(known as ''Sonic Colours'' in the
PAL region
The PAL region is a television publication territory that covers most of Europe and Africa, alongside parts of Asia, South America and Oceania. It is named PAL because of the PAL (Phase Alternating Line) television standard traditionally used in ...
) is a 2010
platform game
A platform game (often simplified as platformer and sometimes called a jump 'n' run game) is a sub-genre of action video games in which the core objective is to move the player character between points in an environment. Platform games are charac ...
published by
Sega
is a Japanese multinational corporation, multinational video game and entertainment company headquartered in Shinagawa, Tokyo. Its international branches, Sega of America and Sega Europe, are headquartered in Irvine, California and London, r ...
. It follows
Sonic
Sonic or Sonics may refer to:
Companies
*Sonic Drive-In, an American drive-in fast-food restaurant chain
*Sonic (ISP), an Internet provider and CLEC, serving more than 100 California communities
*Sonic Foundry, a computer software company whic ...
's quest to stop his nemesis
Doctor Eggman
Doctor Ivo "Eggman" Robotnik is the main antagonist of Sega's '' Sonic the Hedgehog'' franchise. Eggman was created and designed by Naoto Ohshima as part of many design choices for Sega's new mascot. After the creation of Sonic the Hedgehog, Oh ...
from enslaving an alien race and taking over the world. The gameplay is similar to prior ''
Sonic
Sonic or Sonics may refer to:
Companies
*Sonic Drive-In, an American drive-in fast-food restaurant chain
*Sonic (ISP), an Internet provider and CLEC, serving more than 100 California communities
*Sonic Foundry, a computer software company whic ...
'' games, with players collecting
rings
Ring may refer to:
* Ring (jewellery), a round band, usually made of metal, worn as ornamental jewelry
* To make a sound with a bell, and the sound made by a bell
:(hence) to initiate a telephone connection
Arts, entertainment and media Film and ...
and defeating enemies; the camera perspective often switches from
third-person to
side-scrolling perspectives. The game also introduces
Wisps,
power-ups
In video games, a power-up is an object that adds temporary benefits or extra abilities to the player character as a game mechanic. This is in contrast to an item, which may or may not have a permanent benefit that can be used at any time chosen ...
the player can use to increase attack power and reach new areas.
Development of ''Sonic Colors'' began in 2008, following the completion of ''
Sonic Unleashed
''Sonic Unleashed'' is a 2008 platform video game in the ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' series. The story follows Sonic the Hedgehog (character), Sonic as he attempts to restore the world after his nemesis Doctor Eggman shatters it with a powerful laser ...
''. Examining criticisms of past games, the developers made Sonic the only playable character and worked to balance speed and platforming; the Wisps were introduced to diversify the gameplay without slowing it down. Two versions of the game were developed: one for the
Wii
The Wii ( ) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was released on November 19, 2006, in North America and in December 2006 for most other Regional lockout, regions of the world. It is Nintendo's fifth major ho ...
by
Sonic Team
is a video game developer owned by the Japanese video game company Sega as part of its Sega CS Research and Development No. 2 division. Sonic Team is best known for the long-running '' Sonic the Hedgehog'' series and games such as '' Nights ...
, and one for the
Nintendo DS
The is a handheld game console produced by Nintendo, released globally across 2004 and 2005. The DS, an initialism for "Developers' System" or "Dual Screen", introduced distinctive new features to handheld games: two LCD screens working in tan ...
by
Dimps
is a Japanese video game developer based in Osaka, Japan, with an additional office in Tokyo. It is best known for developing games in the '' Sonic the Hedgehog'', ''Dragon Ball'' and ''Street Fighter'' franchises. The company was founded on Mar ...
. The game was designed for a wider demographic than previous games, specifically children and fans of the ''
Super Mario
(also known as and ) is a platform game series created by Nintendo starring their mascot, Mario. It is the central series of the greater Mario (franchise), ''Mario'' franchise. At least one ''Super Mario'' game has been released for every m ...
'' series. In anticipation of the game's release, Sega delisted several ''Sonic'' games with sub-average
Metacritic
Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...
scores to increase the value of the brand.
''Sonic Colors'' received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised its graphics, audio, soundtrack, gameplay and replay value, with many considering it a return to form for the series. However, some criticized its difficulty and
multiplayer
A multiplayer video game is a video game in which more than one person can play in the same game environment at the same time, either locally on the same computing system (couch co-op), on different computing systems via a local area network, or ...
mode. It was a commercial success, selling four million copies. The Wisp power-ups introduced in ''Sonic Colors'' became a staple of the ''Sonic'' series.
A remastered edition of the Wii version, was released on September 7, 2021, for
Nintendo Switch
The is a hybrid video game console developed by Nintendo and released worldwide in most regions on March 3, 2017. The console itself is a Tablet computer#Gaming tablet, tablet that can either be docking station, docked for use as a home video ...
,
PlayStation 4
The PlayStation 4 (PS4) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 3 in February 2013, it was launched on November 15, 2013, in North America, November 29, 2013 in ...
