In an effort to cash in on the popularity of racing games featuring mascots, Sega released Sonic Riders for multiple platforms two years ago. Unfortunately, the game failed to capitalize in the right areas. It has sloppy gameplay, ridiculously bad artificial intelligence and the lack of that "certain something" that makes a racing game click. Sonic Team tries again with its sequel, Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity. It does show some signs of improvement, but not in the areas where it needed it most.

Like the first game, Zero Gravity relies on breakneck hoverboard racing. However, a few additional power-ups are available this time around to liven up the action. You're able to utilize gravitational forces and turn them into helpful tools throughout each race. The Gravity Dive, for instance, creates a temporary black hole that provides a spectacular-looking acceleration boost. Another power-up, Gravity Control, provides a speeding-up, but in a pre-loaded fashion. You hold down the square button to stall your rider, point them in the right direction and shoot them like an uncontrollable bullet down the track.

Controlling Sonic or any of the other characters throughout each race is a frustrating challenge. Acceleration and control are both on one analog stick. You have to keep pushing forward to keep your character at high speed while inputting left and right movements for steering. There's simply no excuse for this, especially when you consider the numerous functions on a standard PlayStation 2 controller. Furthermore, this clunky control set-up, combined with the zippy new power-ups, will often leave you flying down the track uncontrollably.

What's even worse is the unbalanced AI. Take on opposing racers in any of the race modes and you'll find yourself coasting to first place. Take them on in Story Mode, the one mode that really matters in the game, and they'll fight to keep the lead. Apparently, these guys never heard of consistency.

The power-up system, on the other hand, is innovative, allowing you to upgrade your rider through ring purchases. You also have the ability to switch between various vehicle types. If you're sick of the same old hoverboard, you can try your luck with a motorcycle or a hovercraft. Don't expect any improvements when it comes to racing, however. These two have the same control flaws as the original vehicle.

With presentation, Zero Gravity bests its predecessor. The track design is a little more imaginative, with hidden shortcuts, clever track designs and a constant frame rate. Unfortunately, sometimes it all goes a little too fast. You'll need to readjust the camera angle and, on occasion, pause the game to regain your composure. You'll also like the availability of several characters, including Sonic Team favorite Billy Hatcher. It's good to see him do something besides push eggs around. Sound-wise, the game isn't that much different from the original. Annoying character voices and an average futuristic soundtrack are still around.

Finally, there's multiplayer, which is more of a negative than a positive. Up to four players can take part in a race at once, which divides the screen into four sections. However, keep in mind that the game's hard enough to keep track of with just one player. With four, it's a mess. It's like trying to watch an enormous space battle on a portable five-inch TV. The game also lacks online functionality, unlike the Wii version.

The sad truth is that Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity could've been that necessary step in justifying Sega's racing series. However, its slipshod AI, over-excessive need for speed and awful controls leave it with zero improvement. Someone needs to overhaul this series.