Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal

When the short-lived Sonic Boom franchise was first introduced, it began with a pair of games for Wii U and 3DS, respectively titled Rise of Lyric and Shattered Crystal. While I was a fan of Sonic Boom while it lasted, and have since tried to own whatever media related to it that I can find, I didn’t have a Wii U at the time Rise of Lyric came out and by the time I got a 3DS, I was only able to play the Shattered Crystal sequel, Fire & Ice. I did, however, go more out of my way to track down both games physically when their respective systems’ eShops were shutting down, deciding later to play the 3DS game first out of boredom on a trip due to its advertised connectivity with the Wii U game. After finishing the game faster than I expected, I found it to be pretty decent for what it was, but not quite as good as Fire & Ice.

While investigating Ancient ruins, Amy encounters Lyric, only to be brainwashed and taken by him. Upon learning about this, Sonic and his friends go to rescue her from Lyric’s clutches.

 

Amy's first encounter with Lyric.

This doesn’t sound like much of a story, leaving the plot kind of thin. However, additional backstory is provided through an in-game comic book made by then-license holder Archie Comics, which is viewable after completing the first level. It is highly recommended that you read this as soon as possible, since it also adds context for Lyric’s backstory and the titular Shattered Crystal as well as Shadow’s involvement in the story, though the overall plot still feels a little thin even with this. That said, while Metal Sonic does appear at one point in the mid-game, he barely factors into the plot at all and is only there for a single level with little context. I will also mention that, despite this game and Rise of Lyric being advertised as a prequel to the cartoon, I can confirm that Lyric does not show up, nor is he even mentioned, at any point during the cartoon’s 104-episode run or the 11-issue Archie comic. However, as a fan of the show, I thought that the humor felt spot-on, leading to some genuine laugh-out-loud moments.

 

Read the in-game comic for a better understanding of the story.

 

The core gameplay is similar to that of the later Fire & Ice, but lacking some aspects. Amy is not playable due to her absence in the plot, but you can swap between characters on the fly with the d-pad and the Enerbeam mechanic can be used to remove enemy armor or slingshot between areas of the level or overworld. Additionally, Bot Racing wasn’t a thing yet, though races of a single lap are present.

Much like its sequel, Shattered Crystal features a number of collectibles with different functions. One of the most important are Blueprints, of which there are six in each stage, and collecting all of them in a set allows you to create an image with Tails to unlock an upgraded ability that makes things a lot easier. There’s also Crystal Shards, of which there are five in each level, which can be given to Sticks to help repair the titular Shattered Crystal. Completing these objectives, as well as finishing each stage, grants you Sonic Medals that unlock new levels, while collecting all 34 unlocks Amy’s House (whether or not the final reward is worth it may depend on the player).

 

Crystal Shards are an important collectible.

 

Another collectible is Tokens, which can be given to Q-N-C (another game-exclusive character) to unlock Toys. There are multiple ways to earn Tokens, which can get grindy either way due to the sheer number of Toys (61). These methods include completing additional objectives (completing a level within a time limit or collecting a specific number of Rings), daily workouts with Knuckles (once every 24 hours) or StreetPass (I have not tried this method). Finally, collecting all of the Crystal Shards unlocks a special Token, which is used to specifically unlock Toy 61. For what it’s worth, these collectibles do add some additional replay value to the game, even if only for a little while.

The visuals are of a similar quality to Fire & Ice, with a scant few full video cutscenes at the beginning, middle and end. Said cutscenes, however, are very well animated, even surpassing the cartoon it was designed to promote. Similarly, much like Fire & Ice, the voice cast being the same as said cartoon gives it a feeling of authenticity, though also represents one of Kirk Thornton’s earliest takes on Shadow. One standout is Patrick Seitz as the voice of Lyric, making the most of his material and making him feel menacing in what little screen time he has. The music is also good, with some of the more memorable tracks including the Seaside Beach overworld theme and the track heard in the Worm Tube segments.

For what it is, one can find some enjoyment out of Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal, though the thin plot and tedium in the Toy collecting, assuming one’s commitment to the latter, can detract from the experience. Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice is ultimately the better of the two handheld games, though Sonic Boom fans may want to consider picking this up anyway due to how few media there is to work with.