Sonic Superstars
| Sonic Superstars | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | |
| Publisher(s) | Sega |
| Producer(s) | |
| Composer(s) |
|
| Series | Sonic the Hedgehog |
| Platform(s) | |
| Release | October 17, 2023 |
| Genre(s) | Platform |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
Sonic Superstars[a] is an upcoming platform game developed by Arzest and Sonic Team and published by Sega. It features side-scrolling gameplay similar to the Sonic the Hedgehog games released for the Sega Genesis in the 1990s. As one of four player characters—Sonic the Hedgehog, Miles "Tails" Prower, Knuckles the Echidna, and Amy Rose—the player completes side-scrolling levels as they set out to defeat Doctor Eggman, Fang the Hunter and Trip the Sungazer. Superstars introduces power-ups that the player can obtain by collecting the Chaos Emeralds.
Sonic Team's head, Takashi Iizuka, wanted to modernize Sonic's traditional side-scrolling formula so it could continue independently from the 3D games. After plans for another collaboration with the developers of Sonic Mania (2017) fell through, Iizuka began discussing a collaboration with Arzest, a studio founded by Sonic co-creator Naoto Ohshima. Superstars marked Ohshima's first contribution to a Sonic game since Sonic Adventure (1998), and Arzest sought to replicate the Genesis Sonic gameplay while innovating with new game mechanics.
Sonic Superstars is scheduled to be released for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on October 17, 2023.
Gameplay[edit]

Sonic Superstars is a side-scrolling platform game similar to the Sonic the Hedgehog games released for the Sega Genesis in the 1990s. It is presented from a 2.5D perspective;[1] like the Classic Sonic segments of Sonic Generations (2011) and Sonic Forces (2017), the game world is rendered in 3D although movement is restricted to a 2D plane.[2] The player must complete a series of levels ("zones") to defeat Doctor Eggman, who has hired Fang the Hunter and Trip the Sungazer to capture the North Star Islands' giant animals so he can build a powerful army.[3] There are four player characters, each with their own unique abilities: Sonic the Hedgehog can roll into a dash after a jump; Miles "Tails" Prower can fly; Knuckles the Echidna can glide and climb; and Amy Rose can attack enemies with a hammer and double jump.[3][4]
The North Star Islands comprise 12 zones.[4][5] Each contains features such as springs, vertical loops, collectible rings that serve as health, and shield power-ups.[6][7][8] Some zones feature unique elements, such as a jungle with vines the player can grind on and a futuristic zone where they transform into a voxel creature,[1][7] and some feature acts exclusive to the selected character.[9] Zones are split into separate parts called acts; the number of acts in a zone varies between one, two, and three.[8] Each act ends with a boss that the player must defeat while dodging attacks.[7] In between levels, the player explores a 2D hub world where they can select a zone and change or customize their character.[9]
Superstars features two kinds of special stages. In the first, accessed through giant rings hidden in each act, the player swings from bubbles in a 3D environment to obtain one of the seven Chaos Emeralds.[6][4] Each emerald grants the player a power-up ability, such as the ability to swim up waterfalls or create clones of the chosen character;[10] the seventh provides a character-specific ability.[6] Collecting all seven emeralds allows the player to transform into their character's super form, granting them speed and invincibility at the cost of ring depletion. The player can swap abilities from a selection wheel at any time.[11] In the second, accessed by passing checkpoints,[12] the player navigates a rotating maze, similar to those from Sonic the Hedgehog (1991), to collect medals.[4] The medals can be used at a shop in the hub world to purchase parts for customization.[9]
The main campaign supports local multiplayer for up to four players who can join or leave at any time,[13][14] a first for the series.[15] Superstars also features a player versus player component that can be played locally or online,[16] in which players create robots to partake in competitions.[17] Modes include races, battles, collection competitions, and last man standing.[18]
Development[edit]
Conception[edit]

The idea for Sonic Superstars originated with Sonic Mania (2017), a 2D game developed by Christian Whitehead, PagodaWest Games, and Headcannon. The Sonic series' producer, Sonic Team's Takashi Iizuka, was surprised by Mania's success and saw it as confirmation that fans were still interested in the series' "classic" style. Sonic Team and the Mania developers, who formed Evening Star Studio in 2018, began discussing another collaboration following Mania's release.[19] They did not want to make a Mania sequel since Iizuka felt casual audiences would dismiss it as a rehash; he wanted to abandon Mania's pixel art style as Mania had been intended for hardcore Sonic fans, and he thought a new 2D game needed to appeal to a broad audience.[20][21]
