Please support Game Informer. Print magazine subscriptions are less than $2 per issue
Sonic Lost World
Sega has acknowledged Mario Galaxy’s inspiration with Sonic Lost World on Wii U, and that influence is also apparent in the 3DS version. I sped through two fast-paced 3D sections and one slower, puzzle-oriented 2D level. The handheld version may not be as pretty as the Wii U iteration, but the 3D controls actually feel better than the Wii U’s analog stick.
The introductory level is similar to the Wii U version – differently shaped planets are scattered across a bright green and brown world. Sonic sprints up and over ledges, runs sideways on walls parkour-style, and leaps on huge springs to reach new planets. The biggest difference between the two versions of the game lies in the controls. Sonic is less jittery in the 3DS game, with more gradual momentum in these 3D sequences. The added control makes dodging drop-offs and evading enemies easier.
The next section features the same basic 3D platforming, but with some fun power-ups to speed things along. Sonic collects a Color Power (a hold-over from Sonic Colors) and transformers into a floating blue blur that demolishes everything in his path. Walls are reduced to rubble which begins to orbit around you, creating a swirling belt of junk. These rings grow the more you destory, and wipe away enemies as you run through the stage. Another color power gives Sonic a fire shield that shrugs off fire-based attacks.
The third level is a slower-paced 2D affair with rolling boulders that follow your movements and sliding staircases. The staircases remind me of the ones from Chemical Plant Zone in Sonic 2. Often these staircases are triggered by nearby switches. Sonic can lead the rolling bounders to the switches, stun them with a jump, and then traverse the open staircases. These slower, more deliberate 2D stages may help break up the action of the 3DS version in a worthwhile way.
This 3DS version is being developed by Dimps in close association with Sonic Team. Despite the lacking quality of Dimps’ Sonic Generations 3DS game, the developer’s track record shows the developer can achieve greatness with portable Sonic games. Sonic Lost World hits the 3DS this holiday season.
Check the media gallery below for screenshots of the 3DS and Wii U versions of Sonic Lost World
Products In This Article
I’d like to ask you to support Game Informer’s continued coverage of games with a subscription. For less than two dollars per issue, we mail you a full year of 10 print magazines, each with cover stories and preview features filled with exclusive details about the most exciting upcoming games. We profile and interview game creators. We look back on the rich history of gaming, and we celebrate what’s next.
Here on the website, we offer much of our content for free, including game reviews, daily news, videos, event coverage, and more – all with minimal ads.
We do so with a small editorial team, alongside contributing paid writers from around the world – over 65 individuals from 9 countries around the world, just in the last couple of years.
It’s not possible without support.
In a time when game makers and games coverage have faced hard struggles and layoffs, the future of this 30+ year magazine and community is at risk. Our new standalone magazine subscription is the number one way you can keep us alive – and we believe you’ll get a pretty fantastic gaming magazine in your mailbox every few weeks for your trouble.
Thank you.
