As a remaster of the 2011 Nintendo Wii title, Sonic Colors: Ultimate sees Sonic and Tails venturing to an interstellar amusement park built by Dr Eggman. Their mission is to save the Wisps, who each grant special powers for overcoming various obstacles. In addition to improved visuals and frame rate, it includes a feature where Tails prevents Sonic from falling to his death.

The Jade Ghost Wisp from Team Sonic Racing, Rival Rush Mode against Metal Sonic and cosmetics unlocked via Park Tokens are also available. The soundtrack has also been remastered, though it falters in some places compared to the original. Sonic Colors: Ultimate is also available for PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC via the Epic Games Store.

Sonic Adventure

Yes, it had some iffy voice acting and lip syncing. Yes, there were some bugs and collision issues. But the first time I saw that cinematic with Chaos wreaking havoc in Station Square as “Open Your Heart” played, I knew Sonic Adventure would be incredible. It offered gorgeous Action Stages to explore in Emerald Coast, Windy Valley, and Speedy Highway while each playable character offered their own unique gameplay hook.

E-101 with its lock-on shooting, Knuckles with the exploration and Chaos Emerald hunting, Amy and her struggle to escape ZERO – there was plenty of good and a bit bad, as seen with Big the Cat’s mercifully short fishing stages. Nevertheless, Sonic Adventure served as an incredible transition from 2D to 3D with its sense of speed, unforgettable music and gameplay.

The Trophy/Achievement “Giving Credit Where Credit’s Due” has also had its description updated (which should help clarify what needs to be done to unlock it). Switch players should see the Eggman fireworks actually appearing at the end of Terminal Velocity while PC players should actually be able to damage Captain Jelly using the Yellow Drill Wisp.

Other than that, there are “various” bug fixes included with this update. Sonic Colors: Ultimate is currently available for Nintendo Switch, PS4, PC and Xbox One – you can check out our official review here for more details. Otherwise, stay tuned for more updates and patches in the future.

A new patch for Sonic Colors: Ultimate is now live across all platforms! pic.twitter.com/feXARkiv9U

— Sonic the Hedgehog (@sonic_hedgehog) November 22, 2021

41% of its sales came on the PS4, followed by 27% on the Xbox One, and 23% on the PS5. Surprisingly, the Nintendo Switch version – which is another Legacy Edition – sold more than the Xbox Series X in terms of physical sales, with the former making up 5% of the sales and the latter 4%. 

Another new entry in the charts is Sonic Colors Ultimate, which finally saw its physical European release following a delay. The remaster takes the No. 3 spot, with 53% sales coming from the Nintendo Switch, 32% from PS4, and 15% on Xbox One. At No. 4 is Hot Wheels Unleashed, with a solid debut that saw 39% sales on the PS5, 27% on the Switch, 14% on the PS4, 11% on Xbox One, and 8% on Xbox Series X/S.

You can check out the full top 10 for the week ending October 2 below.

It also seems that other platforms will be getting patched as well. The Switch version has had it the worst though with graphical glitches, performance issues and much more causing various problems for its players. Time will tell how quickly these get resolved though so stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks.

Sonic Colors: Ultimate is now available for Xbox One, PS4, PC and Nintendo Switch. You can check out our official review here to see how it fares or check out some gameplay of the Wisps here.

Hi everyone – We have deployed a patch for the Nintendo Switch for Sonic Colors: Ultimate. This is the first of several patches (for all platforms!) that will begin rolling out in the near future. Thank you for your patience!

— Sonic the Hedgehog (@sonic_hedgehog) September 14, 2021

On a side note, Katie Chrzanowski also highlighted that many fans were encountering issues with the game due to the use of emulation. Of course, fixing those problems isn’t a developer’s forte – but genuine bugs will be resolved soon. Sonic Colors: Ultimate has generally had a positive critical reception, with most negatives surrounding the game’s poor technical stability.

The game’s Switch version seems to be faring the worst in terms of technical performance, as legions of fans have pointed out in recent days. Sonic 2022 will be releasing in, well, 2022 – but details for that game remain paper-thin for now.

Quick aside: we've seen some graphical issues that were caused by an emulator which is unfortunately outside our control.

Trying to figure out what bugs are legitimate can really slow down the QA process. If you're having issues, please do flag them here: https://t.co/vymOVVEyZp

— Katie – MiniKitty (@KatieChrz) September 5, 2021

That has never happened with a 3D Sonic game, but some have come closer to achieving greatness than others. None have come closer than Sonic Colors did, when this unassuming title launched exclusively on the Wii over a decade ago. So it makes sense that, in celebration of Sega’s mascot’s 30th anniversary, this one Sonic game comes the closest to distilling the essence of Sonic at the peak of his powers, and realizing them in a 3D game would be the one that they turn to. And so, we get Sonic Colors Ultimate. 

