Despite Sega assuring us over and over again that they would be making it their mission to improve the quality of the Sonic series, I was pretty skeptical when Sonic Colors was first announced.
Targeting a younger audience? Alien Wisp power-ups? Trailers with bad techno rock? The same game designer as Sonic and the Black Knight?
It seemed like a recipe for disaster, but Sonic Colors has turned out to be a surprisingly fun game, a fast-paced and exciting mix of 2D platforming and 3D boosting in a very colorful world.
Graphics and Music
Sonic Colors definitely has a visual style all its own. Since this game takes place in an interplanetary amusement park in outer space, SonicTeam has been given the opportunity to branch out and show us that they can design some very creative levels, and they’ve succeeded with flying…colors. (Sorry, couldn’t resist.) We’ve got areas made out of food, we’ve got runs through starry space skies, we have an alien planet brimming with vegetation, and we also get to see some great-looking water levels. The art direction’s fantastic and even the level select maps radiate with a sense of energy. Sonic looks great, easily his best non-HD design to date, and the characters’ lips match the voices in the cutscenes, which is always a nice touch.
The only real flaw I’d have to point out with Sonic Colors’ visual presentation is the abundance of jaggies, especially if you’re playing on an HDTV. The jagged edges on almost everything give the game a rough look and it’s unfortunate, because it takes away from what’s otherwise a brilliant visual presentation. Don’t let it be a deal-breaker, Sonic Colors still looks great, but if you have the option, playing this one on a standard def television will result in a much cleaner picture.
Of course, one thing not affected by the Wii’s limited graphics tech is the audio. Sonic Colors’ soundtrack features a mix of synthesizing and orchestration, and it fits the game very well. The piano in particular is used to great effect. The high-energy soundtrack manages to keep up with these fast and wacky levels, and I found myself humming some of these tunes for days. The main rock song is, of course, terrible (even by the relatively low standards of Sonic Rock Music,) and you’ll hate it even more when you realize that you can’t get it out of your head.
Gameplay
Sonic Colors at first gives off the impression that this is Sonic Unleashed but without the werehog, but as you play through it, what becomes apparent is that this is trying something entirely different. While Sonic Unleashed’s daytime levels were mostly 3D with some 2D thrown in for good measure, Sonic Colors takes the opposite strategy. This is, primarily, a 2D adventure, and while the 3D sections add fast speeds and some scope to these levels, there’s virtually no platforming to be done in 3D. Not to mention the fact that the majority of Sonic’s Wisp powers can only be activated in the side-scrolling sections of the levels, not in the 3D portions. Fans of 3D Sonic may be a little disappointed that the 3D aspects of Sonic Colors have been downgraded so much, but then again, the 2D action here is some of the best this series has ever seen. The underwater levels in particular are amazing, and it’s great to see that SonicTeam can still do this after all these years…color me impressed. (Okay, THAT’s the last bad pun, I promise.)
One thing that helps freshen up the experience is the addition of the Wisps, these little alien guys that Robotnik (….. Eggman…I guess,) has captured. As you free them, you gain access to their unique abilities, which allow Sonic to drill through dirt, hover, claw up walls, etc. This is finally a 3D Sonic gimmick that doesn’t feel tacked on, and it’s one that truly enhances the game. With these power-ups, there are so many different paths to take in these levels. These are not particularly long levels (many clock in at 3 minutes or under) but the amount of different paths to take and different places to explore is staggering. Going back and exploring earlier levels with your new Wisp abilities is something you’ll want to do, as there are over 150 red rings scattered throughout them. Collecting these rings unlocks levels in the co-op mode, (thankfully this can also be played solo) which is a nice way to extend your time with the game.
There was some concern among the Sonic fanbase after comments were made by various people at Sega that implied that this game would be easier, meant for a “younger audience.” Well you can rest assured that Sonic Colors is anything but easy, in fact, some of the later levels will give even the most experienced Sonic fans a challenge, or even a headache. This is Sonic Colors’ biggest stumbling block, as it never quite manages to feel challenging for the right reasons. The controls feel a little too slippery for the precision that the 2D segments often demand, and I found myself sliding right off platforms I landed on (therefore, to my death) many times. There’s been too much reliance on bottomless pits for my liking, and the mechanics for certain environmental interactions are never explained, leading to some frustrating moments. There’s a particularly annoying section in one of the Sweet Mountain acts that involves swinging off of lollipops that I died on countless times as I tried to figure out exactly how to get them to propel me up to where I wanted to go. It’s little things like this that end up cranking up the frustration factor. At one point I found myself on a path that suddenly turned upside down over a bottomless pit, and it became an exercise in trying-and-dying before I learned what direction I had to hold the analog stick in to keep Sonic moving. It ends up being a lot of these little bits of frustration that prevent Sonic Colors from being the top-notch game that it could have been, and when these moments blow up into big issues (don’t even get me started on that roller coaster near the end) it’s really not pretty.
