General Gaming Sonic Superstars - Classic Sonic Gameplay With a New 3D Look | October 16, 2023

[Keyser_Soze]

 

Quote

Adventure through the mystical Northstar Islands in this all-new take on classic 2D Sonic high-speed action platforming. Play as Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Amy Rose and harness all-new Emerald powers to move and attack in dynamic new ways. Navigate gorgeous, never-before-seen environments solo or with up to 3 other players and stop Dr. Eggman, Fang, and a mysterious new adversary from converting the islands' giant animals into Badniks before it's too late!

A new Spin on a Classic: The 2D Sonic high-speed sidescrolling action platforming you know and love, reimagined with fully 3D graphics, new powers and abilities, an all-new setting, and new ways to play! You've never played classic Sonic like this before!

Play as your Favorite Characters: Choose from Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Amy Rose and take advantage of their unique abilities to blaze a path across the Northstar Islands as they race to defeat Dr. Eggman, who has teamed up with an old nemesis, Fang.

 

 

[Xbob42]

Hm. Is it me or does it kinda look like ass?

[Remarkableriots]

7 minutes ago, Xbob42 said:

Hm. Is it me or does it kinda look like ass?

Just you.

[Xbob42]

2 minutes ago, Remarkableriots said:

Just you.

I can't tell if it's turbo zoomed in because they want to show off the models, because the levels are designed like that, or if the camera in the game just zooms in and out a lot, but super zoomed in speed-and-momentum-based platformers are always a bad sign to me. That said, it looks like you go kinda slow in this footage, which I guess, if it IS super zoomed in, solves the problem by making the gameplay less exciting.

[crispy4000]

It’s confirmed to be $59.99.

[stepee]

I actually like how it looks. I expected to hate it for not being pixel art 2D Sonic, I’m not usually a fan of side scrolling Sonic not being pixel art and I’ve been craving Mania 2, but the trailer won me over with some fun design and some Amy action. 

 

It’s 2D Sonic though so it’s going to come down to the physics if this is a good one or not. I hope it doesn’t play like 2D Sonic in Generations/Forces.

[Keyser_Soze]

4 minutes ago, stepee said:

 the trailer won me over with some fun design and some Amy action.

 

No Rouge though, what the heck?

[Paperclyp]

1 hour ago, crispy4000 said:

It’s confirmed to be $59.99.

That’ll be a hard sell haha

[Spawn_of_Apathy]

5 hours ago, stepee said:

I actually like how it looks. I expected to hate it for not being pixel art 2D Sonic, I’m not usually a fan of side scrolling Sonic not being pixel art and I’ve been craving Mania 2, but the trailer won me over with some fun design and some Amy action. 

 

It’s 2D Sonic though so it’s going to come down to the physics if this is a good one or not. I hope it doesn’t play like 2D Sonic in Generations/Forces.

yeah I can’t tell if Sonic seemed a little slow in getting up to speed or that the animation just seemed that way. I saw that and it gave me Sonic 4 vibes. 

[stepee]

6 minutes ago, Spawn_of_Apathy said:

yeah I can’t tell if Sonic seemed a little slow in getting up to speed or that the animation just seemed that way. I saw that and it gave me Sonic 4 vibes. 

 

Sonic 4 is what I’m afraid of but hopefully it’s just hard to gauge the physics in the video. The rest of it doesn’t give me those vibes and it looks far better than that waste of a numbered sequel that Im still upset about 

[Remarkableriots]

 

[Remarkableriots]

32nd Birthday! 

[stepee]

HAPPY BDAY BB

[Pikachu]

[stepee]

Man to have this and Super Mario Wonder and Spiderman 2 within 3 days makes me feel Christmas as fuck. Will definitely need to make sure I do my october vacation early in the month.

[Keyser_Soze]

 

[Keyser_Soze]

@stepee How many you getting?

 

Sonic the Hedgehog - Amy Definitive Edition

WWW.FIRST4FIGURES.COM

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First 4 Figures proudly presents the high-quality resin statue of Sonic the Hedgehog's Amy! Amy is described as a cheerful, yet formidable, part of Sonic

 

[Keyser_Soze]

Game Information

Game Title: Sonic Superstars

Platforms:

• Nintendo Switch (Oct 17, 2023)
• PlayStation 5 (Oct 17, 2023)
• PlayStation 4 (Oct 17, 2023)
• Xbox Series X/S (Oct 17, 2023)
• Xbox One (Oct 17, 2023)
• PC (Oct 17, 2023)
  

Trailer:

Publisher: SEGA

    Review Aggregator:

OpenCritic - 76 average - 67% recommended

Critic Reviews

 

Spoiler

CGMagazine - Zubi Khan - 8 / 10

Sonic Superstars successfully brings classic Sonic into the 3D era while stumbling slightly in its inclusion of a tacked-on multiplayer experience.

