The game was the series' first racing game since Travellers' Tales developed "Sonic R" in 1997. According to Yuda, in the years after "Sonic R"s release, Sonic Team received many requests from fans for another "Sonic" racer. Though he played and enjoyed "Sonic R", Yuda believed Sonic Team, "who knows Sonic best", should make another game that was superior to any previous "Sonic" racing game. Yuda also did not want to make a conventional racing game, instead desiring a dynamic, unique style of gameplay that would allow the player to perform tricks. Being able to do this in a car was illogical; Sonic Team noted that surfing and snowboarding were more flexible. As the concept had a heavy emphasis on air, hoverboards were chosen since they could work in any environment and still be fun to use.