At the same time, even when I was frustrated, I couldn’t stop playing. Sonic Colors may have control issues and it may be too frustrating at times for its own good, but when you’re constantly playing through levels that are as bright and energetic as Twinkle Park was, when you first get to try out your brand new Wisp power-ups, when you get to another visually stunning level…it’s a blast. The length of the main story clocks in at around 6 hours, which is a little too short for my liking, but it’s a lot of fun while it lasts, and it’ll keep you coming back for more.
Story and Voice Acting
Well, Sega’s given the boot to the 4 Kids Entertainment actors who have been voicing this series since 2005’s Shadow the Hedgehog. Mike Pollock gets to stay on as Eggman, but as far as I can tell, everyone else has been replaced. I’m happy to say that it’s a change that’s worked out for the better. Sonic’s new voice actor doesn’t try to replicate what Ryan Drummond did, instead, he takes the character in a completely new direction. Here’s hoping we get to see the return of what I’m calling “stoner Sonic” in Sonic games for years to come. Everyone else does a good job too, and they’re helped by a script that’s actually funny. Sure, it can be childish at times, and the ending’s pretty weak, but thanks to solid writing and acting, Sonic Colors’ cutscenes are always a lot of fun to watch.
Conclusion
Sonic Colors proves that Sonic’s in capable hands. High speed 3D boost segments mix with some awesome 2D platforming in a series of truly imaginative levels to make this game one of the biggest surprises of 2010. That’s not to say that it’s a perfect adventure, as slippery controls, a short length, and some frustrating try-and-die mechanics prevent Colors from standing with the best platformers on the system. That said, Sonic fans should definitely not miss out on what’s a very fun and energetic platforming experience, one that easily fulfills Sega’s promise of delivering quality Sonic games.
Positives…
– Colorful visuals and excellent soundtrack
– Inventive platforming with a great new gimmick
– Unlockables will keep you playing even after you finish the main game
– Story and voice acting are surprisingly entertaining
Negatives…
– Lots and lots of jaggies on an HDTV
– Slippery controls, try-and-die difficulty
– Main story’s a bit short, could have used another planet or two
– 3D sections feel underdeveloped
Rating:
Great review. I'm hoping to get this one pretty soon.
I think there are 180 red medals.
Other than that, great review.
Some things didn't bother me so much like how there wasn't a lot of 3d platforming. Most of the 3d platforming sections were awkward anyway and have always been awkward with the unleashed/colors engine. I just don't think the engine is made for 3d platforming but as seen in unleashed it works great for crazy running eye candy sections and a little bit of variation with the sidestepping and "a little bit" of platforming.
They just made the best out of it and imo they might the right choice to have the game play mainly in 2d (70%) with a little bit of 3d sections.
The try and die(trial and error) gameplay is something I agree wholheartly with. They should just stop making unexpected botomless pits. I didn't have a lot of trouble with them myself but I watched some playthroughs and it seems others aren't used so much with the sonic games and died a lot because of the pits.
It's a little bit too short. Personally more acts in terminal velocity would've been enough to make the game feel a lot less short but overall with all it's replay value I was really satisfied with the game, and still am.
I love the game.
Oh by the way, what's a B grade in 1/10 system
its good, so 7/8 ish. I don't like the 10 scale, because 1-5 numbers are useless, if anything goes under a 7 everyone says it sucks and mostly are right. Its a broken system.
"- Lots and lots of jaggies on an HDTV"
What the HELL?
Hey guys, lets now put the Wii's limited potential as a fault now.
Compared to other games in my collection, Sonic Colors has the least amount of jaggies. Plus, they aren't even noticeable in most situations. (The only place jaggies really ever stood out were the slow platforming levels in Sweet Mountain. Even then, it was basically background objects)
And yes, I have a 40 Inch Sony HDTV.
"- Main story’s a bit short, could have used another planet or two"
21 levels from Gameland weren't enough?
Oh, its by ShadowLegend. Should of expecte*slapped
A majority of acts really didn't have the try and die error. The main time this ever happened was trying to get bonuses or red rings.
A B to me is more like a 8/10 to me. (B+ = 8.5/10, A = 9-10/10)
Eh.. Grades confuse me.
Mostly a great review, although the HD TV comment isn't really due to the game.
I can't remember if we give out the extra + and – with our review scores but I would give Sonic Colours a B+ for sure.
