Sonic Colors
Encyclopedia
is a 2010 platforming game
in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. It was first announced on May 26, 2010, in a press release by Sega
for Italy, and it included a teaser trailer. The game was released for the Wii
and Nintendo DS
on November 11, 2010, in Australia; November 12, 2010, in Europe; November 16, 2010, in North America; and November 18, 2010, in Japan.
The game is centered around the protagonist Sonic the Hedgehog
and his fight against the main antagonist of the Sonic series, Dr. Eggman, who has taken an alien race hostage and is using them for his evil purposes. During the game, the camera perspective switches occasionally from third person to side-scrolling
. During development, Sega explained that they were delisting sub-standard games in the Sonic series and developing new titles in order to increase the value of the brand. Development included the interchanging perspective, the idea for the game to be set at an amusement park, and a unique music score. Sega revealed that they were developing the game for a wide demographic, which included both older and younger consumers. The game reintroduces power-up
s, which the player can use to increase attack power and reach places they cannot otherwise.
Overall, Sonic Colors received mostly positive reviews. Critics praised the presentation, citing excellent graphics and music, interchanging perspective in gameplay and advantages granted by the in-game power-ups. Criticism included unresponsive controls and flaws on level design that led to an inconsistent difficulty.
in space called "Dr. Eggman's Incredible Interstellar Amusement Park" made up of several planet-sized attractions. Suspicious, Sonic the Hedgehog and his best friend, Miles "Tails" Prower
, investigate. They meet Yacker, who comes from a species of aliens
known as Wisps. After managing to communicate with him, they learn that the other Wisps have been kidnapped by Dr. Eggman, who plans to harness their energy for his nefarious schemes. Allying with the Wisps and using their special powers, Sonic soon learns that Dr. Eggman is transforming the Wisps into "Nega-Wisps" and using them as fuel for a mind control cannon, and make Earth the star attraction of his theme park. He visits multiple planets, liberating the Wisps and shutting down the generators that link them to the amusement park. When Dr. Eggman tries to fire the mind control cannon onto Sonic's world, a piece of wreckage, created by an earlier boss fight, causes a malfunction. As the amusement park prepares to explode, Sonic sends Tails back down to the space elevator while he faces off against Dr. Eggman as he uses the Nega-Wisps for his final contraption. The contraption uses all the Wisps that Sonic has met against him, but as the machine gets weaker, the wisps are able to escape and help Sonic. With the help of the Wisps, Sonic defeats Dr. Eggman and returns safely to his world, where Yacker thanks them and bids them goodbye. In the DS version, they learn that the Mother Wisp had been infected by the negative energy and is transformed into the Nega-Mother Wisp, which Sonic defeats as Super Sonic.
. The Wii version of Sonic Colors uses a both side-scrolling
and third-person perspectives, akin to some of the stages in Unleashed. On the other hand, the Nintendo DS version is largely a side-scroller that takes advantage of the dual screens of the handheld, similar to the Sonic Rush
DS games. The Wii version can be played with the Wii Remote
(either with or without the Nunchuk), the Classic Controller
, or a GameCube controller; the DS version uses the button controls, with touchscreen
control during Special Stages. During the game, the player can use the colored energy obtained from different types of Wisps as power-ups that enhance Sonic's ability to traverse the environments and explore new areas. There are a total of eight Wisps in the Wii version and six in the DS version; some Wisps are exclusive to each version.
The Wii version features a 'Sonic Simulator' mode in which players control Sonic-modeled robots through a series of challenges, or with competitive or co-operative multiplayer, with two robots (or, once unlocked, Mii
s) that are able to combine Wisp powers. These levels are accessed by collecting Special Rings hidden throughout each act. Collecting items called "Chaos Emeralds" allows Sonic to transform into Super Sonic after collecting 50 rings during any level (excluding bosses, Challenge Stages in the Egg Shuttle, and the Sonic Simulator). It also features a Challenge mode in which players can play all levels continuously and upload their total score to online leaderboards. The DS version features Special Stages, similar to Sonic Rush, that require that players collect spheres of a specific color. Collecting all the emeralds in this version unlocks an extra stage exclusive to the DS version. The DS version also features missions, time limit challenges and competitive multiplayer modes, as well as various concept art unlocked by collecting special Rings. Collecting the special Rings also unlocks Infinite Boost in the Options Menu for the story mode only. Both versions of the game feature online leaderboards.
