Review: Sonic X Shadow Generations (Switch)

Holy moly folks, Sega actually did it. After the disappointment ofSonic Forces, the glitchy mess ofSonic Colors Ultimate, and the divisive nature ofSonic Frontiers, the publisher has delivered what is undoubtedly the very best 3D Sonic game yet withSonic X Shadow Generations. It gracefully revisits a beloved modern classic while introducing an extra campaign that we almost dismissed as a quaint bonus, but actually wound up being the star of the show.

Since some Nintendo fans may not have experienced the console version of 2011’sSonic Generations(with its release limited to the 3DS), the general gist is that ‘Classic’ and ‘Modern’ versions of the Blue Blur team up to take on an entity known as ‘The Time Eater’ after it merges their timelines and traps them within the mysterious ‘White Space’. The two must revisit iconic stages from the franchise’s history, with Classic Sonic zipping along a 2D plane and Modern Sonic boosting his way across 3D environments.

Captured on Nintendo Switch (Docked)

The stages pay homage to the Sonic series at large and includes reliable classics from the original 2D era such as Green Hill and Sky Sanctuary, while also paying special attention to the 3D games with City Escape, Seaside Hill, and Planet Wisp. Revisiting these areas with a fresh coat of paint is a true joy, and Generations does a great job at adapting each stage for both 2D and 3D play; it’s true that Green Hill has been overused at this point, but there’s something quite magical about speeding through such a familiar environment in a new way.

Progression is a case of completing two acts from each stage before tackling several challenge levels to unlock boss keys. These challenges offer up a variety of tasks such as racing against your doppelganger, completing a stage with just one ring, and more. A few of the challenges can be a tad frustrating, but they’re largely fun, bitesize takes on the main stages that do well to flesh out what would have otherwise been a pretty short game.

As for what’s changed from the original Sonic Generations, it’s admittedly not a lot. There are a bunch of Chao hidden throughout the stages that you can collect, but if you were perhaps hoping that this might lead to an