Sonic Superstars' Epic Lore Takes Fans on an Unforgettable Journey!
Sonic Superstars introduces intriguing new elements to the series' lore, but fails to effectively integrate them, resulting in missed opportunities However, its captivating story carries significant emotional depth and impact
Highlights
Sonic Superstars falls short in explaining its new concepts, leaving fans puzzled and wanting more information about the Northstar Islands and the Chaos Emerald powers.
The game's emphasis lies on its characters, specifically Fang and Trip, whose intense rivalry brings depth and emotion to the story. However, the unexplained aspects, like the true final boss and the powers of the Chaos Emeralds, feel out of place and disconnected from the overall gameplay experience of Sonic Superstars.
This article contains spoilers for Sonic Superstars. As Sonic Frontiers led a new initiative to clean up the lore of Sega's beloved franchise, Sonic Superstars brought forth several groundbreaking concepts. The introduction of Chaos Emerald Powers, the addition of Trip the Sungazer as a new character, and the return of Fang the Hunter promised an exciting game filled with intriguing lore, much like its predecessor.
However, Sonic Superstars falls short when it comes to fully explaining these new elements. While there are hints and references throughout both Story Modes, the explanations remain vague. There may be various reasons for this, but for those looking to delve deeper into the Northstar Islands and its secrets, Sonic Superstars fails to provide the desired answers.
Where Sonic Superstars' New Concepts Fall Short
Sonic Superstars' biggest failure with the new Chaos Emerald powers lies in Trip the Sungazer. In the game, the new abilities of the mythical Emeralds are barely explored, only serving as an optional gameplay feature. Additionally, Trip, the new playable character, is linked to the ancient civilization of the Northstar Islands through her armor and abilities, but the game fails to provide a clear explanation of who or what this civilization is, leaving fans confused.
Within Knuckles' Golden Capital act, there is a mural similar to the one seen in the prologue Trio of Trouble. However, this mural does not effectively clarify the situation. It appears to suggest a connection between the Emerald Powers and the larger animals of the Islands, but this connection is not fully integrated into the gameplay. Furthermore, the supposed guardian animals vary in number, adding to the inconsistency.
The Heart and Weight of Sonic Superstars' Story is Wonderful
The central portion of the mural seemingly suggests that the disruption of this equilibrium will summon the final secret boss that players must combat. However, in reality, it appears when the balance is about to be restored. All of this is highly confusing and does not play a significant enough role for fans to decipher the underlying connections. Additionally, we haven't even begun to address the significant complications that arise from bestowing the Chaos Emeralds with new abilities at random.
Although Sonic Superstars lacks explanation for much of its content, the game effectively prioritizes its characters, which is undoubtedly what fans desire the most. Notably, Fang receives significant attention in terms of lore. While he shares the spotlight with Trip, this pairing serves a purpose, as Fang continually berates and mistreats her throughout the entirety of the game, establishing a palpable rivalry between the two.
Trip, known for her clumsiness, has a fall in ancient ruins, leading her to cry. Meanwhile, Amy, a previously unplayable character in Classic Sonic games, discovers Trip and forms a connection with her. Inspired by Amy's kindness, Trip gains the courage to confront Fang and symbolically discards her armor to demonstrate her newfound strength. The game recognizes the significance of this moment by featuring a unique boss battle between Trip and Fang. However, while it is empowering to witness Trip standing up for herself against the mistreatment she endured, the lack of explanation in the game regarding certain aspects, such as the powers of the Chaos Emeralds and the sudden appearance of the true final boss in Sonic Superstars, leaves players feeling perplexed. The game's reliance on gameplay elements to convey crucial information should be reconsidered, particularly if future Classic Sonic adventures are planned.
Sonic Superstars is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
