SEGA is a very weird, wild drug. With so many of their games, it makes one want to swear them off for good, but then you see what they're cooking up next, and it's hard not to get into a state of mind where you're all "Aww, okay... we'll give you one more chance!"

Hence, Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing. It's not new territory for Sonic, as anyone who remembers Sonic Drift can attest, and it seems to be a sort of follow-up to the theme of SEGA Superstars Tennis, as it will be featuring SEGA characters from outside the Sonic franchise, as well as within. Sonic, Tails, Eggman, Amy Rose (in a vehicle similar to her Sonic R car), AiAi, and Amigo are the only six named so far, but I wouldn't be surprised if we see a roster similar to Superstars Tennis by the time it hits shelves.

Check out the following trailer to get a taste of what's in store:

Video Games | Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing | European Debut Trailer

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

...huh. They didn't focus much on the "All-Stars," did they?

Despite that, however, the video holds promise of what could be a pretty wild ride.

It looks like we will be seeing a mix of both ground and air vehicles, similar to Diddy Kong Racing, as demonstrated by Tails. SEGA tells of "cars, planes, motorbikes, and in AiAi's case – a banana mobile!" Which is probably good for giving tailgaters the slip.

S&SASR is also taking a cue from Mario Kart and its ilk with weapons, as demonstrated by Eggman's ground-to-air missiles from his admittedly cool-looking Monster Eggmobile. Hopefully nothing as frustrating as that blasted blue shell.

In addition to weapons, there are also power-ups and, following from SEGA Superstars Tennis, "each character has a specific All Star move such as Super Sonic, Banana Blitz and Tails Tornado, allowing a quick way for competitors to get back into the race!" I'm not sure where exactly Sonic's Spin Attack, as seen in the video, fits in.

If that weren't enough, the game features single-player racing, up to four-player multiplayer, and online multiplayer for up to eight racers. And it looks pretty good, too, as you can see from the screenshots in our gallery.

SEGA Superstars Tennis hasn't generally gotten the best rap upon its release, and playing a demo on Xbox 360 didn't really impress me much, either. It felt like it was okay, but not great. Hopefully, this outing will go better for SEGA's cast of merry misfits-- er, All-Stars, and give those of us who might be a bit flustered with Mario Kart Wii something to look forward to when it hits in early 2010.

Oh, and if anyone's wondering why Sonic has to drive a car, it's probably in the rules. That, and he may not have to; sometimes it's just fun to drive.

Finally, rumor has it that prior to Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, there was talk of putting Sonic into Mario Kart: Double Dash!! for the GameCube, but it didn't happen because Yuji Naka was insistent upon Sonic being able to run on foot. Frankly, that hardly seems fair, seems like it would be hard to pull off in Double Dash!! specifically, and seems to ignore Sonic Drift as a precedent as well.

Interestingly enough, Naka's gone, and now we have Sonic in a car again. Coincidence?

For the full press release, read on:

Race into Pole Position with Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing

LONDON & SAN FRANCISCO (May 28th, 2009) – SEGA® Europe Ltd. and SEGA® America, Inc., today announced Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing, a fast and furious battle to the finish line in this supercharged racer. Developed for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, the home video game system, Wii™ and the Nintendo DS™ system, Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing will speed into stores in early 2010.

In a frantic battle to the chequered flag, Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing sees Sonic and friends speed around tracks set in mediaeval castle ramparts, lush rainforests and bustling cities, all taken from the visually rich and varied universes of Sonic and SEGA. Fan favourites such as Dr. Eggman, Tails, AiAi, Amigo and many more will join Sonic in their custom built vehicles, revving their engines and jostling to stay ahead of the pack. Each character will race around the track in cars, planes, motorbikes, and in AiAi's case – a banana mobile! Secret short cuts, swift handling and avoiding strategically placed obstacles are certainly the best way to get to the top of the podium.

"Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing is no ordinary racing game. Its huge variety of characters and vehicles, plus the ability to play both online and off set it apart from other games of this type" commented Gary Knight European Marketing Director, SEGA Europe Ltd. "The team have pushed the boundaries on what you would normally expect and created a different and unique party racing title whereby you really can't take anything for granted!"

And winning is only part of the fun in Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing! Each character has a specific All Star move such as Super Sonic, Banana Blitz and Tails Tornado, allowing a quick way for competitors to get back into the race! Power ups and weapons can also be collected around the tracks and used against the opposition to ensure they don't become a threat to that number one position… Players can battle it out in single or multiplayer mode, allowing up to four friends to race in frantic split-screen action, or up to eight players to compete online in the ultimate racing showdown.

Can Amigo scramble Dr. Eggman? Will AiAi say bye-bye to Tails? Are you gonna be faster than Sonic? The race will start in 2010… For more information please visit: www.sega.com/sonicracing.