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SEGA has uploaded a clean version of that Sonic Superstars opening animation that we recorded during our Summer Game Fest coverage last month. With this, we also get our first taste of the game’s soundtrack! It seems Tee Lopes has confirmed that this particular track was produced by both him and Jun Senoue.
You can check it out at the Sonic the Hedgehog Youtube channel, or in the embed below:
Sonic Superstars is expected to launch sometime this fall.
The ESRB has given Sonic Superstars its US content rating, and yes, it’s what you’d expect: E for Everyone. Obviously, this isn’t especially surprising, since every Sonic game has been rated E or E10, even the one where Shadow goes out of his way to curse and murder Dr. Eggman.
Sonic Superstars’ received its E rating for “mild fantasy violence.” The rating also mentions in-game purchases, and lists the following as the game’s rating summary:
This is an action platformer in which players assume the roles of Sonic and his friends as they zoom around colorful zones and attempt to defeat Dr. Robotnik. As players speed through whimsical environments, they can jump on enemies’ heads, causing them to transform into small creatures; Sonic and friends react to damage by losing coin-like rings and falling off-screen when defeated. Boss battles can depict more protracted combat, with cartoony explosions.
Sonic Superstars is expected to release sometime this Fall, with a leaked release date of October 17.
via ESRB
To the surprise of probably nobody, SEGA has been announced as attending the upcoming Gamescom convention taking place in Germany next month. Which is potentially great news for Europeans hoping to get some hands-on time with Sonic Superstars!
Of course, SEGA’s lineup at the Cologne-based games expo has yet to be confirmed, but with the new 2D Classic Sonic adventure hitting store shelves in the Fall, it would make sense for this game to make the cut.
No doubt some of SEGA’s other new and upcoming titles will be on show as well, including Creative Assembly’s loot shooter Hyenas (which also happens to feature Sonic… sort of).
SEGA has been a longtime partner of Gamescom, and last year we got to see some gameplay demos of Sonic Frontiers (and we had an exclusive chat with Takashi Iizuka about the game then too). The Sonic Stadium is also going to be at Gamescom this year, so we’ll hope to bring you all the latest info and details from the show floor!
Via Twitter
Sonic’s Birthday was the primary focus on this week’s Sonic Station Live Japanese livestream, but in covering all the major Sonic Central announcements, they included a full playthrough of Bridge Island Acts 1 and 2, including several special stages. The full footage is here (and timestamped), but underneath we’ll break down just a few of the details noticed within:
Online discussion has assuredly picked apart dozens of Summer Games Fest playthroughs, so some of these details may already be known. Even so, there’s a bunch of bits worth highlighting in the footage:
The stream also covered new trailers and merch announced in the latest Sonic Central, and featured birthday well-wishes from vtuber Korone and troublemaking mascot Chiitan. It also seems that Eggman has gotten the vtuber model treatment.
Looks like someone let the cat out of the bag. Although the Sonic Central showcase from earlier today announced a Fall 2023 release for Sonic Superstars, a listing on US retailer Target has the game down for a much more specific date: October 17.
The website prices the game at $59.99, and details the pre-order bonuses announced earlier in the Sonic Central showcase today; a LEGO Eggman Minifig character skin – alongside an acrylic display stand and reversible game cover.
If you wanted a closer look at that nice and shiny PS5 game cover as well, you can see that for yourself below.
While October 17 isn’t officially confirmed, obviously, it’s worth noting that retailers often get these kinds of details ahead of time and every so often they let those legitimate details slip. It would certainly fall into SEGA’s previous release window of ‘Fall 2023’, but that date also puts Superstars in direct competition with Super Mario Bros Wonder, a 2D Mario game that is releasing on Nintendo Switch on October 20.
No matter how much time has passed, we always somehow come back to that classic 1990s battle, between Sonic and Mario. When will this war ever end?
Following today’s latest Sonic Superstars trailer, the official Sonic Superstars website updated with the new LEGO reveal, the pre-order deal, and character profiles. Most notably, this includes the new and returning antagonists Fang (or “Fangs” according to his profile image file name) and Trip:
Not much is known yet about Trip, the mysterious girl first encountered by Fang on the Northstar Islands. While a bit clumsy, Trip is heavily armored and has been enlisted by Fang and Dr. Eggman to protect and guide them around the wonders of this uncharted region.
