Was Sonic Colors a great game for you?

With the release of the shit-tastic Sonic Boom (yes, i know it wasn't developed by Sonic Team, but regardless, it's a Sonic game) and the poorly received Sonic Lost World, it seems to me that the franchise is back at it; That is, back at shitty titles. But what about that small bright light that came with Colors and Generations, two games that where, and still are regarded as good games by the majority of people?

I recently completed my second playthrough of Sonic Colors, and my opinion hasn't changed. It's my second favorite Sonic game ever, right behind Sonic 3 & Knuckles. There was some questionable level design that led to a few cheap deaths here and there, but overall, i think it's a great game with fantastic visuals (for the Wii), varied level design, great controls and replay value off the charts.

I even enjoyed the Saturday-morning cartoon vibe the story had. It was silly at times, but it was very entertaining. And that boss battle at the end? Awesome.

What did you think of Sonic Colors? Do you think that it's a genuinely great game, or is it just a slightly above average game that wouldn't be relevant if the overwhelmingly majority of 3D Sonic games weren't shit?

I liked it, but I think a lot of its good reception comes from the fact that, as you said, most Sonic games are shit, and it was a pleasant surprise to get one that didn't suck that bad for a change. It also released right alongside the underwhelming Sonic 4, and that just made it look better.

I personally think Generations was a better game.

What platform is that on?

I'm pretty sure I own Generations.

Colors was Wii, released in 2010.

Yeah, in fact, I was just saying in Freedom's recent thread that I was playing Sonic Colours more than I was SMG2.

I never gave it enough of a chance, but what little I did play of it was refreshing for a Sonic game. Don't remember exactly why I quit playing it, I was into some other game at the time.

Ugh..

Thanks though!

Forgot that game even existed.

Never played it. But I think there was a reason why Nintendo wanted Sega to make 3 exclusive Sonic games and Colors was it.

It's too bad Sega didn't take advantage of the Colors engine and made 3 craptastic games. Those games? Sonic Lost World, Sonic and Mario at Sochi Winter Games, and Sonic Boom.

Just to clarify I played none of the three either. I just heard, from the 3 Exclusive WiiU titles, Sonic Lost World seems to be the only one worth a look.

Sonic Colors was the game that brought me back after I had given up on the franchise. Adventure 2 had some questionable elements, Heroes was mediocre, Shadow was a sick joke, and '06 was so bad that its stench is still fresh in everyone's minds. When Unleashed came out I didn't even bother to give it a fair chance (now I love it), and I would have done the same with Colors if my brother hadn't bought it. I distinctly remember watching him play it for the first time, and how we both were saying "whoa" everytime the level design kept impressing us. In the previous 3D games, there are many instances where the camera can get you killed if you stupidly fight it, but in Colors, it doesn't even give you that chance. There are no moments where you just die because you can't see the ground, and there are no objects ever getting in your face. Huge, huge improvement.

As for the gameplay, giving the homing attack both a sound indicator and reticule, I thought was brilliant. Granted Sonic Team had been experimenting with those signatures in Secret Rings and Unleashed, but I thought it was so well executed here. No more guessing whether you were going to hit an enemy or not, and to make it better, they switched back the homing attack to the A button so you wouldn't accidentally boost like in Unleashed. Finally, I felt like I could kill enemies without making any mistakes.

Then came the gimmick, because Sonic games just have to have one now. When the wisps were first revealed I thought they were going to be the whole focus and would handle poorly, but I was wrong on both accounts. Not only do you not have to get them, they're also really fun to use. I like the wisps, and not a chance in hell did I think that would happen. Hell, I think the wisps are the best thing to happen since the elemental shields.

Another thing that Colors nailed was the tone. Since Adventure 2, Sonic for whatever reason was going in this "dark" (and I say that loosely) direction. I don't want to see guns, the military, swearing, or kids getting shot in a fucking Sonic game. It's a cartoon, so I want light hearted joking, with maybe only a pinch of seriousness every now and then. Colors got it right, and in particular, I love how Robotnik and his two robots have a Scratch and Grounder type of relationship. This is the type of shit I want to see! Granted Colors may be too corny at times, but I'll take this end of the spectrum any day over the crap like in Shadow or '06.

Finally the soundtrack, and my goodness is it amazing! In particular, Planet Wisp and every single one of its mixes from Colors, Colors DS, and Generations, I absolutely love and will listen to regularly. I could go on and on about the other tracks, but I think Sonic music doesn't need any justification in order to praise, because it's almost always brilliant.

Now with all that gushing out of the way, I still have to say in no way do I think that Colors is the second best game in the franchise. I can entertain the idea of it maybe being the second best 3D game today though. More importantly, what Colors did was that it proved to me that new Sonic games can still be fun, and that it isn't a sin for them not to be a carbon copy of Sonic 1-3 & Knuckles + CD. It's because of this game that I can go back and enjoy Adventure 1, Unleashed, Advance 1, Rush, and Rush Adventure without a stick up my butt. I like boosting, and I don't care if the physics aren't 1 to 1 like Sonic 3 & Knuckles'. As long as I can have fun with the game for what it is, that's all that matters. So yeah, I love Sonic Colors.

it was dogshit as are all sonic games since sonic&knuckles on snes

Sega fanboys will flay you.

@charizard1605: I think... that's what he wants.

It was a solid platformer that looked like Sonic Team figured out the right formula in solving the 3D problem. It had some solid levels and was technically polished for once. plus the gimmick wasn't stupid.

As others have stated it helps that at the time the series standards were really low.

It was good but still way off the 3D Mario platformers.

It was a Mario Galaxy knockoff but it's sadly the best Sonic's been in years.

