YES!!! Finally a proper new Sonic game that’s actually, genuinely brilliant. It doesn’t start off very well, to start with it feels dodgy. Its difficult to explain but it just doesn’t feel “right” somehow. I also thought the camera was a bit too close & Sonic was a bit too big. But just a few acts later it id gotten used to it & it had completely won me over. This is definitely the classic Sonic 1 – Sonic 3 & Knuckles gameplay at its best.
The levels have been expertly designed with loads of routes designed for repeat play & speed running. Even after hours on the same levels I was still finding new sections & ways to get through levels either faster or with a higher score. Leaderboards are a fantastic addition too. Actually being able to brag about your fast times or just for creating friendly rivalries with people on your friends lists is brilliant & will give the game a very long lifespan. This is something Sonic games have been crying out for & it adds a great deal to the experience. Although they are implemented in a ham fisted way. You actually have to go into the leaderboards after a level to register your times/scores. Which is a bit of a pain. It would also be nice if they gave you your closest friends time at the beginning of a stage Comic Jumper or Trials HD style to give you that extra push. It doesnt hurt the game obviously, but it would be a great addition. Hopefully they’ll do this for Episode 2.
It also looks great. Its really colourful with great 3D backgrounds & nice lighting effects on some levels. The animation on Sonic is really well done too, even with just how his spikes wave while stood still.
Special mention has to be given to the sound effects & music. I have to admit I wasn’t sure about the music at first, but as with most things with this game, the more I played it the more I liked it. Ive found myself on more than a few occasions humming these tracks & im at the point now where I am absolutely loving the music in this game. Its not quite up to the same dizzy heights as Sonic 1’s music, but its damn good all the same. You’ve got the classic Sonic ring, jumping, shield etc. sounds which really hit your nostalgia bone.
This kind of brings me onto my complaints. The game definitely plays on nostalgia just a bit too much. The art style of the levels will be immediately familiar (perhaps even over-familiar) to anyone who has played Sonic 1 & 2. So anyone who would be interested in this review basically. The bosses are exact copies of the ones from Sonic 1 & 2 as well. With just a slightly different attack patterns after you hit them a few times. In many ways this can be thought of more as a remix of Sonic 1 & 2 rather than a whole new game. You cannot ignore the amount of work that has gone into designing these levels though. They look similar, but the actual levels are completely new & a huge amount of fun to play through.
Saying that, maybe that’s all Sonic fans really want. Look at the response given to the one new thing for a core 2D Sonic game – the jump dash/homing attack. This little thing sent people crazy. Although I guess its to be expected after so many years of changes ruining the Sonic experience & being disappointed by every installment. Oh, & in case you’re wondering, this “added” feature works perfectly & honestly adds a lot to the game rather than it being a game breaking flaw many would like to think it is.
A returning feature that made me happy in my pants is Super Sonic. Relegated to final bosses in all recent Sonic games, now he can be played as in every single level again. This is something ive been crying out for & it adds even more to the game. Not just for the fun of playing through the levels again at ridiculous speed while invincible but he comes with his own leaderboards & requires a whole new style of play to get the best out of. You’ll find whole new depth to the levels with him too as you have to pick smart places to transform & you’ll be able to take new routes. Completing it with him will give you a slightly different ending (which I wont spoil) with a teaser for Episode 2 which should get any old Sonic fan excited.
Is all this worth 1200 points though? It was for me, just. But its definitely overpriced no matter how you look at it. Theres just not enough here. Not even a handful of zones & when theyre all based on classic ones that’s just not good enough. The last level is just a boss rush too which is one of the worst ways of extending the lifespan of a game. Plus its just a bad way of ending a game, period. If youre not a fan of chasing leaderboards then there is very little here to keep you coming back too. In fact if you’re not going to chase leaderboards wait until its deal of the week as that price is definitely taking the mick.
Sure, you could argue a Sonic game back in the day would cost £40-50 & it didn’t really have many more levels than this does. True, but you can get a collection of 40 of these old £40-50 games for less than £30 now with a disc, manual etc. (actually it can be found for the same price as this online if you look). Times have changed & I just don’t believe a Sonic game should carry the higher XBLA price point.
Regardless of this though, we have a genuinely great new Sonic game here. & that’s something to be thankful for.