A new Sonic game is out next week, folks! Yep, SEGA's Sonic Superstars launches for Xbox One, Series X and Series S on October 17th, and early reviews are now starting to go live for this latest 2D entry in the series. We're hoping to have a review here at Pure Xbox in the near future as well, but have yet to receive access to the Xbox version.

And so, we've rounded up some early impressions of Sonic Superstars down below:

VGC (4/5)

"Sonic Superstars absolutely nails the classic 16-bit Sonic gameplay. Its power-ups are hit-or-miss and its extra modes and co-op will divide opinion, but fans of the Mega Drive / Genesis days will adore the way this mixes that old feel with a new look."

GamesRadar (4/5)

"Sonic Superstars is like a modern version of the Genesis classics, with all the good and bad that entails. The four-player, same-screen co-op functionality works surprisingly well, and the new Emerald powers keep things fresh. While it isn't as good as Sonic Mania, Superstars is a fresh twist on classic Sonic action."

PlayStation Universe (7.5/10)

"Sonic Superstars is clearly a game made with a lot of love and passion for the Sonic community as a whole. New additions to the formula help to really set this entry apart from its predecessors and blaze new ground for a hopefully promising future."

IGN (7/10)

"While the campaign is still enjoyable, Superstars’ multiplayer components are far worse options than anything in past Sonic games. Like digging Emeralds out of the rough, Sonic Superstars’ new ideas end up feeling like a mix of both interesting and ill-advised, making it an amusing Sonic game but not exactly a Super one."

TheGamer (7/10)

"Sonic Superstars brings us so agonisingly close to the definitive 2D Sonic game, but for now, it’s a good foundation to build on."

Push Square (6/10)

"We can absolutely recommend this as a solo experience, as there's a lot to like about the fresh art style, largely great soundtrack, and multi-layered level design. Throw in a friend or two, though, and it quickly gets messy."

GamingBolt (5/10)

"Sonic Superstars started so well and with such potential but quickly fell off a cliff due to its irritating Zone design, forgettable soundtrack and odd aesthetic choices."


Sonic Superstars is currently sitting at a score of 74 on both Metacritic and Open Critic, so it seems like the reception has been positive but also a little mixed for this one so far. If you're a big 2D-style Sonic fan there's clearly fun to be had here, but otherwise it may be worth waiting for a sale before picking up Sonic Superstars on Xbox.

What do you think to this reception? About what you expected? Let us know your thoughts down below.