Sonic X Shadow Generations Review

For the 20th anniversary of Sega’s spiky blue mascot, a game celebrating the best of what Sonic the Hedgehog has had to offer over the years was created in the form of Sonic Generations. It was the highlight of the series’ entries that appeared on the first high-definition game consoles, and a separate handheld version was produced for Nintendo 3DS, featuring exclusive stages not present in the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 editions. Many Sonic games have zoomed on by in the decade or so since then, but Generations remains one of the better titles in a franchise where ups and downs are consistent. What better game to bring back for the launch of a new Nintendo console?

The name should be the biggest indicator that this isn’t just a simple port. The original Sonic Generations is fully included in Sonic X Shadow Generations, albeit the HD iteration, meaning the portable stages are still locked away on 3DS hardware, but the popularity of Sonic’s edgier rival has resulted in Shadow getting his own story segment that plays out in tandem with the main plot.

Drumming up a narrative excuse for providing side-scrolling platforming reminiscent of the classic Mega Drive games alongside superfast 3D stages that incorporate Sonic’s modern abilities, developer Sonic Team went the time travelling route with Sonic Generations’ story, resulting in the Blue Blur’s lankier iteration teaming up with his portlier and younger self.

Revisiting iconic zones from the franchise’s history up to that point, both Sonics take turns zipping through acts based around their individual styles. From Green Hill to Chemical Plant, and City Escape to Planet Wisp, every generation of Sonic fan will instantly connect to certain stages more than others, with musical remixes that flood the ears with joyful nostalgia.

The classic side-scrolling affairs aren’t one-to-one in terms of replicating the Mega Drive hits, but the formula remains the same – even if Sonic looks like he’s been shrunken to miniature proportions in the particularly oversized-looking Green Hill Zone. Sonic spin dashes through loops and tubes in platforming stages that are all about keeping the momentum going, rewarding those that take the time to learn the ins and outs of each level’s design. Collectibles can usually be found along those upper paths, where good platforming timing is needed on top of this to get to the optional red rings.

2D Sonic’s acts are the simpler of the two styles, but his 3D iteration’s extra focus on speed boosting delivers a more exhilarating set of stages that feel pretty sweet when everything comes together. Despite modern Sonic games not always nailing the gameplay very well, Sonic Generations presents some of the better stage renditions of the post-16-bit era.

The second acts approach areas with a mix of side-scrolling and 3D gameplay, with the camera switching to behind Sonic at times as he blasts forward, homing in on enemies and grinding rails that have become staple ingredients of the modern Sonic recipe. Much like the classic stages, a degree of learning is required to get the most out of these sections, and it can be well worth the effort for Sonic fans, since artwork and music from throughout the series can be unlocked by mastering the routes.

It is very often the case that if a rail or platform is missed due to bungling a timed jump or speeding on by before it’s too late, rarely is there then a chance to go back and get that out-of-reach red ring. Those extra items are gone until the stage is replayed again. It can be a frustrating endeavour, but the rewards do give much more incentive to conquer the levels as opposed to just attempting to get the fastest times possible – which is, of course, still appealing, with the inclusion of online leaderboards attesting to that.

Modern Sonic does come with his fair share of issues, however, with that hit-and-miss side of his 3D outings carrying over into Sonic Generations‘ Act 2 portions. Aside from the annoyances that occur from the halts in momentum when enemies or pits appear suddenly, Sonic’s speed can get well in the way of the enjoyment. It is likely that Sonic will get stuck out of bounds or within geometry he shouldn’t be in on more than a couple of occasions, glitching through walls after straying slightly off course.

The game wants players to hit that boost button, but with how finnicky manoeuvring Sonic can be, it is difficult to keep him on the path you want him to be on. It is normal to smash into walls and trip over ledges, and the lack of control while the hedgehog blasts through everything means pitfall deaths are common. It is something that can be adapted to, but the sheer speed that Sonic racks up means some restraint must be applied and sections that demand mastering the controls will require repeating to experience the full thrill that only an uninterrupted Sonic stage can provide.

Getting over those hitches results in a solid Sonic game that is a delight for fans, but it is Shadow’s dedicated story mode that offers more refined hedgehog control. Just like in Sonic Generations, the new content designed specifically for this remaster sees the “Ultimate Lifeform” proceed through two acts of recreated stages from previous games, including some from titles released after the 2011 original, including Sonic Forces and Sonic Frontiers.

Shadow Generations takes a big chunk of inspiration from that latter game, too, by plonking Shadow in a mini hub playground of sorts, which connects to the various stages he must tackle. Grind rails and springboards are aplenty, with water and other obstacles that can only be bypassed once specific abilities are learned gating off certain areas.

This hub is home to an array of collectibles and chests that must be found by completing tricky platforming segments, and again the rewards are often artwork and music from past games. It is a small world, and the overall quest is short, too, but when you factor in the Sonic Generations campaign on top of it, there is plenty for franchise fans to tuck into.

If jumping from Sonic’s portion to this, the improvement to the controls will be felt immediately, with Shadow gliding around smoother than the 3D segments of the Blue Blur. It is the same general setup as before, with acts switching between side-scrolling and more dynamic events, with some new abilities wormed in for good measure to mix things up on brief occasions, even if they don’t quite get as much utilisation as they should.

With both story modes there is plenty to come back to, with challenges opening up as each stage is completed, again unlocking a wealth of Sonic memorabilia and soundtracks that can be played in any level, while fans will also appreciate the recreations of certain stages and boss battles that are revised and less infuriating than back in the day, such as those from the Dreamcast era.

It is pleasing to see that this Nintendo Switch 2 edition of Sonic X Shadow Generations is a big step up from the Nintendo Switch version. While 60 frames per second gameplay is set in stone for Sonic Generations, Shadow’s adventure is the only one of the two where players are offered a choice between performance and image quality. Resolution is sacrificed for 60 fps in the former mode, while a crisper image with a lower frame rate will shine through in the latter. Surprisingly, the image quality mode isn’t as good as it perhaps could be, but with a game centred around speed, it is difficult to part from running anything other than the performance option, although there is a huge hit in visual quality here, with backgrounds appearing extra blurry.

Tragically, there is no upgrade pack for owners of the Nintendo Switch version that are looking to pick up this graphically enhanced Switch 2 edition, unlike Nintendo’s offerings with games such as The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

Although the Shadow the Hedgehog portion is a pleasant extra bit of content that bolsters a game that already sits among Sonic’s top titles, what would have really elevated Sonic X Shadow Generations is if the Nintendo 3DS stages were redone and added to this release. Perhaps one day the portable version of Sonic Generations will see the light of day again, but this could have been the perfect opportunity to cram everything into one mighty package.