I was in the middle of my early playthrough when I realized that Sonic x Shadow Generations is my first proper Sonic console game since the Sonic The Hedgehog game on the SEGA Genesis. Yes, it’s been that long. Especially if you don’t count that one mobile game released some time in the early to mid 2010s. 

It has been a while. A long while. And I was more than pleasantly surprised with the gameplay I got from Sonic x Shadow Generations. To a certain extent, it felt like catching up on the games I missed while also experiencing something completely new. 

Double Feature 

Sonic x Shadow Generations is a double feature. In one game you play two versions of Sonic. In the other, you play the powerful Shadow. 

Both games pick up from a birthday party featuring Sonic and friends. Naturally, something sinister happens and it’s up to Sonic and Shadow to uncover what happened and to save everyone. However, they’re doing it on two different fronts. 

Sonic is more direct. In his game, the more levels you beat, the more friends you set free. Meanwhile, Shadow is chasing after Doom’s Eye – a Star Fish-like figure with an eye in the middle. 

What ensues is a whole lot of running and speeding that require some clever platforming.

Need for Speed… and patience 

The Sonic Generations part of this double feature will see you needing to beat stages twice: one as Classic Sonic and then another as Modern Sonic. 

Since Classic Sonic is the only one I really had experience with, I was getting S Ranks like it was nothing. I felt transported back to the days playing the game on the SEGA Genesis my uncle owned back in the day. It was fun, exhilarating, and a nice nostalgic experience for me. 

It was with Modern Sonic that I had trouble with. With Modern Sonic, you tackle the exact same level but now it’s a shifting 3D stage as opposed to the pretty straightforward side-scroller that was the Classic Sonic run.

I was getting C and B ratings after each run and it was, admittedly, quite frustrating. It took a few more tries to get to an A rating. 

My reflexes have, unfortunately, aged and it just couldn’t keep up with the speed needed to cleanly clear the stages. I imagine it won’t be as difficult for most people, but I had trouble timing when to press the right buttons to take down enemies and obstacles especially when I boosted Sonic up with Turbo. 

That said, it was still a fun challenge to go through. The stages were all designed to ensure that there’s not just one way to complete them. 

No matter what game you’re playing, I’d wager getting used to the speed and timing of the controls might take some getting used to. Unless your reflexes are insanely good. 

A modern Sonic platformer 

Shadow Generations felt the most modern out of every experience here. It took everything from the Sonic Generations, tightened some mechanics, added some new ones, and dropped in gameplay that would be unique to Shadow. 

As mentioned in the game’s prologue, Shadow was engineered to be a superior being. That being the case, you have access to abilities like freezing time. It’s a fantastic mechanic that adds a really good wrinkle to the platforming that you have to do. I’m getting ahead of myself. 

Surprisingly, I had an easier time adjusting to Shadow Generations. Overall, I felt the stages and obstacles were better paced compared to the Modern Sonic counterpart. 

The level design was clearer, and it was relatively easier to see and figure out the different routes available to you throughout the stages. I even retried stages a couple of times to see which path would yield the faster result. 

It’s not necessarily easier. In fact, you’re having to juggle more things as Shadow vs as Modern Sonic. But the way the stages are laid out, it was easier to time certain button presses. 

There are also stages where you really have to decide which route to take and it’s not just the straightforward quick decision that you usually do. Some of it will have you launching Shadow from one area to another to grab collectibles or, ultimately, finish the stage faster. 

Is this your GameMatch? 

We’re embracing our matchmaking ways and rating games as varying degrees of Swipe Left, Swipe Right, or Super Swipe. Sonic x Shadow Generations is definitely a Swipe Right. 

Sonic x Shadow Generations offers a unique blend of Sonic-style speedy platforming experience. There’s enough here both for newcomers and experienced Sonic game players. The stages are challenging without being overly frustrating. In fact, they’re so good, you don’t feel too much of a fatigue from running through the stage again to see if you can beat your own score or rating. 

For dedicated Sonic fans, this might even be a Super Swipe. There’s enough replayability and unique to Sonic and Shadow mechanics here to add it as one of the best platformers in your game library.