Sonic Colors: Ultimate Review - Reach for the Stars with this Glorious Remaster

As far as its 3D games are concerned, Sonic the Hedgehog hasn’t had the smoothest history. And while I’d argue that Sonic Unleashed technically had good (daytime) Sonic levels, the whole Werehog half of that game was enough to drive most people away at a glance. Sonic Colors, while technically being the second game to use SEGA’s Werehog Engine, took the reins and set the new standard for what a 3D Sonic game could be at the time. Colors, which was originally developed for the Nintendo Wii back in 2010, has now earned a tune-up. 

Sonic Colors: Ultimate is an HD remaster of the original Sonic Colors with some brand spanking new extras, a few gameplay additions, and changes for the better. The speedy platformer alternates between 3D and 2D sections across multiple levels and zones. Using the aforementioned Werehog Engine, Sonic can zoom across levels as the fastest thing alive with the relatively new at the time (and now standard) boost mechanic - run, jump, stomp, slide and grind your way along many stages in 7 differently themed zones.

Welcome to Dr. Eggman’s Incredible Interstellar Amusement Park

Dr. Eggman is obviously up to no good again. Behind the facade of his spectacular-looking theme park, the Doctor has simultaneously kidnapped 5 planets, along with their inhabitants known as Wisps, and plans to siphon their incredible energy to fuel a mind-controlling weapon, to be utilized through his park to control the universe. Compared to previous 3D Sonic titles, the story in Colors is pretty simple and is presented as such, almost like a Saturday morning cartoon, with a lot of corny humor. And while it’s a shame that we don’t get to see other of Sonic’s friends outside of Tails, I do very much appreciate this stripped-down, lighthearted take.

Visually, all the zones are very well-crafted and can make for some pretty stellar set pieces, all of which make it more impressive given that these stages were created more than a decade ago on what was deemed to be the weakest hardware of that particular gaming console generation. The soundtrack is also strong, with arguably some of the best music in the franchise. All of the zones have their very own distinct songs which vary in intensity depending on which Act you are playing.

The game opens up really strong with the incredible Tropical Resort Zone. The zone’s starting levels help new players get their bearings with mechanics both new and old, along with some popping music tracks to keep that initial hype flowing. The zone then slowly scales up by adding multiple routes across its later stages, showing that this isn’t just a bunch of two-minute zoomy levels and that there are rewards for exploration.

Imbued with Cosmic Power

Let’s talk about the major gimmick of this game, the Wisps. These little adorable alien friends grant Sonic different forms and powers to interact with and traverse the different planets and levels of the game. The first zone does a good job of teasing a few of the Wisps by presenting areas that cannot be accessed until you rescue them for the first time on their respective planets, giving the player a great reason to revisit past levels once new Wisps have been unlocked. 

White Wisps refill Sonic’s boost bar, while other Wisps will change Sonic’s form and grant various abilities such as flight, becoming a laser that bounces across walls at light speed, turning into a drill that can burrow through the ground, or allowing you to speedily explore underwater areas with ease. Specific Wisps inhabit the levels and function as temporary platforming tools rather than being permanent power-ups. While their implementation is fun and often allows for some really clever level design, for the most part, the Wisps are meant to be used in very specific and sometimes limiting sections. I wish that the game allowed for a bit more freedom when it came to using these unique little powers, but maybe that’s asking for too much.

A Change for the Better

There’s a lot to like with the level design of this game, but like with most Sonic titles, when a stage gets bad, oh boy, does it get bad. The difficulty can spike up to frustrating degrees. Boss fights might go from being a fun cakewalk to an absolute slog to get through. Stages will hit you with weird, unexpected awkward jumps that’ll lead to cheap deaths. Certain on-rails sections can sometimes hurl you off the intended path just because you were unsure whether or not to hold forward. I’m guessing this is the primary reason for the reworked 1-Up system.

Instead of using traditional lives, Ultimate introduces the Tails Save system, where good ol’ Miles ‘Tails’ Prower will lift Sonic back to the stage if you fall into a bottomless pit. This serves as the new 1-Up mechanic and doesn’t get spent if Tails’ animation doesn’t trigger after falling victim to a hazard. I appreciate this as it sort of bypasses some of those unfair difficulty spikes I previously mentioned, giving the player a chance to trial-and-error their initial way through the game instead of having to restart all the way from the beginning. However, I do wish that there was an option to revert back to the classic 1-Ups for those who want the old-school challenge.

The Not-So-Ultimate New Additions

Ultimate boasts new cosmetics that can be added to our speedy blue Hedgehog. You can customize the chili dog guzzler by changing his gloves, shoes, aura, and dash effect. These cosmetics can be purchased with Park Tokens that can be picked up around stages and by hitting the numbers and rank letters in the score screen at the end of every level. While a cute little addition, the cosmetics are forgettable and even tacky, as most of the glove and shoe options look terrible.

A multiplayer function has also been added for the bonus stages, where you can race against a friend for the best time. These bonus stages play 8-bit renditions of their respective zone themes, which is a neat touch. Speaking of racing against another hedgehog, Metal Sonic sort of makes an appearance in Rival Rush, in the form of unlockable challenge races for certain stages. Metal Sonic moves at a fixed pattern in his stages, acting as a glorified time attack for those levels.

The most notable new addition is the inclusion of the Jade Ghost Wisp, which lets Sonic phase through walls if there’s a target to zip towards. This is an OK addition, but it doesn’t add too much functionally, as for the most part, it’s similar to the Hover Wisp with its ability to float around in the air. Where’s the Violet Void Wisp from Sonic Colors DS?

One other welcome addition is the new remixed music for all the zones. You have the option to run the remixed soundtrack, or the original, which I honestly much prefer. There’s also the option for both soundtracks to be active during a playthrough via the “Ultimate Mix” which, from what I can tell, will play the remixed songs for acts 1 and 2, and the original song for act 3.

Fun but Far from Perfect

Sonic Colors: Ultimate is one of the best modern Sonic games out there - a fun game that doesn’t overstay its welcome. While being only a short 6 to 8 hours on your first playthrough, there’s a lot more in the game for completionists, especially if you want to unlock Super Sonic. While Sonic Colors: Ultimate is still plagued with a few frustrating moments, Sonic veterans know that these games are platformers at heart and not just a quick dash to the finish. If you’re a fan of the blue blur, it’s worth giving this game a shot.

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7/10 (Wait For Sale)

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PROS

• Great visuals and smooth performance

• Tails Save is a welcome addition

• Multiple Soundtrack Options (Original, Remixed, Ultimate)

• Glitches that plagued its initial release have since been fixed

CONS

• Minimal graphic settings options for PC

• Game lags when you pick up Tails Save icons

• Frustrating difficulty spikes

• Forgettable cosmetics

• Cutscenes use upscaled FMV footage from the original Wii version

What I’ve Played

• Beat the game and replayed a few stages in around 10 hours

• 45% total completion with 77/180 red rings

*This review is based on a Steam copy provided by the game’s publisher*

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