Sonic Superstars from Sega Sammy Holdings Inc. - classic 2D platforming with four-player chaos

Reviewed: ad hoc news Bestseller & Flagship desk. Edited and checked on 2026-06-29, 17:14. Details in the imprint.

The Sonic Superstars from Sega Sammy Holdings Inc. drops you straight into a blazing orange waterfall level, controller buzzing as you launch off a spring and hear the familiar ring-chime scatter in stereo. It feels like old Mega Drive muscle memory, suddenly awake.

What Sonic Superstars does differently

Sonic Superstars is a side-scrolling platformer that returns the series to classic 2D-style stages, but renders everything in a bright 2.5D engine with modern lighting and animation. Sonic, Tails, Knuckles and Amy are all playable from the start.

The key twist is the Chaos Emerald powers, which add abilities like creating clone Sonics or swimming up waterfalls once you grab specific emeralds in special stages. Game director Naoto ?shima, one of Sonic’s original creators, pushed for these powers to keep veteran players on their toes.

How four-player co-op feels in practice

Local co-op in Sonic Superstars allows up to four players to share one screen, each controlling a different character, turning familiar levels into noisy living-room chaos. When everyone hits a speed section together, the camera strains to keep up and the sofa gets loud.

Because every character has their own movement quirks, the co-op run becomes a constant negotiation: the Tails player hovering ahead, Knuckles gliding into shortcuts, Amy timing her hammer jumps. Producer Takashi Iizuka described this as “controlled mayhem” built deliberately for families.

Level design, physics and pacing

Stages in Sonic Superstars riff on the old formula of multi-layered paths, spring chains and secret routes, but mix in new gimmicks like shifting gravity sections and giant vines as improvised roller-coasters. The physics lean closer to the original Genesis feel than some recent entries.

On a good run the game locks into that flowing rhythm where you stop thinking about inputs and just react, feeling the analog stick’s slight resistance as you correct mid-air arcs. Critics at Eurogamer called this a “convincing” return to form for momentum-driven Sonic platforming.

Visuals, audio and performance

Visually, Sonic Superstars goes for a clean, almost toy-like look: sharp character outlines, saturated colors, simple but tidy textures. On current consoles it targets 60 frames per second, keeping motion smooth even with four players scrambling across the screen.

The soundtrack layers new themes with familiar Sonic-style melodies, while effects like ring pickups and jump sounds keep their classic timbre. On a decent soundbar you can clearly pick out the separate impact thuds when four players land almost simultaneously.

Platforms, price and availability

Sonic Superstars launched globally in October 2023 on PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One and Series X|S, Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store. Sega positions it as a full-price release, often around 59.99 euros in European digital stores.

In Japan, the game is sold both physically and digitally, with retail copies prominent on shelves in major chains like Yodobashi Camera. On amazon.de, Sonic Superstars is listed for multiple platforms, with occasional discounts bringing it below its original recommended price.

Target players and reception

Officially, Sonic Superstars is aimed at both longtime Sonic fans and families looking for a couch co-op title that younger players can handle. Simple controls and generous checkpoints help newer players, while alternate routes and emerald powers give veterans something to experiment with.

Reviews have been mixed to positive, often praising the level variety and co-op options while criticizing some later-game difficulty spikes and occasional camera confusion in four-player mode. On Metacritic, most versions sit in the low-to-mid 70s, a respectable but not spectacular outcome.

Where it falls short

One recurring complaint is that certain emerald powers feel underused, popping up as scripted moments rather than organic tools that change your entire approach to a stage. Experienced players sometimes ignore them, defaulting back to raw speed and platforming skill.

There are also reports of online multiplayer stability issues, with lag occasionally undercutting the precision jumps Sonic is known for. For many buyers the game will live or die as a local co-op experience, where latency is not a concern but screen clutter can be.

Franchise strategy and shares

For Sega Sammy Holdings Inc., Sonic Superstars sits alongside Sonic Frontiers and the Sonic films as part of a broader plan to keep the brand visible across games and media. Net-net, this kind of steady franchise output matters for recurring revenue rather than one-off blockbuster bets.

Sega Sammy Holdings Inc. shares (ISIN JP3419050004) trade on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, giving investors direct exposure to Sonic and the group’s other entertainment and pachinko businesses.

This article was AI-assisted and editorially reviewed. Product information without guarantee; prices and availability may change at short notice. No investment advice, no buy or sell recommendation. Stock-market transactions involve risks up to total loss.