Screenshot via Sega<\/figcaption><\/figure> You can call me Knuckles<\/h2> My session with Sonic Superstars<\/em> began with testing a Jungle-themed zone by myself, since this was the demo’s designated solo level. I picked my boy Knuckles\u2014which, look, back in the Genesis days, Knuckles was the coolest. If you think I\u2019m not going to try Knuckles first, then obviously, you didn\u2019t know me at seven years old. Which makes sense, as the odds of that are statistically improbable.<\/p> Anyway, this turned out to not be the best way to first experience Sonic Superstars<\/em>. Every character in the game has unique properties, and Knuckles is weirdly weighty. Sure, gliding is as fun as it ever was, but Knuckles always has to kind of brace himself when he lands from a noticeable height. For a series focused on speed, this felt awkward and really messed with my muscle memory. Sonic<\/em> games don’t necessarily need to control the same, but Knuckles specifically felt off because of this.<\/p> Also, I\u2019m not entirely sure about the physics of Sonic Superstars<\/em> in general. I know this is always a super contentious thing with Sonic<\/em> games, as the 3D games tend to feel just a bit<\/em> differently than the sprite-based ones. And sure enough, your jump arcs and hang times are different enough from the classics to feel noticeable. That said, it’s far from the worst the series has seen, and it likely is something you can quickly get used to. In other words, it’s more Sonic Generations<\/em> than Sonic 4<\/em>.<\/p> I got through the level just fine, but I really wanted to see how Superstars<\/em> fared in co-op. This is where everything changed.<\/p> Screenshot via Sega<\/figcaption><\/figure> Open your heart<\/h2> A Sega representative asked me if I had any questions, so I vocalized my desire to test the co-op. I was looking at the screen, so I couldn\u2019t really see what happened, but the next thing I knew, I had Paste Magazine\u2019s Moises Taveras on the couch with me. We kicked off our co-op trial by jumping into Superstar<\/em>\u2019s Green Hill Zone equivalent stage, and oh boy, did things get goofy quick.<\/p> Much like performing the Safety Dance, you can easily leave your friends behind in Sonic Superstars<\/em>. Rushing ahead of your co-op partner to capitalize on speed boosts is not only natural but expected. Even if both players happen to be together through the faster sections, whoever is in front will lap up all the rings while everyone behind earns nothing for their troubles. This sounds like a bad thing, but it actually added to the experience. There were so many moments where Taveras and I were commenting on how disjointed our ring counts were, only for one person to instantly grab 70 rings in a few seconds just because they were the first person to jump on a spring. Those kinds of moments fit so well in a couch co-op setting.<\/p> Fortunately, the game puts protections in to prevent the \u201cplayer two Tails\u201d situation from the Genesis titles. When a player gets left behind off-screen, they can warp back to the leading player almost instantly. This means no one is ever not<\/em> playing for too long, which helps keep the party engaged. Additionally, the game lacks a traditional extra life counter. When one player gets wiped out, they\u2019re put on a cooldown timer. As long as at least one person is still alive on screen, you\u2019ll get back into the action sooner than later.<\/p> I really like this dynamic. Losing progress in Superstars<\/em> usually meant we both messed up so catastrophically hard at the same time that we needed those extra seconds of staring at a black screen to process it. It was always good for a laugh, which I value most in multiplayer games like this.<\/p> Screenshot via Sega<\/figcaption><\/figure> Live and learn<\/h2> Luckily, Sonic Superstars<\/em> appears to balance the antics with actual platforming pretty well. We also tested out Pinball Carnival Zone, a well-trodden theme for a Sonic<\/em> level. During sections that involve paying homage to the 1993 seminal classic Sonic Spinball<\/em>, the camera zooms out to give players a wide view of the playing area. We usually didn\u2019t need<\/em> to linger on these parts for too long. However, something about playing with another person makes the prospect of getting rings via a silly minigame section so compelling. It really drives home the \u201cjust for fun\u201d vibe the game kept giving me to that point.<\/p> Similarly, the last level we got to demo involved a futuristic computerized setting. Honestly, I think the game really hit its stride here. All the player characters become pixelated versions of themselves, which is just aesthetically fun to look at. And all throughout the stage, everyone would get sucked into little minigames that changed the pace of the game. At one point, we both turned into squids that had to slowly swim through dangerous obstacles like we were playing the dam level of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles<\/em> for the NES. At another point, we turned into little mice in what I assume was a Chu Chu Rocket<\/em> homage. Each involved unique mechanics that were easy to grasp and enjoyable to play.