I used to think this game was overrated. When I first played it maybe six months or so after it came out, I thought it paled in comparison to the DS version I had already played prior. It felt like a pretty standard 2D platformer with controls designed for a 3D speed-heavy Sonic game. So many level design decisions baffled me, and I could never get the hang of Sonic's weird, inconsistent jump. I beat the game at least twice, but I never went out of my way to get S ranks or collect the red rings because I didn't enjoy the game that much. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't my cup of tea.
I went back to it after many years to see if my opinions had changed at all. And at first, that didn't seem to be the case. Tropical Resort is an uninspired level when you go through it for the first time. But one thing I did differently in this playthrough, wondering if it would change my mind at all, was revisiting every level to find all the red rings. And honestly? I think it made a pretty big difference.
I had plenty of time this time round to get used to Sonic's weird jump. Sonic's jump increases the longer you hold the button down, which is pretty standard in most platformers, but it feels weird in combination with a double jump that won't kick in at all if it's not timed at the apex of Sonic's jump. With some practice though, it came a lot more naturally. It was still kinda tough to land on small moving platforms, though. I'm looking at you, Planet Wisp conveyor belts.
The levels felt a lot better thought out, now that I was actively exploring them for collectables. Levels can change drastically when you take a different route or use a specific Wisp. I was even finding cool hidden routes all over the place, some which didn't even contain red rings, they were just neat little secrets.
The cutscene dialogue is incredibly cheesy, almost like this is a children's video game or something. It's got a real cartoony vibe that kinda fits the mostly low-stakes plot, and it actually knows how to play its occasional serious moments. I did skip a couple of the cutscenes, I can't lie, but most of it was palatable. Not nearly as disastrous as later games' plots where these writers attempt to write something with greater emotional weight.
So I guess I like Sonic Colours now? Don't get me wrong, I had my far share of bullshit deaths. But I don't know if it's my higher tolerance for frustration in video games, a case of stockholm syndrome, or if I finally got gud, but I still really enjoyed myself despite the many frustrations of 100%. I knocked the whole thing out in four consecutive days, and found myself looking forward to playing each day. I'm really glad I found a new appreciation for Sonic Colours Wii. DS is still better tho.
I went back to it after many years to see if my opinions had changed at all. And at first, that didn't seem to be the case. Tropical Resort is an uninspired level when you go through it for the first time. But one thing I did differently in this playthrough, wondering if it would change my mind at all, was revisiting every level to find all the red rings. And honestly? I think it made a pretty big difference.
I had plenty of time this time round to get used to Sonic's weird jump. Sonic's jump increases the longer you hold the button down, which is pretty standard in most platformers, but it feels weird in combination with a double jump that won't kick in at all if it's not timed at the apex of Sonic's jump. With some practice though, it came a lot more naturally. It was still kinda tough to land on small moving platforms, though. I'm looking at you, Planet Wisp conveyor belts.
The levels felt a lot better thought out, now that I was actively exploring them for collectables. Levels can change drastically when you take a different route or use a specific Wisp. I was even finding cool hidden routes all over the place, some which didn't even contain red rings, they were just neat little secrets.
The cutscene dialogue is incredibly cheesy, almost like this is a children's video game or something. It's got a real cartoony vibe that kinda fits the mostly low-stakes plot, and it actually knows how to play its occasional serious moments. I did skip a couple of the cutscenes, I can't lie, but most of it was palatable. Not nearly as disastrous as later games' plots where these writers attempt to write something with greater emotional weight.
So I guess I like Sonic Colours now? Don't get me wrong, I had my far share of bullshit deaths. But I don't know if it's my higher tolerance for frustration in video games, a case of stockholm syndrome, or if I finally got gud, but I still really enjoyed myself despite the many frustrations of 100%. I knocked the whole thing out in four consecutive days, and found myself looking forward to playing each day. I'm really glad I found a new appreciation for Sonic Colours Wii. DS is still better tho.