,
Windows
Windows is a group of several proprietary graphical operating system families developed and marketed by Microsoft. Each family caters to a certain sector of the computing industry. For example, Windows NT for consumers, Windows Server for serv ...
, and
Xbox One
The Xbox One is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. Announced in May 2013, it is the successor to Xbox 360 and the third base console in the Xbox series of video game consoles. It was first released in North America, parts of ...
as part of the ''Sonic'' series' 30th anniversary.
Gameplay
Premise and setting
''Sonic Colors'' is a
platform game
A platform game (often simplified as platformer and sometimes called a jump 'n' run game) is a sub-genre of action video games in which the core objective is to move the player character between points in an environment. Platform games are charac ...
set in
outer space
Outer space, commonly shortened to space, is the expanse that exists beyond Earth and its atmosphere and between celestial bodies. Outer space is not completely empty—it is a near-perfect vacuum containing a low density of particles, pred ...
. Players control
Sonic the Hedgehog
is a Japanese video game series and media franchise created by Sega. The franchise follows Sonic, an anthropomorphic blue hedgehog who battles the evil Doctor Eggman, a mad scientist. The main ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' games are platformers mo ...
, whose goal is to save the
Wisps, an alien race that has been enslaved by
Doctor Eggman
Doctor Ivo "Eggman" Robotnik is the main antagonist of Sega's '' Sonic the Hedgehog'' franchise. Eggman was created and designed by Naoto Ohshima as part of many design choices for Sega's new mascot. After the creation of Sonic the Hedgehog, Oh ...
.
The game's main
hub is Doctor Eggman's Incredible Interstellar Amusement Park, an interplanetary
amusement park
An amusement park is a park that features various attractions, such as rides and games, as well as other events for entertainment purposes. A theme park is a type of amusement park that bases its structures and attractions around a central ...
that consists of five small planets chained to each other.
Sonic must be guided through these planets to destroy the power source at their center.
Each planet is split into seven parts: six main
levels
Level or levels may refer to:
Engineering
*Level (instrument), a device used to measure true horizontal or relative heights
*Spirit level, an instrument designed to indicate whether a surface is horizontal or vertical
*Canal pound or level
*Regr ...
called acts and a
boss
Boss may refer to:
Occupations
* Supervisor, often referred to as boss
* Air boss, more formally, air officer, the person in charge of aircraft operations on an aircraft carrier
* Crime boss, the head of a criminal organization
* Fire boss, a ...
level.
In each act, players must guide Sonic to the goal, whilst defeating enemies and dodging obstacles. In boss levels, players face one of Eggman's large robots, and must defeat it. Gameplay seamlessly shifts between
side-scrolling and
third-person perspectives.
Upon completion of a level, players are given a grade dependent on their performance, with an "S" being the best and a "D" being the worst.
As the player progresses through the game, more planets become available to select. Once each planet has been completed, a bonus seventh, which concludes the story, is unlocked.
Players control Sonic using the
Wii Remote
The Wii Remote, also known colloquially as the Wiimote, is the primary game controller for Nintendo's Wii home video game console. An essential capability of the Wii Remote is its motion sensing capability, which allows the user to interact with ...
(with or without the
Nunchuck
is a traditional Okinawan martial arts weapon consisting of two sticks (traditionally made of wood), connected to each other at their ends by a short metal chain or a rope. It is approximately 30 cm (sticks) and 1 inch (rope). A person wh ...
),
the
Classic Controller, or the
Nintendo GameCube Controller
The GameCube controller is the standard game controller for the GameCube home video game console, manufactured by Nintendo and launched in 2001. As the successor to the Nintendo 64 controller, it is the progression of Nintendo's controller des ...
. Sonic retains most of his abilities from ''
Sonic Unleashed
''Sonic Unleashed'' is a 2008 platform video game in the ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' series. The story follows Sonic the Hedgehog (character), Sonic as he attempts to restore the world after his nemesis Doctor Eggman shatters it with a powerful laser ...
'':
he can perform a "Sonic Boost" which greatly increases his speed and allows him to smash through various objects;
a homing attack that allows him to destroy enemies from long distances;
and a stomp that enables him to quickly destroy objects below him. In certain levels, players are sent at high speeds and must perform a quick step maneuver to dodge walls and other hazards;
others see Sonic using a drift mechanic in order to make sharp turns. Sonic is also given a double-jump ability, which allows him to perform an additional jump in mid-air.
A major aspect of ''Sonic Colors'' is the ability to activate Wisp
power-up
In video games, a power-up is an object that adds temporary benefits or extra abilities to the player character as a game mechanic. This is in contrast to an item, which may or may not have a permanent benefit that can be used at any time chosen ...
s.
There are eight different types of Wisps, each with their own unique advantage dependent on their color.
Normal white-colored Wisps allow the player to get a speed boost at any time.
The "Cyan Laser" turns Sonic into a laser that can bounce off solid surfaces to change the laser's path and to travel through power lines,
while the "Yellow Drill" allows Sonic to drill through soft ground and water.
