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

Sonic Team always gets top billing. Chances are the main director and producer are members of Sonic Team like with Sonic 4 and Arzest is on DIMPS Duty

 

I have little reason to believe that's from a monitor instead of an innate ability she has. It was shown off in the trailer at the same time as Knuckles's gliding/climbing and Tails's flight (0:48), not as something else like the new chaos emerald abilities. It also lines up with her abilities in Sonic Origins.

 

Preview article by GameInformer. Doesn't tell us anything we didn't already know, but I liked this quote:

 

I am aware. Doesn't help their case.

 

alright, fuck it I'm hyped!

 

I half agree here. The first level in the video that was shown seems like the type of level design I would expect from scrapped builds of a (rightfully binned) Sonic 4: Episode III. Not a great look. (The fact they literally have Sonic 4 music as a placeholder is a misfire--you wanna convince fence-sitters questioning if the gameplay is as good as the MD games/Mania with that music from that game?)

That said, I do think the second level that followed was better. The vertical platforming structure and the portions of the stage shrouded in darkness allowed the level to take on a more relaxed pace. I see some areas in the level where I would be inclined to explore, like the area where the grinding vines exist on multiple planes. The level even surprised me by having a looping y-axis section (or "those areas in Metropolis and Ice Cap where you can fall endlessly"). The only real issue I have with that stage is that the placement of certain gimmicks feels a bit off; like there are some objects existing in places that don't really need to be there.

This game is weird. I'm seeing design choices that feel like like missteps that should had been caught and avoided. But it also doesn't strike me as a game I want to immediately write off as another soulless cash-in on MD nostalgia like I did with Classic Sonic in Forces. I get the impression the developers are earnestly trying and are hitting the target, but just aren't hitting the bullseye like Mania did. I want to remain optimistic but I have dial up the caution again.

 

I'd be happy with being able to bonk vertical springs for big increases in air or bonking side-springs to increase top-speed when launched. Who knows? Maybe there's some tech.

Hmm. I can't tell how it works proper even knowing that, but it's good if it's a part of her toolset. We'll see if it ends up having some interesting uses we aren't anticipating.

 

I'm so stoked that Fang is likely playable. I touch my game gear occasionally and remember you fondly. My boy is back...

I also hope they stole my moveset for him because my love for the yoshi's island moveset is strong.

 

Tee Lopes' replies are looking very... promising right now. Apparently there is some non-placeholder music in the game, and I think someone posted that it sounds like Tee Lopes' work. He's being pretty "knowing smile" about it, although it could just be a joke...

Also sorry if this has already been posted but I scrolled 2 pages and that's the limit of how far back Im willing to check

 

This game actually looks great. It has a lot of dash panels but it does not seem automated. That boss was kind of weak but it was the first stage. All first stage Sonic bosses are weak. I was expecting more Generations type classic gameplay but this is more on par with Mania. I won’t get too ahead of myself but I like what I saw in that IGN video.

 

This part was pretty funny and silly

 

I played a bit of Balan Wonderworld, and actually found it a title with great potential, which was still in a beta stage. As opposed to Dimps and most of their games (to the exception of Budokai 3 and Infinite World) there was a lot of SOVL to Balan Wonderworld's artstyle and design. 1 more year of development time, and we'd have a remarkable platformer tbh

 

I love the detail of whenever sonic enters a boss fight he looks like he's really ready to fight.



Looking at the gameplay footage a bit more I do like what I see (besides the Sonic 4 music which feels like someone at Sega is taunting you). If I had any criticism I guess the speed cap seems a bit low, someone mentioned how the animation changes but the speed doesn't so it feels weird and I agree completely with that.

Physics don't look completely accurate, not that I need Genesis accurate... regardless just have it atleast try to replicate it which here they seem to be doing in all fairness, it looks like a mix of Generations and Rush with the momentum especially on that vine grinding section which feels like something out of Sonic Rush, and looks really fun to me.

My main complaint though is the gimmick that gives you rings with the four handles. I get that it gives you rings and that's the point, but what purpose does it serve besides that. I get its a game with coop in mind but it looks pace breaking in all honesty. Doesn't help all you get is rings which usually also are placed right after it took. Just feels a bit like the side missions in Frontiers where they felt like padding a bit. Maybe there is a bigger reason to collect rings? Or maybe it is just filler, who knows?



Also just a shower thought. We don't know exactly who developed this (besides the hint at Oshima's company, but for all we know they just did the new characters since it is Oshima's company. So we don't know if its Sonic Team with help from Arzest or if its Arzest with help from Sonic Team.

If it is the former, then this raises a fair few questions about how this game began development in regards to Sonic Frontiers, which as we all can admit was severely rushed especially during its third act. It makes you wonder if the former of my option did happen then maybe it was a Sonic 06 / Secret Rings scenario where the teams were split which ended up hurting Sonic Frontiers by kneecapping the game as they began to put a bow on the main campaign but not Superstars as much since it is inherently a smaller scale game and was built with a smaller development team in mind. Just speculation but it is an interesting thing and wouldn't be too out of the norm especially for this crazy franchise.

Don't get me wrong, regardless I am still extremely excited for this game. Also I can appreciate just how much better of a first impression this was then the years of wink wink nudge nudge teasers for Sonic Frontiers and some of the more recent letdowns.

 

Maybe if they added an extra button or two, the game would've been halfway decent, but as it stands, it's another stinker to put under Naka's and Oshima's belt.

Hopefully for this game, Oshima-san can finally take a win for a change.

 

The lack of diverse landmarks and objects that identify and help highlight interesting corners (and also make the level lush; like something truly organic) are the reason for that IMO. A simple replaying of Mania's Green Hill for example, reveals exactly what to do to combat that "barrenness", and how to populate the level with all manners of different shapes, objects, landmarks, details, etc, that make acts just feel more like a mini-metroidvania of sorts, replete with little "biomes" and little mysterious corners. I remember Yasuhara having an interview related with his level design philosophy, and he had an entire philosophy about how to make levels so much more organic. Things which this game THUS FAR only barely does. We'll see.

 

I really hope so. The Sonic 4 music added to the gameplay footage made it almost unwatchable, it's so disgustingly bad for a Sonic title. If the music is similar to Sonic 4, then they may as well delay the game and re-do the entire soundtrack.

 

These boss arms don't load in right in the direct feed. Is it a different build than what's being played?

 

Yeah, I think they have different builds between SGF and the direct capture. Sonic's end of level pose appears to be different as well (unless it's score based like Unleashed/Gens, or something):

 

What animal do you guys think the new character is supposed to be?
Judging by its tail, I'm guessing a racoon!