Reviews

Sonic: Lost World - Review

Following a string of disappointing adventures, SEGA turned things around with its beloved mascot, Sonic the Hedgehog. The Wii exclusive Sonic Colours impressed fans with its imaginatively-designed 3D levels, while Sonic Generations for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 delighted players with a wonderful mix of modern and classic designs; an exceptional port of Sonic CD for iOS and Android was a nice bonus. This year, there's Sonic: Lost World for Wii U (and 3DS), a game that tips its virtual cap to Nintendo's stellar Super Mario Galaxy and its outstanding sequel, but does the blue blur's latest continue the hit streak? Yes, for the most part.

In Lost World, the diabolical Eggman unleashes a band of critters known as the Deadly Six to dispose of his arch nemesis. Unfortunately for Sonic's rotund adversary, this small group of miscreants rebel, forcing Eggman to do the unthinkable: team up with the speedy hedgehog. The plot falls behind the action-packed gameplay, but considering Mario and Bowser occasionally put aside their differences to defeat a common foe, this unexpected partnership was long overdue.

That said, players control Sonic as he explores the Lost Hex, a floating continent featuring a variety of tricky stages. Thing is, Lost World doesn't necessarily play like a typical Sonic video game. Familiar elements such as loops, mechanical enemies (including the furry creatures inside these contraptions) and gold rings make a welcome reappearance, but a majority of the boards feature interesting "U" or cylinder shapes, though a handful of side-scrolling stages will rekindle fond memories of the original Sonic the Hedgehog. We mentioned Super Mario Galaxy because this results in Sonic walking along walls and even upside down.

Lost And Found

Beyond that, Lost World is one of the most exploration-driven Sonic games in history. Instead of running full blast through most levels, SEGA encourages players to explore in the hope of uncovering secret lives, Red Star Rings and other collectibles. Gamers are free to harness the power of the Spin Dash and destroy multiple enemies via the Homing Attack, but the game's design forces them to slow down on several occasions. Ultimately this helps and hurts the game. On one hand, the intricate stages warrant multiple plays to locate every ring and bonus item. On the other, it prevents users from enjoying Sonic's trademark, the ability to go fast. At least on the positive side, a cool achievement system challenges gamers to collect a certain number of rings or track down bonus lives, among other tasks.

Completing these goals seem daunting at first, but to Lost World's credit, Sonic has more moves than ever. Ducking at specific moments allows Sonic to roll through sticky gloop, while the Bounce ability lets him smash through floors. Kicking proves useful for disposing of bad guys that require multiple hits, while a somewhat neat Skydiving feature allows players to speed up or slow down with a quick press of the ZR button. Sonic will also stumble upon special Colour Powers by activating Wisps; these abilities range from ploughing through enemies at high speed to hovering in mid-air. Unfortunately, activating these powers (through touchscreen swiping or tilt) feel tacked on. If anything, looking down at the Wii U GamePad removes the player from the action.

Hog Wild

In addition to the single-player game, Sonic: Lost World comes with multiplayer content. An offline Co-op mode puts the second player in control of an RC vehicle that flies around the stage destroying enemies and different objects blocking Sonic's path. In addition, Two-Player Race pits friends against each other in three unique race types; one person views the action on the TV, the other the Wii U GamePad. Finally, clearing stages in Time Attack gives players the chance to upload their best times to an online leaderboard. Granted, these options feel more like distractions from the main quest, but the content manages to extend the game's value.

All of this combines to form one of the more unconventional Sonic games in recent memory, yet it still manages to reward players with quirky levels, a satisfying number of secrets and familiar staples from the Hedgehog's universe. Sonic: Lost World may not be a high-speed thrill fest, but there's enough content to make it a welcome addition to any Wii U owner's library.