The "Orange Rocket" allows Sonic to blast upward to tremendous heights;
the "Pink Spikes" allows Sonic to bond to walls and ceilings and to perform a spin dash to gain velocity and to destroy objects;
the "Green Hover" enables Sonic to hover and to perform dashes across lines of rings;
the "Blue Cube" gives Sonic the ability to turn blue blocks into blue rings and vice versa;
and the "Purple Frenzy" turns Sonic into a berserker that chomps through anything in its path, increasing in size as it continues to eat.
Like previous games, Sonic collects golden
rings
Ring may refer to:
* Ring (jewellery), a round band, usually made of metal, worn as ornamental jewelry
* To make a sound with a bell, and the sound made by a bell
:(hence) to initiate a telephone connection
Arts, entertainment and media Film and ...
,
which protect him from a single hit by an enemy or obstacle, though they will scatter and blink before disappearing. Sonic starts the game with a limited number of
lives
Lives may refer to:
* The plural form of a ''life''
* Lives, Iran, a village in Khuzestan Province, Iran
* The number of lives in a video game
* '' Parallel Lives'', aka ''Lives of the Noble Greeks and Romans'', a series of biographies of famous m ...
; if he is hit with no rings in his possession, he will lose a life.
If a player exhausts their lives, they will receive a
game over.
Multiplayer
''Sonic Colors'' features a
co-operative
A cooperative (also known as co-operative, co-op, or coop) is "an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned and democratically-control ...
two-player
A multiplayer video game is a video game in which more than one person can play in the same game environment at the same time, either locally on the same computing system (couch co-op), on different computing systems via a local area network, or ...
mode, ''Eggman's Sonic Simulator,'' in which players control Sonic-modeled robots or their
Mii
A Mii ( ) is a customizable avatar used on several Nintendo video game consoles and mobile apps. Miis were first introduced on the Wii console in 2006 and later appeared on the 3DS, Wii U, the Switch, and various apps for smart devices. Miis c ...
characters through a series of levels.
These levels can be unlocked by collecting special Red Star Rings hidden throughout each act.
Completing ''Sonic Simulator'' levels rewards the player
Chaos Emeralds, and once all seven are collected, Sonic can transform into
Super Sonic
is a title character and the main protagonist of the Sonic the Hedgehog, video game series of the same name published by Sega, and appears in numerous spin-off comics, Animated cartoon, animations, and other media. He is an anthropomorphism, ...
after collecting 50 rings in normal levels. As Super Sonic, players are invincible and can boost infinitely, though they cannot use Wisps and lose one ring per second, de-transforming when the ring counter hits zero.
The game also features online leaderboards, allowing players to upload their scores via
Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection
Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection (WFC) was an online multiplayer gaming service run by Nintendo to provide free online play in compatible Nintendo DS and Wii games. The service included the company's Wii Shop Channel and DSi Shop game download ...
.
Nintendo DS
Unlike the
Wii
The Wii ( ) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was released on November 19, 2006, in North America and in December 2006 for most other Regional lockout, regions of the world. It is Nintendo's fifth major ho ...
version, the
Nintendo DS
The is a handheld game console produced by Nintendo, released globally across 2004 and 2005. The DS, an initialism for "Developers' System" or "Dual Screen", introduced distinctive new features to handheld games: two LCD screens working in tan ...
version of ''Sonic Colors'' is a side-scroller reminiscent of the original
Sega Genesis/Mega Drive
The Sega Genesis, known as the outside North America, is a 16-bit fourth generation home video game console developed and sold by Sega. It was Sega's third console and the successor to the Master System. Sega released it in 1988 in Japan as ...
games (similar to the style of ''
Sonic Rush
is a 2005 platform video game developed by Sonic Team and Dimps for the Nintendo DS as part of Sega's ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' series. It was released on November 15, 2005, in North America, November 18 in the PAL region, and November 23 in Japan ...
'' and ''
Rush Adventure'') that takes advantage of the system's dual-screen.
Exclusive to the DS version are
touchscreen
A touchscreen or touch screen is the assembly of both an input ('touch panel') and output ('display') device. The touch panel is normally layered on the top of an electronic visual display of an information processing system. The display is often ...
-controlled special stages similar to the ones seen in ''
Sonic the Hedgehog 2
is a 1992 platform game developed by Sega Technical Institute (STI) for the Sega Genesis. It follows Sonic the Hedgehog (character), Sonic as he attempts to stop Doctor Eggman from stealing the Chaos Emeralds to power his space stationnamed T ...
'',
missions featuring various characters from throughout the franchise, a competitive multiplayer mode,
and an extra final boss.
The game features two additional Wisp types: "Red Burst", which allows Sonic to burst in midair and can activate certain objects such as a hot air balloon, Ferris wheel, and popcorn cannons;
and "Violet Void", which gives Sonic the ability to float and to suck up nearby objects, growing bigger in the process.
Unlockable concept art is also included.
