the game: "Finite", "Looped", and "Infinite". In finite levels, to successfully complete the level, the player needs to reach the finish line. The player will also need to reach the end of the level if they received a Star for completing a goal. In infinite levels, the player will keep running until all the objectives are completed or the player's character is defeated. Once the player has successfully completed all goals, the level will end. In looped levels, the player has to complete several laps before reaching the finish line. The player needs to reach the end of the last lap to keep all the Stars received during the run. The game also has Timed Mode, where Time Freeze Booster items are collected to stop the timer countdown for a while, and Bonus levels, where the player has to collect as many Rings as possible without enemies or obstacles.

Stars allow the player to unlock new stages and progress through the storyline. They are received by completing each mission goal.

Gimmicks and obstacles

 * Cannon
 * Dash Ring
 * Goal Plate
 * Grind Rail
 * Jump Panel
 * Spiked ball
 * Spikes
 * Star Post

Non-playable characters

 * Dr. Eggman
 * Animals
 * Cucky
 * Flicky
 * Pecky
 * Picky
 * Pocky
 * Ricky
 * Rocky
 * Chao
 * Hero Chao
 * Dark Chao

Enemies

 * Balkiry
 * Bladed Spinner
 * Buzz Bomber
 * Caterkiller
 * Crabmeat
 * Moto Bug
 * Nebula
 * Pata-Bata
 * Snail Blaster

Stages

 * Green Hill
 * Desert Ruins
 * Lava Mountain
 * Sky Sanctuary
 * Bonus level

Buddies
Buddies are companions with special abilities which the player can equip to their characters on the Team screen before a run. By bringing a Buddy along for a run, it will create benefits for the player. Most Buddies can be purchase from the Team menu with Rings while others are unlocked as the player progresses with the game. The description a Buddy's abilities can be found on the Team screen by tapping its icon.

Collectable items

 * Rings

Booster items
Booster items are special items that the player can equip to the characters before a run, which gives them certain temporary advantages. They can be purchase from the Team menu with Rings before a run. The duration of a Booster item's effect depends on the chosen playable character's level (excluding the Springs Booster item), which can be viewed in its description on the Team screen. There will also be a Booster item duration indicator over the characters during a run.

Reception
Carter Dotson of TouchArcade has expressed hope that an iOS version of the game will be released, and praised that it was a game with a fixed price, unlike Sonic Runners who made use of the freemium mechanics.

Trivia

 * The Special Stage is very similar to the "Fever Mode" of Sonic Jump Fever.