There are also version exclusive Wisps; those exclusive to the Wii version include the 'Pink Spike', which allows Sonic to bond to walls and ceilings and to perform a "Spin Dash" to gain velocity and to destroy objects; the 'Green Hover' allows Sonic to hover and to perform dashes across lines of rings. Both Pink Spike and Green Hover have the same extra effect in the Wii version's multiplayer stages: they create an imaginary line between both players which destroys any breakable items in its path. The Blue Cube allows Sonic to turn blue blocks into blue rings, and vice versa, opening new routes; when using it and landing on ground, nearby enemies and breakable blocks are destroyed.
The 'Purple Frenzy' turns Sonic into a berserker that chomps through anything in its path, increasing in size as it continues to eat. The DS version exclusive Wisps include the 'Red Burst', which allows Sonic to burst in midair and can activate certain objects such as a hot air balloon
, Ferris wheel
, and popcorn cannons. The 'Violet Void' gives Sonic the ability to float and to suck up nearby objects, growing bigger in the process.
The Orange Rocket and Pink Spike Wisp powers are available to use during the Planet Wisp level in the console version of Sonic Generations
. The Red Burst and Cyan Laser Wisp powers are in the Tropical Resort level on the 3DS
version instead.
examined criticism of previous Sonic titles from critics and fans and tailored the game to match. Changes made included an amalgamation of 2.5D
and 3D
level designs and graphics, powerup-driven gameplay, and omission of "gimmick" themes such as the sword in Sonic and the Black Knight
. One of the first developments made was the decision that the setting should be an amusement park; Sonic Team then realized that "any sort of terrestrial amusement park would be too small to contain Sonic's adventures." From this came the idea of an interplanetary park, which would allow for more creativity and variance in the game. The music was then written to "expand beyond the usual 'cool' Sonic sound and focus on making fun, up-tempo music that will really get players' blood pumping." Takashi Iizuka said that Sonic Colors was aimed at children, stating that the game is intended to be "...played by children of probably between six and twelve years-old to make sure that everyone can play it and have fun with it,", while Iizuka had previously admitted that it is "nearly impossible to please all Sonic gamers". This statement alienated some critics and core gamers who enjoyed the game over Sonic the Hedgehog 4
during its appearances at conventions. Sega of America later assured that the game is intended for a wider demographic, aiming to make it accessible for both younger consumers and core fans. Iizuka later explained his comment, stating the game is a proper mainstream platforming title for the Wii and DS, intending to expand on the audience gained from the Mario & Sonic
series.
and Happy Tree Friends
writers, Ken Pontac
& Warren Graff. The game, along with Sonic Free Riders
, is also one of the first in the series to feature the new voice actors. Jean Paul Makhlouf from the American band Cash Cash
perform the game's opening and ending theme songs, "Reach For The Stars" and "Speak with your Heart". A three-CD soundtrack of the Wii version, titled , featuring music from the game was released on CD in Japan on December 22, 2010, with a digital version released via iTunes
in Japan on January 25, 2011 and in North America and Europe on January 26, 2011, although the European region still has not received the album as of yet.
in the UK and Ireland, although there were reports of customers not receiving the figurine with their orders and EB Games in Australia. A manga
adaptation of Sonic Colors has also been released in Japan while a five-page comic adaptation will feature in issue #219 of Archie's
Sonic the Hedgehog
comic series. Another action figure was released by Jazwares that includes a 5-inch Sonic with two Wisps.
E3 2010
awards, who also commented that it was "looking even better than the retro-inspired Sonic 4
". For IGN
's "Best of E3 2010 awards", Sonic Colors was nominated for "Best Wii game", but lost to Epic Mickey
, "Best DS game", and "Best Platformer". Arther Gies for IGN said that after playing both Sonic 4 and Sonic Colors, he was "surprised" to find he was "more interested" in the latter.
gave the Wii
version 78.02% and 78/100 and the Nintendo DS
version 77.75% and 79/100. Critics praised the gameplay and music score, as well as the various power-ups in the game. IGN also awarded the Wii version their "Quick Fix Award" in their Best of 2010 awards. Critics also made note of easy bosses within the game. Gaming magazine Nintendo Power
praised the Wii version as "an unequivocal success", and criticized the short length of the DS version; the former won Nintendo Powers"Best Graphics of 2010". In their review, WiiMagazin, a German gaming magazine, stated that "There is a God, and he's a Sonic fan". Joystiq
said of the game, "Sonic Colors succeeds where so, so many other Sonic games have failed."