Plot
In both versions, Doctor Eggman opens an amusement park in space called Dr. Eggman's Incredible Interstellar Amusement Park, allegedly turning over a new leaf and making up for past transgressions. The park is made up of several planet-sized attractions. Suspicious, Sonic the Hedgehog and his best friend
Tails investigate. They meet Yacker, who comes from a species of
aliens
Alien primarily refers to:
* Alien (law), a person in a country who is not a national of that country
** Enemy alien, the above in times of war
* Extraterrestrial life, life which does not originate from Earth
** Specifically, intelligent extrate ...
known as Wisps. After Tails invents a translator to communicate with him, they learn that other Wisps have been enslaved by Eggman, who plans to harness their energy for a mind-control laser that will allow him to take over Earth.
Sonic proceeds to visit the planets, liberating the Wisps and shutting down the generators linked to the amusement park. He meets many of his friends along the way, who are also exploring the park in an attempt to disrupt Eggman's plans. After Sonic frees the Wisps, Eggman tries to fire the cannon at the world, but a piece of wreckage causes it to malfunction. As the amusement park begins to explode, Sonic confronts Eggman. Eggman uses the Nega-Wisps to power his final contraption, a robot that uses the powers of all the Wisps that Sonic has met against him. As the machine gets weaker, the Wisps escape and help Sonic defeat Eggman, sending him hurtling off into space. The Wisps carry Sonic out of the exploding amusement park. Returning safely to Earth, Yacker thanks Sonic and Tails.
In the DS version, however, Sonic and Tails soon learn that the leading Mother Wisp had been infected by the negative energy and transformed into the Nega-Mother Wisp. Using the power of the Chaos Emeralds, Sonic transforms into Super Sonic and fights her. Following her defeat, the Mother Wisp returns to normal and the Wisps part ways with the two heroes.
In a
post-credits scene
A post-credits scene (commonly referred to as a stinger or credit cookie) or mid-credits scene is a short clip that appears after all or some of the closing credits have rolled and sometimes after a production logo of a film, TV series, or video g ...
, Eggman is seen stranded in space with his henchmen
Orbot and Cubot.
Development
Development of ''Sonic Colors'' began in 2008, following the completion of ''Sonic Unleashed''.
While they kept most of ''Unleashed''s core gameplay elements,
developers
Sonic Team
is a video game developer owned by the Japanese video game company Sega as part of its Sega CS Research and Development No. 2 division. Sonic Team is best known for the long-running '' Sonic the Hedgehog'' series and games such as '' Nights ...
and
Dimps
is a Japanese video game developer based in Osaka, Japan, with an additional office in Tokyo. It is best known for developing games in the '' Sonic the Hedgehog'', ''Dragon Ball'' and ''Street Fighter'' franchises. The company was founded on Mar ...
decided to create an equal balance between speed and platforming similar to that of the games released for the Sega Genesis, in comparison to the straightforward gameplay of ''Unleashed''.
Following requests by fans, the team also made the decision to make Sonic the only playable character, and to omit "gimmick" themes such as the
swordplay
Fencing is a group of three related combat sports. The three disciplines in modern fencing are the foil, the épée, and the sabre (also ''saber''); winning points are made through the weapon's contact with an opponent. A fourth discipline, s ...
mechanic used in the 2009
spin-off
Spin-off may refer to:
*Spin-off (media), a media work derived from an existing work
*Corporate spin-off, a type of corporate action that forms a new company or entity
* Government spin-off, civilian goods which are the result of military or gove ...
''
Sonic and the Black Knight
Sonic or Sonics may refer to:
Companies
* Sonic Drive-In, an American drive-in fast-food restaurant chain
*Sonic (ISP), an Internet provider and CLEC, serving more than 100 California communities
*Sonic Foundry, a computer software company whi ...
''.
The team chose to develop ''Sonic Colors'' on
Nintendo
is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational video game company headquartered in Kyoto, Japan. It develops video games and video game consoles.
Nintendo was founded in 1889 as by craftsman Fusajiro Yamauchi and originally produce ...
's Wii and DS consoles, hoping to expand upon the audience attracted by the successful ''
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games''
crossover
Crossover may refer to:
Entertainment
Albums and songs
* ''Cross Over'' (Dan Peek album)
* ''Crossover'' (Dirty Rotten Imbeciles album), 1987
* ''Crossover'' (Intrigue album)
* ''Crossover'' (Hitomi Shimatani album)
* ''Crossover'' (Yoshino ...
games.
One of the first ideas was the setting should be an amusement park; Sonic Team then realized that "any sort of terrestrial amusement park would be too small to contain Sonic's adventures." From this came the idea of an interplanetary park, which would allow for more creativity and variance in the game.
The developers used
Disneyland
Disneyland is a amusement park, theme park in Anaheim, California. Opened in 1955, it was the first theme park opened by The Walt Disney Company and the only one designed and constructed under the direct supervision of Walt Disney. Disney in ...
as visual inspiration for the levels.
