Many of you were surprised when SEGA announced that Sonic Superstars would be launching the same week as the highly-anticipated Super Mario Bros Wonder. It certainly seemed a poor choice on SEGA’s part. Now SEGA has acknowledged that it made a mistake releasing in the same period as Super Mario Bros. Wonder in its English translation of a recent investor Q&A session. Here’s what was said:
Q: How do you evaluate the performance of Sonic Superstars, which has been below forecast?
A: Although Sonic Superstars has generally been well received by those who have played it, the timing of the launch coincided with competing titles in the same genre, and it has been short of the initial forecast. The strategic expansion of Sonic IP is progressing well, and we will continue to work to increase repeat sales of this title.
No shit, SEGA. Why did you think releasing the game there, especially with the launch version’s bugs, was a good idea??
You learned nothing from the 2000’s, didn’t you?
That’s not really how game releases or marketing works. They always had that date in mind, especially by the time they announced the game, which wasn’t that far from when it released. Super Mario Wonder being announced to release that same week is just highly unfortunate as SEGA changing their game’s release due to Mario would have reflected poorly on the game itself. Delay? It would be much more harshly compared to Mario because of the two series’ history. Release early? Still wouldn’t matter. Mario.
The fact that you think it’s a bad idea to release a Sonic game close to a Mario game is indicative of the greater problem. Not saying “dammit, if only Mario games sucked!” No, Mario being a high quality is great and should showcase to SEGA that if they truly wish to compete with him then they need to gear up and make their Sonic games on par or greater in quality than Mario. Sonic Superstars was just an average game with some pretty poor game design in its bosses and to an arguable degree the level design. But the kicker for Superstars is that we don’t even need to compare it to Mario; it didn’t even reach the bar that Sonic Mania set for it. And look, I liked playing Superstars, but Sonic Mania man, that game superb. Mania contends with Super Mario Wonder- Superstars… not so much.
So again, the core problem here is that Superstars was just average when it should have been great. SEGA was caught lacking with their game quality when Super Mario Wonder blindsided them with its sudden announcement and apparent, superb quality. This isn’t a “SEGA learned nothing from the 2000’s” as much as you want to argue that it is because at least those 2000’s games have some amount of quality and uniqueness to them. No, this issue is SEGA tried to play it far too safe, make an average game that didn’t stand toe to toe with its previous installment, and then they were caught in a tricky position with that quality being called out by a marvelous Mario game. Their release was already set in stone, and even if it hadn’t been, backing down would have put it under even more scrutiny simply because Mario exists.
With that said, I think we can both agree that SEGA and Sonic Team need to make actual quality Sonic games if they intend on competing with Mario like they claim to doing. We don’t want average Sonic games; we want outstanding Sonic games that really showcase how great the series can be.
Exactly!
Funny you mention the 2000s and talking about Sega playing it safe, because I actually just watched a video talking about the aesthetics of the 2000 era.
I could look by it if you want
I don’t think that the 2000’s games were playing it safe just so we’re clear, but yeah I’ll take a look at the video if you wanna post it
Here you go, friend: personally, I see the 2000s of the golden age of video games. Creators weren’t afraid to stick stuff out there to see what worked and what flopped
https://youtu.be/ZCfi-cOk9VI?si=VdyV_BM5hZ_QTuuJ
I mean, yeah SEGA has no control over release dates of other titles and likely couldn’t change anything basically last minute when they found out Mario Wonder was dropping same week but it’s definitely not just because quality and stuff.
Not everyone is made of money and can afford two $60 games back to back the same week, even if both were exactly identical quality wise or even Sonic was the better one, if you want to play both, you are only picking one regardless 🤷And it might be a month or two before you can afford another full priced game.
Nothing personal, but it just sounds like you’re rambling on and not getting into the specifics (outside of boss battles. If SEGA was playing it too safe, we wouldn’t have Fang and Trip, and those extra acts.
The simple answer: Mario is Mario, and SEGA will never be as good as them. But at least the Sonic franchise has thins that Mario doesn’t, so they might as well suck it up and be the best they can be. And if people have criticisms to give about what’s wrong or how to make it better, then SEGA should seriously listen (to ACTUAL fans and not a bunch of loudmouth let’splayers (like Game Grumps), or “journalists” on IGN/Metacritic/Kotaku).
Mario has Nintendo and a bulk of the video game industry.
Sonic has the Genesis trilogy, CD, Mania, the two Adventure games, and a few hidden gems, plus SatAM.
But for me personally, the biggest gripe I have so far (since I started the game this year and I’m still playing it) is farming all those medals, just so I can have a collection of each unique Metal Fighter. It really slows down the game for me. I’d play the online mode for more medals, but the network stability is unable (assuming I can even get on).
Damn the 90’s even. I swear the people they’ve hired since 1991 post-Sonic 1, SMH.
To be fair, Sonic Superstars wasn’t a great game either. A real shame because the art direction was on point, the concepts with Chaos Emerald abilities was good (though underutilized in creative ways), and the gameplay was even fun. The big drawback was the terrible level design. I wanted this to be a hit and one of the most important parts failed miserably.
Some of the music was offputting to me personally.
Like the boss musics were terrible..
There was a lack of consistency throughout the game… compared to Mania which was a far better experience.
Keep telling yourself that Sega. The fact is Sonic games have been terrible lately and people don’t want them.
Mania was great.. but it was made by passionate devs who were VERY into sonic, and wanted to make a fun experience.
SEGA and these other Japanese studios don’t have the same love nor passion for the IP as a group of fans did.
Thats like the exact opposite of what they’ve been, Sonic has had the best few years in decades now. It’s been amazing lately, not terrible. Literally nonstop praise for Frontiers, Dream Team, and Murder, the TV shows, movies, etc.
That’s because the Sonic fanbase has been conditioned to have low standards.
Frontiers is far, far away from what could be called a good game.
Really now? One of the SEGA employees mentions that they want to catch up with Mario.
||Hahahaha…||
||It’s funny how some human beigns hold into impossible to realize dream, anyway to each teir own…||
Write in proper english you dumb fuck
Not saying that the game was flaw free, but I would definitely say launching Sonic Superstars alongside Mario Wonder was not a smart play: they really should have either waited until january, or released it earlier like the end of September.
“Although Sonic Superstars has generally been well received by those who have played it”…They really come from an alternate universe.
Well, they all have to release the games before Christmas so…
So can we all just admit the Full Price didn’t help? Like you have Wonder at 60 for a really complete experience and then you have this at 60 for a buggy and super short one.
Frontiers was ok, but non stop praise? It’s literally a beta for the next game.
You’re the beta
You’re the beta male you cuck soyboy booger pilled freak!
Anyone own that new Sonic game? Is it good or is it lame? At least Sega admits 2D Mario is to blame. Excuse me while I order a Passion Fruit Juice with a spice of candy cane.
“amazing game outsells mediocre game” is not news.
It wouldn’t sell as good alone anyways.
Sonic in purely 2.5D has a a long track record of not selling great.