First Nintendo Switch Screenshots of Sonic Superstars Surface

This looks pretty alright imo. I knew the Switch version wouldn't be nearly as delicious as its 4K cousins, but I think this would look just fine in handheld mode at the very least. Luckily for me I use my Switch exclusively as a handheld.

That third screenshot tho... yikes. Looks like a PS1 game lmaoooo

Wow did Sega team up with Game Freak again for this?

It'll look fine on the Switch's display, but the downgrade is more noticeable than I'd have liked. Not bad looking, but a bit crude. All is forgiven if it results in 60fps gameplay on the system, though.

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All is forgiven if it results in 60fps gameplay on the system, though.

I hate to say I doubt it, but... I doubt it. I know Frontiers was technically a bigger game, but it graphically looked about the same quality as this, if not worse, and ran at 30fps or (most of the time) lower. Plus, I think most 3rd party Switch games usually run at 30, especially multi-platform stuff.

As long as they can do enough to ensure it runs at 60FPS (which is the ideal for platformers) then loss in visuals isn't an issue for me.  

To be honest, I don't see much difference from the screenshots personally anyway (apart from the the obvious loss of resolution) so I'm intrigued more than anything to see it's performance as that's usually my priority. Sonic Superstars has a fantastic aesthetic and art style going for it in the visuals, but it doesn't scream anything of a "next-gen" experience to me (more mid-level PS4), so my initial instincts tell me that the Switch should be able to handle this given the right circumstances.
 

12 hours ago, joe_schmoe99 said:

I hate to say I doubt it, but... I doubt it. I know Frontiers was technically a bigger game, but it graphically looked about the same quality as this, if not worse, and ran at 30fps or (most of the time) lower. Plus, I think most 3rd party Switch games usually run at 30, especially multi-platform stuff.

Depends on the developer and their own capabilities with migrating it to fit the platform TBH. There's plenty of third party games (and platformers) that do run at 60fps on Switch. Granted Sonic isn't really the prime candidate as an example of this (except for Mania and Origins) - but it is feasible.

I only have a good PC and a Switch, I really wanted a physical edition and in fact I signed for the Amy costume on Switch, but yeah while this game may run well on Switch like Frontiers, it looks particularly pretty and this version just does not, I might wait and get it on Steam instead. Oh well.

1 hour ago, Sonicka said:

Depends on the developer and their own capabilities with migrating it to fit the platform TBH.

20 minutes ago, Tornado said:

Arzest has still a lot to prove... but does Superstars even look close to Balan?

1 hour ago, Tornado said:

I don't personally think their past work on Balan is really comparable to be completely honest. For one thing it's a 3D Platformer (there are a lot more constructs and objects to contend with on screen) and secondly whilst it doesn't show Arzest off in a very good light, we also know there were issues behind the scenes with this title as well in the build up to and after release.

Superstars has a lot of different sensibilities going on in design and level structure - so I'm quite willing to give Arzest (or whomever handles the Switch port) the benefit of the doubt until we see some footage for now. 

1 hour ago, Sonicka said:

For one thing it's a 3D Platformer

For the purposes of this discussion, so is Sonic Superstars.

1 hour ago, Sonicka said:

Superstars has a lot of different sensibilities going on in design and level structure

It's also a game that may not even run that well on PS4/Xbone, as has been the case with countless other crossplay games in the past 2 years. Again, working in a 2D plane doesn't necessarily mean performance will be any better. Certainly not if it is indeed running off the same at this point famously resource-hungry game engine as Frontiers and Forces and Origins.

1 hour ago, Sonicka said:

Superstars has a lot of different sensibilities going on in design and level structure - so I'm quite willing to give Arzest (or whomever handles the Switch port) the benefit of the doubt until we see some footage for now. 

You specifically mentioned 60 FPS as a tradeoff for functionally turning the texture work into something resembling a PS2 game. Dreams should have stopped happening for that entirely once the current generation of consoles came out and multiplatform games began using those as the target platforms; if the glut of games that have issues running 30 docked after being hacked apart graphically hadn't already done so. Phantasy Reverie Series is an HD port of an actual PS2 (and a Wii) 2D polygonal game and that can't even maintain the 60FPS of the original(s) on the Switch version.

