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

Ok so this game kinda rules

 

Only played up to Zone 5 Act 1 with Sonic, but I'll give some of my thoughts:

• They surely didn't fuck around when it came to recreate the Genesis physics. It's almost like a dream come true!
• Levels are a blast to go through! Gimmicks are used in clever ways (especially the lantern in Speed Jungle Act 2) and you can find tons of cool secrets if you just look carefully.
• Character-specific acts are an awesome idea. Speed Jungle Act Sonic has got to be my favorite.
• The bosses... oh my god these bosses. I spent almost 7 minutes on the damned Speed Jungle 2 boss because of the minuscule counterattack times between the boss' attacks. Lost one life to it too...
• I actually don't mind the Sonic 4 drums in most of the songs, to be honest. I may just be paranoid or something. But I can see why people dislike them.
• Emerald Powers are unique in their own right. I like how Sonic turns into a little blob when you crouch with the Water power on.

 

Superstars isn't worth the price they're selling it at

 

Thoughts on what he said at the end? I myself agree with him as we can see with Sonic Mania and those other fan games made for the PC.

 

This game is essentially exactly what I wanted so I am absolutely satisfied. A classic game with original zones, solid level design, and accurate physics. I'm at Lagoon City right now and having a blast. Worth the $60.

 

I just don't see why you'd choose this over Mario Wonder or Spider-Man 2 if you had the consoles those were on unless you were a Sonic die hard.

Which I mean maybe that's what they're banking on, I can't imagine this game having a huge budget so even selling half a million would have a huge profit margin at $60.

I just find it funny that there are discussions on if Superstars can cross a million THIS YEAR when Mario and Spider-Man are going to selling millions THIS WEEKEND.

 

Frontiers came out the same time as God of War and was still a success. Spider-Man and Superstars appeal to completely different demographics so one won't cannibalize the other.

Superstars and Mario Wonder is more direct competition, but Superstars is available on virtually every platform while Wonder (and Spider-Man) is only on one. The games happen to be coming out at the same time. It isn't really much of a competition.

 

Isn't Spider-Man one of those games that literally transcend genre tastes because how popular the character is? It's market is way bigger than Sonics and has more overlap with Sonic than Sonic ever will with it.

Frontiers is also a 3D action game with a way bigger budget and scope than Superstars (despite both being the same price). So I could see that coexisting with another 3D action game just fine. Especially when they're both considered to be of high quality and polish.

It's not a competition but it's fun to look at these type of things to see where the general publics interests lay right now. Especially when the games are the same price. And so far it seems to be laying towards Mario and Spider-Man.

I hope all three do well but it's an interesting and inevitable comparison that will come about given how close they are in release date.

 

Mario and Spider-Man would eclipse Sonic in sales even if Sonic Superstars was the longest, most content-packed, 9.5/10 game ever. The biggest video game franchise and the biggest superhero property, both THE reasons to get heir respective consoles. The demographics of Sonic simply don't compare. The reviews of both games eclipse even Mania too.

There's something this October that makes all the publishers put out games so soon and close to each other. What Sega wants is this game to sell well enough at $60 before it starts getting marked down for holidays and stay on sale for $30-40 for the rest of its lifespan. Its lower budget definitely means it'll still make more money than, say, Mania did even if it somehow sells worse.

Sega's not THAT dumb to think Superstars could ever compete directly, they just don't think that it will impact Superstars' sales that much compared to moving it earlier or later.

 

Spider-Man is obviously popular to grab everyone's attention, but again Superstars is on everything. It's going to cross a million units all in. Mario will decimate it but Mario's reach is limited to Nintendo platforms. If the kids can't play the new Mario game, then they can play the new Sonic game on their Call of Duty machine. This is whole release strategy is what we call counter programming in the movie business.
Sonic as an IP is also hot as hell right now. Merch, Toys, TV shows an upcoming movie. SEGA doesn't have to directly spend marketing dollars on Superstars, they're generating interest through other means.

 

A heads-up: not sure if it's a bug or a feature, it's possible to completely skip an act. So if it happened to you, you're not alone.