Ten years later, it still mostly holds up – that’s what happens when the core game design was actually good, rather than relying on gee whiz gimmickry that won’t stand the test of time. While Sonic Colors always had issues, and those issues are exacerbated with the passage of time so they stick out in Ultimate more, it’s still a fundamentally good time and an engaging game.

"While Sonic Colors always had issues, and those issues are exacerbated with the passage of time so they stick out in Ultimate more, it’s still a fundamentally good time and an engaging game."

You know how it goes this time – another convoluted and contrived scheme by Dr. Eggman, and another attempt by Sonic to take Eggman down. In this specific instance, Eggman has set up an amusement park in low earth orbit, which appears to be a front for a sinister scheme in which he is leveraging the power of alien creatures known as wisps to further his plans for world domination. It’s a silly premise, but unlike so many other Sonic games, Colors knows to largely keep it out of the way, rather than providing overwrought context to the player and making the game buckle under the weight of its own unnecessary story. Sonic Colors is pretty lightweight as far as storytelling goes, which works to its benefit. The few cutscenes we do get are pretty snappy and quick, with some cute humor that will endear the game and the character to younger players especially.

Unlike so many modern Sonic games, this adventure is a solo outing – in that you only play as Sonic. None of the menagerie of creatures that form up his ever expanding group of friends is along for the ride (though Tails is in the game too), and you’re never controlling anyone other than Sonic – though of course, Sonic does end up imbibing the character of a lot of the wisps he is saving. All of this works greatly to the game’s benefit. The controls, move set, and levels are all designed around one baseline set of abilities. Rather than having to balance everything for a smattering of half-developed characters with their barely fleshed out distinct play styles, everything is designed around Sonic, how he is controlled, and the abilities he has, with or without wisps. This leads to an unusually strong showing in terms of level design, boss fights, and the like for a 3D Sonic game – remember, even the fan favorite Sonic Adventure games suffered from having to design around multiple characters. Colors is a look at how this series can benefit from having a leaner focus, and we get some of the strongest level design and mechanics we have seen in a 3D Sonic game as a result.

Of course, Sonic Colors did stand out at the time because it was among the first showings of what would go on to be referred to as the “boost formula”, and as mentioned, it was a pretty strong showing at that. The novelty of getting an actual good Sonic game in 3D after so long, plus one that was distinctly differently structured from the “Adventure” template the 3D games had followed through to then, did help raise the profile of the discourse and reputation the game enjoyed.  More than ten years later, we’ve had several 3D Sonic games following this same formula – with the last one, Sonic Forces, being among the lowlights in a series with some incredible lowlights – so that shine has worn off, and people also find themselves itching for a return to the Adventure style. While this does remove one of the factors that made Colors so well received at the time, it nonetheless does not change that the game itself is fundamentally well designed – in fact, arguably at its core, it’s better designed than any 3D Sonic game that followed, including Generations, because it is not juggling multiple play styles between Modern and Classic Sonic.

"We are looking at two fundamentally contradictory game design principles at play in Sonic – building speed and momentum, and precision platforming. Precision platforming obviously requires the player to slow down and consider things first, before then traversing the hazards they are presented with; building momentum and speed require you to run, run, run, without stopping."

This has helped Sonic Colors hold up pretty well. I would argue that the fundamental problems that lie at the core of every Sonic game – this includes the 2D games too, mind you, though I do feel said problems are significantly worse in the 3D games than the 2D ones, which can work around them better – do manifest in Colors too. Occasionally, these problems do hold it back at times. Most notably, we are looking at two fundamentally contradictory game design principles at play in Sonic – building speed and momentum, and precision platforming. Precision platforming obviously requires the player to slow down and consider things first, before then traversing the hazards they are presented with; building momentum and speed require you to run, run, run, without stopping. Sonic does expect you to memorize levels and run them again and again, the better to be able to imbibe and reconcile both these principles, but during your first run through any course, it can often be a tug of war between the two.

Of course, like I said, Sonic Colors does manage to turn even this into a strength. Finishing a course and getting slapped with a C or a D grade often acts as all the incentive you need to go back and run that course again, and again, and again, until you’ve memorized it so well you’re effortlessly getting the highest possible marks each time. Some expertly hidden collectibles add further replayability to each course. 

