Sonic heading to first RPG adventure on Nintendo DS

Tokyo (Japan) - The world famous blue hedgehog will kick up his gaming chops in a new role-playing game, thanks to a new partnership between Sega and Bioware.

The two companies form an interesting pair. Bioware is the name behind some of the most epic games in recent years, like Neverwinter Nights, Jade Empire, and Star Wars : Knights of the Old Republic.

On the other hand, the Sonic series, which celebrated its 15th anniversary last year, is targeted at the casual gaming crowd. The RPG is generally considered the most immersive genre, as the point of the game is to tell a story in the middle of puzzles, battles, and other strategic elements.

CVG Online reports that Bioware is calling the new Sonic game "a truly amazing story-driven experience within the Sonic universe, focusing on capturing the character’s broad appeal and placing him in a completely original adventure."

Sonic’s fellow video game icon, Mario, was given his own RPG on the Super Nintendo and many fans still refer to it as the greatest Mario title. The Sonic RPG has not yet been named, and is scheduled for a release next year.