Whitehead said that Sonic Team and Evening Star "agreed early on that we should try to make something fresh", such as using a new art style like traditional animation or 2.5D graphics and not reusing content from prior Sonic games.[21] Evening Star created a 2.5D prototype that experimented with depth using its in-development Star Engine. However, Sonic Team and Evening Star eventually decided against developing the prototype into a full product,[21] and Evening Star moved on to develop Penny's Big Breakaway (2024).[19] Whitehead denied rumors that the decision was caused by creative differences and said that Evening Star's relationship with Sega remained friendly.[21]
During a COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, Iizuka and Sonic co-creator Naoto Ohshima held a drinking party over Zoom for fun. They expressed mutual interest in a new 2D Sonic game and began discussing a collaboration.[22][20] Although Ohshima left Sega in 1999 and had not contributed to a Sonic game since Sonic Adventure (1998), he remained a fan and had enjoyed games such as Sonic Colors (2010), Sonic Generations (2011), Mania, and Sonic Frontiers (2022). Additionally, he noticed many of his followers on social media were Sonic fans and wanted to show his appreciation for them.[23] Although Evening Star was no longer involved, many of the ideas Iizuka had discussed with Whitehead heavily influenced those he developed with Ohshima.[21]
Ohshima's studio Arzest primarily handled development, with Sonic Team providing support.[22] Iizuka felt Arzest was a natural fit due to their experience developing 2D games for Nintendo,[20] and that Ohshima had retained his design sensibilities from the Genesis era. Several Sonic Team members, including Iizuka, flew from Burbank, California to Yokohama, Japan to assist.[23] The game was developed from scratch,[20] though the physics code was translated from the Mania version of Whitehead's Retro Engine.[24] The title, Sonic Superstars, reflected the game featuring the "superstar" Sonic characters.[25]
Design[edit]
Iizuka and Ohshima served as producers, with Iizuka handling marketing so Ohshima could manage development.[23] The designers sought to replicate the Genesis Sonic gameplay; they first focused on perfecting the physics engine before working on the level design and ensuring they meshed.[26] In contrast to the previous 2.5D games Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I (2010) and Episode II (2012), which drew from more recent games like Sonic Advance (2001), Iizuka said Superstars was inspired by the Genesis games: the original Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (1992), and Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles (1994).[27] The developers ran the original games while they worked on Superstars so they could compare the physics side by side.[20] Previous side-scrolling Sonic games featured a set number of acts for each zone, so Arzest decided to use a different number for certain zones to add variety to the pacing.[8]
The developers chose to tell the story through character interactions between levels rather than through voice acting and text.[2] Unlike contemporary Sonic games, Superstars does not reuse any levels from previous games, such as Green Hill Zone.[2] Iizuka described this as a story-based decision, as Superstars features a new setting.[3] The team opted not to continue Mania's pixel art style because they felt it would limit the appeal.[26] They considered using hand-drawn animation, but chose 3D graphics since they could easily replicate the pixel art style.[28] The use of 3D graphics also allowed for elements that could not be accomplished in the Genesis games, such as the characters moving between the foreground and background.[2]
After working on the physics and level design, the developers began exploring new game mechanics,[26] as Iizuka felt it was important that Superstars be "new, interesting, and innovative".[29] He hoped to provide a new experience after the release of the compilation Sonic Origins (2022),[29] and modernize the series' "classic" formula so it could continue alongside the 3D game Frontiers.[25] Arzest introduced the Chaos Emerald power-ups to motivate players to seek all seven, drawing inspiration from the Wisps in Sonic Colors.[25] They made the power-ups optional to avoid interfering with the classic Sonic gameplay,[29] and included visual indicators to signal when they would be useful. The developers limited themselves to seven power-ups to correlate with the emeralds.[11]