A lot of the attention of the “Ultimate” upgrade for Sonic Colors has focused on the visual side of it, which makes sense – the original was a Wii title, which means it’s a standard definition game remastered for HD for the very first time. On the whole, I would argue the visual update is clean and reasonable (if not astounding or worth the whole re-release in and of itself), though there are certain complaints I can foresee coming in from some quarters. As an example, the updates have very definitely changed the look and aesthetic of a lot of areas due to the differences in lighting and color (heh) saturation, and I can easily see many preferring how the original game looked as a result; but on the whole, I think the new aesthetic in those areas isn’t worse, just different.

"The game’s Wii roots are especially clear and apparent in cutscenes. However, the art style is strong, and that, along with a bump up to 60fps for the frame rate, helps keep the game look pleasant to look at."

The remastering is very clearly nowhere close to the more thorough facelifts we have seen in other similar platform re-releases; for example, this is nowhere close to the overhaul that Crash or Spyro saw with the N.Sane or Reignited trilogy releases. The game’s Wii roots are especially clear and apparent in cutscenes. However, the art style is strong, and that, along with a bump up to 60fps for the frame rate, helps keep the game look pleasant to look at. While it’s undeniable it could have looked even better, it’s still a pretty good looking game, that passes muster and scrutiny, if not as triumphantly as it otherwise could have.

That’s really the case with Sonic Colors as a whole – while its reputation may lead you to expect an all time great platform, it’s really not that. It is very good, mind you, and it’s compelling and engaging and probably the most smartly designed 3D Sonic game we have ever received. All of that alone makes it worth playing, particularly since Colors is without question the best implementation of the so called “boost” formula as well. The stumbles and blemishes that come along the way, well, that’s just part and parcel of being a Sonic fan at this point. Embrace them, and enjoy Dr. Eggman’s Wild Ride.

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 4.

Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous

As the follow-up to Pathfinder: Kingmaker, Wrath of the Righteous promises much higher stakes as the player ventures to the Worldwound to fight off hordes of demons arriving through the rift. Along with leading an army to battle with new tactical options, there are 10 unique companions that will fight alongside you. This is on top of 25 classes, 12 races and tons of different abilities and customization options that the classic Pathfinder combat that fans know and love (this time with a turn-based option at launch). Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous releases on September 2^nd for PC.

WRC 10

Despite Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown being a year away, Nacon has WRC 10 releasing on September 2^nd worldwide (September 7^th for North America). Along with the Croatia Rally and Rally de Catalunya, the sequel will feature numerous historical cars like the Audi Quattro and Lancia Delta Group A to celebrate the World Rally Championship’s 50^th anniversary. Considering the jump in quality that last year’s iteration offered, it may be worth checking out WRC 10 when it releases for PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4 and PS5 in the coming days.

F.I.S.T.: Forged In Shadow Torch

Set in Torch City following the Machine Legion’s invasion several years ago, players control Rayton, a former soldier trying to rescue his friend. At his disposal are a mechanical Power Fist, Whip and Drill which can be used to pull off some crazy combos. With a grungy but beautiful aesthetic and tons of areas to explore, F.I.S.T.: Forged in Shadow Torch should be worth checking out for genre fans when it releases on September 7^th for PS4, PS5 and PC.

Sonic Colors: Ultimate

It’s not everyday that a good Sonic game gets a remastered re-release but 2010’s Sonic Colors is thankfully getting another opportunity to shine. The Ultimate version is out on September 7^th for Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC and PS4, and sees Sonic and Tails traveling to Doctor Eggman’s Incredible Interstellar Amusement Park to rescue the mysterious Wisps. Along with offering a mix of 2.5D side-scrolling and fast-paced 3D platforming, various mechanics like Boost and drifting are available. On top of this, Sonic can use eight different abilities from the Wisps, like drilling through the ground and transforming into a laser. In terms of improvements, expect a higher frame rate and resolution, the Jade Ghost Wisp, a re-recorded OST and Rival Rush for racing against Metal Sonic

The Artful Escape

First showcased in March 2017, The Artful Escape is finally nearing release after seeing numerous delays throughout the years. The musical platforming adventure sees one Francis Vendetti set to make his debut under the shadow of his legendary uncle and thus struggling to find his own identity. Thus does he embark on a psychedelic new journey through various musical landscapes, using his guitar to platform and battle foes. With a gorgeous art-style and sound-tracked effused with epic themes, The Artful Escape could end up being an underrated classic when it launches on September 9^th for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC and iOS.

