Sonic Adventure 2 (Dreamcast)

Wisely rejecting the adventure element of the original Sonic Adventure in favour of a more action-packed game, his latest outing sees Sonic fighting the usual array of evil foes--with the addition of a few new faces. It's all an excuse for zooming through levels, grinding along barriers, skating down hills and collecting lots of rings, of course, with a fearsome selection of baddies to conquer along the way. It's also the kind of game Sega make best--incredibly simple to pick up and play, and yet far more difficult to put down afterwards. Commendably, there's no raft of instructions to wade through--this really is a game you can be playing confidently within minutes of putting it in your Dreamcast. Make no mistake though, the further you get, the greater the challenge becomes--and you won't be completing this one in a night. If you're looking for proof that the Dreamcast is still attracting quality titles, you should be calling Sonic as your first witness. --Simon Brew