On the new and exciting side of things, Sonic has experience points this time around. You get a certain number of points at the end of each level depending on many factors and when you level up you can then learn new fun abilities. Equipping different abilities for different levels makes things really interesting and adds a whole other level to the on-rails gameplay. There are also a ton of items to find in all the amazing Arabian Night levels that both help you during the game and unlock things like movies available at the main menu.
Go Sonic, Go!
Sonic Team has taken Sonic, put him on rails, added a ton of variety, and made something that is definitely worth a rental. Some might find it too short to be a purchase, while others may just enjoy playing the levels over and over again with different setups in order to unlock the many goals available.