Sonic Superstars marks a return to the Genesis-era 2D platforming that made the series famous as well as a leap forward by adding three more friends to the journey. While the former is largely successful in providing an enjoyable nostalgic experience, the latter fails to allow partners to have the same amount of fun.
A new batch of beautifully designed zones awaits Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, or Amy as you spin dash your way through them. Sonic Superstars pops with bright colors and whimsical designs for the new gallery of badniks, from Speed Jungle and Golden Capital to Speed Jungle and Golden Capital. The soundtrack, however, doesn’t have the same highs as some of the previous 2D games. Outside of a couple of tracks, most tunes are unmemorable and don’t hit that next gear of toe-tapping goodness I’ve come to expect from the franchise.
Nonetheless, the platform keeps up its end of the bargain. The physics recreate Sonic’s Genesis adventures perfectly, allowing me to easily fall into the action. Tails, Knuckles, and Amy each have their own specialties: Tails can fly and carry partners, Knuckles can climb walls and glide, and Amy jumps over enemies to kill them. As each pulls their own weights, it’s a matter of preference; Amy is my favorite besides Sonic.