Despite the praise for the gameplay and power-ups, other review sites were more critical of the game, citing unresponsive controls and underused power-ups that led to a slight difficulty in the game, including "horribly cheap deaths". Other complaints included a lack of enemy diversity, in addition to criticisms of cutscenes, stage design, and the uneven difficulty resulting from the poor stage design Game Informer
made note of the difficulty on the Wii version, as well as criticizing floaty physics while praising the writing, though it reviewed the DS version more positively, stating that "Dimps
continues its run of entertaining titles with Sonic Colors."
Sonic Colors was a commercial success. Within the first two months of release, the game sold 2.91 million units.
Platform game
A platform game is a video game characterized by requiring the player to jump to and from suspended platforms or over obstacles . It must be possible to control these jumps and to fall from platforms or miss jumps...
in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. It was first announced on May 26, 2010, in a press release by Sega
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
for Italy, and it included a teaser trailer. The game was released for the Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
and Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
on November 11, 2010, in Australia; November 12, 2010, in Europe; November 16, 2010, in North America; and November 18, 2010, in Japan.
The game is centered around the protagonist Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic the Hedgehog (character)
, trademarked Sonic The Hedgehog, is a video game character and the main protagonist of the Sonic video game series released by Sega, as well as in numerous spin-off comics, cartoons, and a feature film. The first game was released on June 23, 1991, to provide Sega with a mascot to rival Nintendo's...
and his fight against the main antagonist of the Sonic series, Dr. Eggman, who has taken an alien race hostage and is using them for his evil purposes. During the game, the camera perspective switches occasionally from third person to side-scrolling
Side-scrolling video game
A side-scrolling game or side-scroller is a video game in which the gameplay action is viewed from a side-view camera angle, and the onscreen characters generally move from the left side of the screen to the right. These games make use of scrolling computer display technology...
. During development, Sega explained that they were delisting sub-standard games in the Sonic series and developing new titles in order to increase the value of the brand. Development included the interchanging perspective, the idea for the game to be set at an amusement park, and a unique music score. Sega revealed that they were developing the game for a wide demographic, which included both older and younger consumers. The game reintroduces power-up
Power-up
In computer and video games, power-ups are objects that instantly benefit or add extra abilities to the game character as a game mechanic. This is in contrast to an item, which may or may not have a benefit and can be used at a time chosen by the player...
s, which the player can use to increase attack power and reach places they cannot otherwise.
Overall, Sonic Colors received mostly positive reviews. Critics praised the presentation, citing excellent graphics and music, interchanging perspective in gameplay and advantages granted by the in-game power-ups. Criticism included unresponsive controls and flaws on level design that led to an inconsistent difficulty.
Plot
After apparently developing a sense of remorse for his past indiscretions, the game's antagonist, Dr. Eggman, opens an amusement parkAmusement park
thumb|Cinderella Castle in [[Magic Kingdom]], [[Disney World]]Amusement and theme parks are terms for a group of entertainment attractions and rides and other events in a location for the enjoyment of large numbers of people...
in space called "Dr. Eggman's Incredible Interstellar Amusement Park" made up of several planet-sized attractions. Suspicious, Sonic the Hedgehog and his best friend, Miles "Tails" Prower
Miles "Tails" Prower
, better known by his nickname , is a character, as well as the main deuteragonist in the Sonic the Hedgehog series of video games, comics, animated series and film released by Sega....