Cinelinx - Becky O'Brien - 5 / 5

Whether you’ve played Sonic the Hedgehog since the beginning or you’re new to the series, Sonic Superstars is a must-have this fall. It’s a breath of fresh air for the series and hopefully a sign of many good things to come.

Daily Mirror - Scott McCrae - 3 / 5

Sonic Superstars is a solid attempt at pushing 2D Sonic forward, but sadly its roster of new ideas has some issues. While the problems with the Emerald Powers can be avoided, it'll take major changes to make the multiplayer worth playing. It doesn't quite hit the highs of Sonic Mania, but it's way ahead of Sonic The Hedgehog 4.

Digital Chumps - Will Silberman - 8.8 / 10

Sonic Superstars has shaped up to be a Sonic game that is reminiscent of the Genesis days yet futureproofed for newer players to enjoy. It's in no way a perfect Sonic game, but it's a fantastic reinvigoration of some of the best facets of the Sonic series thus far.

Digital Trends - Giovanni Colantonio - 3 / 5

Sonic Superstars nails the fundamentals of 2D Sonic design, but its new features don't add much to the retro formula.

Everyeye.it - Francesco Mocerino - Italian - 8 / 10

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Gaming Age - Benny Rose - A-

There are many hours of play in Sonic Superstars and whether you play mostly single-player like me, or co-op, there is fun for every Sonic fan and I feel the fans will be happy with this one.  Even with Super Mario Bros. Wonder around the corner it’s going to be a great gaming holiday season for platformer fans.  Sonic Superstars comes highly recommended.

GamingBolt - Ravi Sinha - 5 / 10

Sonic Superstars started so well and with such potential but quickly fell off a cliff due to its irritating Zone design, forgettable soundtrack and odd aesthetic choices.

GamingTrend - David Flynn - 90 / 100

Sonic Superstars represents some of the best 2D platforming has to offer. It has constant surprises while still offering a ton of room for mastery. The game is a delight from start to finish and beyond.

God is a Geek - Lyle Carr - 6.5 / 10

Sonic Superstars has some of that high speed Sonic platforming magic, but the tedious boss fights make it hard to fully recommend.

Hobby Consolas - Daniel Quesada - Spanish - 89 / 100

Very good play of a Sonic Team that has managed to offer the sensations that veteran fans wanted, but with incentives and modern features. It shines almost as brightly as a Chaos Emerald.

IGN - Jada Griffin - 7 / 10

Sonic Superstars has a mix of both interesting and ill-advised new ideas, making it an enjoyable Sonic game but not exactly a Super one.

IGN Spain - Rafa Del Río - Spanish - 9 / 10

Sonic Superstars returns to 2D in a brand new adventure set in an all-new world with mind-blowing effects and 4-player local and online multiplayer.

LevelUp - Santiago Villicaña - Spanish - 8.5 / 10

Sonic Superstars is the perfect comeback to a formula that dominated the 90s but still has space for innovation and exciting things for the future

Metro GameCentral - Nick Gillett - 7 / 10

It's no Sonic Mania, but this is still one of the better attempts to create a modern day 2D Sonic The Hedgehog, with impressive visuals but boring boss battles.

PSX Brasil - Ivan Nikolai Barkow Castilho - Portuguese - 80 / 100

Sonic Superstars is a good hedgehog game that manages to capture the essence of the Mega Drive originals. Fun can be found in both single and multiplayer. However, the price of the package is slightly above the amount of content that is offered.

PlayStation Universe - Joe Richards - 7.5 / 10

Sonic Superstars is clearly a game made with a lot of love and passion for the Sonic community as a whole. New additions to the formula help to really set this entry apart from its predecessors and blaze new ground for a hopefully promising future. Co-op play is included in a way that's both intuitive and approachable for players who may have never encountered a Sonic game before, making Superstars a fantastic jumping on point. But in maintaining the core of classic Sonic gameplay, it also brings the common flaws of those very first games from years ago and stumbles in some key areas that will frustrate rather than engage with boss battles that slow the pace down to a crawl at times. While it may not reach the heights of previous Sonic games, this is a solid new entry for the series that fans will certainly enjoy, as well as their friends.

Press Start - Harry Kalogirou - 7.5 / 10

While its value proposition is questionable, and its slew of modes are of varying quality, Sonic Superstars delivers a true sequel to the original games where Sonic the Hedgehog 4 failed to. The all-important physics are spot on, each Zone is a thrill to blast through, and inventive new ideas iterate on a tried and true formula.

