Back in the early 90's there was only one king on the SEGA Genesis, Sonic. The little blue mascot was praised with every instalment the franchise produced. It's hard to understand what went wrong with Sonic, the 3D era of gaming saw him drastically fall from grace. A few games showed potential (Sonic Adventure 2: Battle) but none truly captured what made Sonic our childhood hero back in the 90's. From slow boring games to fast games ruined by werewolf stages, we lost all hope. However when 2010 hit we were blessed with two of the best Sonic games since the early 90's. First was Sonic All-Stars Racing, an unexpected hit to the arcade racing genre which was reminiscent of games like Mario Karts. Next up for Sonic fans was the return to Sonic's traditional 2D roots with, Sonic The Hedgehog 4: Episode 1. This was an absolute masterpiece in the eyes of Sonic fans, recapturing the glory days with new HD visuals to impress everyone. It might be hard to comprehend that SEGA has saved their best for last, but they have. Sonic Colors is a phenomenal game with vibrant, unique, imaginative stages which all Sonic fans will appreciate.
Sonic Colors takes place on a bizarre interstellar amusement park, created by Dr Robotnik, or Egg Man for anyone who didn't experience Sonic's golden day's. Dr Robotnik has enslaved alien creatures called Wisps, chaining their planet (and others) to his space station. SEGA have been very smart with the story here, it's cute, smart, and with a new voice cast, very easy on the ears.
The plot is really just an excuse for the developers (DIMPS & Sonic Team) to throw a wide variety of unique and imaginative themed levels at you, and i am extremely happy that they did because some of these levels are outstanding. The traditional grassy meadow and casino themed levels are here but my personal favourites are Sweet Mountain, which sees Sonic racing through pits of popcorn alongside mountains of cake, and Starlight Carnival which is one of the most impressive Sonic stages i have ever seen, zipping through space on an energy road feels very satisfying and the backdrop makes the whole experience feel like something out of Mario Galaxy or tron. The developers really show their imagination and passion for the franchise with the amount of unbelievably great places in Sonic Colors there are to see.
Sonic Colors is not just a pretty game, the gameplay is fantastic. Smart physics and precise controls make Sonic feel just as he should, he is fast, frantic, thrilling, and explosive. The real unique feature Colors has though, is the addition of the Wisps. Each color of Wisp grants Sonic a unique temporary power. Yellow Wisps give Sonic the ability to drill through ground, Cyan Wisps on the other hand give Sonic the ability to bounce off walls and other surfaces just as a laser would. There are eight colors in all, each feels unique and fun to use. They add a new level of depth to Sonic's traditional gameplay and in my personal opinion they are a very welcomed addition.
The new additions to the gameplay open up more challenging level designs which will test even veteran Sonic or platform gamers. This might be a shock to die-hard Sonic fans because Sonic is no longer a game full of homing attacks and holding forward. The design and execution resemble side-scrollers like Mario and offer a new experience for Sonic fans. There are alternate routes which can only be explored when certain Wisps have been caught, as well as Red Rings in each level to collect. There is allot more to do in this Sonic game than previous titles combined.
Sonic Colors feels very fresh, it's great to see everything we love about Sonic, mixed in with some crazy, yet outstanding new ideas that help create a more fulfilling title. Unlike most other Sonic games, Sonic Colors requires skill to complete the game. It's not just about running fast and jumping, and this is what makes it arguably the best 3D Sonic experience we have ever seen.
This is definitely the hardest Sonic game. There are no alternate paths or way's around areas you get stuck at. It's a trial and error game at times and it's fantastic to see this challenge in a Sonic game. Although it is challenging it never becomes frustrating because every level looks so beautiful, it's just a joy to play each stage over and over again. On the other hand it can be a bit too hard towards the end with the lack of checkpoints in frequently difficult areas.
Sonic Colors has co-op but it's unlikely you will spend any time here as it's just not fun, it's great to see the developers attempt to create a co-op experience, but one screen is just not enough for two Sonic's. You can complete the co-op stages on you're own which is extremely helpful though but that's not the point.
Overall Sonic Colors is a game which takes all the aspects we love about Sonic and mixes them with some new fresh ideas. The themed levels are amongst some of the most creative and beautiful i have seen in any platformer, and the gameplay feels spot on. The game can be hard and children might become frustrated but this level of challenge is welcomed in a Sonic game. If you are looking for a 3D Sonic game, this is the best. It's phenomenally beautiful, rewarding, and satisfying.
Sonic Colors is absolutely outstanding 9/10
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