Sonic Colo(u)rs Ultimate released for Switch, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Epic Games Store

I don't think so. I prefer the aesthetics of the DX models, but the fact that they are on the blocky, segmented rig as the DC original causes some problems with them, and it also brings up lots of inconsistencies throughout for 2D elements that still show the DC models, as well as making them clash with the NPCs.

I switch back and forth depending on my mood, but sticking with the originals is a valid choice. Especially when we get to SA2B where Sonic has rounded ears, a larger stomach and the actual model is apparently less functional, and therefore barely used in any cutscenes (and shows less motion in the ones it is used in, such as the one where Sonic meets Shadow and his ear no longer twitches when he detect's Shadow's presence.)

So there are valid reasons to revert to the DC models in the Adventure games. I know you said nothing of SA2, but I find it relevant to the discussion of "why downgrade the assets of the upgraded port", when there are times where it's very valid.

 

There are legitimate aesthetic reasons to remove attempted "upgrades" when they don't look so hot in a rerelease. The difference is whether those things are actually beneficial or not, and what sacrifices were made to accommodate for them.

In Colors Ultimate's case, the mods will probably go to fixing the stuff that got removed more than removing the things that are good. I don't think anyone's really gonna miss low-poly donuts in Sweet Mountain, but they are missing lightfield data and Sonic's eyes being able to move.

 

I have no idea why this surprises anyone- I was expecting it.

I guess I was the only one?

 

I mean I was expecting it, I was just hoping it wouldn’t happen. Both Mario Galaxy and Skyward Sword run at 60 FPS on the Switch with no issue so I had an inkling of hope Colors would be the same. Alas...

 

Both those games didn't receive the same graphical updates this game did. For Galaxy and Skyward Sword the resolution was bumped up and some textures were cleaned up, but beyond that they're essentially the same games (well skyward sword has a couple of differences but nothing to run home about, certainly doesn't justify the fact that it costs more than the original). Plus they only had to work on Nintendo hardware. So for this the options were "optimize for switch and the other versions suffer" or "Let's make this look good in 4k (not aiming to start a graphic debate here btw) and dial it back on the Switch." They went with the latter.

It's only going to get worse too with the PS5 and current Xbox. The Switch versions are all but guaranteed to be the worst version of anything. Its saving grace is portability.

 

In fairness... Galaxy is a partially port that looks identical to the original running at a higher resolution, and Skyward Sword is a straight port of a Wii game too. Correct me if I'm wrong, but Skyward Sword hasn't had any visual touch Colours Ultimate isn't either of those things. It's been ported to an entirely new engine and has seen some a lot of technical upgrades.

If this was Colours Wii verbatim, then yes I too think it should be running at 60fps. But it's not. It's got dolled up graphics, and is all in all a dolled up port. It's not comparable to Galaxy and Skyward Sword.

Made this post an hour ago but the board crashed and it couldn't be posted. Basically just what Dark Sonic said anyway.

 

Improvements or not, Colors Ultimate still probably would ideally be running at 60. It's not like it's impossible or like there aren't better-looking Switch games that can do it just fine. I'd say it's more that this game was probably effected by pandemic scheduling such that it's not perfectly optimized for the hardware, so it looking as good on the Switch as the others (and hopefully not being broken and shitty) is probably the best you can expect.

It would be nice to know exactly how much time there was between the bad-looking screenshots and the better-looking ones we've had recently. It's obvious the game can't change too much between now and release, but it was surprising to see differences at all. Makes me wonder exactly what's going on behind the scenes if all the footage and screenshots we saw before the anniversary event weren't just really old.

 

Galaxy & Skyward Sword are partially recompiled for ARM, with software emulation and GX -> NVN API translation used in each game respectively to display the original file format models in each game respectively.

Colors Ultimate is a different beast altogether in terms of how it was put together. I suspect that 60fps could have been possible on Switch, but they likely designed around the PS4/XBO spec and scaled down from there.

 

So this was pointed out by SonicPoX on twitter but it seems like they've used a fan-made render for the Metal Sonic races
https://twitter.com/SonicpoX/status/1417944245047017472?s=20

Hopefully just a placeholder

 

Wouldn't this be the second time this has happened in the series? I seem to recall another incident where this happened. Developers should be more careful about sourcing assets, and Sega has to have an official assets repository right?

 

Why not just make a metal Sonic head similar to the Tails save icon and Sonic's life icon in Generations and Lost World

 

The fact that this type of slip-up could even happen is so weird to me because a basic google image search for Metal Sonic would give you this official render from Team Sonic Racing, so why not just use that?

Unless they actually got in touch with the person who made that fan-render, got their permission to use it, will pay them and give them full credit?? Unlikely but would be kinda cool I guess

 

Re:60fps

Colors Ultimate seems to be some weird mixture of a remaster and a remake. The problem I have is that it has none of the advantages of either. The game clearly had more done than just upscaling the textures, but it doesn't have the wow factor I'd like to see in a remake. I may dog on Colors constantly but it is a gorgeous game, and seeing its levels brought to life in a full-blown remake akin to, say, the retro tracks of Mario Kart 8, or the Crash/Spyro remakes would have been really neat and may even have got me to check it out.

But instead, the game looks kinda better-ish, but not that much. So it doesn't have the "WOAH" factor of a full-blown next gen remake, and also doesn't run at 60fps on the switch because the move to a new engine increased the power demands just enough. Hm.

 

We don't know that Ultimate is running on Unreal. Most evidence points to it running on Godot.

 

Huh. I must have misremembered. May have had wires crossed with these other games I'm looking forward to moving to unreal.

 

ehhhh that is not even close to the context this game would be in. Crash/Spyro were on the PS1, with the former in particular needing some MIT code wizardry to get to work. They're both extremely tied to working on the hardware of the PS1. so aside from how jaggy they look these days, it'd be far easier to remake them entirely instead of just trying to port them to modern systems. (unless they were just gonna throw them in an emulator, that is)

 

Sonic Colors: Ultimate official soundtrack announced.

 

Can’t wait to hear the new Tropical Resort, Asteroid Coaster, and especially Terminal Velocity remixes!

 

I really hope the Sonic Symphony versions of Reach For the Stars and Speak With Your Heart are on this. I imagine Reach For The Stars that was performed at the symphony is the version that will be in the game and on the OST since that was just the Ohtani band, but Speak With Your Heart is a bit more unknown. The thing is, I feel that the orchestra adds so much to that song that it'll be a shame if it isn't used in the game proper.