▁for ▁its ▁visual s ▁and ▁level ▁design , ▁but ▁critic ized ▁for ▁its ▁controls ▁and ▁short ▁length . ▁Meanwhile , ▁Jacques ' ▁sound track ▁polar ized ▁aud ien ces , ▁who ▁altern atively ▁found ▁it ▁catch y ▁and ▁well ▁produced ▁or ▁out ▁of ▁place ▁in ▁a ▁racing ▁game . ▁F an ▁interest ▁in ▁Son ic ▁R ▁would ▁insp ire ▁S ega ▁to ▁revis it ▁the ▁racing ▁genre ▁in ▁future ▁Son ic ▁games , ▁leading ▁to ▁the ▁development ▁of ▁titles ▁such ▁as ▁Son ic ▁R iders ▁( 2 0 0 6 ). ▁ ▁Game play ▁▁ ▁Son ic ▁R ▁is ▁a ▁racing ▁video ▁game ▁with ▁single - player ▁and ▁multi player ▁modes . ▁The ▁player ▁selects ▁a ▁character ▁and ▁particip ates ▁in ▁a ▁foot race ▁on ▁one ▁of ▁five ▁race ▁tracks , ▁compet ing ▁for ▁the ▁fast est ▁time ▁ahead ▁of ▁the ▁other ▁rac ers . ▁Four ▁characters ▁are ▁initially ▁available , ▁while ▁the ▁other ▁six ▁are ▁secret ▁characters ▁that ▁become ▁available ▁when ▁the ▁player ▁comple tes ▁certain ▁in - game ▁object ives . ▁Although ▁the ▁game play ▁is ▁considered ▁similar ▁to ▁k art ▁racing ▁games ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁Mario ▁K art ▁series , ▁Son ic ▁R ▁places ▁an ▁emphas is ▁on ▁jump ing ▁and ▁expl oration , ▁as ▁each ▁track ▁has ▁multiple ▁paths ▁and ▁hidden ▁areas . ▁The ▁tracks , ▁although ▁original ▁cre ations , ▁are ▁them atically ▁based ▁on ▁the ▁art ▁style ▁and ▁environments ▁of ▁classic ▁Son ic ▁games ▁such ▁as ▁Son ic ▁the ▁H edge h og ' s ▁" Green