Controls took some time to get used to and some wisp gimmicks were really annoying, but other than that it was great. Kind of makes me wonder why Sega had such a great formula with Unleashed Day, Colors, and Generations and then tried to do PARKOUR in Lost World and lost it all.

Now the new game they're making is a mobile runner >_>

**** no, it has Sonic right in the title.

It telegraphs its gutter trash from a mile away.

I only played the DS version of Colors. Excellent game. I love the three Rush DS games.

No, it's fucking garbage just like every 3D Sonic game. Trial and error bullshit coupled with diarrhea level design, more of Sonic's shitty friends, and it tries to rip off Super Mario Galaxy but it's no where near that level. I played it for the first time half a year ago and ugh, I hate it. Colors started out cool, the first world was neat and I liked the candy one but everything else is tripe. It felt like they took inspiration from the GBA Sonic games and just put random obstacles and traps with no understanding of how it fit into the level. The garbage water segments in the water world levels is a main offender.

The worst part is probably combining modern Sonic on a 2D plane - it just doesn't work. It controls worse than Little Big Planet which is a feat in of itself. It couldn't even manage being a better game than Sonic Generations which is essentially half a playable game.

I'm a huge SEGA fanboy (not Sonic, **** him) but this game offended me and is one of the worst games I've played last year.

Not as bad as Sonic and the Black Knight, though. So there's that.

I thought it was a very good 3D Sonic game. The level designs are full of energy and you never have to deal with terrible clunky shit like the Werehog or the mech/treasure hunting levels in the Adventure games. All 3D Sonic games should follow the Colors/Generations formula. It plays to the series' strengths.

I think Lost World, the true Mario Galaxy knockoff, shows that Sonic Colors wasn't really that much of a knockoff. It just borrowed a few things.

no. it's a terrible game with awful block level design, disgusting feeling jumping physics, bland music, and wisps that constantly interrupt the game.

colors and generations are both like 80% 2D. 3D sonic games should probably try to actually be 3D.

What? How? Because it's a platformer in space? (Yeah, because Mario Galaxy was clearly the first of it's kind in THAT setting, and clearly Mario never visited space before, and Sonic never visited space in the Genesis era). A knock-off is copying and pasting everything with POOR detail. NOTHING gameplay wise is Sonic Colors a knockoff of Mario Galaxy.

Again, how is it a Mario Galaxy knockoff when neither game play ANYTHING alike? Also, "more of his friends?" What version were you playing? Besides the Wisps (which mostly played their roles as power-ups), the Wii version only had Sonic and Tails.

the developers have outright said in interviews that the game is heavily inspired by mario galaxy.

Inspired =/= knockoff. If that were the case, than Star Wars is a knockoff of western and samurai movies. A knockoff would be something like Atlantic Rim, Transmorphers, or in the world of games, the Gianna Sisters.

@nintendoboy16: I never called it off a knockoff, I said it rips off certain aspects of Super Mario Galaxy. Which is true. The space theme, the entire concept of the wisps, and the power-ups sure seemed like ideas they stole from Super Mario Galaxy. They don't need to play the same for it to rip off Galaxy's concepts. As for the wisps and Tails, that is more than enough Sonic friends for it to drive me crazy. I can't believe Sonic Team still didn't realize that voice acting in these games is awful.

Only Sonic 1, 2, and CD are good.

no, it was mediocre like every other sonic game ever made.

nope. genuine mistake, i meant genesis.

I've actually never heard of it. Looks cool though.

Your other post was a good, detailed read that i appreciate you writing, even though i completely disagree with everything you've wrote there.

But this one i've quoted here.. Nah. The voice acting in Sonic Colors is legitimately good, i don't remember any instance of feeling awkward or to dislike it. If you want examples of truly awful voice acting in Sonic games, go watch some videos on Sonic 06 and Sonic Adventure.

As for getting inspiration from other, more successful sources.. i couldn't give less of a shit about that. It's how this industry works, and has always worked this way. Sure, if it's exaggerated, it's not a good thing. But in this particular case? Steal more from Galaxy, Sega. And make a sequel to Colors wile you're at it.

There are porn stars who deliver better acting.

Inspiration is fine and all but in Colors they made it too blatant and obvious. Sonic Team can't even use the "homage" excuse when Colors came out only 3 years after lol.

I'm impressed by how much i can agree with a single post. Can you believe that some people actually want 'dark' and serious plots in their Sonic games? I've seen articulated, well written opinions on the subject both on Youtube and various forums, and it baffles my mind because, in my opinion, the plot in Sonic Adventure 1/2/Unleashed (which is what they are asking for, something similar to that) sucked assbecause of how much it took itself seriously.

It's a hedgehog that can run fast, for God's sake. Give me a silly, simple and entertaining cartoon in between good level design so i can thoroughly enjoy myself, and not cringe at the thought that i have to watch a cutscene portraying Sonic in a dramatic, serious tone, in a needlessly 'deep' plot. They (Sonic Team) have clearly showed us their writing 'skills' regarding that particular tone with past entries.

I never know with you, considering your trolling history.

C'mon man.

Ah, that line.. Rough, but not awful. There are rough spots here and there, i'm not gonna deny that.. But honestly i can't remember every line of the game, i can only tell you my general impression left by the voice acting in the game. And overall, Sonic Colors has good voice acting.

Even that particular delivery is worlds better than the shit i've witnessed in Adventure and 06.. Like i said, that is what i call awful voice acting, and awful fucking writing.

I liked the game even though I only played the game for the DS.

I have never bought any Sonic game in my whole life and i have no plans doing so. i dont know but yeah i heard Sonic games is not that good nowadays

It's a good game. 7 outta 10 level, not earth shaking or anything. It was just a shock to have a Sonic game that wasn't utter shit, people overrated it a bit. Generations was better I think, that wasn't amazing either though. Sonic as a top tier platformer died decades ago.