Fang is a springy jerboa that is light on his feet and is always looking for the next big score. A bounty hunter by trade, Fang the Hunter has been known by many different names over the years, likely due to his “WANTED” status with the authorities. Always trying to stay one step ahead, he’s constantly modifying and upgrading his primary mode of transportation, the Marvelous Queen.
To those looking to justify their need for canonical consistency, it seems Fang may have previously taken on a pseudonym and… pseusospecies in Triple Trouble. Meanwhile, this is our first clear look at Trip, a clumsy girl in heavy armor guiding Eggman and Fang around the island.
SEGA has revealed that it is working on special LEGO-themed DLC for Sonic Superstars, as part of a collaboration with the Danish toy company.
Announced during the Sonic Central showcase, with a short trailer that saw Sonic transform into LEGO and face off against a similarly brick-built Dr Eggman, the new partnership also includes a special pre-order bonus for the game where players can unlock a special Dr Eggman LEGO Minifig costume.
While the trailer and the showcase itself told us little about the collab, a follow-up press release we received from SEGA reveals that, “Sonic and LEGO have teamed up for a brick-tacular DLC where fans can soon experience the Blue Blur in brick form with a free LEGO Sonic skin! Fans who pre-order Sonic Superstars will also get access a special skin that transforms Eggman into LEGO Eggman!”
So there you go. Look forward to that!
Building bonuses.
Continue reading Pre-Order Sonic Superstars to Get an Acrylic Standee and to Fight… LEGO Eggman?Nintendo held a Direct today, but you probably already knew that. However, you may be surprised to learn that a new trailer for Sonic Superstars appeared in the presentation. You may be even happier to learn that this trailer contained some new information about the game, and showcased some new gameplay!
Read more: A Wild Sonic Superstars Trailer Has Appeared In Today’s Nintendo DirectSo, where to start? Well, the first thing you probably noticed is the music playing. It is more than likely music from the game, which means that we finally got an idea of what the game’s soundtrack may be aiming for. And the music is actually really good. If this is what the music is for the rest of the game’s soundtrack, then I don’t think fans will have to worry about them taking a musical route similar to Sonic 4’s. There’s a new render too, potentially the game’s box art, which you can see right here.
Other than that, there were a lot of small tidbits throughout the trailer, including some things that you’d miss if you blinked. We got to see a pinball area for some carnival zone that hadn’t been shown before. Fang appears in the background of some cutscene, and we get to see that we will be fighting him as a boss.
SEGA showed a new emerald power, which seems to function similar to the Sunglasses and Treasure Scope that Knuckles and Rouge get in Sonic Adventure 2, respectively. It causes hidden things to become visible, including platforms and rings. And speaking of the emeralds, we actually got our first look at how the Chaos Emeralds look in this game. Well, one of them, anyway.
We even learned that Tails can carry Sonic and friends, just like he could in Sonic 3 & Knuckles and Sonic Mania. Perhaps the biggest piece of info we learned from the trailer, however, is the news that there will be a total of 12 new zones in the game. It’s more than some fans were speculating, and it was a big factor in how justified some people felt the $60 price would be.
We’re still hearing a fall release date, but there was a Sonic Central announced for Friday. It’s doubtful that there will be any further information about the game, but clearly SEGA has more Sonic news to share. Whether we’ll get more Sonic Superstars info there is another matter entirely. In the meantime, check out the trailer down below!
The Sonic Superstars website has been updated with an image of classic Amy’s modern Amy skin, which will be given away to anyone who subscribes to the website’s newsletter by January 31, 2024.
It doesn’t completely change Amy’s look, only altering her clothes while leaving her classic spikes intact. Check it out below. You can subscribe to the newsletter here. You can only sign up for one platform per email, and Steam does not appear to be selectable right now.
A lot of people got to play Sonic Superstars at Summer Game Fest Play Days. Unfortunately, if you weren’t able to go, obviously you weren’t able to do that. However, if you’re not able to attend any gaming events in the future, there may be some hope. Some hands-on impressions from Portuguese site Game Blast are suggesting that a public demo of the game may be coming in the future.
It’s not something that SEGA directly told Game Blast, but they reached this conclusion based on something they saw in the Summer Game Fest Play Days demo that was available. According to Game Blast, “the words ‘trial version’ were discreetly hidden in the bottom right corner of the game’s opening screen during my playthrough”. They feel that this suggest that “the developers may be planning to release a public demo for the game”.
