SEGA has announced its bringing Sonic Rush Adventure - a follow-up to 2005's Sonic Rush - to DS later this year, including new elements such as 3D vehicle sections and boss battles that span both screens.

This latest Sonic game sees the blue hedgehog taking to the high-seas and fending off a ruthless bands of pirates, led by the not particularly evil-sounding Captain Whiskers, in a search for valuable treasure.

Alongside the standard run-very-fast platforming action we've come to expect from Sonic titles, Rush Adventure also sees Sonic hopping into the driver's seat of several different water-based vehicles, including a submarine, hovercraft and water bike. What's more, as well as gathering rings while sailing along, Sonic must perform tricks, torch pirate boats and engage in fierce ship-to-ship battles.

Levels continue the pirate theme, so Sonic must run through an ominous ghost ship, pirate villages and a vast underwater cave while bouncing on the heads of robots, skeleton warriors, pterodactyls and a robotic triceratops.

Alongside the game's single-player mode, SEGA is also promising multiplayer action via DS Download Play and Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, enabling players to compete in races and mission-based battles.

Sonic Rush Adventure is being developed by SEGA Studios and is scheduled for release this Autumn.