Push Square - Stephen Tailby - 6 / 10

We're a bit at odds with ourselves on Sonic Superstars. Fundamentally it's a really enjoyable side-scrolling Sonic title, but the two big ticket features - chaos emerald powers and co-op - are arguably the worst parts of it. While the emerald abilities have their uses, co-op just doesn't mesh with this gameplay at all. We can absolutely recommend this as a solo experience, as there's a lot to like about the fresh art style, largely great soundtrack, and multi-layered level design. Throw in a friend or two, though, and it quickly gets messy.

Shacknews - Ozzie Mejia - 8 / 10

If Sonic Superstars is the future of the franchise, then it's bright enough that the blue hedgehog will have to wear shades.

Spaziogames - Marcello Paolillo - Italian - 7.9 / 10

Sonic Superstars takes the blue hedgehog back to his retro 2D roots, once again: so, if you're a super nostalgic gamer, it's a good title, but don't let the classic appearance fool you, 'cause the game is also fresh and modern.

TechRaptor - Christian Buckley - 8 / 10

Sonic Superstars elevates 2D Sonic beyond nostalgia after a definitive greatest hits entry. With loads to unlock, satisfying levels of challenge, and a great selection of new Zones, Sonic Superstars has everything you could want from a new 2D Sonic.

The Games Machine - Emanuele Feronato - Italian - 9 / 10

Those who expected major innovations in Sonic Superstars should not have expected major innovations in Sonic Superstars. Sonic always remains Sonic, precisely because he is Sonic. New heights have been reached in this particular type of level design, which alternates sections in which the hedgehog splashes like a pinball ball, apparently without any possibility of control on our part, to almost pixel-perfect movements in which excellent timing is also required. Bosses, as always, require careful analysis of movement patterns. Everything else is a pleasant side dish, but at the base there is always the old but superlative gameplay of Sonic.

TheGamer - Rhiannon Bevan - 3.5 / 5

Sonic Superstars isn’t holding back the series after the positive reception to Frontiers. It’s more than enough to keep it trucking along. Sega is sensible to be cautious about shedding too much of Sonic’s retro identity, but it needs to realise that none of us have hung around this long for Knuckles’ terrible recovery speed, or the strange instances where a single hit reduces our ring count to zero. Sonic Superstars brings us so agonisingly close to the definitive 2D Sonic game, but for now, it’s a good foundation to build on.

VG247 - Alex Donaldson - 3 / 5

In its core mission, Sonic Superstars is successful. It recreates the foundation of 2D Sonic – some of the finest platformers ever made – well. Unfortunately, the new elements layered atop that are rather hit-or-miss. I personally don’t think this is anywhere near as good as Mania. But it’s good. In fact, it’s good enough that I expect fan debate about which game is superior to be fairly heated – which is a sure-fire sign that Sega is on the right track.

Video Chums - A.J. Maciejewski - 8.5 / 10

SONIC SUPERSTARS surpassed my expectations as I thought it would simply be a fun co-op iteration of the classics. However, its adorable game world, variety of gameplay, assortment of clever challenges, and hidden goodies to find really makes it go above and beyond.

Worth Playing - Chris "Atom" DeAngelus - 8 / 10

Sonic Superstars is a fun and thoroughly by-the-numbers Sonic title, which is all it is really trying to be. It is the definition of an average Sonic game, it's competent, and it's often enjoyable. I had a good amount of fun with it, and it's a perfectly solid platformer. It doesn't reach the highs of Sonic Mania, which was always going to be a tough act to follow. If you like the 2D Sonic offerings, you'll have a good time with Sonic Superstars, even if it isn't likely to become a new favorite.

 

[stepee]

I was waiting for more reviews so I didn’t post the scores but maybe this is all it gets :P

 

76 for a Sonic game might as well be a 90 though, so I’m pretty hyped. Sounds like the biggest issue is multiplayer isn’t well done which is completely fine by me. Hope this unlocks at nine tonight on Steam!

[stepee]

Yayy cdkeys has the digital deluxe for only $1.50 more than standard which is great because I wanted that Rabbit skin but didn’t want to pay $10 for it. Also signed up to the newsletter to get the exclusive Amy classic skin.

[stepee]

Steam page says unlocks in 7 hours :O

[stepee]

SONNNNNICCCCC

[Keyser_Soze]

@stepee gotta go fast right now!

[stepee]

ITS LIVE

[stepee]

Just now, Keyser_Soze said:

@stepee gotta go fast right now!