In case you’re feeling like that’s not enough info to verify this as true, someone else that was at Summer Game Fest and had an appointment next to the game’s booth confirmed that there was, indeed, a “Demo Version” text on the game’s title screen. So, that is now 2 people that have confirmed that this was on the Summer Game Fest Play Days demo.
Now, it is worth noting that it is absolutely up in the air when a public demo, if it does happen, would be released. A similar thing happened with the demo for Sonic Frontiers last year, and a public demo for it wasn’t released until after the game had come out in November of 2022. So, it’s possible that a public demo may not even release before the actual game launches. Nevertheless, it’s another aspect to this game’s pre-launch period that is going to make a lot of fans curious.
Via Game Blast
Whenever a Classic Sonic game makes an appearance, one of the biggest questions that Sonic fans always asks is the accuracy of the physics. It hasn’t helped that games like Sonic 4 and Sonic Forces have amplified the discourse on this topic. The good news is that, based on remarks by Christian Whitehead, Sonic Superstars is not looking like it will be joining that club. Sonic Mania’s physics are fully translated into modern 3D!
Read more: Sonic Mania’s Physics Have Been “Fully Translated To Modern 3D”Christian Whitehead’s response came as a reaction to the Sonic fandom on Twitter comparing Sonic Superstars gameplay with the gameplay of the original classic trilogy. It is something that fans have been doing ever since the game was revealed. This comparisons have been very identical, and the hands-on impressions from media outlets have only made the optimism grow.
Of course, there’s nothing more that can reassure Sonic fans that Sonic Mania physics are still around than one of the devs of Sonic Mania confirming that themselves. And, well, that’s exactly what happened. No official word from SEGA or gameplay footage could really compete with that. It probably goes without saying either, but there are a lot of hardcore Sonic fans that are likely very happy to hear this news.
Whitehead does say that he’ll “have more to say on this when its appropriate”, so there may be some more information about the matter in the future. Said information will likely be shared on his Twitter, so if there’s anything of note to share with you, we’ll let you know. In the meantime, hardcore Sonic fans may be getting just as impatient as Sonic himself is in regards to this game! We’ll just have to wait a little while longer when Sonic Superstars releases this fall.
Via Twitter
Sonic Superstars was at Summer Game Fest Play Days, where attendees were able to try out the game before its release later this fall. You’ve seen the gameplay footage, which we’ve already covered here on Sonic Stadium. However, we haven’t talked about what people’s impressions were about the game after being able to play it. So, let’s take a look at some previews!
Read more: Gotta Preview Fast! It’s Time For A Sonic Superstars Hands-On Round-Up!Before I begin, I should probably mention one particular preview. it just so happens that our own Jason Berry was able to play the game himself, and he recently shared his own hands-on impressions of the game here on Sonic Stadium. His thoughts are the most passionate out of all the previews I’ll be mentioning in this article. Oh, and he did enjoy the game too!
With that all said, let’s get the general consensus out of the way, because this was probably the thing that stood out the most. Let me take a moment to say that there weren’t as many hands-on impressions for Sonic Superstars as Sonic Frontiers had, but the reason for that is likely because Sonic Frontiers had the advantage of being a completely new Sonic experience that was never seen before, so people were understandably much more curious. Other than the Emerald Powers and 2.5D graphics, Sonic Superstars is much more familiar to people. Of course, it also helped that Sonic Frontiers was the first main Sonic game in 4-5 years, so people were extremely hungry for news. Nevertheless, the previews were overwhelmingly positive for Sonic Frontiers last June. There were only a few folks that didn’t really care for it.
So, that minor detour aside, how did Sonic Superstars do? Well, despite the diminished quantity, Sonic Superstars can happily say that it, too, was flooded with positive reviews. In fact, remember when I said that a few folks didn’t really care for Sonic Frontiers in their hands-on impressions last June? Sonic Superstars didn’t even have that! The game had absolutely unanimous praise from various outlets, with not a single person expressing any distaste in what they played. This, needless to say, is absolutely incredible for a Sonic game.
Okay, so that’s the general consensus of the game. But let’s take a little more of a deep dive into the previews. Because, of course, there are some questions and worries that fans have about this game. It is worth noting that, for the vast majority of these previews, they only played a couple of levels. Some of them had a 15-minute playing session with this game, with others had a 30-minute playing session.