In choosing playable characters, Iizuka said Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles were "obvious picks", while Amy was included since the developers felt she would please fans.[28] Sonic Team had wanted to include Amy as a playable character since Mania, but could not because of time constraints.[20] Sonic Team was surprised by how excited fans were when the obscure characters Mighty the Armadillo and Ray the Flying Squirrel appeared in Sonic Mania, so Arzest decided to bring back a similarly unknown character in Superstars. They chose Fang, an antagonist appearing in the Game Gear Sonic games.[29] Additionally, Ohshima designed a new villain, Trip the Sungazer,[30][25] whose armored appearance he based on a sungazer lizard. Iizuka wanted a new character to add story depth,[31] and he worked closely with Ohshima to define Trip's character and appearance.[32] Iizuka sought to distinguish Trip from previous games' powerful villains, such as Infinite from Sonic Forces (2017), with a backstory and characterization "that people can kind of relate to and empathize with and enjoy... because [she] mean[s] something to the world".[31]
Iizuka said that unlike Sonic Frontiers, which was aimed at gamers, Superstars was designed for children and parents alongside longtime Sonic fans.[29] He wanted Superstars to feel as distinct from Frontiers as possible since he hoped the 2D Sonic games would continue independently from the 3D ones.[28] Sonic Team long wanted to include four-player multiplayer in a Sonic game, but found it difficult to integrate with the series' gameplay. Iizuka said Sonic Team had abandoned the idea, but Ohshima encouraged him to make it work.[33] Sonic Team played several platformers with cooperative gameplay, such as the New Super Mario Bros. series, for inspiration, but implementation proved challenging due to Sonic's speed.[27] Arzest did not include online cooperative multiplayer to avoid lag ruining players' experience.[20]
Music[edit]
Jun Senoue led a mix of internal Sega staff and external contributors to compose the Superstars soundtrack;[22] contributors included Takahiro Kai,[34] Tee Lopes,[22] Hidenori Shoji,[34] and Rintaro Soma.[35] Iizuka said the Superstars team sought to remain faithful to the Genesis games' pop style.[25]
Release[edit]
Sega announced Sonic Superstars at Summer Game Fest on June 8, 2023,[13] followed by promotion at Gamescom in August.[36] It is scheduled to be released for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on October 17, 2023.[37] Players who sign up for a Sega newsletter prior to January 31, 2024, will receive a downloadable content (DLC) code that unlocks Amy's modern outfit seen in Sonic Adventure onward,[38] while those who pre-order the game will receive a reversible cover, an acrylic display stand, and a Lego Sonic the Hedgehog-themed Eggman skin.[39] A Lego Sonic skin will also be available as free DLC.[40] "Digital Deluxe" DLC includes additional Lego skins, a rabbit skin based on one of Ohshima's prototype Sonic designs, robot parts for the multiplayer mode, an artbook, a soundtrack, and menu wallpapers.[41] Sega released a promotional animated short, Trio of Trouble, on September 20.[42]
Notes[edit]
References[edit]
Citations[edit]
- ^ a b Nightingale, Ed (June 8, 2023). "Newly announced Sonic Superstars out this autumn". Eurogamer. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
- ^ a b c d Plant, Logan (June 9, 2023). "Sonic Superstars Developers Explain Why They're Finally Abandoning Green Hill Zone". IGN. Retrieved June 9, 2023.
- ^ a b c Shea 2023a, p. 33.
- ^ a b c d Shea, Brian (June 9, 2023). "Sonic Superstars: Speeding Around the New 2D Adventure". Game Informer. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
- ^ Sega (June 21, 2023). Sonic Superstars - Nintendo Direct 6.21.2023. Nintendo of America. Retrieved July 8, 2023 – via YouTube.
- ^ a b c Shea 2023a, p. 34.
- ^ a b c Yang, George (June 12, 2023). "Sonic Superstars preview: Captures the magic of retro Sonic games". GamesRadar+. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
- ^ a b c Shea, Brian (July 28, 2023). "Sonic Superstars: Exclusive Hands-On Impressions Of The First Six Zones". Game Informer. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
- ^ a b c Shea 2023a, p. 36.
- ^ McWhertor, Michael (June 8, 2023). "Sonic Superstars brings back classic gameplay and Sonic's original designer". Polygon. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
- ^ a b Shea, Brian (July 25, 2023). "Sonic Superstars: Exclusive Look At Every Emerald Power". Game Informer. Retrieved July 26, 2023.
- ^ Peppiatt, Dom (June 11, 2023). "32 years later, Sonic Superstars proves that new 2D Sonic games can still be good – hands-on". VG247. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
- ^ a b Plant, Logan (June 8, 2023). "Sega Announces Sonic Superstars, a Brand New 2D Sonic Game". IGN. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
- ^ O'Connor, Alice (June 8, 2023). "Sonic Superstars will offer side-on platforming with four-player co-op". Rock Paper Shotgun. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
- ^ Gutierrez, Luis Joshua (August 22, 2023). "Sonic Superstars October Release Date Confirmed At Gamescom". GameSpot. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
- ^ Alexander, Cristina (June 12, 2023). "Sonic Superstars Will Have Some Sort of Online Battle Mode". IGN. Retrieved June 13, 2023.
