Released in 2011 as part of the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise’s 20th Anniversary celebrations, Sonic Generations brought together characters, bosses, music, and maps from the series’ history across 2D and 3D experiences. Each was substantially reworked for (at the time) modern-day consoles and served as a solid celebration of the games that had come before it. Given its role as an anniversary release, it should come as little surprise that no ports were to follow, even if it would have served as a gem among some rather lacklustre games in the series. However, in late 2024, we finally received a modern-day remaster through Sonic X Shadow Generations for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC. Given the name change, this includes not only the full original Sonic Generations, which has been well deserving of a remaster, but also an entirely new standalone ‘Shadow’ arc, featuring six stages (7 via upcoming DLC), 4-bosses, and a fully explorable hub world. While this could have been a tacked-on mode akin to the DLC for Sonic Forces, what we get instead is more weighty and substantial.
The narrative in Sonic X Shadow Generations is a tale of two halves, each catering to different facets of the Sonic franchise’s fanbase. The Sonic campaign is a faithful recreation of the original Sonic Generations story, celebrating the Blue Blur’s extensive history with a lighthearted plot involving the modern and classic Sonic’s uniting, but ultimately being very inconsequential to the franchises’ fragmented lore. Sonic’s journey through time is more about revisiting highlights than meaningful character growth, keeping it a crowd-pleaser for fans of the series’ lighter tone – or those who are now juggling different chronologies – across the games, films and other multimedia instalments.
In stark contrast, Shadow’s campaign brings a darker, more introspective tone that delves into his past and explores pivotal moments in his character’s lore. Through encounters with figures like Maria, Gerald Robotnik, a range of characters who didn’t make the cut in Sonic Generations, and flashbacks to his origins with Black Doom, the Shadow campaign offers arguably a more complex and emotionally engaging narrative. This isn’t just fan service; it’s a thoughtful exploration of Shadow’s psyche and builds some solid links with the original Generations plot which happens concurrently.
Sonic X Shadow Generations brings the iconic visuals of Sonic Generations into the modern age with a fresh coat of paint, ensuring it holds up on current hardware. The remastered stages in Sonic’s campaign feel vibrant and polished, with improved textures, lighting, and more noticeable hazards that make high-speed navigation a smoother experience. While the enhancements don’t radically transform the visuals, they are a welcome improvement, especially in 4K on next-gen platforms. Shadow’s campaign, however, is where the game truly shines in design. Levels like Radical Highway and the Space Colony Ark are not just faithful recreations but feel entirely reimagined with bold new elements such as kaleidoscopic level transitions and dynamic environmental effects reminiscent of modern cinematic visuals. Shadow’s expanded hub world offers a compelling evolution from the minimalistic overworld of Sonic Generations, filled with platforming challenges, hidden collectibles, and visual diversity that keeps exploration exciting. This is not just a remaster; it’s a reimagining that bridges nostalgia with innovation.
Even if some of the more recent Sonic video games have been rather meh, the one area where the games have continued to shine is its music production – with some songs serving as earworms even years later. All the remixes from Sonic Generations make a return, while rearranged tracks from the stages and games of the courses featured in the Shadow Route are on average, equally strong. The ability to unlock and customize stage music allows fans to tailor their soundtracks, adding another layer of engagement. Voice acting also receives a noticeable upgrade, with new recordings for Shadow’s campaign bringing a depth that complements his darker and more nuanced storyline.
Sonic X Shadow Generations delivers two distinct gameplay experiences, each tailored to its titular characters. Sonic’s campaign remains largely faithful to the original Sonic Generations, offering a mix of 2D and 3D stages, each bringing across the charms of how each style of gameplay has functioned in the past. However, I would argue that while both offer a good combination of speed and precision platforming, there is a bias towards the side-scrolling gameplay, with all 3D stages having such segments incorporated into them. Not to say the inclusion of these is terrible, but as someone who was introduced to the series via Sonic Adventure 2 and has typically played the 3D experiences many of the stages are adapted from, it feels more than a little disjointed and should have fully embraced both styles in their respective levels. The controls are responsive, and while the newly introduced drop dash move adds a touch of fluidity to Sonic’s repertoire, it occasionally feels inconsistent, interrupting the game’s flow. Challenge stages return and provide optional objectives like time trials and ring-collecting missions, though these can sometimes feel like pace breakers, and in the returning Sonic mode, a means of increasing the runtime. However, despite being a remaster, Sonic’s campaign retains its 2011 charm and highlights why Sonic Generations is arguably one of the better modern Sonic games – clearly being made with love.
The Shadow campaign is where Sonic X Shadow Generations truly innovates, introducing gameplay mechanics that differentiate Shadow as a playable character. The inclusion of Chaos Control, which freezes time, and Doom Powers, such as gliding on demonic wings or launching projectiles, fundamentally changes how stages are approached. These abilities aren’t just gimmicks—they’re seamlessly integrated into the level design, offering multiple routes and strategies for progression. Levels encourage replayability, with hidden paths and shortcuts that make full use of Shadow’s abilities, allowing players to experiment with how they tackle each challenge. This variety in traversal and combat injects fresh energy into the gameplay, setting Shadow apart from Sonic’s more traditional high-speed focus.
The stages in Shadow’s campaign are ambitious and expansive, designed with precision to highlight his unique skill set – along with many stages being adapted to include, via the narrative, a bizarro world that expands some of the shorter stages with new challenges. Reimagined levels like Radical Highway a Space Colony Ark feature intricate layouts with branching paths that reward exploration. Furthermore, it provided opportunities for games not released when Sonic Generations first debuted, such as Sonic Forces (Sunset Heights) and Sonic Frontiers (Chaos Island) to receive a fresh pass and be celebrated in this compilation. Boss fights in Shadow’s campaign are equally inventive, making use of his unique powers in dynamic encounters, such as the ability to ‘Doom Surf’ across water surfaces, freezing time to redirect projectiles or using Chaos Dash to land devastating attacks. These battles feel more engaging and cinematic compared to the often straightforward bosses in Sonic’s campaign. Plus, these bosses also allow us to enjoy a re-recorded version of ‘What I’m Made of…’, which alone I am stoked about.
Challenge stages in the Shadow campaign are more streamlined and thoughtfully integrated than those in Sonic’s, with objectives like completing levels under a strict timer or with only a single ring in hand. These challenges push players to master Shadow’s mechanics and offer satisfying rewards, such as unlockable collectibles and music tracks. Combined with the expansive hub world, which itself is a joy to traverse thanks to platforming puzzles and hidden secrets, Shadow’s gameplay feels like a fully realized experience rather than an add-on. After some previous attempts at tacking on bonus content as DLC in recent Sonic games, Shadow content of this quality was definitely welcome.
In a market where remasters can be full-priced games with minimal changes, Sonic X Shadow Generations is an exemplar of how such games should be handled – a good price and new content that is not just tacked on but rather contributes to the overall experience – in this example providing a well-rounded experience that builds upon the strengths of the original, and giving a little bit of added hype with the upcoming release of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 on Boxing Day. It’s a title that doesn’t just replay history but adds to it, making it an essential experience for Sonic fans everywhere.
A digital PlayStation 5 review code of Sonic X Shadow Generations was provided by Australian distributor Five Star Games to facilitate this review. Testing was conducted on both a launch day PlayStation 5 and the new PlayStation 5 Pro.
Sonic X Shadow Generations is now available to purchase on the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Windows PC.
