Sonic x Shadow Generations Switch 2 review – the ultimate lifeform

It’s not always easy being a Sonic fan. Sometimes, you wait for what feels like an eternity for a new adventure with the Blue Blur, only for it to be an underwhelming venture. I say that, yet Sonic and the Black Knight holds a special place in my heart. Luckily, in 2024, there was no doubt in anyone’s mind that it truly was the year of Shadow, with Sonic x Shadow Generations being a game Sonic fans long deserved.

It’s both a remaster and something new, with the Sonic portion being a spruced-up version of Sonic Generations from 2010, while the Shadow side of the game is brand new, offering a campaign with one of the best Sonic characters. So, while we know that the best Sonic game we’ve seen for some time is a killer time on other platforms, how does it fare on the Nintendo Switch 2? Is Sonic’s most recent outing worthy of a spot in your library for the new console?

Our Nintendo Switch 2 review highlights that Nintendo’s latest hardware offers quite the performance upgrade over its predecessor. Meanwhile, my Cyberpunk 2077 Switch 2 review is a testament to the fact that the console can run games that are much more demanding than Sonic x Shadow Generations, which should give you a hint as to how well it runs on the system. So, while I’m happy to divulge my thoughts on the game at large, it feels right to start this review with what you want to know about the Switch 2 port.

In short, it runs like a dream, a bit like Sonic himself. Team Sonic and Sega have done a stand-up job again, and the levels look even more beautiful and vibrant. However, while it’s mostly free of performance issues, there were one or two dips – particularly slowdowns in Rail Canyon – though they passed quite quickly. Being mostly stellar in the performance department is a real blessing, as Sonic levels can be tricky to get through without the added stress of framerate drops and bugs.

While there’s that slight slowdown issue, I need to add that the game does run better on the Switch 2 than it does on the original Switch, and any slight issue you encounter doesn’t have enough of an impact to impede your experience. There are several segments of the game during Shadow’s campaign that give you a ‘Multiverse of Madness’ vibe, and these also suffered from framerate drops and slowdown on the Switch, but there’s no such issue on the new hardware. The chaos control segments also show an improvement, as, once again, slowdown is the enemy on the previous console.

The only other minor complaint I have regarding the performance on Switch 2 is the minor rendering issues in the open hub worlds, but that’s honestly me being quite nitpicky, which shows just how well it performs, really. Speaking of the hub worlds, they’re one of my favorite things in Shadow’s campaign, with collectibles hiding around, waiting for you to find them. Perhaps this is something for Team Sonic to consider in future games – a mix of the new and old for Sonic. So, instead of a huge open world for the whole adventure, like in Sonic Frontiers, there are several open hubs for you to explore instead, and then the levels are separate.

Keeping on with Shadow’s portion of the game, I have to admit that I would’ve loved to get to enjoy a level or two straight out of the 2005 Shadow the Hedgehog game, but I can understand why that didn’t happen. However, it does feature stages from the likes of Sonic Adventure 2 and Sonic Heroes, the latter of which is one of my favorite Sonic games. Luckily, even though Shadow is missing a gun (again, I get it), you still get the quintessential Shadow experience as you get a good look at his chaos powers. I’m especially fond of his chaos spears; he doesn’t shoot a gun now, but badass-looking spears are better anyway.

I’m not too fond of spoilers, even if the biggest portion of the game is a remaster, so I’ll refrain from spoiling anything in either campaign here. But if there’s one thing they share, it’s great level design. Of course, this is unsurprising to Sonic Generations fans, as you already knew what to expect, given the 2010 original is a love letter to the franchise that lets you go through the best levels from Sonic’s long history.

Personally, my favorite levels from Sonic’s portion of the game are City Escape and Rooftop Ruin, the second of which is from Sonic Unleashed. This Sonic game also deserves a remaster, in my opinion, and I’m not just saying that because its theme song, Endless Possibility, lives rent-free in my head. Beyond those, Sonic Generations also features stages from other games such as Sonic Colors, Sonic Adventure, and Sonic the Hedgehog (both the 1991 and 2006 versions).

I’d go so far as to say that Sonic x Shadow Generations is the definitive Sonic game on Nintendo’s previous console, and it’s certainly getting this franchise off to a fantastic start on the Nintendo Switch 2. Its minimal performance issues don’t hinder the fun you get from both old and new campaigns.

Should you want to get more Switch games for your new hardware, we have a Hitman: World of Assassination review, a Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut Switch 2 review, and a Mario Kart World review, so you can learn more about the launch games before parting with your cash.