The blue hedgehog with the badass attitude is back in this very colourful fast paced game. Run, jump and fly through challenging levels. Sonic is back to kick Dr. Eggmans buttocks once again.
Dr. Eggman is collecting some heavy power from some defenseless aliens that used to live in peace and harmony. With this power, Eggman wants to take over the world as we know it, and it’s your responsibility, in all Sonics great spirit, to prevent this from happening. The whole storymode is based on a bunch of connected planets, where Eggman has build the universe’ biggest amusement park, so he can test his collected brain control powers.
Magical Worlds
As Sonic you are fighting through the levels of Tropical Resort, Sweet Mountain, Starlight Carnival, Planet Wisp, Aquarium Park, Asteroid Coaster, Terminal Velocity and the Game Land/Sonic Simulator, which act as special stages and therefore is optional. The Sonic Simulator is also the only available level to play in multiplayer/co-op.
This game is by far one of the best Sonic games I’ve played. Despite, that I am not too pleased with the third-person-behind-Sonic-view (actually, I hate it…) and the nunchuck with Wii control, I found the game to be very amusing. While the style of controls aren’t entirely SEGA’s fault, the steering in third person view is very clumsy, odd and not to mention kinda sharp (the edges on the nunchucks analogue stick) and makes you oversteer easily (I’ve been running around a ring a few times more than twice because of this!).
The sidescroll view is flawless and works as a charm, and the more cinematic mini sequences are fantastic during the gameplay, it’s quite enjoyable watching Sonic running around in the loop-de-loop. From here, this Sonic game is very alike earlier games in the series. Jump on, or use the homing attack (the very first games in the series didn’t have this, and while playing Sonic the Hedgehog 4 ep 1 I disliked this, but turned around once I got used to it) to kill the more or less randomly placed enemies, collect rings, and general keep up a pace to get the best score in the end of the level.
What can you do?
Sonic Colours does include some new abilities for the player to use, and using these can either help the player to finish the level faster, gather more rings, or access other parts of the levels, which you wouldn’t be able to reach without these powers. Here’s a few of the powers available in the game, along with my opinion about each special and unique ability.
The drill power makes Sonic nosedive into the dirt. While drilling you can steer Sonic, and access areas that you can’t without this ability – but beware, if you run out of drill power while underground you will die. I really like this one for exploring the level.
The laser power will make a laser to a point, and Sonic will travel to that point – it doesn’t seem like the player can make any impact on how this works. I’m not too delighted about this, but it works.
The cube power makes big blue rings into cubes, containing the ring, and the other way around. While this is kinda new to the gameplay in Sonic games, I don’t see the purpose of this, other than the mildly puzzle effect to it.
The ring powered rocket power is a buttonmasher. It transfers Sonic into a little rocket, that you can steer, and if you think it’s fast, I got to disappoint you – it’s not. Though, if you can reach a line of rings, the rocket will automatically follow this line in a satisfactory pace. I got really sore in my thumb and hand while I was struggling in a level, where I had to use this a lot to reach the finish line.
For a Wii game, the visuals are stunning and flashy. The game really does live up to the subtitle “Colours”, as this game is a tad more colourful than previously released games in the franchise, and I am almost afraid of admitting this; I’m a sucker for glamour, and this game is full of it. I never encountered any glitches, cutting or clipping at all, and the game runs very smoothly. No framerate dropping in sight.
Voice acting?
The voiceacting in the cutscenes are very Saturday morning. While this kinda suits a Sonic game, I am not so sure the more adult gamer that has followed the series from the beginning, will be too pleased with this. Though, I might add, it’s not all bad – yes the lines are pretty shallow and could be played better, it still suits the game pretty well. I never expected the game to contain a Hollywood story – I wanted a fast-paced platformer, and I’m not disappointed.
Like the voiceacting, the music suits the game and goes right for the aimed target group – but the soundtrack is far, really really far from hitting my stereo or PC on a solo basis.
In spite of the games flaws, with the Wii’s controllers and the third person view being the games weakest and worst parts, I am really enjoying running, flying, lasering, drilling and jumping through these enjoyable and well-made levels. SEGA did well with this title.