Life is Strange: True Colors

Life is Strange returns and this time, empathy is your superpower. It’s a little more complicated than that for True Colors’ protagonist Alex Chen who reunites with her brother Gabe in Haven Springs. The scenic beauty and spirit of the community is ultimately unsettled when Gabe passes away from an accident. With the ability to read people’s emotions as different colors, Alex goes about investigating his death. Life is Strange: True Colors is a full release instead of being broken into episodes and is out on September 10^th for Xbox One, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PC and Google Stadia.

Lost in Random

Lost in Random appears, at first, to be an action adventure title with a Tim Burton-esque aesthetic, centering on Even as she explores the Kingdom of Random to save her sister Odd. However, everything in Random is determined by games and Even must take part in game board-style battles to prevail. She’ll have Dicey on hand to help though – attacking enemies will power its abilities and unleash unique cards, whether it’s explosives or barriers. Out on September 10^th, Lost in Random will be available for PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One and PC.

NBA 2K22

Another year, another NBA 2K title and while I’m personally not a fan of the series microtransaction-laden gameplay, there is quite a bit that’s new in NBA 2K22. Gameplay-wise, precision jump shots, blocking and more are being changed; MyNBA returns with its customizable features (only on Xbox Series X/S and PS5 though) while MyWBNA is being introduced; and MyCareer’s The City is even larger while Hidden Talents provides alternate ventures like fashion and hip-hop. PS4, Xbox One, Switch and PC players aren’t being swept aside entirely either thanks to the addition of the 2K Cruise, which offers unique Excursions and events in various locations. NBA 2K22 launches on September 10^th for Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS4, PS5, PC and Nintendo Switch so we won’t have to wait long to see how much it improves.

Tales of Arise

The Tales series returns with its biggest, most epic title to date in Tales of Arise. The story sees the denizens of Rena subjugating Dahna, enslaving its people and exploiting their resources. As Alphen, a Dahnan man without any memories, players team up with Shionne of Rena and embark on a journey to free the oppressed. Along with meeting other party members and traveling the world, players will utilize new skills like Boost Strike and Counter Edge in the revamped combat system. Activities like fishing, farming and more are also available along with the return of skits. Tales of Arise releases on September 10^th for Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS4, PC and PS5, and promises to be about as long as Tales of Berseria (which is a good thing).

Deathloop

Ever get that feeling of deja vu? For hitman Colt Vahn, it only felt like yesterday when he arrived on Blackreef to take out the Visionaries, a mysterious group harnessing the island’s technology to party eternally. It’s up to Colt to kill all of his targets before midnight, utilizing a mix of stealth, abilities and firearms before the loop resets. In the midst of all of this is agent Julianna, either controlled by AI or another player, who seeks to protect the loop (and mess with Colt as much as possible). With Arkane’s unique brand of sandbox gameplay and a rocking aesthetic, Deathloop promises to be a fun spin on the roguelite genre when it releases on September 14^th for PS5 and PC.

Aragami 2

Much like the original, stealth and shadow control are key in Lince Works’ Aragami 2. This time around though, players have more freedom and opportunities to sneak around the world, playing alone or in three-person squads in co-op. A variety of powers and abilities are available while combat has been improved to be more skill-focused (though it’s still inherently riskier than stealth). Extensive customization, improved visuals and a more effective story should make Aragami 2 a cut above its predecessor when it releases on September 17^th for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 and PC.

Kena: Bridge of Spirits

Numerous delays haven’t dulled the beauty of Ember Lab’s upcoming action adventure title and it’s finally releasing on September 21^st for PS4, PS5 and PC. Kena: Bridge of Spirits follows spirit guide Kena as she travels to a decrepit village and looks to ferry the spirits of its deceased to the afterlife. Along the way, Kena will meet small spirits called the Rot who will help solve puzzles and fight off enemies. With a soothing animated aesthetic and solid gameplay, Kena: Bridge of Spirits is looking very appealing.

Lake

Lake, an indie adventure from developer Gamious, looks to take players on a more grounded kind of escape when it releases on September 1^st. As Meredith Weiss, you venture to Providence Oaks in Oregon for two weeks, taking a sabbatical from your old software development job to deliver the mail. Talk to and hang out with the different residents, or simply stay at home to read; experience branching storylines and ultimately determine your path in life. If a chill adventure game sounds good to you, then Lake may be worth checking out when it comes to Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One and PC.

