Solar Ash Is A Great Starting Point For The Next 3D Sonic Game

Solar Ash is a great game that cherry-picks ideas from Jet Set Radio, Shadow of the Colossus, and Super Mario Galaxy. As I skewed across the teal clouds, one series was immediately in my mind: Sonic the Hedgehog. I am referring to the 3D entries. These are the titles that caused decades of headaches in the Blue Blur. 

I’ll admit that I’m a Sonic traditionalist. As many 30-somethings, my obsession with Sonic started on the Sega Genesis. Therefore, I strongly believe Sonic’s best work is in 2D. Sonic 2 is my favourite in the series. Sonic Mania 2017, a 2017 throwback created by Sonic Team members, is also my favorite. 

Sonic has never been able to get the 3D parts right. Even the Adventure series is bad, although I still respect them. Sonic Colors is the most enjoyable of all the games, though it has many problems and a superior 2D version on DS. I’ve always found the behind-the-back roller coaster approach takes away too much control. You’re usually just sitting there watching Sonic sprint through a zillion loops and rings. It’s less about flow and more about watching things go really fast until you can play again. Sonic can feel sloppy and impatient when you finally get him back. It is difficult to get your momentum back, which can be frustrating. This game is also prone to being janky.

Sonic Forces

Now, I’m not opposed to playing a great 3D Sonic game. There just haven’t been any. Solar Ash then skates on. It’s all about movement. Rei, the game’s speedster protagonist, controls like a dream. Rei’s acceleration is mapped to her shoulder trigger in a race title. It makes her very easy to handle and allows you to know when it is time to let go. Sonic might be an excellent example. Rei also has an affinity with Shadow the Hedgehog, and so does Shadow the Hedgehog. Shadow will need all of the support he can get.

Solar Ash has a level design that focuses on maintaining and challenging movement. There’s plenty of platforming, but the design allows you to avoid pitfalls while destroying enemies without needing to hit the brakes. It doesn’t take control; you must hold the button down even during grind sequences to maintain your track. The game also offers environmental puzzles, which challenge speed. For example: racing through an intricate network of landmines to kill and locate a target. Solar Ash’s approach to boss battles, which essentially boil down to speedrunning epic Shadow of the Colossus-style battles, are fantastic tests of Rei’s maneuverability. These tight attack windows are a great challenge for your focus and ability to react quickly. It’s smart boss design for a speed-focused hero, and I would love to see Sonic expand on it.

And with all of this, Solar Ash doesn’t bog the experience down with too many mechanics. It’s a clean adventure with a small handful of features that the world design takes full advantage of. 3D Sonic titles have always felt closer to standard platforming levels through which you run very fast, but not always because you’re stopping to smash through stacks of boxes or enemies that can’t be torn through as easily. Also, you have to manage the power-of-the month Sonic may be using at any given moment. These entries feel more messy than others. The Genesis entries, namely the first two, worked because they had a “less is more” mentality. Sonic 3: Knuckles was a good entry, but it became too complex in terms of its level design. Solar Ash shows what can happen when you focus on the core mechanic and scale back.

I’m not saying the next Sonic needs to be a chili dog-flavored carbon copy of Solar Ash. But I believe Heart Machine’s sophomore outing presents an excellent template for what a well-made 3D Sonic game could look like, and I hope that Sonic Team takes notice. Especially since it’s been heavily rumored that the 2022’s yet-to-be-titled Sonic game will take a more freeform, open-world approach. While it used to be difficult to visualize what it would look like, Solar Ash draws a stunning picture of the future that Sonic Team can admire and take lots of notes. And behind it should be Warner Bros./DC if they feel like giving the Flash another shot in video games – but that’s a discussion for another time.