, investigate. They meet Yacker, who comes from a species of aliens
Extraterrestrial life
Extraterrestrial life is defined as life that does not originate from Earth...
known as Wisps. After managing to communicate with him, they learn that the other Wisps have been kidnapped by Dr. Eggman, who plans to harness their energy for his nefarious schemes. Allying with the Wisps and using their special powers, Sonic soon learns that Dr. Eggman is transforming the Wisps into "Nega-Wisps" and using them as fuel for a mind control cannon, and make Earth the star attraction of his theme park. He visits multiple planets, liberating the Wisps and shutting down the generators that link them to the amusement park. When Dr. Eggman tries to fire the mind control cannon onto Sonic's world, a piece of wreckage, created by an earlier boss fight, causes a malfunction. As the amusement park prepares to explode, Sonic sends Tails back down to the space elevator while he faces off against Dr. Eggman as he uses the Nega-Wisps for his final contraption. The contraption uses all the Wisps that Sonic has met against him, but as the machine gets weaker, the wisps are able to escape and help Sonic. With the help of the Wisps, Sonic defeats Dr. Eggman and returns safely to his world, where Yacker thanks them and bids them goodbye. In the DS version, they learn that the Mother Wisp had been infected by the negative energy and is transformed into the Nega-Mother Wisp, which Sonic defeats as Super Sonic.
Gameplay
Sonic Colors is similar in gameplay to the 2008 game Sonic UnleashedSonic Unleashed
Sonic Unleashed , is a video game and the 11th installment in the Sonic the Hedgehog series developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega for multiple platforms...
. The Wii version of Sonic Colors uses a both side-scrolling
Side-scrolling video game
A side-scrolling game or side-scroller is a video game in which the gameplay action is viewed from a side-view camera angle, and the onscreen characters generally move from the left side of the screen to the right. These games make use of scrolling computer display technology...
and third-person perspectives, akin to some of the stages in Unleashed. On the other hand, the Nintendo DS version is largely a side-scroller that takes advantage of the dual screens of the handheld, similar to the Sonic Rush
Sonic Rush
is a 2005 platform handheld video game developed by Sonic Team and Dimps exclusively for the Nintendo DS as part of Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog series. It was released on November 15, 2005 in North America, November 18 in the PAL region, and November 23 in Japan. It is a 2D platform game, but Sonic's...
DS games. The Wii version can be played with the Wii Remote
Wii Remote
The , also known as the Wiimote, is the primary controller for Nintendo's Wii console. A main feature of the Wii Remote is its motion sensing capability, which allows the user to interact with and manipulate items on screen via gesture recognition and pointing through the use of accelerometer and...
(either with or without the Nunchuk), the Classic Controller
Classic Controller
The is a video game controller produced by Nintendo. It is used to play games on the Nintendo Wii video game console.-Classic Controller:The Classic Controller is plugged into the Wii Remote in order to be used. It features two analog sticks, a D-pad, face buttons labeled "a", "b", "x" and "y",...
, or a GameCube controller; the DS version uses the button controls, with touchscreen
Touchscreen
A touchscreen is an electronic visual display that can detect the presence and location of a touch within the display area. The term generally refers to touching the display of the device with a finger or hand. Touchscreens can also sense other passive objects, such as a stylus...
control during Special Stages. During the game, the player can use the colored energy obtained from different types of Wisps as power-ups that enhance Sonic's ability to traverse the environments and explore new areas. There are a total of eight Wisps in the Wii version and six in the DS version; some Wisps are exclusive to each version.
The Wii version features a 'Sonic Simulator' mode in which players control Sonic-modeled robots through a series of challenges, or with competitive or co-operative multiplayer, with two robots (or, once unlocked, Mii
Mii
A is a digital avatar used in Nintendo's Wii and Nintendo 3DS gaming consoles. They allow users to capture a likeness of themselves and others. After creating one using the Wii's Mii Channel or the Nintendo 3DS's Mii Maker, they can be used as playable characters in various titles for the...
s) that are able to combine Wisp powers. These levels are accessed by collecting Special Rings hidden throughout each act. Collecting items called "Chaos Emeralds" allows Sonic to transform into Super Sonic after collecting 50 rings during any level (excluding bosses, Challenge Stages in the Egg Shuttle, and the Sonic Simulator). It also features a Challenge mode in which players can play all levels continuously and upload their total score to online leaderboards. The DS version features Special Stages, similar to Sonic Rush, that require that players collect spheres of a specific color. Collecting all the emeralds in this version unlocks an extra stage exclusive to the DS version. The DS version also features missions, time limit challenges and competitive multiplayer modes, as well as various concept art unlocked by collecting special Rings. Collecting the special Rings also unlocks Infinite Boost in the Options Menu for the story mode only. Both versions of the game feature online leaderboards.
