Sonic Superstars hits stores next week, and while I’ve wrapped up the main adventure and taken part in other activities, such as Battle Mode, one major feature eludes my evaluation: co-op.
One of the biggest selling points of Superstars is taking down Eggman with three other players. Unfortunately, support is limited to local play only. Being alone and working remotely makes SophieCoo a difficult proposition, and the only way for me to test it is to use the PS5’s Share Play feature with another editor, but the feature has worked so far. Won’t until the game launches next Tuesday. While I can’t imagine what it’s like to abuse another person, my general thoughts on Sonic Superstars are that if you’re looking for a throwback to the Genesis era, Sonic Team And Arzest has fixed that – for better and for worse.
Controlling Sonic and his friends perfectly captures its classic adventure feel. Once obsessed with Sonic as a kid on the Genesis, the platforming physics feel on point, allowing childhood muscle memory to take hold. Every character is fun to use, with Amy being the standout due to her ability to double jump and her hammer that destroys enemies. If you were worried about Sonic 4 Superstars returning, you can rest easy. However, this also means that old problems are preserved, such as the pain of slowly regaining running speed and the inability to stop on a dime. Like it or not, superstars are back in full force.
The presentation of Superstars looks great, and the new zones show it off with vibrant colors and layers of detail. While the level design has some interesting new platforming twists, it also throws in a ton of well-placed, almost meaningful hazards that, due to the fast-paced nature of 2D Sonic, you often don’t anticipate until then. May – or may not. it’s too late. Expect to enjoy flying through a rollercoaster-like setting as it ends abruptly due to a spike pit or an enemy that you expected to appear in some way. I probably uttered the phrase, “How should I have known…?” more than anyone else, even after relying on traditional precautions, such as the ubiquitous spin bowling, to deal with possible impending threats. This trial-and-error design has always been present in the series (and thankfully now your lives are unlimited), but the modern sensibility makes it stand out even more in Superstars.
Emerald’s new powers, the abilities gained from finding Chaos Emeralds, can be helpful, but I haven’t found myself using them as often as I’d hoped. These include bullets, which rocket characters in a chosen direction, and avatars, which fill the screen with multiple copies of the player. Outside of the game nagging players to use the Emerald Power in a certain zone (such as getting notifications of hidden hidden circles or platforms that the Vision Power can expose), I often forgot that I had them. They were neither demanding nor challenging because of the level. enough to refer to. I was content to overcome obstacles the old fashioned way: with some time jumps and spin dashes. Also, some powers don’t only apply to certain levels, such as the one that only lets you climb waterfalls. Emerald’s powers aren’t bad and don’t hurt the experience, but I wish they felt more integral and less of an afterthought.
The soundtrack is probably my biggest gripe. Outside of a couple of tracks, the music is serviceable but surprisingly unremarkable. From Sonic 2 to Sonic Mania, 2D entries have a legacy of delivering toe-tapping earworms, but Superstars doesn’t approach the best the series has offered in the past.
Outside of the main adventure, Battle Mode, in which multiple players compete in rounds of various minigames, is sparse and not much fun at all. After completing a handful of matches with a teammate, I have no desire to touch it again. Unfortunately, most customization is associated with this. Since you control a customizable robot in this mode, you spend special coins collected in Campaign and Battle Mode to buy new parts for this metallic avatar. It includes new limbs, heads, color schemes and artifacts. This saps some of the thrill of completing the otherwise fun Sonic 1-style special stages in which you get them.
Sonic Superstars offers a fun time overall, and manages to deliver a nostalgic experience with a contemporary flare. I had a fun time going through it, despite the old-school frustrations, and I’m curious to see how the process holds up with other people I ride with. I’ll be playing with it some more until release, so keep an eye on the site for my full review once Sonic Superstars comes out on October 17th.