The Battle Mode is more interesting, a competitive setup for up to four players. I see now why Sonic 2 and 3 had that awful squashed perspective for their ‘proper’ multiplayer: split-screen is basically a necessity for this gameplay to work for everyone equally. Like the new Emerald powers, going co-op messes with the momentum that makes 2D Sonic what it is. Superstars tries to give proper co-op where all the players are given equal billing. It was a great little sibling game, where player 2 could follow along as Tails as a sort of semi-active participant – but it was still player 1’s game. Now, Sonic has been co-op for a long time… but I’d never really describe it as a co-op game. The same sort of thing applies to cooperative play. But for me, playing normally, they really did very little. I’m sure speedrunners will find ways to use these powers to obliterate the game in entertaining ways.

A little icon occasionally pops up in the corner of the screen to tell you that this might be an ideal place to use a specific power – but when it just leads to fairly low-impact coins and collectibles, the incentive isn’t really there. Given that there’s no guarantee that you’ll find a giant ring or then successfully complete the special stage, however, levels have to be designed to be played without any of the special Emerald Powers.Ĭouple this with the fact that most of the powers are quite slow by nature, and therefore gum up the glorious momentum of zipping through levels, and they just… don’t really work for me. I really like the special stage, by the way – it’s up there with Get Blue Spheres and superior to its Mania equivalent. Like Sonic 3, you need to discover giant rings and warp to the special stage. Chaos Emeralds aren’t rewarded at set points, or even at random.

But they never feel like they actually matter. These skills can be triggered a limited number of times and are replenished by passing checkpoints. There’s still a typical reward for getting all the Emeralds, of course – but now, each specific Emerald unlocks a new skill. The biggest mechanical addition, however, are the new powers that are unlocked by obtaining Chaos Emeralds. On the whole, though, I think Superstars’ level design is a win, and takes the right lessons from Mania and its Mega Drive predecessors. Other times, these mechanics feel like they actually get in the way of the platforming action. Sometimes this really works, creating stages that stand out not just within Superstars, but in the grander Sonic pantheon. Past the first couple of stages, every act hinges massively on whatever the unique tag of that level is. Superstars goes harder on the gimmicks for each individual level than pretty much any other 2D Sonic game I’ve played. The gimmick of Sandopolis Act 2 returns, for instance, but instead of keeping lights on to stop evil ghosts from killing you, you’re now pressing switches to reset a giant robot that stalks you in the background of the level and instantly kills you once it’s fully charged. In fact, if you can remember a unique level element from Sonic 1-3K, chances are it reappears here. Sonic levels are no stranger to gimmicks, and many reappear here. Some of this new stuff really lands, and some of it feels half-baked, or (worse still) disruptive of the classic Sonic formula. The question, then, is if that new stuff is any good.Īnd, well, it’s a cliche, but it’s a mix. Superstars is a different sort of sequel – one that offers up a pretty relentless barrage of new gimmicks, ideas, and mechanics that aim to level up and modernize the classic Sonic formula. That is this: Sonic Mania was largely about refining and polishing the 2D Sonic experience as delivered across the Mega Drive titles. Handily, though, that’s also a pretty good place upon which to hang the central conceit of this review. Where the rubber-soled sneakers meet the road in the court of public opinion is inevitably going to center largely on Superstars versus Mania, and the fact that Sega elected to make this 2D Sonic in-house rather than invite back the minds behind Mania for a direct sequel. To see this content please enable targeting cookies.

Sonic mania is the best sonic game