Sonic Team also desired something that would diversify the gameplay, but did not slow it down. Thus, the Wisps were added to the game to expand and strengthen the gameplay without forcing the player to switch to
other playable characters. Another goal was to encourage players to revisit completed levels; Sonic Team accomplished this by adding segments requiring certain types of Wisps to levels preceding their first appearances. The Wii version makes use of the
PhysX
PhysX is an open-source realtime physics engine middleware SDK developed by Nvidia as a part of Nvidia GameWorks software suite.
Initially, video games supporting PhysX were meant to be accelerated by PhysX PPU (expansion cards designed by Ag ...
physics engine
A physics engine is computer software that provides an approximate simulation of certain physical systems, such as rigid body dynamics (including collision detection), soft body dynamics, and fluid dynamics, of use in the domains of computer gr ...
,
[''Sonic Colors'' cover art.] previously used with 2007's ''
Sonic and the Secret Rings
is a 2007 platform video game developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega for the Wii. A Spin-off (media), spin-off from the ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' series, it is the first title in the franchise for the system, and follows Sonic the Hedgehog ( ...
'',
while the DS version uses the same engine used in the 2005 entry ''
Sonic Rush
is a 2005 platform video game developed by Sonic Team and Dimps for the Nintendo DS as part of Sega's ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' series. It was released on November 15, 2005, in North America, November 18 in the PAL region, and November 23 in Japan ...
'' and
its sequel.
According to producer
Takashi Iizuka
, better known by his ring name , is a Japanese retired professional wrestler. He is best known for his 33-year career in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he was a three-time IWGP Tag Team Champion. He has also worked for Pro Wrestling Noah ...
, ''Sonic Colors'' was designed to appeal to a casual audience, particularly children and fans of the ''
Super Mario
(also known as and ) is a platform game series created by Nintendo starring their mascot, Mario. It is the central series of the greater Mario (franchise), ''Mario'' franchise. At least one ''Super Mario'' game has been released for every m ...
'' series.
Iizuka's statement that it was impossible to please all ''Sonic'' fans initially alienated those who had enjoyed prior entries such as ''Unleashed'' and ''
Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I'', though Sega brand manager Judy Gilbertson later clarified that "we’re also looking to create a game that is accessible to younger gamers as well as our ‘core’ fans."
The script was written by ''
MadWorld
is a beat 'em up hack and slash video game developed by PlatinumGames, published by Sega, produced by Atsushi Inaba, and directed by Shigenori Nishikawa. It was released worldwide for the Wii in March 2009 and in Japan in February 2010. ''MadWor ...
'' and ''
Happy Tree Friends
''Happy Tree Friends'' is an American adult animated web series created by Aubrey Ankrum, Rhode Montijo, and Kenn Navarro, and developed by Montijo, Navarro, and Jeremy Viet Duong for Mondo Media. The show had achieved a cult following on ...
'' contributors
Ken Pontac
Ken Pontac is an American writer, who has written for ''ToddWorld'', '' LazyTown'' and ''Happy Tree Friends'' and helped create its spin-off '' Ka-Pow!''. Pontac also was a co-creator of '' Bump in the Night''.
Writing credits
Television cre ...
and Warren Graff. ''Sonic Colors'' is also one of the first games in the series not to use the English voice cast from the ''
Sonic X
is a Japanese anime television series based on Sega's ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' video game series. Produced by TMS Entertainment under partnership with Sega and Sonic Team, and directed by Hajime Kamegaki, ''Sonic X'' initially ran for 52 epis ...
'' anime series following a major re-casting of the franchise in 2010, with
Roger Craig Smith
Roger Craig Smith (born 11 August 1975) is an American voice actor. He is well known for his video game voice roles as Chris Redfield in the ''Resident Evil'' series (2009–2017), Ezio Auditore da Firenze in the ''Assassin's Creed'' series ( ...
assuming the role of Sonic. Of the ''Sonic X'' cast, only
Mike Pollock reprises his role as
Dr. Eggman
Doctor Ivo "Eggman" Robotnik is the main antagonist of Sega's '' Sonic the Hedgehog'' franchise. Eggman was created and designed by Naoto Ohshima as part of many design choices for Sega's new mascot. After the creation of Sonic the Hedgehog, Oh ...
.
Sega first announced ''Sonic Colors'' in a blog post on May 26, 2010. Demo versions of the game were playable at the
Electronic Entertainment Expo 2010
The Electronic Entertainment Expo 2010 (E3 2010) was the 16th E3 held. The event took place at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California. It began on June 14, 2010, and ended on June 17, 2010, with 45,600 total attendees. Ther ...
,
Gamescom
Gamescom (stylized as gamescom) is a trade fair for video games held annually at the Koelnmesse in Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Since 2018, it has been organised by ''game – Verband der deutschen Games-Branche'' (English: Associa ...
, the
Penny Arcade Expo
PAX (originally known as Penny Arcade Expo) is a series of gaming culture festivals involving tabletop, arcade, and video gaming. PAX is held annually in Seattle, Boston and Philadelphia in the United States; and Melbourne in Australia. PAX w ...
