Interview: Inside Sonic Rumble - Creative Director Makoto Tase on party gameplay, new modes, and The Smurfs crossover event

For more than three decades, Sonic the Hedgehog has been the gaming epitome of blistering speed and precision platforming. It came as a big surprise when, late last year, the team at Sega took the blue blur into brand territory with the launch of Sonic Rumble: a chaotic multiplayer party game where speed, strategy, and a little bit of luck collide.

Packed with colourful arenas, unpredictable hazards, and frantic competition, Sonic Rumble reimagines the franchise’s trademark momentum in short, high-octane bursts of easily accessible multiplayer gameplay.

We recently had the opportunity to chat with Makoto Tase, Creative Director of Sonic Rumble, to discuss: the strategy behind the game’s production; its recent crossover announcement with the Smurfs; and the debut of a brand new Party Rumble feature.

Before we dive into Sonic Rumble, can you tell us about your personal history with Sonic and how that experience shaped your attitude to this project?

So, although I had not taken part in any Sonic related projects in the past until Sonic Rumble, I have always had a connection to the Sonic franchise. Not just as our own IP, but since my childhood I had enjoyed Sonic games, so I was ecstatic to create this game. Having been a part of the development for many kinds of multiplayer games, I’d like to think that the experience and perception gained has been useful in the development of a multiplayer Sonic game which there hadn’t been many of, in a party game form at that.

What strategic factors led Sega to expand Sonic into the multiplayer party genre?

There was an intent to bring the wonderful characters of the Sonic world and himself to a wide range of players in a casual approach. Although there have been many Sonic games, most are single-player and focused on mainly enjoying the speed aspects of it. This fast, speedy gameplay, symbolic for Sonic, has been loved by fans for such a long time, but they tend to be aimed for action game enthusiasts. We wanted to create a Sonic experience that is inviting and enjoyable for everyone to participate in. This genre is specifically designed for mobile devices, especially with the release of the movies and the widespread charm of Sonic and his world.

The multiplayer party space is highly competitive right now. What gives Sonic Rumble an edge over other party games?

We believe that the distinctive charm of the Sonic IP sets it apart from any other and we’re eager to use it well. Action that fits our diverse cast of characters, a variety of stages with many themes and mechanics; all are things which utilize the world of Sonic to its fullest. We aimed to make our gameplay engaging and refreshing over other party games, while keeping the Sonic feel to it. I think we were able to accomplish and use this strength of ours. Our new update includes the chaotic yet easy-to-pick-up-and-play 'Party Rumble' mode. We've also added the 'Ring Survival' mode for those who enjoy competitive gameplay. And, players can engage in 'Co-op Battles' where they can join forces with their rivals. Our game offers a variety of ways to play, which is our strong suit.

The Sonic IP has traditionally emphasised speed, focus, and precision. Party games, by contrast, thrive on unpredictability. How did you reconcile these philosophies whilst retaining Sonic’s core identity? 

Keeping the Sonic signature alive within the chaotic nature of a party game definitely took effort during development. We carefully designed the gameplay to capture the essence of Sonic, while having a speed and action accessible to all players.

For designing stages, we included elements which you need to fight other players for, ways to sabotage other players, and choice in which paths to take. Things that players can use to influence their standing against their rivals, including Attacks and Skills to make the kind of experience where you are kept guessing what can happen next.

What principles guided your level design choices to ensure matches feel chaotic and entertaining, yet remain fair and skill-based?

Although we included action like Skills to get a leg up, we took care to NOT create a balance in which you cannot win unless you have something very specific. We paid close attention to balancing the game and creating levels so that we don’t have “somebody in the same situation always win” by meticulously testing during development, by having controlled sessions in which some were decked out with Skills while others weren’t, for example.

The Smurfs crossover is definitely an unexpected and exciting development. How did this collaboration first come about, and what made it the right partnership for Sonic Rumble?

The Smurfs is a long-standing and world-renowned IP, and we couldn’t be any happier about the crossover. We felt that the world and atmosphere of The Smurfs, with their tiny world with stuff like mushroom houses and “giant” snails was a perfect match for the kind of toy stages we were going for in Sonic Rumble. With The Smurfs also having seen movie releases in the recent past and overall excitement surrounding the IP, we wanted to surprise fans with this unexpected but exciting crossover. We’ve prepared a brand-new stage based on the crossover, and we even managed to have Azrael jump in, further pushing the wonderful world of The Smurfs in our game, so I hope everyone enjoys it.

In the major March update, I understand that the title will be changed to “Sonic Rumble Party” and that a new mode, “Party Rumble,” will be introduced as part of a significant overhaul. Could you share the intention behind these changes?

We shared earlier that the intention with our game was to allow anyone to enjoy Sonic more casually, and this major update is to drive that even further. With our Global Launch back in November 2025, we have received tons of feedback from our players and have also been able to gather trend data more directly as well.

During our analysis of when users tap out, we saw that many would leave before even playing the “Ring Survival” mode which we wanted people to enjoy. Seeing that there may be players who found the game too hard to keep going, our “Party Rumble” mode has simple and intuitive rules compared to Ring Survival and can be played in a burst of 1 to 2 minutes as every match is 1 round. Users can now enjoy the chaotic nature of a party game in a matter of minutes through that. 

There are tons of “Party Rumble” exclusive stages added, with lots of rulesets such as skateboard races, gathering up Chao, fighting for the dance floor, fighting rivals with Skills, and so on. A wide variety of experiences. Those who find action games hard can still enjoy these contents perfectly, so we would like to recommend even to those that have yet to give Sonic Rumble a try. Of course, “Ring Survival” is still here, so current players can choose to play modes depending on how they feel at the moment, or how much time they have on hand.

We have also seen comments on monetization as well, and we appreciate this feedback. We are aware of the disappointment our players have felt and how that has made them leave. We are making further changes in order for players to enjoy their experience with our game for even longer. Red Star Rings, and Skin Fragments, these kinds of rewards will be more and easier to obtain, so please look forward to it.

Lastly, can you give any hints about what players can look forward to in future - can we expect even more major crossovers?

First, let me say we are deeply grateful to our players for being part of our game. With the new “Party Rumble” mode added in this update, we now have more than a total of 100 stages. But our development team still has a lot in mind to bring new experiences to our players. Seeing the stages from games they’ve always known being arranged and used in ways with certain mechanics will definitely bring a smile to our Sonic fans.

We have also aimed to be the Sonic title with the most playable characters, so we have some interesting Skins coming up, including unexpected characters who have not been around too much in prior games, so please look forward to these additions. We also are preparing Crossovers so definitely expect those as well. We will continue to take into account the wide range of feedback we have received from our community, and continue to make improvements to each part of the game As was shared earlier, adjustments in amounts and ways to obtain Red Star Rings and Skin Fragments are being made, and we would like for our players to more easily enjoy their favorite characters and their Skins. Please enjoy the powered up “Sonic Rumble Part“.

If you'd like to give Sonic Rumble a spin for yourself, then you can find it available to download and play for free from the App Store, Google Play Store, and Steam.