One of the best things about a platformer is the levels. That may seem like an obvious statement, but it is nonetheless true. Being able to jump into a level is like being able to jump into the creative mind of someone akin to the movieBeing John Malkovich. It’s a very meta point of view but the better the mind, the better the stage, and overall the better the experience.
When it comes toSonic Superstars, it will not disappoint. Some stages in this relatively short experience can stand next to some of the greatest-known stages in the entire series. That’s high praise, so here are some concrete examples to back up that claim.
8Bridge Island Act 1
There’s nothing quite as refreshing as playing the first stage in aSonicgame. While the first Zone looks a lot like the Green Hill Zone from most beginning areas of the series, it’s actually called Bridge Island in Sonic Superstars.
This first stage is filled with classic enemies, loops, branching paths, and more. The star of the level is the finale which finds Sonic and friends dashing away from a large snake-like shark that is destroying the stage. It’s a throwback to a lot of the3DSonicgameslikeSonic Adventure’sOrca.
7Egg Fortress Act 2
The Egg Fortress is the final Zone of the game. This stage highlights the last mission of the game as well, and it is a doozy of a marathon. In the first stage, players will make it to the endwhere Dr. Robotnikwill activate a time device.
This final stage then forces players to work backwards which is a neat gimmick for a stage. The time meter actually means something for once too because it is a countdown, making life all the more stressful. The final battle with Dr. Robotnik’s giant mech robot is challenging, but satisfying once destroyed.
6Lagoon City Act Amy
Most Zones in the game have side missions that players can ignore. A lot of them also have character-specific limitations, like the side mission in Lagoon City.Amy’s level inSonic Superstarswill have players smash giant pieces of fruit around with her hammer.
It’s not the most complicated level, but smashing fruit is fun. Also, there is a surprise twist at the end of this stage which will make a character turn toward the end of the game make more sense.
5Golden Capital Act 1
The first stage of the Golden Capital Zone may not seem cool at first inSonic Superstars. However, things will start to get interesting about a third of the way through. This is when players can stumble upon a drill machine that can burrow through dirt and rock.
It’s somethingthat Shovel Knightwould assuredly love to have in his games. Besides the drill cruiser, there are also sections where players will reverse the camera and start running on the ceiling.
4Frozen Base Act 2
The Frozen Base starts as a typical ice level in a platformer. There are not a lot of special activities going on other than the conveyor belt loops. However, in the second stage, players get to jump into one of Dr. Robotnik’s spaceships and the level turns into anold-school Shoot ‘em up.
Players need to gun down a few enemy spaceships before tackling the big egg-shaped doctor in his latest mech in space. It’s a short level but it is nice to get some variety in the gameplay even though this was toward the end of the game.
3Sky Temple Act 1
The Sky Temple consists of one big area in the game and a lot is happening in it. Most pits in the stage are filled with flowing air, allowing players to glide through gaps easily. The coolest part of the stage though is the small corridors filled with blocks.
Players can swing Sonic or any of the other heroes around and then break these blocks. These corridors play out like a Breakout clone, which is anold-school type of puzzle gamethat is not seen that much in modern games. That’s whySonic Superstarsgets a gold sticker for its inclusion.
2Pinball Carnival Act 1
The Breakout mini-games in the Sky Temple are fun, but they pale in comparison to the first stage in the Pinball Carnival Zone. True to its name, this entire carnival is seemingly devoted to creating wild pinball arcades in the open. If a hero lands on a paddle, players can activate it with the jump button.
Getting a hero like Sonic to go exactly where players want can be frustrating but that comes with the territory of agood pinball game. On that note, it’s been a while since Sonic has had a good pinball spinoff likeSonic Pinball Party, so maybe it’s time that Sega got on the ball so to speak.
1Cyber Station Act 1
Finally, the beginning of the Cyber Station Zone might be one of the coolest Sonic levels in the whole series. It takes place in cyberspace, if the name doesn’t give it away, and anything is possible in this landscape.
Players can transform into a squid and then gain the ability to spin dash at enemies along with swimming in midair. They can turn into a mouse and go through a maze filled with spiders too. The list goes on, but suffice it to say it is a creative level full of surprises, and the Zone overall makesSonic Superstarsworth playing.