, and the
Tokyo Game Show
, commonly known as TGS, is a video game expo / convention held annually in September in the Makuhari Messe, in Chiba, Japan. It is presented by the Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association (CESA) and Nikkei Business Publications, Inc. The ...
. On November 4, 2010, Sega held a ''Sonic Colors''-themed ice-skating event at
Bryant Park
Bryant Park is a public park located in the New York City borough of Manhattan. Privately managed, it is located between Fifth Avenue and Avenue of the Americas ( Sixth Avenue) and between 40th and 42nd Streets in Midtown Manhattan. The e ...
in
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
.
BradyGames
Dorling Kindersley Limited (branded as DK) is a British multinational publishing company specialising in illustrated reference books for adults and children in 63 languages.
It is part of Penguin Random House, a subsidiary of German media cong ...
also published an official strategy guide, which launched alongside the game.
In anticipation of the game's release, Sega delisted multiple ''Sonic'' games with sub-average
Metacritic
Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...
scores to increase the value of the brand.
''Sonic Colors'' was first released in PAL regions on November 11, 2010, followed by a North American release on November 16, 2010, and in Japan on November 18, 2010.
People who pre-ordered the Japanese version of the game received a special card compatible with the arcade game ''Rekishi Taisen Gettenka'', allowing Sonic to appear in the game. Those who pre-ordered the game through
GameStop
GameStop Corp. is an American video game, consumer electronics, and gaming merchandise retailer. The company is headquartered in Grapevine, Texas (a suburb of Dallas), and is the largest video game retailer worldwide. , the company operates 4,5 ...
in North America received a Sonic shaped hat. A special edition was also sold in Europe, featuring figurines of Sonic and the Wisps.
Music
The game's score was composed by
Tomoya Ohtani
is a Japanese composer and bassist. He has been playing music with a band since high school, and has also been involved in music and sound activities for theater companies before joining Sega in 1999. He is mainly in charge of music for the '' ...
, Kenichi Tokoi, Fumie Kumatani,
Hideaki Kobayashi,
Mariko Nanba, and
Naofumi Hataya
is a Japanese multinational video game and entertainment company headquartered in Shinagawa, Tokyo. Its international branches, Sega of America and Sega Europe, are headquartered in Irvine, California and London, respectively. Its division ...
, and was written to be more energetic than previous entries' scores.
The in-game music is performed by the Amsterdam Session Orchestra. Jean Paul Makhlouf from the American
electronic
Electronic may refer to:
*Electronics, the science of how to control electric energy in semiconductor
* ''Electronics'' (magazine), a defunct American trade journal
*Electronic storage, the storage of data using an electronic device
*Electronic co ...
band
Cash Cash performed the game's opening song, "Reach for the Stars" (remixed as "Reach for the Stars (Re-Colors)"), and his brother Alex joined him in singing the ending song, "Speak With Your Heart" (remixed as "Speak With Your Heart (Rainbow Mix)"). A three-CD soundtrack, ''Sonic Colors Original Soundtrack: Vivid Sounds × Hybrid Colors'', featuring music from the game was released on CD in Japan on December 22, 2010, with a digital version released via
iTunes
iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mul ...
in January 2011.
Reception
Both versions of ''Sonic Colors'' received "generally favorable" reviews, according to
review aggregator
A review aggregator is a system that collects reviews of products and services (such as films, books, video games, software, hardware, and cars). This system stores the reviews and uses them for purposes such as supporting a website where users ...
Metacritic.
The game was also successful commercially; as of March 2011, it has sold 2.18 million copies. In a
Famitsu
formerly ''Famicom Tsūshin'', is a line of Japanese video game magazines published by Kadokawa Game Linkage (previously known as Gzbrain), a subsidiary of Kadokawa. ''Famitsu'' is published in both weekly and monthly formats as well as in the fo ...
interview dated June 2021, Sonic Team director
Takashi lizuka mentioned in response to a question that the game had sold 4 million copies across the Nintendo Wii and the Nintendo DS.
The game's presentation was well received. Pedro Hernandez of ''Nintendo World Report'' described the graphics and animations as "beautiful" and "gorgeous".
Arthur Gies of ''
IGN
''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
'' considered them to be among the best available on the Wii, praising the lighting, detail, and variety they offered.
Both Hernandez and Jane Douglas of ''
GameSpot
''GameSpot'' is an American video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information on video games. The site was launched on May 1, 1996, created by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. In addition ...
'' both praised the audio for incorporating familiar aspects of past ''Sonic'' games, and Douglas admired the "jazzy, high-energy" soundtrack as fitting for all levels.
The new voice casting was also appreciated; Gies elaborated that the cast was "much less annoying" than the previous voice actors, and Hernandez considered their voices to be fitting for the characters.
The gameplay was praised, particularly for the Wisps and its replay value. Al Bickham of ''
Eurogamer
''Eurogamer'' is a British video game journalism website launched in 1999 and owned by alongside formed company Gamer Network. Its editor-in-chief is Martin Robinson.