Spoiler: Details

If you go from Golden Capital Act 2 to Frozen Base Act Tails, you'll then go directly to Frozen Base Act 2 without even seeing Act 1. I thught I was copletely crazy because I don't remember playing Act 1 at all, but other people have confirmed this is possible.

If this has been brought up before, I'm sorry.

 

...alright, I'm partway through another playthrough, and it's degrading my opinion of the game a bit.

• Now that the novelty's gone, the bosses wear out their welcome immediately.
• Not being able to cancel out of Emerald Powers early can be annoying. (I also kinda wish they added to the music instead of replacing it.)
• Since Giant Rings and Bonus Stages no longer grant rings, every cheap hit or awkward hazard that keeps me from reaching 50 and going Super is immensely more frustrating.
• Boss intros should not take you out of Super. (Not that it matters much, since many of them waste so much time you need well over 50 rings to outlast them.)

Spoiler: Main Story Clear thoughts

• Trip's Story should've just been a bonus like Encore Mode, not something you need to play through to reach the obligatory Super boss (not that I know what it is yet). It doesn't have enough going for it not to feel like a chore of a prerequisite.
• Trip herself is interesting. Her jump form being a loop rather than a ball is a neat idea, and her ability is pretty cool, even if it feels more like an upgrade to Amy/Knuckles than an alternative on equal footing.
• Her Super form, on the other hand, is... strange. The mandatory flight doesn't play nicely with the level design, and you end up either ignoring terrain or awkwardly floating around it.
• It'd be cool if whatever Final True Story segment comes after this made interesting use of the Emerald Powers. I don't expect much, but it'd be nice.

 

Yes I encountered this exact same glitch yesterday. Game spoiled the final zone name for me! I was Sonic, and proceeded to fall into a blue oblivion.

 

How are we feeling about these review scores? Room for concern or fine with you?

 

My only thought is why are there so few reviews for Superstars? Frontiers had 90 reviews but a day after release, Superstars is just getting over 40. How weird.

 

Fair. I'm not wowed by what Mario brings to the table but I can't argue with the fact that Nintendo gave it their all here to deliver an outstanding product. Mario is their poster boy and they respect it.
Despite Azrest best efforts, production issues and budget constraints continue to plague the Sonic IP which leads to a less than stellar final product. It still has a lot of heart and its a serviceable title, but the cracks and duct tape is clearly showing.

 

I'm on the second playthrough and I find myself asking what the fuck is up with + - Trip's version of   the Sky Temple boss. Actual bullet hell shit on the third phase, not to mention bopping the boss generally sends you careening into the fans + - revealing an infuriating inconsistency, as Trip is usually able to double jump again after defeating an enemy but can't here, even if her initial double jump wasn't used   . Also, the use case for emerald powers vs the bosses is as pathetic as in the levels a lot of the time. Want to use slow to bag more hits on the bosses while avoiding difficult attacks? Too bad, now their invincibility period is stretched out. Bullet and Avatar are the only worthwhile ones, and I've also come to realise that Vine is just what you use when Bullet isn't available. In some ways, I'd say this game is even more of a mess than Final Horizon.

A more competent game would allow to access emerald powers almost all the time. Not Superstars. For example, take that bullet hell bullshit I was just talking about. Perfect opportunity for Slow, right? Well tough shit, because you can't activate it in the skydiving state and the bosses animations take so long that if you activate before the section starts, it'll run out before any projectiles appear.

 

Can't be surprised Mario was going to score better.

 

My problem with the classic styled music is less the instrumentation (yes it is jarring to go from big studio quality to slightly amateur sounding to straight up chiptune) and more that those tracks desperately need some EQ work. Bass just kind of disappears from one stage to the other.

But man, the early game bosses combined with the repetitive as fuck boss music just reeaaaaally takes it out of me. Thankfully they get better near the end.
My expectations for the game dropped within the last week before launch but I can say I was blown away once I got into it more and more.

Also Frozen Base act 2 -

Spoiler: EEEE :DDDDDD

FANTASY ZONE MY BELOVED

 

Holy shit the bosses take even longer in Trip’s story, actually unbelievable lmao

I have to finish it because I wanna do the true final boss, but I 100% will never play it again afterwards, which is a shame because…the alternate level design is amazing and really fun!
Again, it’s all ruined by the bosses, whyyyyyyyyy