I also think we should start adding a little description of what an A or B actually means. Just a word like 'Bad' 'Mediocre' 'Good’ Great' or 'Perfect'. Would help put the letter score system into perspective.
To Autosaver, I said in the review that the jaggies were not a "deal-breaker" but they are very noticeable. None of my other Wii games I've played on this HDTV have looked this jagged. Several people who walked into the room and saw me playing commented on the jaggy visuals, and that hasn't happened with any of my other Wii games.
For me even the start menu was loaded with jaggies. Did you buy the Wii's component cables and play it in 480p? Maybe it's because I played it in 480p, I don't know. I didn't say this should stop anyone from buying the game, but I wanted to recommend people play it in SD because this game was clearly not meant to be played in 480p.
And I mentioned the gameland, Autosaver. Next time you should read the review and not just the ending bullet points. :]
Anyway on a 1-5 scale a B is a 4/5……that's how I look at it. ABCDF=54321. You can't really compare an ABCDF scale to a 1-10 scale, which is why sites that use an ABCDF or a 12345 scale like 1up and G4 hate Metacritic.
And as always, thanks for the compliments, everyone who complimented. I really appreciate it. To those who didn't like the review, I appreciate the discussion. :]
I'm through the second world and I still don't know what to make of this game. The acts are falling under two categories: Too slow because you're jumping or going vertically, or you're running more controlled by the computer than anything else (especially the second world). I assume it gets better? I hope? Because I'm literally playing with no enjoyment right now, which really sucks.
I think you'll get a bit more comfortable with the controls after the 2nd world. When I got to world 3 I really started to like the game a lot more.
But yeah the game is a bit slower than other 3D Sonics because yeah, it's more of a 2D Sonic game. More about platforming than speed.
I'm used to the controls. I'm just not having any fun with it 🙁
Well I guess this game just isn't for you than. Better luck next year maybe?
"And I mentioned the gameland, Autosaver. Next time you should read the review and not just the ending bullet points. :]"
My point still stands, 21 levels was enough. I felt the game didn't need any extra worlds.
Lol, I was short on time, and I was too lazy to read the whole thing.
Suggestion: We could make video reviews!
I played in 480i. The menu? I never had issues with that. Hmm. But still, the jaggies problem is far worse with other games. And really, its the Wii's fault, its probably not powerful enough to support AA without bogging the game.
In the end, shouldn't you be traveling at high speeds to even notice jaggies? (At least the 3D sections)
I just noticed something.
Both you and Mr.Franklin complain about the jaggies. Both of you are on HDTVs and I think both of you are on 480p.
..Hmmmm
lol, don't be ridicolous
Yeah Autosaver I think you're onto something with the 480p thing. You have to understand that for me, it's not just some small jaggies in the background….that wouldn't bother me. I mean the picture is NOTICEABLY jagged. Like, everything. The foreground, the background. The game looks as jagged for me as a lot of PS1 games did. I might try turning off the 480p and seeing if it makes a difference, it probably will.
The game definitely doesn't have AA… and I guess that's understandable, this is the Wii and the game is VERY ambitious graphically. But my other Wii games don't look NEARLY this jagged in 480p, so it is the fault of the game, not the Wii. There are Wii games that look great in 480p. Galaxy 2, Kirby's Epic Yarn, Smash Bros Brawl….look great. Sonic Colors doesn't. I'm not knocking the game for it, but I'm recommending playing it in Standard Def. (Like 480i.) The screenshots posted along with this review look nothing like how the game looked on my TV in 480p.
Super Smash Bros Brawl doesn't really have a lot of stuff going on. Its just one field with 4 characters and items.
Super Mario Galaxy 2 was very jaggy for me. (I played it on 480p before my cables stopped working)
Monster Hunter Tri is a very graphical game and has lots of jaggies.
"It is the fault of the game, not the Wii"
Sort of but not really. If the Wii was an HD system, it could support AA without bogging down the game.
None of those games looks as jaggy as Sonic Colors does in 480p. Trust me, man, the jaggies look like PS1 jaggies.
Just because the game's on Wii doesn't mean that the game automatically receives a free pass in the graphics department. Anyway you're making a very big deal about an issue that was an extremely small part in the review. Simply put, if you own Sonic Colors, play it in SD.
480p is SD.
Yeah yeah, I think I did get carried away.
haha yeah I know, 480p isn't HD. But it's a step above regular SD. It's "enhanced" SD. I guess.
I got my gf a wii for christmas, due to this review, i gotta go spend more money to buy this for myself so i got something to do when she's showering… or sleeping… or just being a bitch.
For the record (yeah I know it's been a while) I did finally get to try this game in Standard Def and yeah, no jaggies. So if you have the option to play this with Component Cables or in Standard Def, definitely go with the SD.