Sonic Superstars: Everything We Know

In a decade that’s overly rife with revamped versions of classic video games, it comes as no major surprise that Sega has every intention of reviving Sonic. Just as well, because the beloved cartwheeling hedgehog hasn’t seen a 2D side-scrolling entry since 2017’s Sonic Mania. And while the IP as a whole has seen more than enough content to last a lifetime, only very rarely has any of it drifted away from its classic blueprint. In other words, that Green Hill Zone that has been chewed up and spat out out hundreds or so times since the series’ debut. Turns out, the so-called Sonic Superstars will drop that in favor of something new. Finally.

“In Sonic Mania, Green Hill Zone changed up a little bit,” Sonic producer Takashi Iizuka told IGN. “And even Sonic Origins, we did have Green Hill as part of Sonic the Hedgehog. But what we wanted to do with Sonic Superstars is really create something new and go in there and create these brand new islands that you get to explore as Sonic.

“We wanted to take Sonic to [the] brand new North Star Islands and have Sonic run around in this new environment,” Iizuka continued. “So we wanted to make brand new places for Sonic to go in this new title.”

Well, there you have it — Sonic Superstars will be an entirely different beast to tame. And while it will still retain its core elements and characters, it’ll also feature plenty of new zones and obstacles to overcome. Intrigued to learn more? Here’s everything else we can tell you about the upcoming 2D venture based on the data provided by Sega to date. Let’s talk.

What Is Sonic Superstars?

Sonic Superstars is an upcoming 3D side-scrolling platforming game by Team Sonic. Much like its 16-bit cousins, the latest chapter will center its universe around the quadrant of characters, Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Amy Rose, as they fight to foil the evil schemes of the tenacious Doctor Eggman. Unlike its initial entries, however, Sonic Superstars will move away from the Green Hill Zone, and towards a new realm known as the North Star Islands. Exciting times.

Story

Unfortunately, Sega has yet to lift the veil on the game’s actual storyline. That said, we do know for certain that it’ll feature Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Amy Rose as its four-piece heroes, and Doctor Eggman and Fang the Sniper as its returning antagonists. That’s about as much as we know, other than the fact that the forthcoming feud will take place in North Star Islands, an entirely new network of zones built from the ground up.

Gameplay

Sonic Superstars won’t be an exact replica of earlier Sonic games, that much we know. Thanks to modern technology and the ability to transform classic sprites into fully functioning 3D models, Team Sonic will be able to merge the two styles together, effectively making a traditional 2D game with a thread of 3D aesthetics.

“We're able to do things inside of that 2D gameplay formula that we couldn't have done before,” Iizuka explained. “So sometimes it's going to be sending the character back further into the world. Maybe it's going to be turning the character, spinning the character in a way that we couldn't really do with the classic look and the pixel art. Or it could be a boss battle that we're going to have in this kind of 3D space. There's all these things we can do because we have 3D models, even though we have a 2D game style and a game format, we're able to play around and do things that the classic Genesis and Game Gear titles couldn't do.”

Going by the information that Team Sonic touched based on a little ways back, the new world—North Star Island—will feature a wide selection of zones to explore, all of which be spread over two individual acts. It’ll also incorporate a four-player co-op mode—a feature that’ll allow players to fill all of the available roles and tackle levels with the full use of the character’s unique abilities.

Development

Team Sonic announced its plans to bring Sonic Superstars to consoles and PC during the Summer Game Fest, an annual event that’s known for sharing all the latest updates on upcoming IPs. It was confirmed during the time of its reveal that it would be aiming for a Fall 2023 launch, which essentially puts it anywhere between September and November. Chances are, the devs will staple a final release date to it over the next month or so. But don’t take our word for it, though.

Trailer

Thanks to Summer Game Fest, we actually have a pretty good idea of what Sonic Superstars will look like when it finally launches later this year. Don’t let us spoil it for you, though. You can see it for yourself in the sneak preview embedded above.

Release Date, Platforms & Edition

If you’ve made it this far, then you’re probably wondering about that all-important release date. The good news there is that, in spite of Sega only revealing the project earlier this year, it’ll still be aiming for a Fall 2023 launch. What’s more, it’ll also be heading to all major platforms, which means you’ll be able to get it on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Switch, and PC. Nothing to worry about there, then.

Unfortunately, Sega has yet to announce any special editions or pre-order bonuses. Not that this comes as a real surprise, mind you, what with most previous installments not being known for having any, either. Who knows, though? There’s still time. You can go ahead and add it to your ongoing pre-orders, regardless.

Of course, we’re still a fair few months away from seeing Sonic Superstars grace the market. That said, if you’re keen to remain in the loop for the duration of the development and launch stages, then you can find all the additional updates over on Sega’s official social feed here. We’ll be sure to let you know just as soon as a final release date gets nailed down. Until then, be sure to add it to your wishlist!

So, what’s your take? Will you be getting your hands on the next chapter in the Sonic franchise when it releases? Let us know your thoughts over on our socials here.