Since 2008, it is known for the formerly eponymous games trade fair EGX ...
'' considered the game's intertwining of platforming and speed to be successful, and also praised its use of the Wii Remote.
Gies, Douglas, and John Meyer of ''
Wired
''Wired'' (stylized as ''WIRED'') is a monthly American magazine, published in print and online editions, that focuses on how emerging technologies affect culture, the economy, and politics. Owned by Condé Nast, it is headquartered in San Fra ...
'' praised the shift from third-person to side-scrolling, which Meyer described as "elegant and cohesive".
Matthew Keast of ''
GamesRadar
''GamesRadar+'' (formerly ''GamesRadar'') is an entertainment website for video game-related news, previews, and reviews. It is owned by Future plc. In late 2014, Future Publishing-owned sites ''Total Film'', '' SFX'', ''Edge'' and '' Computer ...
'' called the Wisps the game's best feature, describing the element of backtracking to previously completed levels after unlocking more types as clever.
Tim Turi of ''
Game Informer
''Game Informer'' (''GI'', most often stylized ''gameinformer'' from the 2010s onward) is an American monthly video game magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of video games and associated consoles. It debuted in August 1991 w ...
'' praised the Wisps for adding "an interesting new gameplay mechanic without succumbing to Werehog-itis",
and Gies compared the Wisps to power-ups from the ''Super Mario'' franchise, though he felt that ''Colors'' still felt distinctive and fresh.
Douglas, however, preferred basic platforming over using the Wisps.
Some aspects of the game were criticized, however. Writing for ''
Destructoid
''Destructoid'' is a website that was founded as a video game-focused blog in March 2006 by Yanier Gonzalez, a Cuban-American cartoonist and author. Enthusiast Gaming acquired the website in 2017, and sold it to Gamurs Group in 2022.
History
' ...
'',
Jim Sterling
James Stephanie Sterling, also known as Jim Sterling, is an English-American freelance video game journalist, critic, pundit, YouTuber, and professional wrestler. Before becoming independent in September 2014, they were the review editor for ...
described ''Sonic Colors'' as "terribly designed". They criticized the controls and physics, and felt the developers had not addressed problems present in previous games and concluded that the game was poor.
Gies, Hernandez, Meyer, Turi, and Keast criticized the game's high difficulty level,
with Keast going as far to describe it as "hardcore".
Both Gies and Douglas spoke negatively of the co-op ''Eggman's Sonic Simulator''; Gies described it as not fun,
and Douglas called it "ugly" and ultimately concluded that the multiplayer was weak. Douglas also made note of the boss fights as being repetitive.
Regarding the game as a whole, critics felt that ''Sonic Colors'' was one of the best entries in the ''Sonic'' series.
''IGN'' declared it one of the best games available for the Wii, and awarded it their "Quick Fix" award of 2010.
Douglas concluded that "Wii owners shouldn't miss an opportunity to play with Sonic at his best".
''
Empire
An empire is a "political unit" made up of several territories and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the empire (sometimes referred to as the metropole) ex ...
'' considered ''Colors'' a return to form for the series,
whose popularity had declined in recent years following a number of poorly received games such as
the 2006 reboot.
Legacy
''Sonic Colors'' introduced the Wisp power-ups, which would go on to become a staple of the ''Sonic'' franchise. Games featuring the Wisps include ''
Sonic Generations
''Sonic Generations'' is a 2011 platform game developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Windows, and Nintendo 3DS. Produced in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' series, the ...
'' (2011), ''
Sonic Lost World
is a 2013 Action-adventure game, action-adventure platform game developed by Sonic Team. It is part of the ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' series, and was released in October 2013 for the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS in PAL regions by Nintendo and by Sega in No ...
'' (2013), and ''
Sonic Forces
is a platform game developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega. It was produced in commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the '' Sonic the Hedgehog'' franchise. The story sees Sonic the Hedgehog joining a resistance force to stop Docto ...
'' (2017). The story of ''Sonic Colors'' was adapted in
Archie Comics
Archie Comic Publications, Inc., is an American comic book publisher headquartered in Pelham, New York.[Sonic the Hedgehog
is a Japanese video game series and media franchise created by Sega. The franchise follows Sonic, an anthropomorphic blue hedgehog who battles the evil Doctor Eggman, a mad scientist. The main ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' games are platformers mo ...]
'' comic book series.
''Sonic Generations'' was released in commemoration of the series' twentieth anniversary, and remade various aspects from past entries. The version of the game released for the
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. As the successor to the original Xbox, it is the second console in the Xbox series. It competed with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation ...
,
PlayStation 3
The PlayStation 3 (PS3) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment. The successor to the PlayStation 2, it is part of the PlayStation brand of consoles. It was first released on Novemb ...
