![]() These multicolored little aliens not only serve as the core of the plot, they also each have different temporary abilities that grant Sonic new mobility options. Of course, everything up to this point could more or less apply to any 3D Sonic game, but the big innovation that Sonic Colors brought to the table were Wisp power ups. ![]() These 2D segments are typically rather short before you get back on the road, so they don’t drag down the overall experience too much, but this is one aspect of Sonic Colors that definitely could’ve used a little more love in the development stages. It takes some time to get to grips with Sonic’s 2D controls, and while things do get a little better as you acclimate, they never feel right. Sonic’s inertia feels off and ironically sluggish, almost akin to Donkey Kong in the recent Donkey Kong Country games. This is fine in theory, giving Sonic brief stints where he slows down certainly introduces some variety to the level designs, but the problem is that the physics clearly aren’t tuned right for the kind of precision that’s being called for. When Sonic Colors goes 2D, things usually slow way down and the focus turns to a more precise and careful kind of platforming. Things often come apart, however, when you get pulled into one of the many 2D sections that are seamlessly strewn throughout each level. In this regard, Sonic Colors is comfortably one of the best 3D Sonic games. ![]() This is a game about constantly being better than your former self, about learning the shortcuts and executing the tricks you need to bolt through these levels quicker than greased lightning. Sure, there are plenty of unlockables and secrets to collect across all the levels, but focusing too much on those things will rob you of the intended experience and the enjoyment it can bring. It’s a thrilling feeling when you pull off that perfect run of a level and shave 30 seconds off your old record, but more importantly, there’s a great deal of satisfaction found throughout the run as you nail each obstacle and platforming section that you’ve practiced countless times.īearing this in mind, Sonic Colors is the sort of game that appeals best to players that don’t require much extrinsic motivation to have fun. When you consider that the main game can be beaten in a little over five hours, it’s clear that the main joy of Sonic Colors is found not in clearing stages, but in excelling at them. Captured on Nintendo Switch (Handheld/Undocked) However, if you’ve got quick enough reflexes or have played the level enough that you know when these hazards are coming, you can easily skip over them with a brief tap of the jump button and continue sailing through. It’s not big deal if you hit one, but it can be quite a buzzkill when you were just rolling around at the speed of sound and suddenly have to build back up from zero again. For example, a lot of stages will have some low curbs scattered around for these high-speed segments that trip Sonic up and bring him to a halting stop if he connects with them. It may sound rather mindless-in many instances it is-but the key thing here is that the level designs often reward quick reflexes and muscle memory with more speed. Dispatching any of the easily defeated robots in your way will give you a small hit of boost power that you can then use to break the sound barrier and turn Sonic into a virtually invincible comet that barrels through everything he touches. Many stages will have you guiding Sonic along relatively flat, runway-like paths that give him plenty of room to go full throttle, while quick reaction times are often needed to deftly dart around or attack any obstructions that may come up in his path. Gameplay in Sonic Colors follows the often divisive ‘boost’ formula that most modern 3D Sonic games have taken after, and while there are some notable cracks in its design, it often manages to properly sell that sense of manic speed that the developers were clearly going for. At the very least, it’s refreshing to play a Sonic game that doesn’t take itself too seriously or get bogged down in actually trying to tell an emotional story. It’s not a terribly in-depth story, but many of the jokes still land well and the pleasantly lighthearted nature of it fits the freeform style of gameplay. It doesn’t take long for them to find out that he’s exploiting a secret race of aliens called Wisps to power the park (and an evil space laser), so they endeavor to travel to all the planets to free the Wisps and save the day. The narrative primarily sticks to the classic duo of Sonic and Tails, as they travel to Eggman’s new outer space amusement park to investigate any signs of nefarious wrongdoing.
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