Update (9/6/2021 10:55 AM EDT): Sega has responded to Sonic Colors Ultimate's Nintendo Switch criticisms, with social media manager Katie Chrzanowski tweeting that the game's development team is listening to feedback to implement in an "upcoming patch." The original story continues below.
Sonic Colors Ultimate reportedly has several bugs, crashes, and visual issues on the Nintendo Switch, and players are taking to social media to voice their displeasure. Sega just released its current-gen update to the classic 2010 Wii exclusive, which was hailed by many as a return to form for Sonic after a decade of divisive releases like the infamous Sonic The Hedgehog (2006).
The new version of Sonic Colors features a considerable visual upgrade alongside several other features. These include a new Jade Ghost Wisp that allows Sonic to phase through walls, and some limited customization options that let players deck out the Blue Blur in new shoes, gloves, and energy trails as he races to stop Dr. Eggman from enslaving the mystical Wisps as a power source for his interstellar amusement park. Sonic Colors Ultimate also features a “Rival Rush” mode that pits Sonic against the evil Metal Sonic and a new “Tails Save” feature that takes the hyper-fast hedgehog back to a safe location if players find themselves overwhelmed. While many fans are enjoying this updated blast across the cosmos, Switch owners are having issues with their port, even beyond the fact that Sonic Colors Ultimate can only reach 30 FPS on Nintendo's console.
As reported by VGC, fans are reporting a plethora of game-breaking bugs and glitches in the Switch version of Sonic Colors Ultimate on Twitter. For example, Platinum2xa posted a gameplay clip of Sonic freezing in place for what seems like an eternity while activating his Cyan Laser Wisp power, while RnB_DREAMSOUL shows footage of the game breaking down into a glitch-filled mess of color during regular gameplay. Other users debate which company is at fault for the shape Sonic Colors Ultimate is currently in on the Switch, and while some are quick to blame the Switch itself for the game’s poor performance, p_ditty2 points out that the Switch has handled other Wii ports well in the past and puts responsibility for Sonic Colors Ultimate squarely on Sega’s shoulders. So far, Sega has yet to announce a patch to address these reported issues.
This is hardly the first controversy to arise from Sonic Colors Ultimate in the build-up to its release yesterday, as a previous teaser trailer hyping 4K resolution and 60 FPS on the Switch version of the game was later proven to be untrue. Furthermore, the physical release of Sonic Colors Ultimate was delayed in areas like Europe, the Middle East, and Africa due to “unforeseen logistical issues.”
The Nintendo Switch port of Sonic Colors Ultimate was already lagging behind its PlayStation 4 and Xbox One brethren due to the aforementioned lack of 4K and 60 FPS support, as well as early word-of-mouth that technical improvements over the original Wii version are relatively minimal. Hopefully Sega can quickly address these newly-reported issues with an update patch, so Nintendo Switch players can go back to enjoying one of the best Sonic games of the 3D era without fear of everything breaking down.
Source: VGC, Platinum2xa/Twitter, RnB_DREAMSOUL/Twitter, p_ditty2/Twitter