Sonic Colors: Ultimate Reviews
Sonic Colors: Ultimate may not be truly ultimate, but it’s a well worthwhile return to an oft-missed game.
After living in Wii purgatory for 11 years, it’s nice for other console owners to finally experience Sonic Colors. The Ultimate edition brings some graphical flourishes and a forgiving difficulty curve that would help benefit beginners. However, the myriad of both visual and audio glitches dampen the overall experience. I do hope that Blind Squirrel can polish the game down the line and provide a more consistent experience. Unfortunately, as it stands, Sonic Colors: Ultimate doesn’t quite reach for the stars.
I really want to believe that the same studio that helped deliver Mass Effect: Legendary Edition and Bioshock: The Collection needed a bit more time to fix the tons of bugs present in this underwhelming “remaster”. As it stands, Sonic Colors: Ultimate might possibly be one of the most embarrassing releases in Sonic‘s already uneven history, and one depressing way to celebrate the mascot’s 30th anniversary.
Sonic Colors: Ultimate is a decent upgrade that adds a few bells and whistles to an already great game. While these aren’t exactly necessary upgrades, the resolution and frame rate boost make it worth not pulling your Wii out. A decade later, Sonic Colors is still the best 3D Sonic out there thanks to some inspired level design and the variety the Wisps add to the gameplay. However, the load times and glitches leave a bad taste in your mouth.
Sonic Colors: Ultimate remasters the original 2010 release on the Wii, upping the graphics and offering more ways to enjoy the game. Despite some speed bumps, Sonic Colors: Ultimate is a worthwhile revisit to one of the series' greatest adventures, and stands heads and Tails above many other 3D Sonic games. This is Sonic done right, and having it modernized and on PC at last is a treat for fans and newcomers alike.
Technically it's still the best modern Sonic, if you don't count Sonic Mania, but time has not been particularly kind and neither has this unambitious remaster.
Sonic Colors: Ultimate is a somewhat buggy remaster of a great game. If SEGA and Blind Squirrel can patch out the various bugs, this’ll be the best way to experience the momentum and vibrancy of Sonic Colors. Until then, it’s just a decent way to play it, with some swell but minor add-ons.
Sonic Colors Ultimate has very little to make it an essential purchase, unless of course you are a huge fan of the original and want a sugary nostalgia rush.
Sonic Colors: Ultimate is undoubtedly better than the abysmal Sonic Forces, a game that I was strangely compelled to play through again recently. But still, it’s far from being a great Sonic game. There are some nice new additions here, and while the cutscenes are still low quality, the in-game visuals have cleaned up very nicely indeed. It’s just the shame the gameplay is so all over the place – one minute you’ll be having the time of your life, the next, pulling your hair out in frustration. It’s tough being a Sonic fan, and Sonic Colors: Ultimate does little to ease the pain.
Sonic Colors Ultimate‘s gameplay loop is enjoyable and boasts high replayability. However, the Tails Save implementation, boss battles, and some Wisp power utilization slow this speedy adventure down to a crawl. It’s undeniably fun but trips up the moment you find your pace. Here’s to looking forward to new Sonic adventures in the future.
Sonic Colors was already a great game when it was released on the Wii and Sonic Colors: Ultimate doesn't detract from the original experience, barring the aforementioned issues with the Switch port. The new content is underwhelming, but the whole package still stands up and it upholds the game's reputation as one of the best 3D entries in the series.
A fine remaster of a good 3D Sonic game, Sonic Colours: Ultimate delivers speedy thrills aplenty, with its rainbow of Wisps injecting a smart twist to platforming. With more than enough replay value to keep you coming back, Sonic Colours: Ultimate will last far beyond its initial 4-5 hour runtime and slake your thirst for speed.
Sonic Colors: Ultimate is a fantastic remaster of a much-loved title in the series. There are a few hiccups in the road, with awful cutscenes and lacklustre unlocks. It's classic Sonic in a 3D setting and your enjoyment will stem from your love of the series. If you're looking for a reinvention of the formula, this probably isn't for you, but if you want to experience the iconic series with refined gameplay, beautiful visuals and tons of replayability, this is the best 3D Sonic game to grace Xbox since Sonic Generations.
Even if it turns out to be annoying at times and has not got rid of the inherent flaws of 3D episodes, this Sonic Colours Ultimate is still a good game. The app has received a welcome facelift, except in the cutscenes, and deserves a second chance, because even in 2021, if other games have shown that the blue hedgehog is still valiant, it remains one of the best Sonic of the post-Dreamcast era. Which is still not nothing.
Review in French | Read full review
Sonic Colors: Ultimate is a great remaster that lacks something new to engage those players of the original version.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
At its best it feels just like the Wii game, and at its worst it's an obvious step down. There is some minor added content like cosmetics that are unlocked through new collectibles, but they simply can't outweigh all the problems introduced in this version. The original version of this game is a personal favorite to this day, but Sonic Colors Ultimate on Switch is just a disgrace that only succeeds at worsening Sonic's already poor reputation.
At its core, Sonic Colors is still a great game and one of Sonic Team’s best in recent memory, but it’s not quite as refreshing in 2021 as it was in 2010.
My overall experience with Sonic Colors Ultimate was nothing short of aggravating to say the least. While doing my due diligence, I took it upon myself to try to come to like it, since I passed it up during it’s initial run on the Nintendo Wii. This simply didn’t happen in my time with it.
Sonic Colors is still a great game, but Ultimate is lackluster at best. It's glitchy, visually inconsistent, and has some abysmal mixing that makes it impossible to hear the excellent soundtrack, let alone the new remixes.