New footage from Sonic Colors: Ultimate highlights the visual upgrades given to the gameplay. The clip shows off Planet Wisp: Act 4, and the level of detail in the environments is astounding. The gameplay looks extremely similar to the original game, with a few tweaks for newer consoles.
Sonic Colors was initially released for the Wii and Nintendo DS in 2010. It's considered one of the best of the "modern" Sonic games, with high production values and replayability. The remastered Sonic Colors: Ultimate was announced during the Sonic Central anniversary live stream in May. The release date is set for September 7, 2021.
The footage is available via an unlisted video on the official Sonic the Hedgehog YouTube channel. It goes through the entire level, from the world/level map to the results screen. The gameplay is about the same as it was in the Wii version of Colors, with Sonic speeding through the stage and defeating enemies. However, the graphics are completely overhauled. Despite the scant amount of time spent in each environment, it's obvious that great care was put into making them look as detailed as possible. Even the boost pads and power-ups have been made more visually appealing. This is no small feat, considering the original Colors was already a fantastic-looking game.
Even the backgrounds have an impressive amount of detail to them, with individual bushes easily identifiable. Special mention should be given to the lighting system, which emphasizes the more industrial aspects of the stage while still keeping colors vibrant. Sonic's model is also appropriately detailed. The footage shown maintains a rock-solid 60 FPS framerate, and the trailer is also viewable in 4K. While not officially a feature, it's possible 4K gameplay will be possible on some systems like Xbox One or PC.
Those not in the know would be forgiven for thinking that this was an entirely new Sonic experience. Calling Colors: Ultimate a simple remaster would be a disservice to the time put into making the world as beautiful as possible. This is not just in Planet Wisp, either; fans can see changes across the world of Sonic Colors. However, as the Planet Wisp footage is unlisted, it's possible that the final appearance could change between now and release. Still, Sonic fans should have no worry about whether or not Colors: Ultimate will live up to its moniker. It is a beautiful recreation of one of the Blue Blur's most celebrated adventures.
Sonic Colors: Ultimate releases on September 7 for Playstation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC via the Epic Games Store.
Source: Sonic The Hedgehog/YouTube