Anyway, let’s begin with Fadel, also known as GamesCage. Believe it or not, he was one of the first, if not the very first, to provide insight on what the game was like when Summer Game Fest Play Days 2023 began late last week. And he doesn’t really have any complaints whatsoever, even calling it “perfect”! I can be argued that this may have set the tone for the previews to come.
Oh, and when the previews began to come in, they came in at a consistent pace. Andy Robinson of Video Games Chronicle offered his insight, followed by Game Informer. Easy Allies was next. And the previews just kept coming. However, all of them agreed that this was a very promising game, and the criticisms were very few and far between.
Of course, the physics have been a hot topic in regards to the discussions about this game. So much so that Iizuka was asked about it in every single interview he did. And even when he wasn’t, he mentioned it anyway because he knew it was a big deal. A lot of the previews went into talking about the physics though, and they all loved it!
For example, Game Informer compared the physics of the game to being more Mania-like, saying that the game is “giving off a feel of picking up momentum that is loyal to the classic 2D entries in the series”. Robinson said the game’s movement “feels just like original Sonic”. Steve Bowling of Good Vibes Gaming said it “feels like Mania’s back”. WorthPlaying said “this IS classic Sonic gameplay”. Push Square says that “the 4 characters feel good to control, both on the ground and in the air”. There are reports that the physics are so accurate for Classic Sonic that you can jump loops, a speedrunning technique, and the characters will go so fast that they’ll make it off the screen, just like in the old games! And that’s just the physics and controls!
So, what about the level design? There was lots of praise for that too, but here’s some examples. Game Informer praised the branching paths of the level as something that “encourage you to explore each part of every Act”. Robinson said the levels have “tons of verticality”. Game Reactor mentions “the occasional switch to the background and the differently rewarding paths”. Prima Games noted that “there are multiple routes through levels and you’ll often miss most of what you’re looking at on your first go through. replaying the stages as each of the different characters changes how you interact with the level, and the path you’ll take to the end”. And Push Square called the platforming “satisfying, with ramps and boosts making you question where you might end up”.
Tech Raptor got really descriptive with the level design. They “had a blast exploring the absolutely gargantuan levels”, called the environmental interactions in the levels “pretty fresh”, said that the level design took the Sonic Mania route in “a focus on verticality and exploration” and admitted that “I’m sure if I replayed a level, I wouldn’t get to the end the same exact way”. They even noted that there is precision platforming in this game on occasion, but the game “knows when to let you off the leash and just enjoy the ride”.
Kinda Funny was probably the most positive out of all the previews I came across. They compared Sonic Superstars as being similar to Mania multiple times. The level design? They felt it was more like Mania than Generations. The gameplay? They called it “Sonic Mania gameplay”. Oh, and they outright said “this is not Sonic 4” and “this is closer to Mania”. Their only wish was that it was Sonic Mania 2, and even then, that was just out of personal preference and not even meant to be a complaint!
I think you get the picture. But the general consensus was pretty unanimous in just about every way possible. Probably the only preview of Sonic Superstars that was really critical in any way was Prima Games‘ preview, and that wasn’t even a negative review! They loved what they played, and they’re not even a Sonic fan! They were the only ones that mentioned that “As with most preview builds, the game had some small frame drops and slowdown”, though they also admitted that it was nothing severe or impactful. And they criticized the controls, saying that “it can feel a bit floaty at times, and I had trouble making some easy jumps. This was mitigate by using Knuckles glide, but the platforming doesn’t always feel crisp and can sometimes kill your momentum”.
This is just a small chunk of the previews that we got from media outlets this weekend. I didn’t even dive into Tech Radar‘s preview. Or Digital Trends‘ hands-on impressions. I didn’t even mention GameSpot‘s! But, at this point, I’d just be repeating myself because, as I said, the general consensus has been the same. Tech Raptor’s perspective is probably the only one that didn’t completely follow the vast majority’s opinion, and even then, they praised the game! To say that media outlets are excited for Sonic Superstars may be an understatement at this point.
Of course, these are just previews. All the hands-on impressions only got to experience a few levels at most. We haven’t seen all that the game has to offer yet. Obviously, the game isn’t out yet either. But there will likely be some more previews to come. And if there’s one thing that really helps a Sonic game gain some traction, its hands-on impressions. Physics and controls are very important in a Sonic game, and its these previews that give us our first insight into how they are.
