Sonic's back with flying Colors.
"And wreck that plan, right?"
"Yeah, that's pretty much how we spend our time."
Sonic and Mario started as epic rivals back when Sega and Nintendo were the main players in the console wars. Ever since the 3D era began, however, their lives have taken some rather different paths: Mario's been on top of his game ever since he hit the 3D ground running with the brilliant Super Mario 64, while Sonic has been more or less relegated to the punchline of a joke in the eyes of the gamers who grew up with him.
Sometimes, though, it seems as though a guy just needs some time. Despite its outward appearance of being just like the ho-hum games that preceded it - especially the "new friends" that it introduces in the form of the Wisps - Sonic Colors is no joke.
Let's start with the gameplay, probably the game's biggest selling point. The gameplay occurs in one of two perspectives: looking down the track, or looking at it from the side. The former is very reminiscent of the day stages in Sonic Unleashed, which were widely considered the best parts of that game by far, while the latter hearkens back to older Sonic games - or, perhaps, Sonic 4. Speed is by far the main concern in the former perspective, while platforming is the name of the game in the latter.
Both modes are certainly different, but unlike the two modes in Sonic Unleashed, it's hard to express a value judgment denoting one as "better" and the other as "worse". Those who feel Sonic is at his best when he's going really, really fast will undoubtedly enjoy the former perspective more, while those who felt Sonic was at his best in the Genesis days will undoubtedly enjoy the latter perspective more. Me, I thought both were great. The full-speed-ahead moments were exhilarating, while the platformer moments were often much more interesting in terms of gameplay opportunity, the former being mostly on a single track from point A to point B.
Although the Wisps in the game posed the danger of being labeled a "gimmick" along with many elements in past Sonic games, they completely succeed in transcending that label, in my view. Although some of the Wisps get used more than others, none of them really have a terrible "LOOK AT ME I'M ORIGINAL" vibe to them. Rather, I found that they integrated with the rest of the gameplay very well, and provided some much-needed variety.
The story in the game was also done very well, in my view, not just in terms of content, but also in terms of the way in which it didn't really get in the way of the gameplay as it has in past Sonic games. Cutscenes are typically fairly short, and often provide some great comic relief. The story also seems to be uncharacteristically self-aware, as well, with charming moments such as the above that acknowledge how utterly predictable Sonic's encounters with Eggman are when taken as a whole. All in all, if a Sonic game must include both story and arcade-style ratings for player performance on each level, I can't imagine a way to do it better than in Sonic Colors.
Speaking of arcade-style ratings, they're back in this game once again, adding their typical great replay value. At the end of each level, you get a score composed of three things: what you did during the level (beat enemies, collected rings, etc.), how long you took to beat it, and how many rings you had at the end. You can receive ranks between D and S (the grades being your typical (A through D plus S as the best), which add a lot of incentive to replay levels again and again to perfect your run through them.
As far as replay value goes, the game also includes hidden (or sometimes not-so-hidden) red rings throughout each level, which, if you manage to get them all, provide you with a nice little surprise, although given that you've probably beaten the whole game to a pulp by the time you get it, it's more just for the joy of seeing it than to actually help you in the game.
The soundtrack in the game is a real high point, too. Gone are the ill-fitting songs with lyrics from games like Sonic and the Secret Rings. The game's soundtrack still very much has an overarching rock motif, but one that really fits, in my opinion. On more than one occasion I found myself nodding my head to the music or singing along while playing a level, which is always a good sign.
The graphics in the game are just gorgeous, too. I don't have to issue any "for the Wii" qualifiers here - this is a game that would look downright great on any system. The environments are super lush and pretty, and the character models are great. Sonic Colors lives up to its name in this area - it's a real visual treat.
The game's not without its flaws, mind you. There were a few points in the game where I encountered some control hiccups, such as a swing where I eventually found out that to launch yourself off of it (rather than just drop down), you had to be swinging towards the side you were facing when you jumped onto it. There were a couple Wisps that I felt really weren't properly utilized in the game, such as the rocket. And the boss battles (except for the last boss) I thought weren't really up to the standards set by the rest of the game - they were typically very short, and, I thought, actually quite boring for the most part.
Still, compared to past Sonic games, the complaints that I can offer towards Sonic Colors are very minor in nature. Here's hoping that Sonic Colors is a commercial success, because it really ought to be the new gold standard for Sonic games. It's one of the most fun Sonic games to have been created, and is definitely not to be missed.