- ^ Hagues, Alana (August 22, 2023). "Sonic Superstars Locks In October Release, Right Before Super Mario Bros. Wonder". Nintendo Life. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
- ^ Doolan, Liam (September 24, 2023). "Sonic Superstars' New Multiplayer Battle Mode Detailed By SEGA". Nintendo Life. Retrieved September 25, 2023.
- ^ a b Shea 2023a, p. 31.
- ^ a b c d e f g Robinson, Andy (June 23, 2023). "Interview: How Sonic Superstars was born from a Zoom drinking party". Video Games Chronicle. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e Shea, Brian (July 26, 2023). "Why Didn't Sonic Mania 2 Happen?". Game Informer. Retrieved July 26, 2023.
- ^ a b c d Robinson, Andy (June 10, 2023). "Sonic Superstars is developed by original designer's studio, Sega confirms". Video Games Chronicle. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
- ^ a b c Shea 2023a, p. 30.
- ^ Hagues, Alana (June 14, 2023). "Sonic Mania Dev Confirms Superstars Translates 'Retro Engine' Physics Into 3D". Nintendo Life. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e Lawanson, Akeem (June 11, 2023). How Sonic Superstars Aims to Be a Modern Sonic Mania. IGN. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
- ^ a b c Shea, Brian (June 10, 2023). "Ed Boon, Takashi Iizuka, Summer Game Fest 2023 I All Things Nintendo". Game Informer. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
- ^ a b Shea 2023a, p. 32.
- ^ a b c Takashi Iizuka Talks Superstars Using 3D models, The Classic Formula & Sonic Adventure 2 Remake. Shacknews. June 15, 2023. Retrieved June 16, 2023 – via YouTube.
- ^ a b c d e Minotti, Mike (June 10, 2023). "Sonic Superstars wants to give fans a classic 2D game with new surprises". VentureBeat. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
- ^ Shea, Brian (June 8, 2023). "Sonic Superstars Is a Modernized 2D Adventure With Four-Player Co-Op". Game Informer. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
- ^ a b Shea, Brian (August 2, 2023). "Sonic Superstars: Meet Trip, The First New Sonic Character Created By Naoto Ohshima In Decades". Game Informer. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
- ^ Shea 2023a, p. 38.
- ^ Iizuka, Takashi; Ohshima, Naoto (June 23, 2023). Sonic Superstars - Takashi Iizuka & Naoto Ohshima Interview (Extended Cut). Sega. Retrieved June 23, 2023 – via YouTube.
- ^ a b Deschamps, Marc (September 21, 2023). "Sonic Superstars Reveals Battle Mode Details and New Music". ComicBook.com. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
- ^ Simelane, Smangaliso (September 8, 2023). "Sega reveals new level music from Sonic Superstars". Destructoid. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
- ^ Bailey, Kat (August 21, 2023). "See an Iconic Sonic Statue From London Restored to Its Former Glory in Time for Gamescom". IGN. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
- ^ Wales, Matt (August 22, 2023). "Sonic Superstars gets October release date, Sonic Frontiers' The Final Horizon update out in September". Eurogamer. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
- ^ Doolan, Liam (June 9, 2023). "Sonic Superstars Offering Free "Modern" Amy Outfit To Newsletter Subscribers". Nintendo Life. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
- ^ Bitner, Jon (June 23, 2023). "Sonic Superstars Has Some Very Cool Preorder Bonuses". GameSpot. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
- ^ Shea, Brian (June 23, 2023). "Sonic Superstars Getting Lego DLC Skins". Game Informer. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
- ^ Doolan, Liam (August 22, 2023). "Sonic's Original Rabbit Design Is Being Added To Sonic Superstars – Digital Deluxe Edition". Nintendo Life. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
- ^ Reynolds, Ollie (September 20, 2023). "Sonic Superstars Animation Features Fang The Hunter And Newcomer Trip". Nintendo Life. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
Works cited[edit]
- Shea, Brian (July 25, 2023). "Appreciating the Classics". Game Informer. Vol. 33, no. 7. Minneapolis: GameStop. pp. 28–39. ISSN 1067-6392.
External links[edit]
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