Sonic Superstars review – a throwback lacking in flow

Sonic SuperstarsDeveloper: SegaPublisher: SegaPlatform: Played on PS5Availability: Out 17th October on PC (Steam), Xbox Series X/S, PS5

Collecting Chaos Emeralds in Sonic games as a child always felt special. I have fond memories of leaping over falling spiky logs to discover a shimmering gem behind a waterfall in Sonic on the Master System, my first Sonic love. Then there was corkscrewing down a tunnel in Sonic 2 and collecting blue orbs in Sonic and Knuckles, that squelching sound imprinted on my brain. Chaos Emeralds were an achievement for only the most dedicated Sonic players.

Not so with Sonic Superstars, the latest from Sega. That’s because each jewel is paired with a special ability like summoning duplicate characters, or swimming up waterfalls, or revealing hidden platforms. These abilities could have added depth to gameplay, but they’re totally optional to complete the game and, ultimately, a superfluous and underutilised modernism. After grabbing the first couple with ease, I forgot they existed. They’re an opportunity squandered, but unfortunately that’s Sonic Superstars on the whole.

Returning to 2D side-scrolling once again, it’s clear Sega wishes to revive classic Sonic but with modern sensibilities. It has all the right trappings: a gorgeous animated introduction; a verdant hedgehog utopia of an opening level with loops, twists and chequerboard hills; familiar ring chimes, jump sounds, and a death stare from an impatient Sonic if he’s left waiting. But it has the wrong ones too: a laughably bad special stage with poor perspective, cheap difficulty throughout, and level gimmicks that too easily break momentum.

For me, the best Sonic zones are not just about speed but flow and momentum. Platform challenges combine with impressive obstacles to overcome at high velocity, Sonic rarely pausing to take a breath. There are reasons to explore for secrets, but how quickly can you collect them? How optimal is your route? Playing a Sonic game should feel like a rush, the hedgehog leaping, swooping, spiralling, pushing the limits of the screen and the player’s control. Give me a Chemical Plant Zone, a Stardust Speedway, a Flying Battery Zone. Flow is fundamental to Sonic. And it’s missing from Sonic Superstars.