It’s no secret that I’m a massive Sonic fan so having the opportunity to try Sonic Superstars a few days early at London’s EGX 23 this week has got me in a Spinball. Sonic Superstars is due out 17th October and is going toe to toe with Super Mario Wonder in a classic 90s platformer-off. Both games are released next week and you can check out my preview of Wonder in my other preview blog.
To get straight into the meat of Superstars, it plays exactly like all of us Sonic fans had hoped by having the feel of a classic Sonic platformer but with new fancy graphics to make it feel fresh and new. The worry was it would feel clunky or slow to play but all those fears were thrown out when I glided around as Knuckles on the opening level.
The preview was only one level long and I completed two acts and beat a boss as well as found a Chaos Emerald and beat a bonus round. The way Knuckles controlled felt very similar to Sonic & Knuckles or Sonic Mania where he effortlessly leaps and glides and climbs walls. Collision detection on bashing badniks (enemies) is fun and you feel a real ‘punch’ and that classic Sonic popping sound.
The little ring collection jingle is present as well as all the fun loop de loops, springs and winding platforms to rush through. The overall level design felt a little safe but still had all the twists and turns expected to encounter on an opening Sonic level. So with the general gameplay being good, and feeling like a classic Sonic title, how do all the extras stack up?
The first aspect that felt a little different was the special stages. You access a special stage by finding giant gold rings hidden within the main levels and by jumping through Sonic, or one of the other three characters, are warped to a secret zone. Inside you must chase a Chaos Emerald by swinging from ropes and trying not to fall off the screen.
The mechanic worked fairly well but felt a little uninspired. It was the first special stage though, so they may become more elaborate and interesting as you progress. In Superstars, Chaos Emeralds grant new powers. In the preview, the water ability was accessed and this allows you to travel up waterfalls to find secret areas. The new abilities feel like extras instead of gimmicks and don’t appear to be fundamental to finishing any levels.
The graphics and music are spot on for what I expect from a modern Sonic game. Bright, bold colours with plenty of sparkles and moving scenery. Some of the details on the badniks are sublime and I had positive mixed feelings about how nostalgic and fresh Sonic Superstars feels overall. Sega has certainly hit a great balance in pleasing oldies like me as well as appealing to younger gamers.
Overall, I can’t wait to get my hands on the full game and blast through it with all the characters. There is still the multiplayer aspect to explore as well but Sonic Superstars feels like a perfect one-player experience that will see Sonic continue to rise back up the gaming ranks. The price is set at £55 which might hold it back from being a huge seller for Sega. I was expecting about £40-45, so we shall see. For Sonic fans though, this is a no-brainer day-one purchase.