Diablo 2: Resurrected

After the failure of Warcraft 3: Reforged (not to mention tons of controversy at Activision-Blizzard), Diablo 2 is next in line to be remastered. The visuals have been improved tremendously while still keeping true to the original’s aesthetic as players explore Sanctuary as one of seven classes to defeat the forces of evil. Support for 4K resolution, cross-progression and quality of life features like auto pick-up for gold and Shared Stash tabs make this a lot more inviting for today’s players but it’s still the classic action RPG that fans grew up with. Diablo 2: Resurrected releases on September 23^rd for Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS4, PS5, PC and Nintendo Switch.

Sable

Another interesting title in the “chill adventure” genre is Shedworks’ Sable, which releases on September 23^rd for Xbox Series X/S and PC. Boasting gorgeous visuals, the story centers on Sable as she ventures out into the world to find a mask and complete her clan’s rite of passage. She’ll traverse dunes on her customizable hoverbike, investigate strange ruins and ultimately learn more about the mysterious world while forging her own path.

Death Stranding Director’s Cut

The journey of Sam and B.B. came to a relatively satisfying conclusion when Death Stranding released last year. However, the Director’s Cut – which launches on September 24^th for PS5 – proves that there’s still room for improvement. It adds numerous new tools, like a Buddy Bot that can carry Sam and thrusters for safe landings when jumping from high places; the new Fragile Circuit for races, complete with time trials and leaderboards; a new Firing Range with practice and Ranked Drills; replays for boss fights; and some new story content that promises more stealth-based action. This is in addition to new graphics modes like upscaled 4K/60 FPS and native 4K, support for the DualSense’s haptic feedback and adaptive triggers and an option for PS4 players to upgrade to the Director’s Cut Digital Deluxe Edition on PS5 for just $10.

Lost Judgment

What defines justice? Former lawyer turned private detective Takayuki Yagami seeks to answer this while delving into a strange murder. Lost Judgment sees players venturing to Isezaki Ijincho to go undercover in a school and while there are activities like dancing, drone combat and boxing, themes of bullying and abuse also come to light. Overall, the sequel improves on pretty much every aspect of the original, adding a new combat Style, parkour for platforming, more in-depth stealth mechanics, better chase sequences and much more. It arrives on September 24^th for Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 and Xbox One.

New World

Even with so many delays over the years – including a recent one from August to September – enthusiasm for Amazon’s New World is still strong. The MMO takes a somewhat different direction from its competition, focusing on the interactions between the three factions on Aeternum Island. Though the island has its own unique mysteries and PvE content, players will spend time creating settlements, battling those from other factions and establishing their own foothold. It’s out on September 28^th for PC with a beta on September 9^th but whether it can maintain its momentum after launch remains to be seen.

Hot Wheels Unleashed

Milestone’s Hot Wheels Unleashed may not be the most realistic-looking racer but it is looking to be the best possible Hot Wheels title ever made. With over 60 cars, from real-world vehicles to fantasy offerings like the Batmobile and Knight Rider, it offers a variety of twisting, turning tracks set in real-world environments. Players can also partake in the track builder and create their own unique courses, or go on online to challenge players (though offline split-screen is also available). Hot Wheels Unleashed arrives on September 27^th for Xbox One, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC.

Xuan Yuan Sword 7

Released last October for PC, Xuan Yuan Sword 7 is coming to PS4 in September and offers hack and slash RPG action with the backdrop of Chinese mythology as Taishi Zao battles monsters and  seeks to unravel the mystery behind a strange bamboo slip. Along with creating unique techniques, players can improve their armor and weapons while leveraging the fast-paced combat to dominate foes. As a somewhat off-beat option, it may be worth checking out when it releases on September 31^st.

There are nine Wisps in total, starting with the White Wisp who fills the Boost Gauge. Others offer more transformative effects like the Cyan Wisp which turns Sonic into a laser that moves quickly and also electrocute enemies or the Pink Wisp that lets one roll up walls by turning into a spike. Each Wisp changes up the gameplay significantly and can open up new paths to explore.

Sonic Colors: Ultimate is slated to release on September 7th for Xbox One, PS4, PC (via the Epic Games Store) and Nintendo Switch. Head here for additional details on the remaster’s features.

The new trailer, which you can see in full below, is entitled HD Updates Spotlight. There we see Ultimate side by side with the original release to give an idea of how big a jump this is. It also lists the various improvements, such as 4K resolution and 60 FPS (it is unclear what they are aiming for with the Switch version), a new mode where you race Metal Sonic for rewards, items you can buy to customize Sonic, and a remixed soundtrack.

Sonic Colors Ultimate will release on September 17th for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch and PC.