Wisps
A major aspect of the game is the ability to activate Wisp power-ups, each with different advantages. These include the 'White Boost', which allows the player to get a speed boost at any time and to automatically attract nearby rings. The 'Cyan Laser' turns Sonic into a laser that can bounce off solid surfaces to change the laser's path and to travel through power lines; its effect is greatest in the Wii version's multiplayer stages. The 'Yellow Drill' allows Sonic to drill through soft ground and water, with the risk of losing a life if he is still underground when he reverts. The Yellow Drill also attracts Rings in the Wii version's multiplayer stages. The 'Orange Rocket' allows Sonic to blast upward to tremendous heights.There are also version exclusive Wisps; those exclusive to the Wii version include the 'Pink Spike', which allows Sonic to bond to walls and ceilings and to perform a "Spin Dash" to gain velocity and to destroy objects; the 'Green Hover' allows Sonic to hover and to perform dashes across lines of rings. Both Pink Spike and Green Hover have the same extra effect in the Wii version's multiplayer stages: they create an imaginary line between both players which destroys any breakable items in its path. The Blue Cube allows Sonic to turn blue blocks into blue rings, and vice versa, opening new routes; when using it and landing on ground, nearby enemies and breakable blocks are destroyed.
The 'Purple Frenzy' turns Sonic into a berserker that chomps through anything in its path, increasing in size as it continues to eat. The DS version exclusive Wisps include the 'Red Burst', which allows Sonic to burst in midair and can activate certain objects such as a hot air balloon
Hot air balloon
The hot air balloon is the oldest successful human-carrying flight technology. It is in a class of aircraft known as balloon aircraft. On November 21, 1783, in Paris, France, the first untethered manned flight was made by Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier and François Laurent d'Arlandes in a hot air...
, Ferris wheel
Ferris wheel
A Ferris wheel is a nonbuilding structure consisting of a rotating upright wheel with passenger cars attached to the rim in such a way that as the wheel turns, the cars are kept upright, usually by gravity.Some of the largest and most modern Ferris wheels have cars mounted on...
, and popcorn cannons. The 'Violet Void' gives Sonic the ability to float and to suck up nearby objects, growing bigger in the process.
The Orange Rocket and Pink Spike Wisp powers are available to use during the Planet Wisp level in the console version of Sonic Generations
Sonic Generations
is a 2011 platform video game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series, produced by Sonic Team for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows and Nintendo 3DS...
. The Red Burst and Cyan Laser Wisp powers are in the Tropical Resort level on the 3DS
Nintendo 3DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo. The autostereoscopic device is able to project stereoscopic 3D effects without the use of 3D glasses or any additional accessories. The Nintendo 3DS features backward compatibility with Nintendo DS series software, including Nintendo DSi software...
version instead.
Gameplay development
Sonic TeamSonic Team
is a Japanese computer and video game developer established in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan in 1990, originally known as Sega AM8. The Japan-based division is also known as G.E. Department Global Entertainment. The studio has collaborated with several in-house Japanese studios as well as other American-based...
examined criticism of previous Sonic titles from critics and fans and tailored the game to match. Changes made included an amalgamation of 2.5D
2.5D
2.5D , 3/4 perspective and pseudo-3D are terms used to describe either:* 2D graphical projections and techniques which cause a series of images or scenes to fake or appear to be three-dimensional when in fact they are not, or* gameplay in an otherwise three-dimensional video game that is...
and 3D
3D computer graphics
3D computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images...
level designs and graphics, powerup-driven gameplay, and omission of "gimmick" themes such as the sword in Sonic and the Black Knight
Sonic and the Black Knight
is a title within the Sonic the Hedgehog series, released exclusively on Wii as the second entry in the Sonic Storybook series, following on from Sonic and the Secret Rings. The game is directed by Tetsu Katano, who was the lead programmer of the Sonic Adventure titles and Sonic Heroes...