Unless Sega has Nintendo themselves make the Switch port off of one of their internal engines, people can probably stick a fork in that.

16 hours ago, joe_schmoe99 said:

I hate to say I doubt it, but... I doubt it. I know Frontiers was technically a bigger game, but it graphically looked about the same quality as this, if not worse, and ran at 30fps or (most of the time) lower. Plus, I think most 3rd party Switch games usually run at 30, especially multi-platform stuff.

We'll have to see. I won't rule out such a possibility, but I'll wait on footage of it.

I actually like the camera pulled out like this. Is this the default viewpoint for the Switch version?

3 hours ago, Tornado said:

For the purposes of this discussion, so is Sonic Superstars.

It's also a game that may not even run that well on PS4/Xbone, as has been the case with countless other crossplay games in the past 2 years. Again, working in a 2D plane doesn't necessarily mean performance will be any better. Certainly not if it is indeed running off the same at this point famously resource-hungry game engine as Frontiers and Forces and Origins.

Possibly, but I still don't know if I necessarily agree with the definition/assessment of it being a "3D Platformer". Like, I get where you're going with that for the sake of a resource drain comparison but we don't know yet what this thing runs off yet do we? 
 

3 hours ago, Tornado said:

You specifically mentioned 60 FPS as a tradeoff for functionally turning the texture work into something resembling a PS2 game. Dreams should have stopped happening for that entirely once the current generation of consoles came out and multiplatform games began using those as the target platforms; if the glut of games that have issues running 30 docked after being hacked apart graphically hadn't already done so. Phantasy Reverie Series is an HD port of an actual PS2 (and a Wii) 2D polygonal game and that can't even maintain the 60FPS of the original(s) on the Switch version.

Unless Sega has Nintendo themselves make the Switch port off of one of their internal engines, people can probably stick a fork in that.

Yes, but I also said that it also depends on the developer and their own capabilities with migrating/porting it to fit the platform. For every Klonoa there's also a Yooka Laylee and the Impossible Lair hiding around the corner.

Could very well be that Superstars ends up running like a dog turd or at a base 30FPS which would be disappointing, but I think there's still potential even if it's slim pickings. The Switch can handle it given the right conditions, that's was my point really - but I know it's not as simple as I'm probably making this out to be. 

Man, I'm not even getting it for that platform, so I'm unsure why I'm defending this version really. XD I would very much like to see it in action though. 

It looks great in my opinion, and I hope it comes out to buy it on my Nintendo switch 

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We'll have to see. I won't rule out such a possibility, but I'll wait on footage of it.

I'm not entirely ready to fully rule it out yet either, yeah. like you said, we still have yet to see it in motion. But, given that every 3D Sonic game on Switch has been consistently 30fps thus far, and that I'm incredibly cynical, I'm definitely not expecting 60fps. I'd be pleasantly surprised if it is, tho. Either way, I'm not really planning on getting the Switch port.

I just can't resist buying Sonic games on PC because the modding community is so rabidly invested (even though I could probably put money on Sega sneaking Denuvo into the release).

Nintendo Direct feed footage of the Switch version confirms 60FPS for Switch. I'll happily get this one alongside PC, then:

More things shown in the direct:

- character exclusive skills, Tails flight, Knuckles climbing and Amy's hammer.

- A new carnival zone with slot machines

- Fang boss and animation seen in the background

- A new emerald skill, the purple one which shows hidden paths and platforms, a bit like Knuckles sunglasses upgrade in SA2

- A total of 12 zones confirmed, like Mania but they should all be brand new

Color me impressed. Even though it looks like garbage I had no reason to believe that the (allegedly Hedgehog Engine) game was going to get 60FPS. Have to see if it can hold it with any regularity, but wow. 

I thought Arzest being the devs meant we were thinking it was UE4?

Development shots so far point to the game being built using Unity. It doesn't seem to be HE2 or UE4. Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania also ran on Unity and was a locked 60FPS on Switch in both Portable and Handheld modes.

I might be seeing things, but the background in that Fang pursuit scene looked like Speed Jungle, but we already saw both bosses, so....? Is he a stage hazard kinda like the ones in Sonic 3? The airship bombing in Angel Island, earthquake in Marble Garden. That would be so cool.