Going fast, chili dogs, ya know, the usual

If there was ever a gaming icon that has a more troubled history, I couldn’t think of one. Sonic the Hedgehog has been around for over 30 years and with each game I never know what to expect. Will it be a classic? Will it be a dud? Every option is always on the table. Sonic Superstars is the latest in the mainline games and much like every other entry, things are a little different this time around. Instead of focusing on speed this time around the game features more methodical levels, lots of collectibles, and challenging boss fights. It takes a bit to adjust to, but once it clicks, I really enjoyed this unfamiliar take on a familiar gaming star.

The core mode of Superstars is the campaign mode. There are three stories here and they each unlock as I finished the previous one. The entire thing can be completed in 15 or so hours, but going back to collect all the items and see all the paths available will add plenty of replayability. This game is designed to be explored instead of blasted through. This took me a while to adjust to. Sonic has always been about speed to me, even though I know some games are more about exploration. I have not been the biggest fan of these entries, but this one had something about it that didn’t bother me as much.

MSRP: $59.99
Platforms: Xbox (reviewed), PlayStation, Switch, PC
Price I’d Pay: $49.99

There are 11 zones total with a lot of unique levels with some nostalgia thrown in. Some levels pull heavy inspiration from previous games without just ripping them off entirely. This creates a nice balance of familiarity with feeling new. There are jungle levels, casino levels, and so much more and each stage feels like it has a specific gimmick that makes it feel unique. I loved this as it brought each stage to life, such as the massive snake burrowing through one of them. I was constantly working forward just to see what was next, not unlike the Wonder effects in the latest Mario game.

The Chaos Emeralds are also a bit different this time out. They are tucked away within each level and finding them takes players to a separate area for a mini-game where Sonic will chase the emerald by swinging between points until he catches up with them. Once grabbed these unlocked these will grant Sonic new powers that can be used in the game. This makes tracking them down so much more rewarding. These new powers are really interesting and make moving around the world so much more dynamic and fun. There is a clone ability that sends other versions of yourself that can break walls and collect coins. All the powers were fun and a lot more unique than just allowing Sonic to go super once collecting them all.

The campaign mode is the meat of the title, but there is also a multiplayer mode as well as a time attack mode to check out. Multiplayer is…interesting. This can be played with up to four players and again works with the camera focusing on one player which can cause chaos often. Sadly, the camera feels like it never wants to know who to follow. This mode is interesting, and I had fun, but I always preferred playing alone. For a game about exploration, I wanted things to move at my pace, so I suggest revisiting these after you have cleaned up all the solo parts. The time attack is just that, more for the speedrunners, but a nice diversion, nonetheless.

There is also a battle mode where up to eight players build a robot and compete in a series of mini-games. Much like the time attack mode, this will be a novelty for maybe one or two matches. I tried it out for the review, but never found myself coming back for more. This feels more like something that was added as a bullet point and it doesn’t feel fleshed out enough to keep players coming back.

Visuals and sound are high points here. Starting with the visuals, this game is sharp and fast. The stages are well designed, and the excessive use of color and design are appreciated. This game makes everything pop on screen and looks amazingly sharp in 4K. The frame rate has no issues keeping up and the character designs are decent to good. The music is where it excels though. Every single track for each zone is memorable and makes me even more upset that there is not a place to be able to listen to these outside the game. These are the kind of tracks I would revisit just to listen to the music. It is THAT good.

There is a lot to love about Sonic Superstars, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have some downfalls. The boss battles are really hard to adjust to. These work in phases and are much more challenging than in previous games. I got stuck on several of them and with the whole ring mechanic they can be much more frustrating than they need to be. I appreciate the design, but in practice I could see this turning off some players quickly, and that is a bad design choice.

Sonic Superstars is a great Sonic game that steps outside its comfort zone for the series. When they have done that in the past, it hasn’t always panned out for them. Superstars manages to make it work though even with the seemingly pointless time attack and battle modes. The campaign is enjoyable, the new character is interesting, and everything just looks and sounds delightful. There is little to complain about and once you get used to the new style, it really works on all levels.

Review copy of game provided by publisher.