. One of the first developments made was the decision that the setting should be an amusement park; Sonic Team then realized that "any sort of terrestrial amusement park would be too small to contain Sonic's adventures." From this came the idea of an interplanetary park, which would allow for more creativity and variance in the game. The music was then written to "expand beyond the usual 'cool' Sonic sound and focus on making fun, up-tempo music that will really get players' blood pumping." Takashi Iizuka said that Sonic Colors was aimed at children, stating that the game is intended to be "...played by children of probably between six and twelve years-old to make sure that everyone can play it and have fun with it,", while Iizuka had previously admitted that it is "nearly impossible to please all Sonic gamers". This statement alienated some critics and core gamers who enjoyed the game over Sonic the Hedgehog 4
Sonic the Hedgehog 4
is an episodic platform video game and a sequel in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. The game was developed by Dimps alongside members of Sonic Team and is intended to be inspired by and similar to the original Sonic the Hedgehog titles on the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis.Episode I was released in October...
during its appearances at conventions. Sega of America later assured that the game is intended for a wider demographic, aiming to make it accessible for both younger consumers and core fans. Iizuka later explained his comment, stating the game is a proper mainstream platforming title for the Wii and DS, intending to expand on the audience gained from the Mario & Sonic
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games, known in Japan as , is a sports video game developed by the Sega Sports R&D Department of Sega Japan. It was published by Nintendo for Japan and by Sega for North America, Europe and all other regions. The game is officially licensed by the International Olympic...
series.
Story and music development
The script for Sonic Colors was written by MadWorldMadWorld
is a video game developed by Platinum Games and published by Sega. It was released for the Wii on March 10, 2009 in North America, on March 20 in Europe, March 26 in Australia, and February 10 in Japan...
and Happy Tree Friends
Happy Tree Friends
Happy Tree Friends is an American Flash cartoon and made by Mondo Mini Shows, created and developed by Aubrey Ankrum Rhode Montijo Kenn Navarro and Warren Graff. The show has become a popular Internet phenomenon and it's since debut and has also won a cult following.As indicated on the official...
writers, Ken Pontac
Ken Pontac
Ken Pontac is an American writer who has written for children's shows like ToddWorld and LazyTown. He also writes for the dark humor cartoon Happy Tree Friends and helped create its spin-off Ka-Pow!.-Life:...
& Warren Graff. The game, along with Sonic Free Riders
Sonic Free Riders
is a motion controlled racing video game in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. It is the third installment in the Sonic Riders series, following Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity. The game utilizes Microsoft's Kinect peripheral...
, is also one of the first in the series to feature the new voice actors. Jean Paul Makhlouf from the American band Cash Cash
Cash Cash
Cash Cash is an American band from Roseland, New Jersey.Cash Cash consists of Jean Paul Makhlouf, Alexander Luke Makhlouf, Sam Frisch, and Anthony Villacari.-History:...
perform the game's opening and ending theme songs, "Reach For The Stars" and "Speak with your Heart". A three-CD soundtrack of the Wii version, titled , featuring music from the game was released on CD in Japan on December 22, 2010, with a digital version released via iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
in Japan on January 25, 2011 and in North America and Europe on January 26, 2011, although the European region still has not received the album as of yet.
Promotional items
People who pre-ordered the Japanese version of the game received a special card compatible with the arcade game Rekishi Taisen Gettenka, allowing Sonic to appear in the game. North American gamers who pre-ordered the game through Gamestop received a Sonic shaped hat. Figures of Sonic and the Wisps were included in a special edition sold in Europe, as well as pre-orders of the game via ArgosArgos (retailer)
Argos is the largest general-goods retailer in the United Kingdom and Ireland with over 800 stores. It is unique amongst major retailers in the UK in that it is a catalogue merchant...
in the UK and Ireland, although there were reports of customers not receiving the figurine with their orders and EB Games in Australia. A manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
adaptation of Sonic Colors has also been released in Japan while a five-page comic adaptation will feature in issue #219 of Archie's
Archie Comics
Archie Comics is an American comic book publisher headquartered in the Village of Mamaroneck, Town of Mamaroneck, New York, known for its many series featuring the fictional teenagers Archie Andrews, Betty Cooper, Veronica Lodge, Reggie Mantle and Jughead Jones. The characters were created by...
Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic the Hedgehog (comics)
Sonic the Hedgehog is an ongoing series of American comic books published by Archie Comics, featuring Sega's mascot video game character of the same name. The comic book series debuted in the United States as a 4 part mini-series published between November 1992 and February 1993...
comic series. Another action figure was released by Jazwares that includes a 5-inch Sonic with two Wisps.
Reception
Pre-release reception
Pre-release reception for Sonic Colors was largely positive. Sonic Colors was nominated for Best Platformer Game at GameTrailers'GameTrailers
GameTrailers is a media website that specializes in video game related content. It provides free access to original programming , game trailers and recorded game play. Along with standard definition , many of the video clips are offered in a higher resolution .Users can upload videos, create...
E3 2010
Electronic Entertainment Expo 2010
The Electronic Entertainment Expo 2010, commonly known as E3 2010, was the 16th Electronic Entertainment Expo held. The event took place on June 14–17 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. E3 is an annual trade show for the computer and video games industry presented by the Entertainment Software...
awards, who also commented that it was "looking even better than the retro-inspired Sonic 4
Sonic the Hedgehog 4
is an episodic platform video game and a sequel in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. The game was developed by Dimps alongside members of Sonic Team and is intended to be inspired by and similar to the original Sonic the Hedgehog titles on the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis.Episode I was released in October...
". For IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
's "Best of E3 2010 awards", Sonic Colors was nominated for "Best Wii game", but lost to Epic Mickey
Epic Mickey
Epic Mickey is a 2010 Mickey Mouse action-adventure platforming video game designed by Warren Spector and developed by Junction Point Studios for the Wii console...
, "Best DS game", and "Best Platformer". Arther Gies for IGN said that after playing both Sonic 4 and Sonic Colors, he was "surprised" to find he was "more interested" in the latter.
Critical reception
Sonic Colors received mostly positive reviews. IGN referred to it as "the best Sonic game in 18 years," praising its gameplay and level design, while criticising some difficulty spikes later in the game, as well as the multiplayer cooperation; in their review, they complained that "one screen isn't enough for two hedgehogs." Aggregating review websites GameRankings and MetacriticMetacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
gave the Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
version 78.02% and 78/100 and the Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
version 77.75% and 79/100. Critics praised the gameplay and music score, as well as the various power-ups in the game. IGN also awarded the Wii version their "Quick Fix Award" in their Best of 2010 awards. Critics also made note of easy bosses within the game. Gaming magazine Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power magazine is a monthly news and strategy magazine formerly published in-house by Nintendo of America, but now run independently. As of issue #222 , Nintendo contracted publishing duties to Future US, the U.S. subsidiary of British publisher Future.The first issue published was...
praised the Wii version as "an unequivocal success", and criticized the short length of the DS version; the former won Nintendo Powers"Best Graphics of 2010". In their review, WiiMagazin, a German gaming magazine, stated that "There is a God, and he's a Sonic fan". Joystiq
Joystiq
Joystiq is a video gaming blog founded in June 2004 that has since become one of the most successful sites within the Weblogs, Inc. family of weblogs. It is the centerpiece of WIN's own network of video gaming blogs, which also includes a blog dealing specifically with the popular MMORPG World of...
said of the game, "Sonic Colors succeeds where so, so many other Sonic games have failed."
Despite the praise for the gameplay and power-ups, other review sites were more critical of the game, citing unresponsive controls and underused power-ups that led to a slight difficulty in the game, including "horribly cheap deaths". Other complaints included a lack of enemy diversity, in addition to criticisms of cutscenes, stage design, and the uneven difficulty resulting from the poor stage design Game Informer
Game Informer
Game Informer is an American-based monthly magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of popular video games and associated consoles. It was formed in August 1991, when FuncoLand started publishing a six-page magazine, free in all its retail locations...
made note of the difficulty on the Wii version, as well as criticizing floaty physics while praising the writing, though it reviewed the DS version more positively, stating that "Dimps
Dimps
is an Osaka, Japan-based video game development studio with an additional office in Tokyo, Japan. Employing a staff of 218 people, it is known for developing such games as the Dragon Ball Z: Budokai trilogy for the PlayStation 2, and the Sonic the Hedgehog games specific to the Game Boy Advance and...
continues its run of entertaining titles with Sonic Colors."
Sonic Colors was a commercial success. Within the first two months of release, the game sold 2.91 million units.