Review: Sonic Colors (Wii)

By
Tristan Oliver
– November 22, 2010

No Colorful Language Needed, this is Almost the Real Deal

Sonic Colors is the best 3D Sonic title on any console in almost seven years.

There.  I said it.  Who says I can’t be positive?

In the face of recent fare like the 2006 Sonic the Hedgehog or Sonic and the Black Knight, how much of an impact can that statement really have?  Let’s face it: the bar for Sonic titles isn’t that high, and hasn’t been for a while.  There are plenty of games that look better when you pit them against a Werehog or an inter-species makeout session.  That’s what makes Sonic Colors so refreshing; its enjoyment is in its simplicity.  By the same token, I can see why a few outlets have rated this so low; we’ve almost been trained to overthink aspects of Sonic games since the “serious” turn in the middle of the last decade.  When you overthink playtime on something like Colors, it will be enjoyed less.  That clouds the core message, that Colors is the closest back to basics approach in 3D for the hedgehog since Sonic Adventure 2.  That’s it.

Of course, the game can’t be deconstructed on a level quite that asinine.  Sega did package a story around Colors‘s gameplay, but doesn’t throw it in a player’s face constantly.  Nowhere is that more evident than a player’s beginning of a new game.  Two acts of Tropical Resort must be completed before we watch how Sonic and company traveled to Eggman’s Interstellar Amusement Park, a clever ruse for a wider plan to enslave Wisps and their power for the doctor’s next dastardly deed.  The cutscenes can always be skipped, and despite some better writing, are the elements of this game that can be remotely considered child-like.  I can’t say I paid much attention to the cutscenes, but when I did, I felt a touch jarred at Roger Craig Smith’s take on the blue hedgehog.  That’s not to say he’s outright bad; he just needs a couple more cracks at it to hone the tone.

The meat of this game is in the action stages, and there are plenty of them across a wide variety of environments.  From the festive confines of Tropical Resort, to the underwater spectacle of Aquarium Park, to the deliciously designed Sweet Mountain, this is a beautiful game, almost on par with Super Mario Galaxy 2.  I especially felt a distinct NiGHTS vibe from Planet Wisp, and my first travels through this area offered the first epiphanies in my mind that, comfortably, Sonic Team got this one right.  Whereas Sonic Unleashed was mostly based on real world locales, a great deal of wild, imaginative creativity was exercised here, and it shows.

Mechanically, the game doesn’t miss a beat, whether Sonic is at top speed or maneuvering through sometimes very challenging platforming segments.  Aided by near seamless transitions between 3D and 2D areas, you’re never just speeding through a level at a million miles an hour for too long.  In fact, there’s very little in Colors that feels automatic.  Players can be as fast or as slow as they desire in most places, with pieces of Starlight Carnival and Terminal Velocity the notable exceptions.  The option will be a welcome relief for Sonic fans who put platforming over speed.  Branching paths also make a return appearance, and deviate a bit farther from the norm compared to Unleashed.  There are even alternate goal rings in a couple of the levels, something I wish could have more prevalent throughout.

Wisp power-ups are the added gameplay dimension in Colors.  Previous interviews claimed using them was not necessary to advance and finish the game, and while I encountered a few sections where it certainly appeared otherwise, that advertisement mostly holds up.  Purists shouldn’t stay away, however, because they’re mighty fun to use, uncovering copious new areas to explore.  I can’t tell you how many times I just kept drilling in both Tropical Resort and Sweet Mountain–not necessarily because I was looking for new areas, but because it was so enjoyable.  The Frenzy Wisp was also among my favorites, though it’s harder to control and can cause slowdown.

Other outlets have griped about Sonic Colors‘s deja vu; that is, recycling many elements of one act in another.  It is something very noticeable, and in most situations would be called out on lazy level design.  However, I think Sonic Team has done just enough to keep those near duplicate levels interesting.  While I would have preferred a purely original variety of stages–even if it meant cutting the six act count per area–the sense of monotony never truly felt overpowering.  Many of the levels that fall in this category are also short, and typically involve a central study of one Wisp power.  Ultimately, while you can never get too much of a good thing, these levels felt finished–even mastered–too quickly.

The duplication is also true of the game’s bosses; even the final boss is a piece of cake, with elements reminiscent of Unleashed.  I don’t see this as an issue, and I think those who do are overthinking the purpose of Colors.  This is clearly not a title meant to have gigantic, complex monsters fought in layers.  For most of the level headed, the meat will be running through the games once, then going back for the time and score attack, as well as the challenge of collecting every red ring.  The bosses can afford to be recycled and relatively uninspired compared to the rest of the game.  They should be the least of your concentrations.

All levels, large and small, are accompanied by what is without question the best soundtrack produced for a Sonic title since Sonic CD, if not the whole of Sonic history.  That was an accomplishment first held in my book by Sonic Unleashed, and I didn’t think those tunes could be topped for a while.  I was wrong.  Beside the two image themes which are a shred above tolerable, the music of Sonic Colors is a masterpiece of variety.  The thundering orchestral re-arrangement of Reach for the Stars is moving. The piano hits of Planet Wisp evoke hope and serenity. The more expected rock arrangement in Asteroid Coaster calls back musical memories of Sonic Adventure‘s Hot Shelter and Sky Deck.  The 8 bit chiptunes of Sonic Simulator are appropriate retro remixes of what are already well composed arrangements.  Even if you hate the game (and you shouldn’t,) the OST will be well worth the purchase when released overseas in December.

The one significant flaw I find in Colors is in one of the game’s strong points: its replayability.  While there’s much to do after the first runthrough (which, for the more experienced, could only take 5 hours), portions of it feel too porky.  The Egg Shuttle challenge mode is a nice idea for those looking to climb to the top of a leaderboard (or just play the game sequentially, much like classic Sonic, without all the story trimmings), but I can’t help but wonder if it’s a tad redundant, given the existence of online leaderboards outside the mode.  The Sonic Simulator also suffers from this flaw, even though it is a nice, if not easy diversion from normal stages.  It can, however, be completed by a single player, which makes addition of two player co-op feel shoehorned in, and almost unnecessary for what will be a single player campaign for most.  Ultimately, if I had the choice between 21 glorified obstacle courses tailored for two and seven proper Special Stages for single players only, I’d lobby for the latter; I think the end result would have been fantastic.

Make no mistake, though–Sonic Colors in its current state is pretty fantastic, and a long time coming for fans who felt scorned with recent releases.  It’s a touch short, and it’s not quite the gold standard of 3D Sonic, but it’s in the ballpark, and all things considered, that makes Colors a exciting preface to the 20th anniversary should things stay consistent.  While I don’t think fans who don’t yet own a Wii should buy one just for this, I do think a game of this quality ought to be enjoyed across the board.  If Colors is not released on an HD console, it will be a shame.

That, thankfully, is the only thing to really feel shameful about with this game.  So, those who can play this should, without question.  That includes those who went into hiding after iffy past releases.  Really–it’s safe to come out now.  Time to give the blue hedgehog a second chance.

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