Later this fall, we’ll be able to find out for ourselves. In the meantime, we’ll just have to deal with interviews, previews and the occasional trailer and press release from SEGA to make the wait a little easier. Meanwhile, Sonic Frontiers is supposed to get its second major update very soon, so it’s not like we’ll have nothing to do to pass the time. Of course, we’ll have much more coverage of Sonic Superstars here on Sonic Stadium as we get closer to the game’s release.
Sonic Superstars has been getting a lot of praise since it was announced last week, but one criticism that fans have had is that, well, the game’s co-op mode seems to be local only. Nevertheless, that doesn’t mean that the developers have ignored online completely. An official email sent out to Sonic Frontiers newsletter recipients confirmed a Battle Mode, which will be available locally and online!
Now, it is worth noting that they didn’t really give much in the way of details about this mode. All they said is that the mode will enable you to “challenge players from around the world”. What, exactly, this will be is unknown. SEGA hasn’t really talked about this at all in any interviews. In fact, were it not for this random email they sent, we probably wouldn’t have known that this was even a thing!
Unfortunately, for some, this may not be enough. The Co-op mode still seems to be local only. Of course, the fact that this game will have an online Battle Mode may just raise more questions about why the developers didn’t want people to play co-op mode online. It’s also very weird how such a huge mode in this game was only confirmed via an email.
Nevertheless, it’s very possible that we will learn more about this mode in the future. There’s still a while to go until the game releases, and SEGA hasn’t really talked much about the game’s side modes as a whole. They’ve been focusing on the main part of the game, for obvious reasons. Still, if you were wanting something to do online in this game, at least you’ll be able to battle other players when Sonic Superstars releases this fall!
Via Twitter
Sonic Superstars looks absolutely gorgeous. We should know, we said it. But that’s on the most powerful hardware – if you’re wondering whether the game also looks great on the Nintendo Switch, we now know the answer is ‘yes’, kinda.
The first still images of Classic Sonic’s latest outing running on Nintendo’s hybrid gaming console have arrived, and you can take a gander for yourself below.
Now, it clearly doesn’t look as sharp as its PS5 or Xbox cousins, but that is often the case with Nintendo Switch versions of cross-platform games. But at least the colour, character and charm doesn’t seem to have been impacted.
As with most things of this nature, it’s best to wait until we can see the Switch version moving and in action. Sometimes these lower-IQ situations aren’t as noticeable while actually playing. In the meantime, what do you think?
Source: Nintendo Everything
When Sonic Superstars was announced, SEGA was quick to reveal that the game would feature a new character designed by Sonic co-creator Naoto Ohshima. We got our first look at the character yesterday, and today we now have a name: Trip. The name seems to be based on the fact that the character trips…a lot. Both in the game’s opening animation, and even in the one cutscene we have from the game:
Iizuka confirmed this in an interview IGN released today, which you can check out here. There’s still much we don’t know about this character, including their name (though their tail looks like a raccoon….or a Zigzagoon). Be sure to stay tuned for further details on Trip and Sonic Superstars!
When it came to revamping Sonic in 2D, Sonic 4: Episodes 1 and 2 didn’t exactly bring about a new, exciting era. In fact, it failed to thrill most fans. Sega tried again with Sonic Mania, this time bringing the franchise back to its 16-bit roots, and it was a pretty big success. However, SEGA and Sonic Team seem determined to make a more modern, HD polygonal interpretation of 2D Sonic work, one that turns “Classic Sonic” into its own branch of the franchise. I recently got the chance to check out Sonic Superstars at the Summer Game Fest in Los Angeles. Does the game hold up to the classics, or do we have another Sonic 4 on our hands?
Continue reading Sonic Superstars Hands-on ImpressionsA former Sonic comic artist is seeking clarification from SEGA about the origins of the 3D character models used in Sonic Superstars and Sonic Origins Plus. Today, a SEGA rep offered some insight, promising to send a full response next week.
Rafa Knight, who had worked on a number of issues of Archie’s Sonic the Hedgehog comics (and also contributed to the debut issue of IDW’s current series), has been comparing her past CG artwork with the 3D models of Amy Rose in Sonic Origins Plus, as well as all the main character models in Sonic Superstars.
“I will need to make a comparison by overlapping the models with the Sonic Superstars video,” Knight wrote. “But I think that they used these old models for it.”
After taking the claims public due to being “ghosted” by SEGA reps about Sonic Origins Plus, Sonic Community Manager Katie Chrzanowski replied stating that, “these models were custom-made by the team for this game.” A full response to Knight is to follow.
