Summary
Sonic Superstarsmay have been released only a few months after its initial announcement, but it’s already proving to be a worthy entry in the series after the success ofSonic Frontiers, providing a colorful and vibrant 2D experience that classic fans are going to absolutely love. One of the biggest features of the new game, and the one that has been shown off the most in the trailers, is thelocal co-op, and this attempt to modernize the classicSonicformula provides a breath of fresh air that the series has really been needing, so it’s very much a welcome addition.
There arefour charactersin total to choose from, and while each of them starts off with a spin-dash and can acquire most of the same special abilities by collectingthe Chaos Emeralds, they also all have their own unique personal abilities that make them play much differently. Some of these abilities can actually be used to help out allies in co-op, while others are designed for just that specific character, and while it’s definitely worth trying everyone out, especially because of how easily they can be swapped, some are just a little bit more enjoyable to use than others.
4Tails
In traditional 2DSonicfashion, Tails still has his trusty flying ability, which makes him the best character for exploring inSonic Superstars.This makes him especially good for larger areas, such as the Sky Temple, where there are power-ups hiding around every corner, and his mobility also allows him to take down a lot of the more sluggish bosses much easier than his friends.
For example, during the Dr. Eggman fight in the Press Factory, the player will need to jump onto his head while avoiding a stone pillar, and Tails can easily launch himself over to make quick work of this fight. The only real downside to Tails is that because of his “explorer” archetype, while he’s great for discovering new areas and acquiring plenty of Rings, his gameplay is very slow as a result, and he can struggle to pick up speed. Anyone who loves taking their time and exploring the beautiful stages on offer here, though, will have a great time with Tails, but he’s just not quite as fun as some of his allies.
3Knuckles
Knuckles’s glide ability, when used correctly, can help him soar past multiple enemies without taking as much as a scratch in the process. Anyone who’s played as Knuckles in previous games where he had the glide,such asSonic Adventure 2, for example, will probably be quite taken aback by how insanely fast it is here, but this does help him keep up with the others. This ability becomes especially useful in areas like the Sandy Sanctuary, where Knuckles can avoid all the quicksand by just boosting himself in the air. The only problem is that using Knuckles effectively can take a little practice.
Because he will glide downwards rather than flying directly up like Tails, it can sometimes be a little risky to throw out the ability since it could lead right into a wall or just miss out on hitting an enemy. It can also be pretty easy to forget about his wall climb entirely, but while he can take some getting used to, Knuckles is still a blast to play as formany of the stages.
2Sonic
The Blue Blur himself has had many changes and alterations made to his movement in the 2D space, but this time around, he’s carrying over the Drop Dash that was first introduced inSonic Mania. Since Sonic is already naturally faster than the other characters, it means he can pick up speed incredibly quickly, but by using the Drop Dash whenever he launches off a ramp or platform, he can pick up so much pace that he can fly through a stage in seconds.
This one ability essentially allows Sonic to spick up speed at any time, and consideringthe amount of verticality in the stages, it’s a good idea to get into the habit of executing a Drop Dash after every big jump. Doing this allows Sonic to reach pretty high altitudes without needing any assistance from teammates, which is great for exploration and seeking out any Chaos Emeralds. Sonic is also noticeably a lot more animated than the other characters, which can lead to some hilarious faces when landing on water slides or being attacked by an enemy. If players can control his high speed, Sonic is just as fun as fans have come to expect, but there’s just one other playable character who slightly beats him out.
1Amy
While all the other playable characters featured inSuperstarshad classic personal abilities that they could carry over,Amy Rose is a little differentas she’s only been playable a few times throughout the series and usually is only seen with a comically large hammer. Luckily, her hammer is back, but the biggest addition to her character is the ability to double-dodge. This might sound small, but it makes her incredibly easy to use and, by far, the most accessible character in the game.
It’s not just for her, though; she can also elevate her friends up to higher platforms too, which makes her anextremely valuable member of the team. On top of all that, she can also use her trusty hammer to act as a kind of defensive shield against enemy projectiles, which activates when she jumps. This literally makes Amy invulnerable to almost all types of damage in the game, something that can really come in handywhen everyone is on their last legs in a boss fight. Her double-jump does still give her a small learning curve that players can choose to overcome to make her incredibly fast, and it’s this perfect balance of difficulty that makes her the most fun and rewarding character to play as inSonic Superstars.
