Sonic Superstars: Sega’s Bold Step into Co-op Gaming with Sonic the Hedgehog

This year’s Summer Game Fest, masterminded by Geoff Keighley, revealed a surprise offering from Sega: ‘Sonic Superstars’, a co-op platformer from the beloved Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. PC and console gamers can expect this new installment to race onto their screens in autumn.

Sonic Superstars: The Unique Gameplay Features

The first Sonic the Hedgehog game blazed onto the Sega Genesis in 1991. It was Sonic’s velocity that distinguished him from other 2D platformer protagonists, and this speed demon quickly amassed a legion of ardent fans. Sega has said that they plan to make 12 non-mobile games this year, so they’re definetly keeping their promise. Although the Sonic franchise has navigated peaks and troughs over the years, it has nonetheless persisted, despite some critics suggesting it stumbled in its transition to 3D. Sonic Superstars, however, could successfully bridge the gap between the traditional Sonic experience and modern gaming aesthetics.

The announcement trailer for Sonic Superstars at the Summer Game Fest showcased Sonic, in his familiar 2D avatar, zipping through the iconic Green Hill Zone before suddenly entering a 3D landscape. After a moment’s disorientation, Sonic shrugs off his confusion and continues sprinting through the visually striking 3D-modelled side-scrolling setting. But what really had the audience erupting into applause was the reveal of 4-player co-op gameplay.

Sonic Superstars is poised to allow fans to assume the roles of Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, or Amy, whether playing solo or in a 4-player co-op setting to thwart the malicious machinations of the notorious Dr. ‘Eggman’ Robotnik. Each character boasts unique abilities: Sonic may be the fastest, but Tails’ ability to fly, Knuckles’ climbing skills, and Amy’s path-clearing hammer bring versatility to the game’s level traversal.

Sega have had a really amazing time lately when it’s come to their blue icon, recently Sonic Frontiers exceeded 3.2 million sales and became the best 3D Sonic title of all-time.

Sonic Superstars: Special Bonuses and Release Information

The Sonic Superstars trailer provided glimpses into innovative power-ups and unique levels, such as a celestial void and a cybernetic environment that morphs characters into pixelated squids. Notably, one power-up transformed Sonic into a liquid avatar, enabling him to scale waterfalls and access hidden sections of the level. In addition, Sonic appears to have gained the ability to unleash a swarm of Sonic clones for a powerful boss attack.

An additional bonus awaits fans on Sonic Superstars’ official website: an exclusive alternate skin for Amy Rose. While the site wasn’t live at the time of the announcement, it’s expected to be accessible shortly after the event.

Set to launch in Autumn 2023, Sonic Superstars will be available on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.