 

literally going fast rn

[Jason]

12 minutes ago, stepee said:

literally going fast rn

 

Then how are you typing?

[stepee]

27 minutes ago, Jason said:

 

Then how are you typing?

 

cmon i can go fast and type at the same time ok

 

Finally started after dealing with the required epic games login (I got it on Steam) - it didn’t give an option to log in with google which is how I always log in on their app. So I had to reset my actual password. Annoying when you don’t even buy from that store but I guess they host the multiplayer there or whatever.

 

Other than that the physics seem a little more ridgid or at least different, you can feel it if you turn around during a loop. It feels good though, not like Generations/Forces, it’s not quite Mania but it’s more Mania than it is that. Boy do I love how this looks though and I can tell already that I’m digging the new Sonic 1 style bonus stages as well as the new spiderman one. 
 

The quality of the opening animation was really good too. Nice to see the budget for Sonic continues to go up. That recent free Frontiers dlc was impressive they put all that together for free too. I wonder if this will get anything like that next year.

 

 

[stepee]

Should also note that it supports 120+fps! Plays great on highest settings at 1080p/120fps on the ROG Ally, Goof stuff!

[stepee]

Oh the scaled down Generations style map is pretty boring though. I wonder how long this is. Sonic Mania was budget priced so its length wasn’t an issue, but this is a full $60.

[Keyser_Soze]

49 minutes ago, stepee said:

Finally started after dealing with the required epic games login (I got it on Steam) - it didn’t give an option to log in with google which is how I always log in on their app. So I had to reset my actual password. Annoying when you don’t even buy from that store but I guess they host the multiplayer there or whatever.

 

The reviews on steam say you can X out without logging in.

But also says it has Denuvo.

 

Sounds like they ruined a good thing.

[stepee]

I wouldn’t say it’s ruined, once I got past that it’s been smooth sailing on the rog ally, seems like a solid port.

[chakoo]

So Stepee, worth a buy now, when on sale or never? Tempted to grab this for switch when sega does their eventual end of year sell.

[stepee]

6 hours ago, chakoo said:

So Stepee, worth a buy now, when on sale or never? Tempted to grab this for switch when sega does their eventual end of year sell.

 

I hear the Switch version is a little tough, 60fps, but toned down a bit too much. I’d check some impressions of that version first. Don’t you have a deck? Should be an easy 720p/max settings/60fps there. 
 

As far as if the game is worth $60, I need to see how long it is to answer that. I haven’t spoiled it for myself so I have no idea how long the game is. I’m on the fifth act now and if it’s just like 8 acts with two stages each, that’s going to be way too short. If there’s 12 acts even though, still a little pricey. If it’s like what they should do and 20 acts then probably worth it. 

 

The game itself is a ton of fun so far, I’m seeing some good verticality and lots of different paths for replays and it controls great. Maybe a little slower than Mania, but it still feels right, not like the 2D stages in the normal mainline games. The stages are fun so far and just look like I’d always would have dreamed a side scrolling sequel on a new console post Genesis would have looked in my little kid brain. 

 

I think it’s a huge step up for Arzest and the stages don’t feel so lifeless like the Dimps games did to me. This feels like a proper new Sonic game. I could see boss difficulty annoying me later as they are quite long, but so far I’ve been okay.

 

But it all comes down to the length, I’m guessing by how fun it seems and the review scores it got, even if multiplayer isn’t great, that it’s going to be too short for its price point. Nintendo found out how to expand their side scrollers so they feel worth $60 to me.

 

A NSMB game for example can take quite a bit to beat and it has a reasonable challenge with its coin collection whereas the collection in Sonic is always too vague to feel part of the core experience and more of a extra challenge bonus.

 

Hopefully it’s longer than I suspect, but I think it’s definitely worth $30, which is the price I think is fair for a high quality standard sized side scroller.

[chakoo]

Thanks for the impressions. I wasn’t a fan of the Dimp years for sonic so this being better and knowing some of the team from mania helped out has me interested.

 

Also I don’t own a steam deck or any handheld windows system.

[stepee]

1 minute ago, chakoo said:

Thanks for the impressions. I wasn’t a fan of the Dimp years for sonic so this being better and knowing some of the team from mania helped out has me interested.

 

Also I don’t own a steam deck or any handheld windows system.

 

I guess it just seems like something I thought you’d own :P

 

Yeah it’s definitely better than the Dimps games which never felt like proper Sonic (though I do like Advance 3) this definitely could have had a 4 slapped on it from what I’ve played so far, if they didn’t fuck that up with that travesty they released.