Sonic Superstars stumbles a fair bit--but when it gets up to speed, it really shines.
23.10.2023 - 17:59 / radiotimes.com / Sonic
Newly launched game Sonic Superstars, Sega's latest platformer in the retro 2D side-scrolling mould, hits all the nostalgia points that you may associate with the blue blur, from ingenious ideas to absolute controller-throwing rage.
Indeed, the old ways of doing things aren't always the best. Every fond memory of Sonic that you may have from the 1990s is probably matched by an equal number of frustrating experiences: those moments where you just couldn't beat the boss, or those accidental slip-ups when you ran headfirst into an unseen pit of spikes, bringing an exciting run to an upsetting end.
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To start with the positives, you can tell that Arzest and Sonic Team have worked hard to bring back a sense of speed and momentum to the world of Sonic. Compared to the blandly barren wide open world of last year's Sonic Frontiers, Superstars feels like a blast from the past in the best way. If you used to love zipping across the screen in a frantic blur, you'll definitely get that itch scratched here.
There are also some really fun twists on the established 'rules' of a 2D Sonic game, with a few genuinely surprising moments where Superstars breaks from the norm and lets you do something a bit different. Some of the worlds are really fun in terms of their design, as well, with beautiful bright colours to feast your eyeballs on.
The music, at points, is pretty good as well, although you'd be hard-pressed to say it's the best score a Sonic game has ever had. The boss battle music, in particular, feels a bit underwhelming. But some of the ditties you'll hear during normal play are really nice.
Speaking of the boss battles, these are probably the biggest let-down of the game, and there are absolutely loads of them. Almost every level will end with a boss encounter, and they are more frustrating than anything, and not in an 'oh this is a fun challenge' kind of way.
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The checkpointing is particularly stingy in boss battles, with no save states existing between the different phases of a boss encounter. So if you get to the third stage of a boss and then die, you'll be spat out before you'd even started the first phase.
This is a better deal than we used to get back in the 1990s, of course, when losing all your lives in Sonic would have you sent back all the way to the start of the game. There's unlimited lives as standard here, which in theory should make your experience anger-free, but you'll still end up
Sonic Superstars stumbles a fair bit--but when it gets up to speed, it really shines.
Sonic Superstars is the latest mainline addition to the Sonic franchise, and it could not have come at a better time. Sonic fans have been waiting for a new game that preserves the spirit of the platformer but also offers something new. With other iconic franchises like Super Mario successfully moving away from their roots, Sonic Superstars provides an opportunity for SEGA’s poster boy to make his mark in this decade. Is Sonic Superstars the game you’ve been waiting for?
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By Ash Parrish, a reporter who has covered the business, culture, and communities of video games for seven years. Previously, she worked at Kotaku.
I can’t remember the last time I was as upset with a game as I am with Sonic Superstars.
is the latest release from developers Arzest & Sonic Team, and publisher SEGA. Taking a step back from the open world of, aims to bring players back to traditional 2D side-scrollers with a few new features and enhancements along the way.
Sonic is a franchise that holds a special place in my personal gaming history. The original Sonic The Hedgehog was the very first video game I played when I got a Mega Drive as a kid, swiftly followed by the rest of the Sonic games including Sonic & Knuckles. Sonic Superstars is a return to that classic 2D Sonic style, with a sprinkling of modern ideas. Sonic Superstars has the potential to be a great trip down memory lane, but it doesn’t recapture the rush of the original games like it should.
While playing through , players will notice that they accrue coins to be used in the shop, allowing them to unlock different items and character designs. These are specifically for use in the new Battle Mode in which players can customize their character with items purchased from the shop.
The Sonic timeline just got a little messier, with Sonic Team head Takashi Iizuka explaining when the latest game takes place. According to Iizuka, Sonic Superstars fits in the timeline just before Sonic Adventure, after the original platformers on Mega Drive.
Sonic Superstars has brought back the infamously creepy Tails Doll for the first time in a mainline Sonic game for 25 years, after having originally debuted in 1997's Sonic R.
There's nothing like becoming Super Sonic. From the first time the blue hedgehog transformed into a glowing invincible powerhouse back in 1992, the ability has become a main staple of the Sonic series since – and for good reason.