Sonic Superstars

Sonic Superstars somehow manages to be rough and inconsistent in terms of quality yet remarkably likable – just like the series itself has always been! It surely is a game that could use more polish and care, but even in the state that we found it in, it was a lot of fun. By no means a perfect Sonic experience but surely one of the most entertaining we’ve had in years.

Sonic Superstars is nostalgic, and it makes you feel good.

If Sonic Superstars was meant to reinvent 2D Sonic, I think it missed the mark. But it’s a good, solid entry in a series that is always in need of such, and that counts for a lot.

We had a few issues with Sonic Superstars — the local co-op could have greatly benefited from split-screen support, and the online Battle Mode feels incredibly shallow and tacked on — but this is the first original 2D Sonic game that feels truly authentic to the Genesis titles without aping the classic pixel-art style, and for a lot of longtime fans, that's frankly an absolute miracle. Zipping through the 12 zones in the excellent campaign made us feel like kids again, but it will also prove a great entry point for new players looking to see what all the fuss is about. Developer Arzest's reputation has taken a beating in recent years, but this is a triumphant effort from the studio and a great return for '2D' Sonic.

Superstars is exactly what fans have been wanting to see from a modernized 2D Sonic game. It plays like the originals, but is expanded upon with new mechanics and gimmicks. Graphically, Superstars is a stunner. It takes a hit running on Switch compared to other platforms, but performance is rock-solid, always locked in at 60FPS. Although some of the ancillary modes are rather bland, like Battle Mode, or clunky, like co-op, the single player experience is the (pardon the pun) real star of this game. With four playable characters to choose from, there’s plenty of replay value to be found in Superstars, as fans will want to hop back into stages and explore using the characters’ different abilities. Launching right ahead of Super Mario Bros. Wonder, 2023 feels not unlike the glory days of SNES versus Genesis, except now you don’t have to pick a side in the console wars; go give Superstars a purchase, it’s a must-have.

Sonic Superstars is the first decent mainline Sonic game since Sonic Forces (an objectively okay game as rated by civilized minds). A distilled descendent of the original lineage, Sonic Team’s rare display of restraint has resulted in a game that succeeds through the purity of its simplicity. However, the stark contrast of convoluted, tawdry boss fights offsets its positives significantly, contributing some truly offputting misery to an otherwise entertaining time...I’d love to see more of this if Sega could resist reinventing the wheel again next time.

In the end, Sonic Superstars is a fun, modern take on the classic 2D Sonic formula. Its solid moment to moment gameplay, fun new visual style, and great soundtrack make for a very fun experience. The game falters a bit in the new addition of Emerald Powers, which aren’t fun to collect and aren’t useful when collected. The major difficulty spikes in mid-stage bosses and end bosses make for a frustrating combat experience rather than a rewarding one. Still, Sonic Superstars manages to pull together an experience old and new Sonic fans—or 2D platforming fans in general—will get plenty of enjoyment out of.

While Sonic fans (me amongst them), would certainly love this game, it does have its drawbacks that make it a good, yet kind of forgettable game. Still better than Sonic 4 though - by a landslide.

In some respects, it’s certainly a nice treat, but the bottom line is that it’s not an unreserved recommendation because there are too many half-baked game elements.

Sonic Superstars isn’t a bad Sonic game; it captures what the fondly remembered games got right in several ways. On the other hand, it seems to have forgotten some of the other things classic Sonic did better. Between the level design and the boss battles, Sonic feels robbed of speed and is weighed down by some genuinely frustrating battles.

While Battle Mode might be worth checking out to take advantage of the shop items, it’s far from being a worthwhile selling point for Sonic Superstars, and feels like a last-ditch effort to create more content for players. All in all, if playing solo, there is definitely enjoyment to be had here for fans of Sonic, but the majority of the other aspects are unfortunately sub-par, making the game feel like a low-effort run for nostalgia as a whole.