Sonic has had its rough patches over the years. Most recently, he has begun redeeming himself with the likes of Sonic Colors and Sonic Generations. Now, the new Sonic Lost World tries to encompass what made Colors and Generations work so well while adding some new elements to the overall package. On the 3DS, it has its moments of frustrations, but for the most part, Sonic Lost World makes for a pretty fun Sonic game.
The game pits Sonic and Tales trying to stop Dr. Eggman once again. He has acquired a device that allows him to control these big bad monsters known as the Deadly Six. Well, things don’t go as planned and Eggman loses the device. Now, the Deadly Six are free to do as they please and now it’s up to Sonic to take them out.
Lost World seems to have taken many ideas from Super Mario Galaxy in the ways of level design. Many times, the play will be navigating Sonic through levels that feature platforms and runways that have their own plane of gravity. One minute, I was running along a cylinder going all the way around it while the next minute, I was running all around a floating sphere. The game breaks down into three different types of levels: 3D, 2D, and special 3D flying levels that require the player to use the gyroscope function of the 3DS.
Moving at the speed of sound.
The 3D levels play out like any modern Sonic zone would. Navigate the level using multiple paths all the while taking out enemies using the homing air attack and the new Somersault stun move. Certain enemies require multiple hits to be taken down or players can stun them and charge up their homing attack by continuously targeting the enemy. This also works for targeting three enemies at a time for a fast, quick kill. The player can utilize enemies and the homing attack to traverse the levels much faster. Sonic can also run even faster by holding down the R bumper doing this can also allow him to run up walls and wall-run to reach other platforms. The spin attack makes a return as well so Sonic can blast through enemies and travel even faster.
The 2D levels give off more of a puzzle vibe. Sure Sonic will run as fast as he can, but many times, the player will be required to slow down a bit to make certain jumps or to activate switches that can lead to new paths and areas. It can be jarring at times when all I really wanted to do was run really fast, but that wouldn’t make for much of a game.
Finally, certain levels where Sonic is trying to obtain the Chaos Emeralds will have the player using the 3DS gyroscope to navigate Sonic through the air as he flies to collect floating orbs. There is a time limit to collect all the orbs, but it was never a difficult task. It could become tedious when I was standing up and moving my 3DS in a circle to steer Sonic in the right direction, and if I planed on playing these levels, I would do it where no one could see me. I’m sure I looked like an insane person.
The power of colors.
The color powers make a return from Sonic Colors. These special powerups transform Sonic into various things that allow him to reach new areas of a level and take out enemies in different fashions. It offers up a little variety into each level.
After completing a level, Sonic will obtain special materials that he can take back to Tails’ workshop to create powerups that he can store and use on the fly during levels. Players can also trade in 3DS play coins for materials as well.
The visuals are very nice and the sense of speed is what anyone would come to expect from a Sonic game. The bright colors and vivid locations are all nice and the presentation is very well done. There are some very interesting level designs here and it changed up a lot of what I was doing while playing. The 3D is a bit lackluster for this title, though and the cut scene movies look grainy and somewhat blown out for some reason. It’s almost like that took the Wii U version’s cut scenes and compressed them down for the 3DS. One thing I will mention, just like with any other Sonic game, the original soundtrack is amazing and fits right in with the look and action of the game.
The camera can’t keep up with me.
As fun as Sonic Lost World can be, there are some frustrating bits to the game play. Some of the platforming is off and the jumping feels stiff when just jumping and double jumping from platform to platform. Certain levels with a lot of jumping and puzzles really drag down the action and for me, that just doesn’t feel like a Sonic game. Don’t get me wrong, more times than not, I was blasting through a level at speeds and having a grand time, but when I did hit the slower parts, it was very jarring to me. Finally, the camera was the main reason I lost so many lives. Some levels allow the player to adjust the camera while some don’t. When Sonic is running around one of the platforms going upside down and sideways, the camera wouldn’t adjust for it and I couldn’t make heads or tails (see what I did there?) of what I was doing or where I was going.
The game also features multiplayer online, local, and through game share. Players can take on friends and random people all around the world. The only problem I see with it was the fact that if I were to fall off the edge of a platform during a race online, I would start back at the beginning of the level which meant I would never catch up to my opponent. Still, it is great they included it and it works very well.
Sonic Lost World was rather impressive to me on the 3DS. It offers up a good variety of levels and has some features that really make it a standout. Sure, there are some annoyances with the game, and the camera needs some work, but for the most part, I really enjoyed my time with Sonic and company. They really nail the sense of speed here and when things went my way, it was a blast. Sonic fans will have a great time and 3DS owners should take a look at this ambitious title.
Likes: Fun fast game play, Interesting level design, Fantastic soundtrack, Fun story.
Dislikes: Platforming is a bit stiff, Cut scenes are grainy, Camera can become bothersome.
Score: 7.5
Tagline: Gotta go fast on the 3DS.