Time to look into our first game review of 2024.

Sonic Superstars, having played it, has a bunch of ups and downs. I will have to go into that later but first I’ll be talking about what happens in the game.

Sonic Superstars is a 2d platformer that uses 3d models. You get your standard Sonic structure of multiple acts in each zone, special stages with Chaos Emeralds as a reward, and other kinds of special stages which rewards something else.

The game is set before Sonic Adventures so uses the “Classic” design. But this time rather than just have Sonic, Tails and Knuckles – Amy Rose is also playable, something that’s good to see and who I played as in my first playthrough. They all play slightly differently but those who have played Classic Sonic will know how each of their abilities works, except Amy who receives a double jump as well as her hammer swinging which you will get a bit less out of in comparison to the very useful double jump.

There are two kinds of special stages. The one with Chaos Emeralds as a reward involve using tethers and momentum to swing yourself forward to grab the emerald, with number 5 being radically different and frustrates you because you will have to work it differently than all the others with the next 2 being very easy. The other Special stages are very similar to the Special stages from the first Sonic game as you go through a rotating maze. The reward for these are medals you can use in one of the sub modes that has you build a robot, which look like robotic versions of the player characters like Metal Sonic.

Each Chaos Emerald gives you a new special power such as: flooding the screen with clones; turning you into a rocket for more aerial movement; or making invisible blocks visible. Of course get all 7 and you unlock the characters super form if you have 50 rings though you now have the ability to turn it off.

As you play through you eventually find levels that require you to specifically play as one of the characters. These are some great levels as they are designed for that character’s abilities being used and many give little tidbits to whatever plot there is (apparently it was in an animation that wasn’t in the game)

After Defeating Fang the Hunter in what is probably the worst boss fight in the game as it goes on too long, Trip, a character introduced in this game, turns on him as Amy befriended her. You get some very inventive stages such as cyberspace or the final level. 

Once you beat the game you get a character specific ending, and then you get extra mode where you play through a harder version of the game as Trip. Finally you get the last story which feels like a modern game as you’re playing as Super Sonic flying about fighting the true final boss.

The levels are the best parts of the game. These are quite inventive. I never got a chance to play it multi-play but they work very well single, using my characters abilities and the Chaos powers to reach hidden areas.

The bad about this game starts with the bosses. They are often too long all with periods of you having to wait for the one moment the boss is vulnerable. The final boss of extra mode is just completely filled with instant kill powers it makes you question why they give you rings for that fight. And the true final boss throws in a mechanic at the very end of a very long fight with no time to really learn how to do it.

The game also unfortunately has several paid for dlc that’s often confusing. These are different skins for each character, some from pre order dlc, some from pre ordering from some companies and some had to be paid for. It was already full price for a game that often feels like it should have been 10 to 20 pounds less, but then you find a bunch of micro transactions.

I feel that while the game is pretty solid, the bosses will start to leave a sour taste after some very fun levels. But the final problem with Sonic, is a few days later Mario would come out with a game that was everything this game wanted to be, but did far better… well except for most of the boss fights.

Rating: 👍👍👍