Sonic X Shadow Generations Switch 2 Review - The Best Modern Sonic Title Returns
As a child of the 80s and 90s, I have to say the fact that we are getting a Sonic platformer before we get a Mario one on the Switch 2 is something that brings a smile to my face. I mean, back in the day, the school-yard fights that erupted because of declaring allegiance to one of these two mascots were legit. You were Team Sonic or Team Mario, and never the two shall meet. Well, that has obviously all changed, and here we are, at the launch of a brand new Nintendo system, and the first great platformer to land on this system is a Sonic one. How cool!
I am not going to dive too deeply into the gameplay here. We have, after all, previously published a fantastic review of Sonic X Shadow Generations, where Stephen goes into depth regarding what new changes it brings to the series. But I do want to talk about how it holds up on the new hardware and if there are any platform-specific problems to be aware of.
Firstly, I will say that the Switch 2 port of Sonic X Shadow Generations is just about perfect. I couldn’t tell much of a difference between the version running on my gaming PC and the Switch 2 release. Perhaps an ever-so-slight occasional slowdown in handheld mode, but seriously, if I wasn’t looking for it and comparing it to another version, I wouldn’t have even noticed. The tech team in charge of the port have nailed it here, and in a game where speed is so important, it was absolutely essential that they did.
The only real issue I found with the Switch 2 port would also apply to playing the game on any small screen. In handheld mode, I did have trouble keeping up with what was going on, especially in the 3D sections. Now it could just be that I am an old bugger with old man eyes, but I found it easy to get lost and miss important things on the small screen. There is a lot going on, and it is all going on at the pace of an F1 racecar. On my TV screen, I had no such issues and much preferred to play it there. This is in contrast to how I felt going into the game. I thought it would be perfect for handheld blasts on the go, but it just didn’t shake out that way.
As for how I felt about the game? Well, I thoroughly enjoyed my time with it. As I mentioned in the heading, this is the best modern Sonic title available, and I will die on that hill. It doesn’t have the depth of a 2D Mario, the addictive challenge of Donkey Kong Country or the pure platforming perfection of Rayman Legends, but as a dose of high adrenaline, there isn’t a platformer out there that can compete. The sense of speed, such a core tenant of a good Sonic experience, is perfect here and getting through the levels at full pace without losing any rings is a thing of beauty. This is also the only Sonic title I have really enjoyed the 3D mode, mainly because it goes out of its way to simply capture the spirit of classic 2D Sonic, without adding extra, unnecessary complications in an attempt to copy or compete with other games in the genre.
Sonic X Shadow Generations is not only a great launch title, but it is a fantastic platformer in its own right. It captures everything that made Sonic one of the most loved video gaming mascots ever and has brought it into the modern day, never losing sight of where it came from in the process. The Switch 2 version is, in both features and performance, the equal of any other version of the game, so if you are grabbing it here, you can be happy in the knowledge that you aren’t missing out. The pure pace of the game can present a few headaches (literally) in handheld mode, but otherwise, this is a fantastic version of a fantastic game. If you are looking for some platform fun on your shiny new Switch 2, look no further than Sonic and Co.
Sonic X Shadow Generations was reviewed on the Nintendo Switch 2 with code kindly supplied by the publisher.