“I don’t mind them using the models by the way,” Knight clarified. “I actually am happy that they used them after just being used for toys for half a decade.
“But deep down I do get a bit bothered for always being looked as my work was not good enough to work for them.”
Hopefully Katie’s comments clears things up for all concerned.
Though Takashi Iizuka focused on who IS making Sonic Superstars in a recent interview with VGC, he also discussed two notable groups who aren’t involved: Christian Whitehead and Headcannon, the developers behind 2017’s Sonic Mania… though not for a lack of trying.
Continue reading Whitehead and Headcannon Not Involved with Sonic Superstars, But Were Once in Talks for Next 2D SonicIn an interview with VGC, Takashi Iizuka noted that Naoto Ohshima and his company Arzest are the primary developers of Sonic Superstars, with long time series composer Jun Senoue working on the game’s audio.
Continue reading Ohshima, Arzest, and Senoue: We Know Who’s Making Sonic SuperstarsThe past few days have been filled with Sonic Superstars news, and we aren’t done yet! The video game journalist group Easy Allies was talking about the game on their Twitch stream while utilizing footage posted earlier today by IGN Japan. Towards the end of their discussion, and where the IGN Japan footage cut out, the footage they were showing instead transitioned to a level select screen.
This level select screen mostly just shows some unnamed zones and acts, but it contains two very interesting details. First, it lists a “time attack” option off to the side, meaning that this game likely has a time attack feature. What’s even more interesting than that, however, is one of the levels it lists: an act of Zone 5 meant specifically for Amy Rose.
What this appears to suggest is that this game will have acts meant for specific characters! Of course, this isn’t a confirmation, and could very well be a cut feature or something meant for DLC, but this has some curious implications nevertheless.
Check out a screenshot of the level select screen below:
You can find Easy Allies’ Twitch stream here.
While we’ve uploaded a significant amount of off-screen snippets of Sonic Superstars, IGN Japan has uploaded an HD quality video containing both acts of one of the game’s levels, “Speed Jungle.” You can find the video here, but we’ve decided to take the time to highlight some interesting details from the video below:
The level has a grappling hook gimmick, which can be activated by hitting a yellow switch floating above it. It is then possible to run up it! There are also some badniks that disguise themselves as ring boxes, and fly when you get close.
Later on in the level, we see a few more gameplay elements. There’s a holographic pulley that the player needs to hold onto while a timer counts down to earn rings. There are four pulley, meaning up to four players can use it at once. We also see a spinning blue portal above a checkpoint post, which likely leads to some sort of bonus stage. Finally, there’s a part of the game level where you can see Tails running in the background. In footage our own Jason Berry took of this level, we saw Sonic running in the background at one point while someone played Amy. So maybe these moments are meant to convey other characters participating in the adventure during single player?
Next up, we see the first of those “ginormous creatures” mentioned in the PR materials: a fat flicky! He appears in a cutscene introducing Speed Jungle’s first mini boss, which utilizes a grappling hook similar to what was used in the level earlier. Sonic must spindash up it in order to hit the boss. Afterwards, the flabby flicky celebrates with Sonic at the end of the level.
Act 2 introduces a new gimmick, where Sonic must use a glowing butterfly to illuminate a darkened area of the level. We also get our first look at Sonic’s edge-of-the-platform animation!
Next up, we get to see how physics work on the games grinding vines! Rather than being automated segments with automatic momentum, or something you can fall through if you lose speed, Sonic will instead simply walk when he loses momentum. This is demonstrated when a frog badnik slows Sonic down and he has to regain his speed to grind again.
The final boss attacks Sonic with a extendo arm that goes through the ground, and missiles. Rather than attack the boss directly, Sonic has to avoid the arm until it eventually strikes the boss on its own, and can also damage the boss by knocking blue missiles into it.
Finally, we got a look at an end level cutscene! We got to see this game’s version of an animal capsule, as well as the in-game models of Fang and a mysterious new character (almost certainly the one that was designed by Naoto Ohshima). Fang and the newbie got a humorous little cutscene that also calls back to a trap utilized by Eggman in the first episode of Sonic Mania Adventures!
There’s no question about it. Green Hill has been in a lot of Sonic games. In fact, it would probably take an entirely new article here on Sonic Stadium just to tell you how many appearances that Green Hill has had in just the past 10 years alone! But, Sonic Superstars is a thing now, and Takashi Iizuka has given fans some reassurance that Green Hill Zone is nowhere to be found here.
