SEGA has announced Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed , a new kart racer featuring Sonic the Hedgehog and a familiar cast of SEGA All-Stars.

Other playable characters include Dr. Eggman (Robotnik) and AiAi from the Super Monkey Ball games, Gilius Thunderhead from Golden Axe and Vyse from Skies of Arcadia. Environments will similarly draw on SEGA's rich heritage.That takes care of the 'All-Stars'. The 'Transformed', meanwhile, refers to the adaptive vehicles featured in the game, which change into cars, planes and boats depending on the racing surface. So you might start one track, say, in a car speeding down a Super Monkey Ball-inspired track, when the ground suddenly gives way, forcing you to navigate a course of hazardous rapids.The game features a new weapon system that will enable you to block and evade incoming attacks, as well as an "enhanced online multiplayer mode", Grand Prix modes and competitive Battle Arenas.If you want to know more about the game, Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed is coming to Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation VIta, Nintendo 3DS and PC Digital Download sometime late in 2012.

Daniel Krupa is IGN's UK games writer. You canor