Veteran gamers will remember the numerous updates of our beloved blue blur, Sonic the Hedgehog. SEGA has now confirmed the release of “Sonic Rumble,” a new multiplayer action game launching worldwide on May 8, 2025. The news comes in the form of a tasty reveal trailer declaring the company’s foray into the cool party battle royale genre, borrowing more than a nod from the hectic fun of “Fall Guys.”
Developed alongside the imaginative masters of Rovio’s everywhere “Angry Birds,” “Sonic Rumble” will have up to 32 players compete against one another in a series of ever-more frantic mini-games. The characters will be represented by adorable, toy-like versions of beloved Sonic franchise staples such as Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Shadow, and even the perpetually scheming Dr. Eggman. The ultimate goal is easy to grasp but irresistible: blast through colorful obstacle courses, fight in arena fights, and, finally, rack up the most rings to earn the title of champion.
There are echoes in “Fall Guys” in its game design as it offers up a series of increasingly difficult rounds that try their best to tax players’ response time, acrobatic prowess, and brains. While the details of each mode are being concealed, early impressions reveal a varied spectrum of challenges spanning from speedster races to survival horrors and ring-grabbing tournaments. Lending strategic depth to the mix, every character will have unique abilities. To illustrate, Amy Rose’s Piko Piko Hammer will grant a certain utility in close-proximity combat where players can momentarily stun their enemies.
SEGA has already given eager players the chance to pre-register for “Sonic Rumble” in the App Store and Google Play. This early commitment comes with enticing in-game perks in the form of unique character skins, specifically a Sonic skin tied to the upcoming “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” film, adorable Chao stickers and friends, and a starting pool of in-game money (rings). For PC users, the title can also be wishlisted for Steam, and this suggests a cross-platform release strategy.
“Sonic Rumble” is an interesting direction to take the Sonic franchise into, capitalizing on the very much growing popularity of the party battle royale genre. With its bright, welcoming visual style, instantly familiar cast of characters, and guarantee of quickfire, action-filled multiplayer fun, it’s ideally placed to recruit old fans and new, in search of a light, competitive mobile gaming experience. As May 8th approaches, the excitement grows for this new Sonic game.