Read more: Goodbye Green Hill Zone! Sonic Superstars Has No Reused Areas!Actually, Takashi Iizuka didn’t just confirm the absence of Green Hill to IGN today, but of all reused levels! As IGN bluntly puts it, “no Green Hill, no Chemical Plant, no levels you’ve seen in prior 2D Sonic games”. Every zone in Sonic Superstars will be completely original. Takashi Iizuka said that this is intentional and “have Sonic run around in this new environment. So we wanted to make brand new places for Sonic to go in this new title”.
Of course, the story presentation won’t be any different from what you’re used to either. There won’t be lots of text, and there won’t be much in the way of voiceovers. In fact, it will be similar to Sonic 3 & Knuckles and Sonic Mania, where the story will play out between levels. So far, the only levels we know of are Speed Jungle and Bridge Island, thanks to the Summer Game Fest Play Days demo.
So, are there any other interesting details Takashi Iizuka shared today? Well, yes! We now know, thanks to Iizuka speaking with Gamertag Radio, that Fang is actually a mercenary hired by Dr. Eggman to help him, which explains why Fang is in the game. We also learned that each emerald will grant the characters a new ability, meaning that there will be 7 emerald powers in all. Oh, and that Emerald Power where you summon clones? It’s called “Avatar”, according to Iizuka.
That’s pretty much everything. It’s a busy time for Sonic fans right now, and it’s very likely that Takashi Iizuka will be participating in more interviews this month. If there’s anymore interesting details that Iizuka shares with us, we’ll let you know. In the meantime, stay tuned here at Sonic Stadium as we continue to cover Sonic Superstars up until the game’s release this fall.
Via IGN & Gamertag Radio
The Sonic Stadium is on the ground at Summer Game Fest 2023, and we’ve been able to capture loads of off-screen clips of the game in action! For anyone curious, we’ve got some gameplay footage of the windmill/seaside stage presented in the trailer. Let’s take a look at some of the gimmicks and interesting things we’ve seen!
There’s a lot to unpack in just a couple of minutes here, so let’s dive in and see what we can see:
First off, classic Badniks are back – but it looks like some of them may come with a few modernised tweaks to catch veteran 2D players off-guard. This Buzzbomber comes complete with a full-fat laser that doesn’t leave any room for Sonic to dodge from.
We also get to see one of the Chaos Emerald powers at play here – this one allows Sonic and friends to ascend through waterfalls. You’ll notice that there’s a meter in the bottom right corner there, which likely tells you how long you have left to use this special ability.
This stage is full of unique gimmicks that throw Sonic upwards into the air and even back and forth into the scenery! In this screenshot, you can see one of the curved silver loops that litter the stage – when Sonic runs into one…
…he shoots in the direction of the curve. Players can seemingly use these broken-loop pieces in clever ways to navigate to higher platforms.
Finally, there’s this little glimpse of a couple of collectables found within the stage. One is a giant blue ring, which looks similar to a Special Stage ring from Sonic 3 & Knuckles/Sonic Mania. The other is a golden Sonic coin. We wonder what these are for and where they take you…?
We’re capturing lots of media from the Summer Game Fest show floor, and we’ll be sharing our hands-on impressions of the game in a day or so’s time as well! Here are some more videos we captured as well, for your entertainment (be careful, some of them may be spoilery):
Knuckles vs Speed Jungle Boss
Amy Enters a Special Stage
Sonic Fights Eggman Boss on Bridge Island
Tails Gameplay from Speed Jungle
Vine Grinding Action
Amy Fights Speed Jungle Badnik Boss
Bridge Island Zone Act 1 Opening Sequence
Water Emerald Power Tutorial and Game Play
Amy Surfs the Vines in Speed Jungle
So stay tuned to the Sonic Stadium and Sonic News for all the latest, and chat about the videos we’ve captured in the comments section below.
If you’ve been a fan of the prior 2D animation projects in Sonic Mania, Sonic Origins, and others, get excited, because Sonic Superstars has its own sequences! Our man-with-the-camera over on the show floor this week snagged a clip of the start screen, and the full intro cinematic! You can check it out here:
The video includes a number of known aspects, like Fang, the multiplication power, and some weird robot armor dude? Is this our new antagonist?
