SEGA shares more info on Sonic Boom Wii U and 3DS games; new screenshots

SEGA has shared all-new details about its upcoming games, Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric for Wii U, and Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal for Nintendo 3DS. Most notably, the games will introduce "the most vile and formidable villain in Sonic history" — Lyric.

"Lyric is a giant and monstrous snake-like creature from an ancient race. An extremely tech-savvy mastermind who uses a sophisticated robotic body of armor to carry out his own nefarious deeds, he is a formidable enemy and a force to be reckoned with," SEGA described. Sonic with the help of his friends — Tails, Knuckles, Amy, and the newest member, Sticks — will work together, capitalizing on each other's unique talents and abilities. The goal is simply to prevent Lyric from powering his army of robots and carrying out his plan to save the world.

Below are some more official details about each game:

Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric

Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric will deliver a different experience than past titles. The detailed levels and emphasis on each character’s unique abilities will showcase the distinctive feel of an action- adventure game, giving players more choice in exploration as they work as a team to stop the deadly snake-like ancient villain, Lyric, before he can power up his army. The gameplay will challenge players with over-the-top speed runs, but the heart of the game will focus on intense combat and brand-new abilities including the Enerbeam. This new feature in the game gives players an energy-charged cord that can be used by characters to navigate the world like never before. Players will be able to swing or zip-line across gaps, explore alternate paths, grab and throw enemies and take away their shields in combat.

Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal

Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal is a standalone adventure that shares key characters, events and lore of the Sonic Boom universe with exclusive environments and characters. For the first time ever, gamers will be able to take on the role of Sticks, the newest member of the team who will play an integral role in the story after her best friend Amy gets kidnapped by the ancient villain Lyric. While the Wii U version is focused on action-adventure and exploration, Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal will place a bigger emphasis on platforming and puzzles. Additionally, unique collectibles featured in the Nintendo 3DS version will unlock special content on Wii U via Wi-Fi connectivity.

“This is a new Sonic, with gameplay built on action-adventure and collaborative play. They are unlike any previous games featuring the iconic blue blur,” said SEGA of America's Hiroyuki Miyazaki, Chief Content Officer for the Sonic Brand. “We are looking forward to our first hands-on showcase at E3 for fans old and new alike to experience the exploration, combat and new moves for the entire team.”