It’s admittedly quite dangerous to review different versions of the same game, but thankfully there’s a little bit of variation between both the Wii version and the DS version of Sonic Colours. Even better for SEGA, the DS version continue...
It’s admittedly quite dangerous to review different versions of the same game, but thankfully there’s a little bit of variation between both the Wii version and the DS version of Sonic Colours. Even better for SEGA, the DS version continues the tradition that the Wii version maintains, creating a great Sonic experience that isn’t losing speed, but rather gaining momentum in establishing the blue hedgehog as a worthwhile platforming franchise. Despite sharing a lot with its Wii cousin, Sonic Colours on the Nintendo DS feels different enough to be worth your time as well.
Sonic Colours on the Nintendo DS follows largely the same story as the Nintendo Wii version. Sonic and Tails make their way to an Intergalactic Space Park, created by the rather infamous Robotnik who has allegedly decided to wrong his ways by creating a theme park. Upon arriving in outer space, Sonic and Tails discover a friendly race of aliens known as ’Wisps’, who have actually been enslaved by Robotnik to power his intergalactic carnival. Naturally, since Robotnik has not changed his ways at all, Sonic and Tails must embark on a journey to save the Wisps and thwart the maniacal Robotnik’s plans once again.
Sonic Colours on the Nintendo DS utilises mainly two dimensional environments with Sonic himself appearing in 3D as well as the large, screen filling boss characters at the end of every act. Character models themselves look quite nice and the great mix of environments and fast moving characters look great while moving at fast paces. The effects that play when Sonic gains speed and the sparks and such that go off with fireworks look great too. The attention to detail on the environments is not only well drawn, but also appear quite crisp – and the presentation of these large and winding environments across both of the Nintendo DS screens helps players to properly decide where to go, as well as see what they’ve missed if they miss certain points. Everything just flows perfectly.
Sonic Colours plays largely like the classic games found back on the Sega Mega Drive, playing mostly on a two dimensional plane with the occasional three dimensional sequence for boss battles. There’s your average combination of moving platforms, spiked pits, and loop-the-loops and the general objective is to reach one end of the level from the other. The eclectic mix of acts allows the team to implement a lot of interesting environments that vary up the gameplay quite a bit. Boss battles are somewhat interesting, but it’s a bit of a disappointing case where the boss characters are easily killed once you’ve memorised their patterns. These battles do mix things up a bit with a three dimensional kind of approach, but otherwise these battles aren’t extremely memorable.
The biggest addition to Sonic Colours is the implementation of power ups known as ’Wisps’, the little aliens that Sonic and Tails are working together with. Each Wisp is encountered within each world, and by using them allows Sonic to reach new areas as well as backtrack to previous levels to collect previously missed items and collectables. The Wisp system is pretty well put together and really mixes up the gameplay quite a bit, and the DS exclusive “Purple Wisp”, which creates a kind of blackhole that draws in all the nearby rings and collectibles, is a great addition too. Wisps are rather well implemented, and most of the time they’ll be required for the boss battle in the area they were found.
The soundtrack for Sonic Colours is still pretty decent, although there are no tunes that you’ll find particularly memorable, which is a bit disappointing. That being said, however, the music does elicit some responses that may make players feel a great need to keep up with the game’s really fast pace.
Sonic Colours also features a rather well put together Versus mode that pits players either against each other with a single card or online, which is a great addition that really lengthens the experience too. The mode requires players to race against each other through levels that are adapted from the single player mode, and the versatility of the mode makes it a great multiplayer option. With several replayable missions and heaps of collectables, it’s a rather great value package. The only shortcoming I found with the DS version of Sonic Colours was that the main story mode is rather short, clocking in at no longer than five hours if you really try. Still, the extra collectables and multiplayer kind of make up for this lack of substance in the original mode.
Sonic Colours on the Nintendo DS has been a rather fun ride and despite its short offerings in single player modes, the multiplayer modes do a good job at providing a little bit of extra mileage. Without a doubt, though, it’s one of the better handheld Sonic games available for the system and provides possibly one of the best experiences available. Just be weary it may be over a bit too fast.
While theyre not the best graphics on the Nintendo DS, Sonic Colours does a great job at throwing heaps at you at high speed without disorientating the player.
Largely channeling the original Mega Drive games, Sonic Colours does a great job of mixing things up and keeping a great flow, while still incorporating all the elements that made previous games so great.
The soundtrack in Sonic Colours is nothing memorable, unfortunately.
A rather small sized single player mode is reinforced with some great collectables and backtracking, as well as a very versatile and fun Versus mode.
Sonic Colours really brought back memories of the previous games in the series and really channels and brings back what made the previous games so great.
Mercs, Vectorman and ToeJam & Earl in Panic on Funkotron.
It's Black, Back Again.
Makes sense to us.