Sonic Superstars Switch performance, reviewed

Whenever a game releases on new-gen platforms and Nintendo Switch at the same time, people wonder if the hybrid console version will run smoothly. The Sonic Superstars Switch performance is surprisingly great but it comes with a few setbacks, such as a lower resolution. Here’s what you need to know about the Sonic Superstars Switch performance.

Sonic Boom? No. Sonic’s smooth!

Sonic Superstars, from my experience, runs like a dream. It runs at a smooth 60 frames per second in docked and handheld mode. The vibrant colors truly pop out on your TV screen and on the Switch. Even during more intense stages and boss battles, everything runs like clockwork and looks beautiful to the eyes.

However, this does come at a cost. The backgrounds look like cardboard cutouts during the multiplayer mode. You’ll have about eight players running around at the same time at 60 frames per second, but the resolution seems to take a hit alongside the poor backgrounds. The render quality of the platforms seems to go down, and the background of the mountains of the Green Hill Zone-like area looks blocky.

Once the multiplayer game starts, however, I barely notice, and it runs like sour cream on a chili dog: smooth.

On the other hand, whenever you’re playing Sonic Superstars single-player offerings, the backgrounds have a higher amount of detail. In the background of the Pinball Carnival stage, you can see a rollercoaster zooming by alongside a moving Ferris wheel. You can even see allies like Tails, Amy, and Knuckles working their way through the level in the background, which is a neat touch that Sega added to Sonic Superstars.

What is the loading like?

Loading the game does take much longer than other systems. It gets awkward during some level transitions. You see Sonic frozen in place as you wait for the level to load in. The victory music at the end of a zone abruptly stops, and the game just has you wait in silence for about 10-15 seconds. Then, it awkwardly freezes, chugs in framerate, and zooms back into the game gradually. This process feels like a lifetime, but thankfully, it’s not always like this.

Getting into levels doesn’t usually take too long, but whenever there’s a transition between Acts like in Bridge Island Zone, it can get a bit strange.

Is Sonic Superstars worth getting on Switch?

From my testing and research, the Sonic Superstars Switch performance seems to be good overall. It does look uglier than the game’s other versions, but honestly… not by much. Just ignore the backgrounds and be patient, and you’ll be happy with the product. It also runs at a 720p resolution, according to Nintendo World Report, no matter if it’s docked or portable. I prefer playing it as a portable game as it looks prettier in that mode to me.

Unfortunately, the game itself is a bit of a setback from the outstanding Sonic Mania. This game, despite having completely new levels, lacks surprises and feels like an basic amalgamation of what we’d expect from Sonic the Hedgehog games. It pales in comparison to the constantly fresh ideas that Super Mario Bros. Wonder provides.

[A code was provided to this writer by the publisher for this assessment.]