![]() ![]() Knuckles can glide in a straight line and climb up vertical surfaces he’s excellent for players who really want to take their time exploring the nooks and crannies of any given stage. As in prior 2D titles, Tails is able to fly for a short duration, making him perfect for beginners who want to take stages at a slower pace. ![]() Every character has their own quirk that changes how the game will play, too. When it comes to Sonic Superstars’ multiple, and joyous, playable characters, I’d argue that they are more interesting to play as than the hog himself. Sometimes it works, but mostly it falls flat, providing a grating, unappealing sound. Most tracks, though, try to emulate the Mega Drive’s soundchip. There are some standouts regarding the latter though, such as Speed Jungle’s Mania-esque beats, or Pinball Carnival’s overt funk that’s reminiscent of Sonic 3’s New Jack Swing motif. What doesn’t help is that the boss music throughout the game isn't particularly strong, which can also be said for the majority of Sonic Superstars’ soundtrack. Some fights later in the game can bog you down for a long while, making it all the more infuriating if you die right before landing the last hit needed to kill off a tough boss. Most bosses are remarkably similar in design, requiring you to wait out a series of attacks before you get a window to strike. Things unfortunately tend to fall apart at the end of each stage, as you’ll be put up against bosses that will test not just your skills but your patience too. The lack of a life system, thankfully, means you’re not risking progress if you die, beyond respawning at the last checkpoint you passed. You’re able to head back to prior stages whenever you like, though, so the incentive to explore is always there. However, collecting the Emeralds isn’t easy, as you’ll need to clear deviously well-hidden special stages in each level. This is a marvelous change that encourages replayability, and it makes going back to old Zones via the world map to discover more, helped by these Emerald abilities, a joy. ![]() The key incentive here, though, is that each Emerald collected adds an ability, including actions like summoning clones to damage enemies and bosses or enabling you to swim up waterfalls. That’s because Sonic Superstars continues the optional objective of collecting seven Chaos Emeralds to access its true ending. You might not see everything these stages have to offer on your first playthrough, though, especially if this is your first Sonic game. It’s one of the most diverse rosters of zones we’ve seen from a 2D Sonic title yet, in terms of both visuals and stage-specific gimmicks. Later on, Golden Capital provides opportunities to earn an abundance of rings by completing small-scale puzzles and challenges. Speed Jungle, for example, gave me Sonic Rush vibes with its high-speed grinding on vines. That tight balance of speed versus platforming doesn’t mean that the game’s stages are one-note, though. Using Sonic Superstars’ Emerald powers to explore hidden nooks and crannies and uncover secrets felt like the game was rewarding my curiosity, making the hunt for those Emeralds especially worthwhile. ![]()
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