It is always wise to be skeptical of a new Sonic game. Over the last 30 years the Sonic series has been batting about 100, and that’s if you’re being extremely generous. 2017’s Sonic Mania proved that there’s still creative space left to explore in the world of 2D Sonic games, and that fans still have an appetite for classic Sonic. Now, Balan Wonderworld studio Arzest is hoping to recapture the golden era of Sonic in the upcoming co-op-focused Sonic Superstars. Writing that sentence gave me acid reflux, but luckily, actually playing the game didn’t.
A pair of two-stage zones were playable at Summer Games Fest’s Play Days event last weekend, and I was so freaking fast and good at it that they let me run through it twice (sorry ladies, I’m taken). My first impressions are that Arzest understands the assignment. It looks, sounds, and feels the way a Sonic game should, but more importantly, it recognizes the fundamentals that make the best Sonic games so iconic. If you’ve never liked Sonic I doubt this is going to be the one that brings you around, but if you’re just hoping Arzest isn’t going to screw it up, I have good news.
A good Sonic level should be a playground that begs you to explore it. The push and pull of wanting to go as fast as possible and slowing down to search for secrets is what makes a Sonic game dynamic and replayable. When you boost down a path and see three other routes branching off of it as you fly by, you should want to come back and see where those other paths lead. That exploration should be rewarded with secrets, shortcuts, and a deeper understanding of the level's mechanics. The music, style, and themes are hugely important too, but the mark of a good Sonic level is how rewarding it is to peel back the layers and learn all of its intricacies each time you run through it.
The zones I played in Superstars were incredibly dense. They each have multiple hidden routes that lead to secret missions, plenty of alternate paths to shave seconds off the clock, and tons of new and familiar gizmos to interact with. They have the depth of classic Sonic levels like Flying Battery Zone or Scrambled Egg Zone without feeling punishing or unfair, and even with just two runs I was already starting to create a mental map of the layout and trying to guess where the secret might be. I was able to find both of the Chaos Emeralds and I’m excited to see how I can get my time down with a little more practice.
As usual, the different Sonic characters have their individual strengths that allow you to tackle each level in a unique way, but Superstars leans into that even further with the new Emerald Powers. I was able to try two: one that turns Sonic into water so you can swim up waterfalls, and another called Avatar that fills the screen with clones who attack enemies for you. The water power is a lot more useful for exploration, obviously, but I think Avatar is a nice way to help inexperienced players get through boss fights, without making them feel like they’re turning down the difficulty. I’m hoping the emerald powers will allow you to access areas you couldn’t before, which will give the levels even more explorability and depth.
I didn’t get to try co-op, but I’m glad it exists. I have fond memories of playing Sonic 2 with my brother growing up, and I’m glad that kids today will still get to have that experience. It feels like Arzest has made every effort to capture the feel of classic Sonic while giving Superstars its own visual identity and unique mechanics, which is exactly what a new Sonic game should be. If Sonic Mania was a throwback for older fans, Sonic Superstars feels like a continuation of the 2D series. I’m still worried it won’t all come together, as is so often the case with Sonic, and I’m concerned about pricey microtransactions too, but if the demo is any indication, this isn’t going to be another Sonic game we have to pretend doesn’t exist.