Beyond that, the intro features plenty of action from the cast as Tails and the Tornado catch Sonic mid-fall while Knuckles and Amy bash Badniks in a carnival.
We’ll continue to share fresh footage throughout our Summer Game Fest coverage, so stay tuned!
IDW Sonic comic author and Sonic Frontiers story writer Ian Flynn has teased his involvement around the recently-announced Sonic Superstars. But, he’s not working on the game itself.
Writing on his personal social media channel, Flynn hinted that an associated project related to Sonic Superstars is in the works.
“For those asking: no I’m not involved with the game [Sonic Superstars],” the writer explained. “Nope. Not the game.” He added his trademark “Knowing Smile” phrase that suggests that something is going down.
What do you think it could be? Flynn has been involved in some game tie-in comics and other media in the past, most recently for Sonic Frontiers’ prologue comics. Maybe we will see a similar one-shot arrive ahead of Superstars’ launch?
Time will tell – but for now let’s have fun speculating!
via Twitter
SEGA’s been doing a good job at making sure fans are all signed up to its free email newsletters. First the incentive was free Sonic Frontiers DLC, then it was advance tickets for Sonic Symphony (which ended up arriving too late for many to actually take advantage of, but it’s the thought that counts). Now, Sonic Newsletter subscribers will get themselves a free exclusive DLC for Sonic Superstars, in the form of a ‘Modern’ Amy Rose costume.
As you probably expected, Amy Rose’s default look in Sonic Superstars is of the Classic variety. But, if you head over to the Sonic Superstars official website, and sign up for their email newsletter before January 31st 2024, you’ll get a code for a “classic, redefined look”. Which is to say, you can “don modern Amy’s outfit on classic Amy”. The wording is a bit confusing, but I think you got the gist of it.
Just to be safe, if you’ve already signed up a hundred times for the Sonic Newsletter for past free DLC campaigns and benefits, it might be worth just signing up again this time around to be certain you’ll get a code.
What do you think about the Classic and the Modern merging in such an unholy manner? Should someone please think about the children? Let us know in the comments section below!
via Twitter
It’s fair to say we’re super-excited about tonight’s reveal of Sonic Superstars – it’s already looking like a promising like a true return to form for the colourful and attitude-heavy series! SEGA has just released some official screenshots of the game in action, and we thought you’d might like to take a look for yourself.
As you can see, Sonic and the game world just look absolutely gorgeous, with eye-popping colours and vibrant environments throughout. Hopefully we’ll see some original takes on some classic gameplay tropes.
One of the big features about this particular game is the inclusion of up to four-player local co-op, which means that for the first time Sonic, Tails, Knuckles and Amy can all go around kicking Dr. Eggman’s mechanical Badniks in unison! We’re hoping that this will open the door for some creative co-op play and routes only accessible by using certain characters’ moves.
It seems like, for all its Classic Sonic approach to gameplay, Sonic Superstars does pick up a few things from the more Modern Sonic titles. Such as this set-piece which sees Sonic being chased by a massive…. robot fish thing.
Amy Rose is playable for only the second time in the Sonic series (after her gameplay debut in the upcoming Sonic Origins Plus, of course). Here she is running around with her Piko Piko Hammer – possibly deadly for any robots standing in her way.
As reports have revealed, there are special abilities that can be unlocked using retrieved Chaos Emeralds in the game. This could be one of those powers in action.
Check out more images below – all of them can be found on the Sonic Superstars official website.
SEGA has surprise-announced a brand new 2D Sonic game at Summer Game Fest 2023, called Sonic Superstars!
Featuring 3D models and environments and focusing entirely on Classic Sonic gameplay, Sonic Superstars will see Sonic, Tails, Knuckles and Amy Rose go on a new adventure as they tackle Dr. Eggman in a scenario reminiscent of the 16-bit days… only this time, Eggman has help in the form of returning classic bad guy, Fang the Sniper!
According to IGN, the game will take place in a new location called the North Star Islands, which look like it’s going to be home to a whole lot of new gimmicks such as vines that shoot Sonic upwards, trees that the blue blur can grind along and chutes that work in a similar way to those found in Stardust Speedway.
Apparently the Chaos Emeralds are also back, and can be seen to unlock specific powers for Sonic and friends. We can see in one instance where the player makes clones of themselves, and another where the player travels up a waterfall using another Chaos Emerald power.
Sonic Superstars will be coming to PlayStation 5, PS4, Xbox Series X and S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC later in Fall 2023.