, and
Microsoft Windows
Windows is a group of several proprietary graphical operating system families developed and marketed by Microsoft. Each family caters to a certain sector of the computing industry. For example, Windows NT for consumers, Windows Server for serv ...
features a reimagined version of ''Sonic Colors''s Planet Wisp level. The version of the game released for the
Nintendo 3DS
The is a handheld game console produced by Nintendo. It was announced in March 2010 and unveiled at E3 2010 as the successor to the Nintendo DS. The system features backward compatibility with Nintendo DS video games. As an eighth-generatio ...
contains a remake of the Tropical Resort level.
''Sonic Colors: Ultimate''
In May 2021, a remastered version, was announced for release on
PlayStation 4
The PlayStation 4 (PS4) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 3 in February 2013, it was launched on November 15, 2013, in North America, November 29, 2013 in ...
,
Xbox One
The Xbox One is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. Announced in May 2013, it is the successor to Xbox 360 and the third base console in the Xbox series of video game consoles. It was first released in North America, parts of ...
,
Nintendo Switch
The is a hybrid video game console developed by Nintendo and released worldwide in most regions on March 3, 2017. The console itself is a Tablet computer#Gaming tablet, tablet that can either be docking station, docked for use as a home video ...
, and
Windows
Windows is a group of several proprietary graphical operating system families developed and marketed by Microsoft. Each family caters to a certain sector of the computing industry. For example, Windows NT for consumers, Windows Server for serv ...
(via the
Epic Games Store
The Epic Games Store is a digital video game storefront for Microsoft Windows and macOS, operated by Epic Games. It launched in December 2018 as both a website and a standalone launcher, of which the latter is required to download and play gam ...
). Developed by
Blind Squirrel Games
Blind Squirrel Games is an American video game developer based in Santa Ana, California. It was founded in 2010 by Brad Hendricks and is a subsidiary of Blind Squirrel Entertainment. Notable products include ''BioShock: The Collection'' and ''M ...
as part of the ''Sonic'' series' 30th anniversary, it was released worldwide on September 7, 2021, and in Japan and East Asia on September 9 of that year. A version for
Amazon Luna was also made available on April 21, 2022.
Along with enhanced visuals, an improved
frame rate
Frame rate (expressed in or FPS) is the frequency (rate) at which consecutive images (frames) are captured or displayed. The term applies equally to film and video cameras, computer graphics, and motion capture systems. Frame rate may also be ca ...
, and a newly recorded soundtrack, the remaster, which is based on the Wii version, features new additions including assistance by Tails, which replaces the traditional lives mechanic from the original game, allowing Tails to rescue Sonic from dangerous falls for a limited amount of uses, the "Jade Ghost" Wisp power-up from ''
Team Sonic Racing
''Team Sonic Racing'' is a 2019 kart racing game and a Spin-off (media), spin-off from Sega's ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' series. Controlling one of 15 characters from List of Sonic the Hedgehog characters, the series' cast, players compete in races ...
'', which lets Sonic pass through solid objects and access new routes; a Rival Rush mode in which players race against
Metal Sonic
The ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' video game franchise began in 1991 with the game ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' for the Sega Genesis, which pitted a blue anthropomorphic hedgehog named Sonic against a rotund male human villain named Doctor Eggman (or Docto ...
; unlockable cosmetic options with a new currency called "Park Tokens", including some based on the
2020 film; new voice lines from
Kate Higgins
Catherine Davis Higgins is an American voice actress, singer and jazz piano, jazz pianist.
Career Music career
Higgins earned a degree in music from Auburn University in 1991. She is a trained pianist who studied with the jazz artist Bob Richard ...
, who reprises her role as the voice of Tails from the original game in English (
Ryō Hirohashi
is a Japanese voice actress affiliated with Aoni Production. She mainly voices young girls and young boys. She is known for voicing Miles "Tails" Prower in the ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' series.
Biography
Hirohashi was born in Niigata Prefecture, he ...
in Japanese); and voiceovers in French, German, Italian and Spanish.
To coincide with the release of the game, a two-episode animated miniseries, ''Sonic Colors: Rise of the Wisps'', was released in August 2021.
Reception
Shortly after its early access on September 3, several
Twitter
Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...
users started reporting several bugs and glitches not present in the original,
with the Switch version in particular being derided due to having far more technical issues than the other releases, such as an inferior frame-rate compared to the other versions, significantly longer load times and flashing lights that could induce a potential
photosensitive epileptic seizure.
Some of these issues have since been patched, and the others are planned to be patched in the future. Reception for the remixed music has also been mixed.
In addition, people
data mining through the PC version found that it had used
Godot Engine
Godot ( /ˈɡɒdoʊ/) is a cross-platform, free and open-source game engine released under the MIT license. It was initially developed by Argentine software developers Juan Linietsky and Ariel Manzur for several companies in Latin America prior ...
without proper credit, which Blind Squirrel stated would be addressed in a patch.
''Sonic Colors: Ultimate'' received "mixed or average" reviews according to
review aggregator
A review aggregator is a system that collects reviews of products and services (such as films, books, video games, software, hardware, and cars). This system stores the reviews and uses them for purposes such as supporting a website where users ...
Metacritic
Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...
.
Notes
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
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Amazon Luna games
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Platform games
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