The newly announced 2D platformer takes an “everything and the kitchen sink” approach.
Disclaimer: This preview of Sonic Superstars was run on the PlayStation 5 build.
Sonic Superstars offers four playable characters to choose from: Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Amy. Each character’s story begins with them falling apart, with Sonic and Tails humming in the air aboard the iconic plane, while Amy and Knuckles see them from the ground and follow them.
Each of the four main characters has different abilities. Sonic can move fast, Knuckles can glide and climb, Amy can double jump, and Tails can fly for a limited time with slight control over the air. In addition, the Chaos Emeralds you collect will give you new powers. On display were the Water His power, which allows the player to swim through waterfalls, and the Avatar Power, which allows the character’s clones to fill the screen and attack forward in unison. These allow alternate paths through the stage, giving you more options for how to approach different obstacles.
The two zones on display are littered with things to do, often to their own detriment. There is a section of half pipe on the way, and the character runs from the side. It’s a fun hook to look at, and a nice idea, but it slows you down quickly when you hit an obstacle. All the neat new touches and ways to traverse levels generally seemed made to kill your momentum. This is something that will hopefully be resolved before launch.
Several different side levels include playable ones like the Emerald level in Sonic the Hedgehog 1, with collectible medals at the final goal. The gameplay feels correct, but the music has been changed from a sort of dreamy soundscape to something akin to elevator music. Another special bonus level is to glide along vertical space and stay afloat to catch rings for just a few seconds. The Emerald Collection level found at checkpoints consists of propelling Sonic towards the slow-moving Emerald using the web swing motion system. Considering how vital the powers associated with them are, I don’t expect the quest for the Seven Chaos Emeralds to be daunting.
Sega did no favors for the launch of the announcement trailer. The split-screen view of Sonic flipping between classic era and superstar made this game slower than the original and looking like Sonic the Hedgehog 4 by comparison. It’s a shame because the action doesn’t feel so slow-moving, and Sonic and his friends are actually lovably transformed into this style. Everything is refined and smoothly sculpted, with fine details like the furry outline of the tail as it spins into a ball, or Amy swinging her hammer in her hand as she jumps. is reproduced. These details are different, but not necessarily bad.
That said, Sonic Superstars looks like a ton of ideas spit out all at once, as if the development team struggled to let go of all the concepts they had, but in reality they weren’t necessarily. It doesn’t always land. With a fall 2023 release date just around the corner, fans of the series will soon be able to decide if this new change is for the better.
