Sonic is - and has always been - about running really fast.
Spin dashing down green hills.
Speeding through loops and corkscrews.
Grabbing rings with an iconic tinkle as you fly through the air.
Sonic Superstarshas all that.
But what happens if there’s more than one player on the screen?
AtGamescomI was able to test out both two-player and single-player.
As a multiplayer game, Sonic Superstars is fundamentally flawed.
With the tap of a button I respawn to her position, but my momentum is stalled.
This is a frequent occurrence during multiplayer.
Now that’s you.
This isn’t a Mario game.
And that’s with just two players!
Sonic Superstars supports up to four-player co-op.
I can only imagine the chaos (and tears) that would ensue.
This was hard enough alone, let alone with multiple characters attempting to speed through the shadows.
Imagine that with more than one player.
There’s a new special stage, though, that’s a lot of fun.
In multiplayer this works by alternating swings with your partner.
It’s simple, one-button stuff but a fun diversion from the main game.
Collecting Emeralds rewards you with special powers new to Sonic Superstars.
The thing is, all of that multiplayer nonsense can be completely ignored.
As a single-player game, Sonic Superstars is a return to classic Sonic, for better and worse.
It’s not quiteSonic Mania, but it’s a vast improvement over Sonic 4.
Cyber Station Zone was my favourite, however.
Bosses were also surprisingly inventive.
They’re easily defeated in multiplayer but provide a challenge when tackled solo.
My trip to the Northstar Islands was mixed, then.
On the other hand, the chaotic multiplayer - the game’s key selling point - is best avoided.
When you gotta go fast, leave others in the dust.
