Sonic Superstars Review (PS5) | Push Square

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Sonic Superstars arrives as the iconic SEGA mascot is on an upswing. This brand new side-scrolling platformer follows Sonic Mania, a great throwback adventure that mixes old and new, and Sonic Frontiers, the best 3D entry in the series in a long time. The less said about Sonic Forces, the better. The point is, the character has had a pretty good run of form, and by and large, Superstars keeps that trend going — albeit with a large caveat.

Let's start at the start, though. This is a 2D Sonic title that carries over the classic, momentum-based gameplay fans know and love, and pairs it with a vibrant new art style. The result is that it feels great to play, with the characters all behaving just as you'd expect, but the use of 3D models and attractive, colourful environments gives it a very fresh look. The image quality is crystal clear and it runs like a 60 frames-per-second dream on PS5, save for short, juddery loading screens between bonus stages, or if you die.

The main story can be played alone or with up to three others in co-op. We spent the majority of our time playing it solo, and in that format, Superstars is a perfectly pleasant Sonic game. Every zone is new and they're mostly all very nicely designed. Bridge Island is a Green Hill analogue, and it's an early advertisement for the game's 3D models with curved walls to run up and loops that carry you to an alternate path further «into» the screen. Other highlights include Speed Jungle and its vines to grind on, Press Factory with its unique level-shaking gimmick, and the bright lights of Pinball Carnival.

Although the theming is quite familiar throughout the zones, Superstars does a good job bringing in new ideas while incorporating elements from the past. Lagoon