Sonic Shuffle (Sega Dreamcast, 2000)

Before anything, you will need to get over the fact that this game IS NOT MARIO PARTY. Once you're over that fact, it's really not such a bad game.

Graphics
These are Dreamcast graphics, in a sort of cell-shaded style. For example, Zelda Windwaker style graphics. Sure the graphics really aren't that great compared with today, but for the day they were great!

Sound
This game has a soundtrack different from every other sonic game! Trust me, I collect sonic games and I have almost all of them. :) It's styled to fit the board game style of the game, with cartoon-like music and also some more average music. Overall the music is pretty good (Even compared to Mario Party).

Gameplay
The whole game is based on cards. Each player gets a set number of cards, which have either numbers 1-6, a special card (Roulette 1-7, or take another player's card) or an Eggman card(Bad news!) The idea is to collect all the Precioustones, 7 in story mode from 1-7(it can be set) in multiplayer. Each player must choose a card each turn and move that many spaces. In order to get the Prescioustone, the player must land directly on the space (this adds another layer of strategy over Mario party.) When the player lands on the space, they are forced to fight a monster of increasing strength, dependent on which number power stone it is(1st 2nd etc.) There are other battle spaces around, on which players can either win force jewels (Like items from Mario party) or steal rings from other players; the first in story, the second in multiplayer. Each character has special spaces which only they can use, except for sonic, who uses a spindash move doubling the number of spaces he can move. In each map there is a special mission which counts as a Prescioustone after the game has finished, for example in the first map, you must save a baby dolphin.

Story mode
Overall the story is less than impressing, you must save a dream world called "Maginaryworld" from becoming nonexistent, by saving the Prescioustones from a character called "Void" while restoring each dream world to its former beauty. WARNING The computers are intensely hard!

Verses mode
If you buy this game, this is probably why. This game was really meant to be played with friends, since the computers are way too hard even on easy! Overall the objective is the same as story mode, collect the prescioustones in order to win. There a few differences, for example, when two players land on the same space, they duel, EVERY TIME, for rings. One small difference is that when two or more humans are playing, they only way to see your cards is to look at the VMU, which tells you which cards you have in your hand.

Mini Games!
Really the mini games are as crazy, if not more crazy than the Mario party games! Most seem to be luck based, with not much skill involved; however, there are still plenty of skill based games. Overall, I'm really not a fan of the mini games, although there's a few I enjoy.

Computers!(IMPORTANT)
The CPUs in the game are incredible and completely stupid at the same time, it's really a feat of programming how the sonic team managed to make these computers the way they are. Sometimes, they need to move three spaces to fight they Precioustone enemy. So they pick from another player's hand(Usually mine) which they're not supposed to see, and choose a three! Then they perform the same treachery during the fight!

Overall, I would recommend this game, but play with friends!Happy Gaming!

Sonic Shuffle is SEGA's answer to Nintendo's long running Mario Party series. Unlike Mario, Sonic introduces a card system which allows strategic play to be used in determining which locations to venture to next. This is a hefty advantage over Mario Party, and adds to the enjoyment of the game. The mini-games are fun, the Mini Events interesting and a nice variety, and the theme stages complete a game that is great to play with friends but not as much alone. In my opinion, this game is much better than Mario Party and is the only reason I bought a Dreamcast (Yes, it's the only game I own).

Classic game. I collect and this item wasin perfect shape with the art and every thing. It is alot like mario party but with sonic. At the time when this came out the Graphics were way better then 64 and the game play was more intense.

sonic shuffle is a game of luck and skill, this game makes you think all the time. it has many fun and exiteing mini games. it is sort of like mario party. exept that you have to battle for emblems insted of pay for stars

I love this game. It was something I played as a child, but mine broke years ago and I've been looking for it forever and when I found it on ebay I was so happy! It's a game that you can challenge your friends and get as competitive as you want.