I played the original Sonic Generations game several years ago on Xbox 360, and although my curiosity for Sonic X Shadow Generations was piqued, I decided to wait. After all, the Nintendo Switch 2 was looming on the horizon at the time, and I thought the blue blur could greatly benefit on a new Nintendo platform. Although I expected this, the announcement of Sonic X Shadow Generations for Nintendo Switch 2 filled me with excitement, and thanks to SEGA, I was able to dive right into the game as soon as I unboxed my new console. That wait was certainly worth it, as Sonic X Shadow Generations may be in its finest and most delightful form on Switch 2.
I won’t retread old waters from our initial Sonic X Shadow Generations review too much, but the remaster offers two different experiences from the get go: the original Sonic Generations campaign and the new Shadow Generations campaign. Classic and modern Sonic team up to save their friends and stop Dr. Eggman’s plans of rewriting history with the Time Eater, while Shadow battles Doom’s Eye and attempts to thwart a plot for Black Doom’s revival. Shadow’s campaign coincides with the plot of Sonic Generations, and he has his own White Space to explore, similarly to Sonic. The main difference is that Shadow’s White Space, and the entire campaign by extension, is entirely in 3D, just like modern Sonic’s levels. Shadow Generations is also built on Hedgehog Engine 2, the very same engine from Sonic Frontiers, so this experience feels much more grand and up-to-date, in a sense.
Sonic X Shadow Generations Performs Amazingly Well on Nintendo Switch 2
Weighing in at roughly 22.1 GB of data, the Nintendo Switch 2 version of Sonic X Shadow Generations is simply brilliant. You can say goodbye to 30 FPS during gameplay, as the game stays locked at 60 FPS in Sonic Generations now. In Shadow Generations, there’s a 30 FPS Quality Mode and 60 FPS Performance mode, with the former leveraging the superior resolution. However, Performance Mode looks impressive in both handheld and docked mode, so I chose to keep my entire Shadow Generations experience at 60 FPS.
Image quality is also very crisp in handheld mode, as it appears to hit the 1080p target without issue. One problem I had with many Switch games was the lack of a good anti-aliasing method, and the Nintendo Switch version of Sonic x Shadow Generations did suffer this same problem. Fortunately, this problem is also gone, as Sonic X Shadow Generations boasts colorful visuals, detailed textures, and vibrant character models. The only perceivable drawback of the Nintendo Switch 2 version’s visuals is the slightly muddied look of the game in Performance Mode. Of course, this is a very minor trade-off, considering you will be blasting through stages very quickly and not paying close attention to textures for the most part.
It’s Not All Perfect
One of the few problem I have with Sonic X Shadow Generations on Nintendo Switch 2 is the lack of an upgrade path from the original Switch version. That’s right; there’s no free or paid upgrade for the Nintendo Switch version. As a result, you will have to buy the game again if you want to play the Nintendo Switch 2 version, and this unfortunately rings true for the DLC as well. At the very least, save data from the Nintendo Switch version carries over to the Switch 2 version, allowing you to play from where you last left off.
One point of contention is the existence of game-key cards, and Sonic X Shadow Generations is one of the titles that follows into this category of release. Since Sonic X Shadow Generations is a game-key card title, game data is not contained within the card itself and must be downloaded. For physical collectors, this may or may not be a sticking point to you, but I think it was worth pointing out nonetheless.
Sonic X Shadow Generations is Still a Great Sonic Entry Point
Sonic X Shadow Generations is an excellent entry point into the series, and for Nintendo fans, it honestly doesn’t get any better than the Nintendo Switch 2 version. SEGA was able to craft an excellent port here that leaves the original Switch version behind, for better or worse if you’re a physical collector. Not only does the game run at 60 FPS without issues, but Sonic X Shadow Generations takes advantage of the Nintendo Switch 2 hardware and delivers great visuals worthy of a remaster. This port bodes well for future Sonic titles on the platform, and I do hope SEGA optimizes Sonic Frontiers to make that another solid game to play on Switch 2.
Sonic x Shadow Generations is available now for Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store.
Disclaimer: SEGA provided a Nintendo Switch 2 copy of Sonic x Shadow Generations for review purposes.
