Digital Foundry – Sonic Colors Ultimate analysis

Digital Foundry – Sonic Colors Ultimate analysis

Digital Foundry have put Sonic Colors Ultimate through the test and while they admit that it is not perfect, they are fairly pleased with it. 

The worst offender out of all the platforms is sadly the Nintendo Switch version, which is bizarre given how well Sonic games generally perform sales-wise on Nintendo consoles historically.

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Sonic Colors Uhhh … something

There’s also the issue of the longer load times on the Switch compared to the original Wii version, so hopefully Blind Squirrel Games is working on a Switch patch. Digital Foundry have found that the game runs at 600p when the game is in handheld mode and 900p whilst played in the dock.

It targets a frame rate of 30fps, but slips up a few times. 

Summary:

  • Higher resolution textures and remade assets, more modern effects like bloom, specularity in certain materials, shading, etc.
  • UI is redone for higher resolutions.
  • These changes definitely make it look differently, and some might prefer the original look.
  • Some small visual glitches on PS5, objects poping, effects flickering, distant geometry missing.
  • Cutscenes have been upscaled using AI, results are not perfect but still an improvement over the original.

Platform differences

  • PS5: 1440p at locked 60FPS.
  • PS4: 1080p for the base and 1440p for the Pro, at mostly locked 60FPS with occasional hitches when running through the stages.
  • Xbox Series: 1080p on the S / native 4K for the X, with x16 AF applied on the Series X version. Both at locked 60FPS
  • Xbox One: 900p for the S / native 4K for the X, also 60FPS but with hitches being longer and occurring more frequently. They note that the actual framerate is fine, since it reaches 60FPS constantly when the hitches aren’t occurring.
  • Switch: 600p portable / 900p docked, targetting 30FPS but also with occasional hiccups. Lower asset quality and much longer loading times than even the original Wii release.

About Sonic Colors Ultimate

Join Sonic in the high-speed adventure of a lifetime! The evil Dr. Eggman has built a gigantic interstellar amusement park bursting with incredible rides and colourful attractions – but he’s powering it with a captured alien race called “Wisps.”

Use Sonic’s lightning speed to free the Wisps and learn the secrets of their amazing powers as you explore six unique colourful worlds, each filled with dangerous enemies and hurdles to overcome. Now with stunning upscaled visuals, additional features, new game modes, and enhanced gameplay- it’s the Ultimate Sonic Colours experience. Sonic will be tested on this exciting journey to free the Wisps – but with their help, and yours, it’s a test he’ll pass with flying Colours!