Gen X gamers prepare to feel ancient—Sonic the Hedgehog is turning 20 years old later this year. There is a silver lining, however.
SEGA, the company behind the blue blur, is unleashing one wonderfully crafted "thank-you" gift for those that have followed the Hedgehog's adventures over the past two decades: Sonic Generations.
Sonic Generations includes everything we love about Sonic (bright, colorful graphics, insane speed, simple controls) and eliminates everything that's tarnished his luster in recent years (an oddball supporting cast, werewolf transformations, guns). The game celebrates the many Sonic eras by including both 2D and 3D platforming levels inspired by popular courses from throughout the hedgehog's history.
But Sonic Generations isn't a hastily put-together level compilation—the story sees a mysterious villain causing a time warp that requires 16-bit Sonic and modern Sonic to team up and save the day.
I had the opportunity to sit down and demo the game—it felt like a Sonic game should. Cartoony, fun, and fast.
There are a handful of incredible camera shifts that show Sonic speeding through loops, launching over chasms, and bouncing off bumpers. The 2D levels are fast, but the 3D levels (where the camera is placed behind Sonic) feel even faster—almost too fast. I found myself crashing far more often when playing the 3D levels. Speaking of 3D, Sonic Generation supports 3D visuals, which gave the game a nice sense of depth.
Sonic Generations isn't set to hit store shelves until later this year, but Sonic fans old and new should add this to their wish lists.