<\/p> It all came together in a way that did feel like Traveras and I were working together. You know, instead of just fighting over who jumps on the springs to steal all the rings first. The balance of slow and fast sections are key in any Sonic<\/em> game, but they\u2019re really the glue that holds Sonic Superstars<\/em> together. In fact, I\u2019d say the creativity of these slower parts is what really elevates Sonic Superstars<\/em> as a whole. I never knew what to expect next, and I hope that feeling carries throughout the full game.<\/p> Screenshot via Sega<\/figcaption><\/figure> Walk into my mystery<\/h2> Meanwhile, if you want to get any Chaos Emeralds, that’s fittingly where the chaos of Sonic Superstars<\/em> gets downright super.<\/p> Remember those special stages from the original Sonic the Hedgehog<\/em>? Those return here, but with everyone on your couch trying to navigate the rotating mazes at once. These were already<\/em> silly in their original form, but the extra confusion of managing multiple people on screen made them extra goofy. At one point, Traveras and I simultaneously landed on the one<\/em> game over spot right at the beginning of the stage, which made us both question our lives before we could return to any platforming.<\/p> The other special stage involves an oddly Spider-Man-inspired mechanic of swinging from giant rings to chase after a Chaos Emerald. While these only put one player on the screen at once, the game would alternate players every three swings. This served as a good moment to grab a drink, only to frantically go, \u201cWAIT it\u2019s my turn already!?\u201d before slamming your beverage back on the table. I don\u2019t know where these bits will rank among all Sonic<\/em> special stages, but I did enjoy them here.<\/p> I\u2019m not sure if these are the only two kinds of special stages in Sonic Superstars<\/em>, but they do get the job done. Of course, the prevailing question I had was whether the game as a whole was actually<\/em> wacky fun, or if I was merely enjoying a novelty that would wear off after a day or two. This, I think, will be the make or break of Sonic Superstars<\/em>. And honestly, I can see the full release going either way.<\/p> Screenshot via Sega<\/figcaption><\/figure> Gotta follow my rainbow<\/h2> I have a sinking feeling that Sonic Superstars<\/em> will be a divisive game. As I mentioned, my first impression of the game as a solo experience wasn\u2019t necessarily glowing. Don\u2019t get me wrong, it was fun, it just wasn\u2019t Genesis Sonic<\/em>. Meanwhile, the co-op doesn\u2019t lend itself to hardcore Sonic<\/em> play. The friend group that likes to carefully work together and play optimally could easily feel frustrated playing this one.<\/p> However, for the type of couch co-op experience I look for, I\u2019m oddly optimistic for Sonic Superstars<\/em>. It\u2019s dumb. It\u2019s really<\/em> dumb. But I mean that in the kindest, most endearing way I can. It\u2019s the type of game you pop on with friends while you all enjoy some drinks and shout about what is even happening on the screen. I\u2019d compare it to something like the New Super Mario Bros<\/em> games, though I think Sonic Superstars<\/em> comes out on top as a co-op experience. The former game can make mishaps kind of frustrating, whereas Superstars<\/em> expects and relishes in them. You need the right friend(s) to make it work, but if you do, I think this one has potential.<\/p> Either way, we\u2019ll see how the full version of Sonic Superstars<\/em> fares when it launches on October 17 for the Nintendo Switch.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The wackiest co-op experience I\u2019ve had this year<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":838,"featured_media":399958,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"article_type":"","gamurs_wordpress_blocks_hide_tags":false,"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"apple_news_api_created_at":"","apple_news_api_id":"","apple_news_api_modified_at":"","apple_news_api_revision":"","apple_news_api_share_url":"","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_is_hidden":false,"apple_news_is_paid":false,"apple_news_is_preview":false,"apple_news_is_sponsored":false,"apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":"\"\"","apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false,"footnotes":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false},"categories":[634],"tags":[19111,19726,22687,19890],"internal-label":[],"invoiceable_action":[],"article_type":[],"coauthors":[{"id":838,"display_name":"Timothy Monbleau","user_login":"TimothyMonbleau","user_nicename":"timothymonbleau"}],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
Hands-on: Sonic Superstars co-op is chaos controlled – Destructoid<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n \n \n \n \n