`Sonic the Hedgehog' for the Xbox 360 lacks spontaneity, excitement

"Sonic the Hedgehog." Format: Sega for Xbox 360. Price: $59.99. Rating: E (Everyone). One star (out of four).

More than a decade ago, "Sonic the Hedgehog" was a video game icon, producing hit after speedy hit for Sega.

Now, Sonic is running at breakneck speeds on the next-generation consoles.

Unfortunately, "Sonic the Hedgehog" for the Xbox 360 is rocketing the franchise in the wrong direction.

In fact, the only thing that this game gets right is Sonic's speed. When racing through the game's large environments, the blue hedgehog zips from place to place just as he always has.

So how did Sonic go so wrong?

The game design is the biggest culprit behind this fiasco. Sonic games should be all about zipping along in a blur and reacting quickly and dynamically to what appears. Instead, the game's coolest moments -- such as when the ground gives way under your feet -- all feel scripted with only one right way to escape.

The insertion of adventure elements -- such as when Sonic walks through city streets talking to people in search of power-ups and the next place to go -- slows the game even more.

It's nice to see all of Sonic's friends -- Tails and Knuckles and so forth -- make cameo appearances, but the townsfolk chitchat seems horribly out of place in a game meant to move along briskly.

The game's auto targeting, used for attacking enemies and finding safe ground to land on, is also horribly spotty.

Throw in some horrendously long loading times, a muddy story line and dialogue that will make you laugh in agony, and you have a train wreck of a video game. Not even fans of Sonic's classic adventures will be able to look past the stench this game leaves in its speed wake.