2023 has been one of the greatest years for gaming. This year, we saw the release of major titles such as Mario, Zelda, Starfield, and Baldur’s Gate. As the year comes to a close, Sega’s iconic blue blur enters the fray. Sonic Superstars, a 2D platformer that rivals Super Mario Wonder, was released by Sega this October. Although they are both modern interpretations of classic platformers, Sonic’s latest 2D game differs from Mario’s. How does Sonic’s latest entry in 2D compare?
A Colorful Beginning
The opening sequence of Sonic Superstars introduces the plot. Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Amy embark on a journey to the Northstar Islands to find Eggman. Eggman has teamed up with Fang the Hunter, a returning antagonist, and his mysterious sidekick Trip the Sungazer. Together, they plan to collect all of the Chaos Emeralds on Northstar Islands. In the process, Eggman transforms the locals into robotic Badniks. Sonic and his team must restore Northstar Islands and collect the Chaos Emeralds to stop Eggman’s evil plan.
Multiple Playable Characters
Each of the playable characters has their own unique abilities. Sonic gives players a more traditional experience, while also being the fastest character. Tails, Miles Prower keeps his ability to use his double tail to fly around temporarily. Knuckles the Echidna’s ability to glide long distances and cling on walls, as popularized in Sonic & Knuckles, also returns. Amy Rose can wield her hammer as an attack, as well as utilize a double jump. Each character’s different ability allows players to adapt their style of gameplay. All 4 are playable from the start and can be swapped in-out via the world map.
Exploration is Key
That fast 2D platforming of the Sonic franchise is known for returns in Sonic Superstars. Fans of the series will feel right at home, as gameplay is buttery smooth. Movement speed feels a little slower-paced compared to earlier entries. This is likely due to Sonic Superstars’ emphasis on exploration. Each level contains multiple tiers of elevation, giving players a means to explore and obtain the hidden collectibles. These range from gold coins to Chaos Emeralds, to secret transporters. The varying tiers incentivize replaying levels not only to find collectibles but also allow less experienced players to choose optional routes to complete levels.</span
Don’t Be Too Bossy
In Sonic Superstars, players will face a boss at the end of each act. These bosses are unique and can range from robotic animals to Eggman’s mechanical contraptions. However, the bosses can feel prolonged, especially in the later stages of the game. They can take multiple hits and have multiple phases, making it frustrating to die and start over from the beginning of the encounter. Although the bosses are creatively designed, they tend to overstay their welcome.
What a Twist
As with previous games in the franchise, Sonic Superstars divides its worlds into Zones, each containing one or two levels, known as Acts. Some of the zones in the game have additional levels that can be unlocked in a couple of ways. You can unlock them by collecting hidden fruit in a level or by landing on the fruit icon at the end of a level. These levels can be either “Act Fruit” or character-specific Acts. The Fruit Acts offer an additional level that focuses on collecting rings and gold coins. The character-specific Acts require players to use the abilities of a specific character to complete the level. These levels are optional, but they are some of the game’s most creative.
Bonus Stages Galore
Similar to previous Sonic titles, levels in this game have secret gates that transport characters to bonus sections. To unlock the Bonus Stages, players need to carry a set number of rings while running through a star post. This will unlock a star circle, which will transport them to the Bonus Stage. In these stages, characters are balled up, rotating around a maze, and navigating through blocks and bumpers. Unlike the original Sonic the Hedgehog game, these Bonus Stages have multiple layers, each containing a gold coin. These gold coins can be used to buy customization options for the metal characters that are playable in Battle Mode.
Chase The Chaos
Sonic Superstars also has large gold rings, hidden within specific levels. These gold rings will transport players into an additional “Chase the Chaos Emerald” special stage. This mini-game will have players using grappling points to launch themselves into a 3D space. The goal is to collect the Chaos Emerald before the timer runs out. These special mini-games become increasingly more challenging. Collecting all seven Chaos Emeralds is challenging, but also completely optional. All seven do not need to be obtained in order to beat the main story mode. That said, players would be missing one of Sonic Superstars’ newest gameplay mechanics, Special Abilities.
Special Abilities
The seven special abilities obtained by collecting the Chaos Emeralds, vary in practicality and usefulness. For example, the Avatar ability allows players to summon various clones of themselves, attacking anything on the screen. This ability is particularly useful when pitted against a difficult boss. The Bullet ability allows players to dash through the air, in any direction, allowing for access to previously unreachable platforms. With Vision, hidden paths and collectibles will be revealed to players. Selecting an ability is as simple as selecting it with the right analog stick. These abilities are optional to completing the main story, however, will be a requirement for completionists. Knowing when to use the abilities can be difficult to gauge. Thankfully, the game will often flash the ability icon on the bottom right of the screen, hinting players at what to do.
Battle Your Friends
The game offers a cooperative mode, where players can work together to complete the game. However, there is also an additional multiplayer gameplay option called Battle Mode, which adds an extra layer to the game. In Battle Mode, players take control of a metal character and compete in randomly selected stages. These stages are diverse and range from racing to the finish, collecting the most stars, to surviving the longest. Battle Mode can be played online and offline with bots, allowing players to choose their preferred mode of play. To make the gameplay interesting, metal characters can be customized by purchasing parts using coins obtained in the main game. Players can customize their character into the form of Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, or their mechanical animal creation. This customization feature allows players to personalize their gaming experience and make their character unique. While Battle Mode is a welcome addition to the game, it is nothing more than a fun little timewaster. However, it provides players with an opportunity to compete against each other and test their skills in a variety of challenges.
Sonic’s Visual Flair on Point
From a visual standpoint, Sonic Superstars is quite compelling. Acts vary from bright and vibrant to very stylized and unique. Level backgrounds are very dynamic, full of movement and life. Oftentimes, other characters will make small cameos running in the background. The art style chosen for this game is reminiscent of Sonic’s old design, modernized in full 3D. While quite the departure from Sonic Mania, it is a welcome change. Menu backgrounds are a bit sterile in appearance. They do allow customization with other static Sonic-themed images; however, it still feels a bit generic.
Don’t Skip a Beat!
The Sonic franchise is known for its eccentric music. Many of the tracks are a nice breath of fresh air. Styles vary from classic-sounding Sonic tunes to new electronic compositions. While most of the music is worthy of praise, some of the tracks are a tad generic and easily forgettable. This is all personal conjecture; however, the Sonic Superstars soundtrack is a bit of a mixed bag. That said, there are still quite a few bangers. This includes the Cyber Station boss stage and Pinball Carnival Act 2.
A Worthy Entry
Sonic’s latest adventure brings him back to his roots while modernizing that classic 2D formula. Sonic Superstars offers a lot of content, including a New Game Plus mode of sorts for completing the main story. While the gameplay doesn’t reach the highs of Sonic Mania, it doesn’t hit rock bottom in the way of Sonic the Hedgehog 4. Sonic Superstars is a fun adventure, full of many surprises, which will delight fans of the blue hedgehog, and 2D platforming as a whole.
A review code for the game was provided by SEGA for Review.
