Vince Pavey is a writer from the North-East of England who has worked on comics for The Beano and Doctor Who. He likes to play video games and eat good food. Sometimes he does both at the same time, but he probably shouldn’t.
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What is Sonic Colors Ultimate?
Sonic Colors Ultimate (or Sonic Colours Ultimate, in Europe) is a Black Squirrel Engine remaster of SEGA’s 2010 Nintendo Wii platformer Sonic Colours developed by Blind Squirrel Games. It’s gameplay is a follow up to the style that was first introduced in Sonic Unleashed, often referred to as the ‘boost formula’ by series fans. It’s camera and controls shift between 2D and 3D depending on the area Sonic is in.
Sonic Colors was also the first title in the Sonic the Hedgehog series to feature his new alien friends the Wisps, who provide the blue blur with special powers that will let him access new areas.
Alongside frame rate and graphical improvements to Sonic Colors, Ultimate adds new routes, a new Jade Ghost Wisp and Rival Rush, an intense mode where you race against Metal Sonic in completed levels. Sonic Colors Ultimate also has a fully remixed soundtrack, including a new recording of the game’s theme song ‘Reach For The Stars’ by American electronica musicians Cash Cash.
How to get Sonic Colors Ultimate Early Access
Sonic Colors Ultimate Early Access comes with the Digital Deluxe edition of the game. If you get that version through the Epic Game Store, Xbox Marketplace, PlayStation Store or the Nintendo eShop, you can play the game early on September 3, 2021.
Early Access Launch Times for Sonic Colors Ultimate
- PlayStation 4 & PlayStation 5 — 00:00 BST / 16:00 PST / 18:00 CST
- Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S — 14:00 BST / 06:00 PST / 08:00 CST
- Nintendo Switch — 00:00 BST / 16:00 PST / 18:00 CST
- Epic Game Store — 00:00 BST / 16:00 PST / 18:00 CST
What is Sonic Colors Ultimate’s Release Date?
Sonic Colors Ultimate officially releases on September 7, 2021, which means that if you do get Sonic Colors Ultimate Early Access you’ll be able to play it four days before everyone else.
What else is in the Sonic Colors Ultimate Digital Deluxe Edition?
Sonic Colors Ultimate Digital Deluxe also includes several cosmetic downloadable content items that gamers may find enhances their play experience.
Several of the items tie in to the extremely popular Sonic the Hedgehog movie that was released in February 2020. The Digital Deluxe cosmetic items are:
- Sonic Movie Icons
- Sonic Movie Boost
- Sonic Colours: Ultimate – Music Pack
- Metallic Pack
- Exclusive Player Icons
What platforms is Sonic Colors Ultimate on?
Sonic Colors Ultimate is on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 (backwards compatibility), Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch and Windows PC via the Epic Game Store.
Does Sonic Colors Ultimate have crossplay or cross progression?
While Sonic Colors Ultimate does have multiplayer and even cosmetic costume changes for Sonic the Hedgehog, SEGA have decided to keep it a strictly offline-only affair. Sorry, gamers!
Where can I pre order Sonic Colors Ultimate?
You can purchase the Digital Deluxe edition of Sonic Colors here:
If you’d prefer a physical copy, here are some handy retailer links:
Purchase Sonic Colors Ultimate at Amazon US
Purchase Sonic Colors Ultimate at Amazon UK
Sonic Colours Ultimate Physical Copies Delayed
If you live in Europe, you may want to choose to get a digital copy of Sonic Colors Ultimate, as physical copies of the title have been “delayed indefinitely” in EMEA regions other than Australia and New Zealand.
SEGA has blamed the delay on “unforeseen logistical issues” caused by the ongoing global pandemic.
When physical copies of Sonic Colors Ultimate start to arrive in the UK, we’ll let you know.
If you like SEGA remasters that feature Sonic the Hedgehog, you may also be interested in Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania — you can check out our gamescom coverage of that here.
