How a Zoom drinking party sparked a Sonic reunion
In short: In the middle of a global lockdown, two legends met virtually to discuss the future of a blue icon. This unexpected conversation bridged a decades-long gap, leading to a project designed to modernize classic gameplay without losing the soul of the 1990s Genesis era.
The development of Sonic Superstars traces back to a surprising moment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sonic Team head Takashi Iizuka and Sonic co-creator Naoto Ohshima held a Zoom drinking party, where they discussed a potential collaboration for a new 2D title. This represented a major turning point for Ohshima, whose last involvement in a Sonic title occurred with the 1998 release of Sonic Adventure. This casual meeting helped overcome previous hurdles, as earlier attempts to collaborate with the Sonic Mania developers had failed. This new partnership with the studio Arzest allowed the team to pursue a fresh direction.
The goal for the project, which began development in 2021, was to create a game that could stand independently from the series' 3D titles. While the developers at Arzest focused on replicating the physics and feel of the original Sega Genesis games, they aimed to innovate through a 2.5D perspective. This allowed for visual depth and mechanics, such as characters moving between the foreground and background, that were impossible in the 1990s. The developers utilised the Unity engine to build the project from the ground up. They also introduced new mechanics, such as character-specific abilities granted by the seven Chaos Emeralds.
To ensure authenticity, the team used a rigorous cross-referencing method. They ran the original Genesis-era games alongside their new engine, comparing gameplay footage to ensure the character handling was accurate. While the game received mixed reviews—with critics finding it better than the 2010 and 2012 2D entries but less successful than the 2017 title Sonic Mania—it has found a steady audience, reaching 2.43 million sales by June 2025. The title was released across multiple platforms, including the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 5, in October 2023. Despite some divisive opinions on the music and visuals, the game's sales have grown steadily over time.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Sonic Superstars
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