Sonic Superstars: A New 2D Sonic Game (Fall 2023)

Oh WOW. This was not what I was expecting today when I was browsing YouTube.

Summer Games Fest delivered today! I knew there were rumblings of a 2d game in the works but I didnt think it would be revealed this soon... or be in 3D!

And the levels look great! And multiplayer Sonic!! Is that FREAKIN NACK? Oh man. I wasnt prepared for this. Will be buying Day 1 most likely.

 

You deliberately missed out the part where I said "... and the 2d bits of Generations and Forces". You can talk all you want about how Generations and Forces are superior to 4, but that's beside the point. All 3 games are sub-par when it comes to delivering a legit Classic experience, and there's way more stuff in that trailer to suggest we're getting a more modern/pseudo classic game than a proper classic - I see grinding, wisp type action and speed boosters for starters, and I also see conveniently placed quick cuts at points where you could determine whether or not the physics were on point.

 

If nothing else, Sonic Team do seem like they're trying to do something new with this game, so I'll give them credit for that much. But this is still Sonic Team we're talking about, which means anything that can go wrong will probably, in fact, go wrong. If nothing else, I'm slightly more interested than the usual apathy I feel.

Really says a lot about my feelings on this franchise that I couldn't muster up anything more than a "oh that's nice" when I saw this trailer, but decades of middling content will do that. I can only be disappointed but so many times before I stop caring.

And man, I get why they do it, but it really sucks that we're probably never gonna get a Modern 2D game again. The last real one was Colors DS in 2010. Like come on, Blaze debuted in a 2D game and now she's barred because she was introduced after 1998? That doesn't seem right to me.

 

I brought this up pages ago, but apparently Steam is on the footer of the site, so it could be a mistake that it's left out? I hope so. I would like it on Steam.

 

Here's a gif of the trailer, trimmed down to show most of the gameplay. This is a better display of the game's controls and physics.

https://imgur.com/XhbCdJO

Edit: I can't figure out how to properly embed this on mobile sorry

 

I did not miss it, I explicitly said that Classic Generations is in the realm of being good, and I stand by it. It plays well and has good level design. Putting it on the same level of Forces misses why that one is so poor. Not being identical to the classics is not inherently bad design. Generations acknowledged its differences and designed its levels accordingly. If Superstars is not wholly accurate but is designed around it, it can easily be good.

In any case, my ultimate point is such comparisons is superficial.

Speed boosters were in the Classic games. We have seen TWO instances of boosters in this trailer, in what are more set pieces than a standard part of the level. Since we're comparing it to Sonic 4, Sonic 4 has boosters everywhere. And I do mean EVERYWHERE. Before loops, after loops, in loops, on flat ground, on any set piece. If at any point Sonic is expected to need to gain speed, there will be a booster.

Grinding seems to be a mechanic exclusive to the Jungle level. I don't even consider grinding to be "modern design", personally.

It seems that abilities like running on walls and up waterfalls are decided by the player and context sensitive, which are unlike Wisps. I'd compare them more to the Masks in Crash 4.

I suppose these are "modern gameplay", if "classic gameplay" is "doesn't have grinding".

Finally, the idea that they're trying to "hide" the physics is quite paranoid, considering how much of the trailer is Sonic... running down hills.

A whole 6 seconds dedicated to Sonic/Tails/Knuckles/Amy running down a hill and two loops. Surely you can tell if it's accurate. And if you can't, well... why would they need to "hide" anything?

Donnie made a clip of one segments that shows off physics:

https://xcancel.com/SSF1991/status/1666919469371863040

 

The artstyle looks like a mobile spin-off game, between that and the focus on multiplayer I thought that's what it was until the end of the trailer where they showed the list of platforms.

 

Okay just curious, do we know if this is online co-op or local only?

And, is Amy an actual character or just a costume? What's the difference between the Amy in the trailer and the DLC?

 

Modern Amy is a DLC skin.

 

Local co-op only, and apparently there's a "Battle Mode" that supports online play.

 

It's local co-op, local and online battle

Sign up for the newsletter and you get Amy in her modern design as a skin (for Amy, of course)

 

https://xcancel.com/ianflynnbkc/status/1666997028516163584?s=46&t=S0_YkQ8TRA2Bk54XvKgWfw

 

So that's confirmation we're getting an animated short

 

Or a tie in comic

 

I hope this has crossplay between platforms.

 

Hopefully animated short. That Knuckles short was way too good, they need to put more money and energy that direction pleeeease. I know the comics are popular but man I'm so burned out from the Archie comics I can't motivate myself to open another.

 

The Jungle level is giving me some Leaf Storm vibes, especially with the rails.

Spoiler: Images

 

Grind rails have always been cool.
Automation whiners, LEAVE

 

The trailer goes out of its way to avoid showing a manual roll or bouncing off a badnik/monitor to show if variable rebound is in, oh boy. The way it cuts away milliseconds before Sonic hits the Batbrain is kinda hilarious though, I imagine whoever put this trailer together knew exactly what they were doing.

 

In the boss fight gameplay, I notice a mid-air Knuckles seems to have to slow his jump to a halt to start moving in the opposite direction, so move-and-stop-on-a-dime Sonic 4 tier mayhem is out it seems.