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Sonic Superstars

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Not to be confused with Sega Superstars.
Sonic Superstars
Developer(s)
Publisher(s)Sega
Producer(s)Takashi Iizuka
Composer(s)Jun Senoue
SeriesSonic the Hedgehog
Platform(s)
ReleaseLate 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 and Fang the Sniper. It is scheduled to be released for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S in late 2023.

Gameplay

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] 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]

The player traverses the North Star Islands and encounters the villains Doctor Eggman, Fang the Sniper, and Trip.[4][5] They navigate several levels ("zones") split into two acts. Certain acts end with bosses.[3] 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 a Chaos Emerald.[3] Each emerald grants the player a power-up ability, such as the ability to swim up waterfalls or create clones of the chosen character.[6] In the second, accessed by passing checkpoints,[7] the player navigates a rotating maze, similar to those from Sonic the Hedgehog (1991), to collect medals.[3]

The main campaign supports local multiplayer for up to four players,[5] who can join or leave at any time.[8] The game also features a player versus player mode that can be played locally or online.[9]

Development

Sonic Superstars was developed by Arzest, a studio founded by Sonic co-creator Naoto Ohshima,[10] with Sonic Team's Takashi Iizuka serving as producer.[2] Sonic Team originally wanted to develop another game with the Sonic Mania (2017) developers Christian Whitehead and Headcannon, and discussions began during Mania's development. Sonic Team, Whitehead, and Headcannon developed some concepts, but the project ultimately did not progress.[10]

Iizuka still wanted to make a new 2D Sonic game; he hoped to provide a new experience after the release of the compilation Sonic Origins (2022),[11] and modernize the series' "classic" formula so it could continue alongside the 3D game Sonic Frontiers (2022).[12] During a COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, Iizuka and Ohshima held a drinking party over Zoom, and Ohshima expressed interest in a collaboration.[10] Superstars marked Ohshima's first contribution to the series since Sonic Adventure (1998).[4] The title, Sonic Superstars, reflected the game featuring the "superstar" Sonic characters.[12] Arzest primarily handled development, with Sonic Team providing support.[10]

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.[13] They chose to tell the story through character interactions between levels rather than through voice acting and text. However, they did not reuse levels from previous Sonic games,[2] and opted not to continue Mania's pixel art style because they felt it would limit the appeal.[13] The team considered using hand-drawn animation, but chose 3D graphics since they could easily replicate the pixel art style.[14] 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,[13] as Iizuka felt it was important that Superstars be "new, interesting, and innovative".[11] They introduced the Chaos Emerald power-ups to motivate players to seek all seven, drawing inspiration from the Wisps from Sonic Colors (2010).[12] They made the power-ups optional to avoid interfering with the classic Sonic gameplay. Iizuka said that unlike Sonic Frontiers, which was aimed at gamers, Superstars was designed for children and parents alongside longtime Sonic fans.[11] 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.[14]

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.[14] 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, Eggman's sidekick from the Game Gear Sonic games.[11] Additionally, Ohshima designed a new villain, Trip.[4][12]

Music

Jun Senoue composed the soundtrack with assistance from Tee Lopes and internal Sega staff.[10] Iizuka said the Superstars team sought to remain faithful to the Genesis games' pop style.[12]

Release

Sega announced Sonic Superstars at Summer Game Fest on June 8, 2023.[5] It is scheduled to be released for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S in late 2023.[4] Players who sign up for a Sega newsletter prior to January 31, 2024, will receive a downloadable content code that unlocks Amy's Sonic Adventure outfit.[15]

Notes

  1. ^ Japanese: ソニックスーパースターズ, Hepburn: Sonikku Sūpāsutāzu

References

  1. ^ Nightingale, Ed (June 8, 2023). "Newly announced Sonic Superstars out this autumn". Eurogamer. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ a b c d Shea, Brian (June 9, 2023). "Sonic Superstars: Speeding Around The New 2D Adventure". Game Informer. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  4. ^ a b c d Shea, Brian (June 8, 2023). "Sonic Superstars Is A Modernized 2D Adventure With Four-Player Co-Op". Game Informer. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  5. ^ a b c Plant, Logan (June 8, 2023). "Sega Announces Sonic Superstars, a Brand New 2D Sonic Game". IGN. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  6. ^ McWhertor, Michael (June 8, 2023). "Sonic Superstars brings back classic gameplay and Sonic's original designer". Polygon. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ 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.
  9. ^ Alexander, Cristina (June 12, 2023). "Sonic Superstars Will Have Some Sort of Online Battle Mode". IGN. Retrieved June 13, 2023.
  10. ^ a b c d e Robinson, Andy (June 10, 2023). "Sonic Superstars is developed by original designer's studio, Sega confirms". Video Games Chronicle. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  11. ^ a b c d Minotti, Mike (June 10, 2023). "Sonic Superstars wants to give fans a classic 2D game with new surprises". VentureBeat. Retrieved June 11, 2023.
  12. ^ 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.
  13. ^ 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.
  14. ^ 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.
  15. ^ Doolan, Liam (June 9, 2023). "Sonic Superstars Offering Free "Modern" Amy Outfit To Newsletter Subscribers". Nintendo Life. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
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