Game Review · Purchased November 22, 2022 · $30.00 CAD via Amazon.ca
The Setup
A 4K/60fps remaster of the 2010 Wii original, with Sonic infiltrating Dr. Eggman’s “Interstellar Amusement Park” to free enslaved Wisps — alien creatures granting temporary powers like laser-drilling or rocket boosts — from being used to power a mind-control weapon.
The Review
This is exactly what it says on the box — a visual and performance upgrade over a well-liked 2010 platformer, with a handful of genuinely nice additions like new Rival Rush races against Metal Sonic and some character customization. The Wisp power-up loop is still the most inventive part of the design, giving each stage a reason to feel a little different from the last, and at $30 it’s an easy, low-stakes pickup for anyone wanting a lighter platformer between bigger releases.
Judged against 2022’s platforming competition rather than 2010’s, the level design feels samey and the challenge stays firmly on the easy side even for an experienced player, and the 4K/60fps coat of paint can’t fully disguise that this is, structurally, a 12-year-old game. It’s a fine, comfortable choice for a younger or less experienced player, or for pure nostalgia — just don’t expect it to compete with anything genuinely new.
What I Liked
- Wisp power-up system still gives levels real variety
- New Rival Rush races and customization add worthwhile extra content
- Visual/performance upgrade to 4K/60fps is a genuine improvement
- Low price point makes it an easy, low-stakes pickup
What I Didn’t
- Overly simplistic, floaty platforming for experienced players
- Level design feels samey across the whole game
- Still visibly a 12-year-old game structurally, despite the coat of paint
The Verdict
Rating: 3/5
A perfectly fine budget nostalgia trip, but not much more than that — fine for younger players or pure Sonic nostalgia, skippable otherwise.
Where to Buy
- Steam listing (also on Nintendo eShop, PlayStation Store, Microsoft Store)
