Rumours of a new Sonic game don't usually get fans excited. After all, the franchise is perhaps one of the most on-off in the industry, and for a game to debut solely on mobile usually indicates that the project is low-powered or not expected to engage players for long.

But the rumour mill has been a-churning, and it's made this Sonic Party game sound pretty exciting. Reports claimed that Sonic was getting his own Fall Guys rip, much akin to Kirby’s Dream Buffet, albeit on mobile and, presumably, free-to-play.

Interest was piqued, and while some tried to say the game they hadn't seen yet couldn't be that similar to Mediatonic's party title, a gameplay trailer leak hasn't done those accusations any good. 

Sonic Toys Party is a blatant Fall Guys rip

Hey, we're not complaining. A new video has leaked onto YouTube, seemingly revealing a Japanese gameplay trailer for the upcoming mobile game, which is called Sonic Toys Party.

Even though some have asserted that SEGA wouldn't aim for the low-hanging fruit that is a Fall Guys rip-off, the trailer spells out an experience that would be all but indistinguishable from the original game if it wasn't for all the Sonic Models.

The trailer reveals the bright art style of Sonic Toys Party and shows off some of the stages, with players dressed as a litany of Sonic characters. They race to the finish line while performing loop-de-loops and taking out enemies. It replicates the high-octane fun of Sonic Generations but incorporates party games that don't rely so much on speed. 

It looks like great fun, but that's mostly because we know that Fall Guys is great fun. It's not going to avoid those comparisons just yet. One unconvinced critic says, "Fall Guys died off so fast with the masses...so I don't really get this if it's going for a long-term approach."

Why is Sonic Team shooting for a Fall Guys rip?

Players have wondered just what's in it for Sonic Team to dedicate its time to a reskin of a game that, ultimately, saw its peak years ago. Frankly, we all know the answer to that question...it's money.

Look at Stumble Guys, as perhaps the most egregious copycat of the Mediatonic game. Stumble Guys carved a name for itself, graduating from a minor App Store replica to a full-blown competitor to Fall Guys, stepping up onto consoles and featuring crossovers with MrBeast and Rabbids.

It's not exactly shocking that more companies want in on the fun, but it's incredibly compelling that SEGA was the first to capitalise on the success of Stumble Guys in a truly dedicated way. Mock all you like, but we'll be there on day one to dash around as Knuckles.