Sonic the Hedgehoghas taken many forms over the years, the latest being the semi-open world ofSonic Frontiers. The Blue Blur’s games have been in constant flux, experimenting with new core gameplay ideas at even higher rates than some of Nintendo’s larger franchises. It’s not a stretch to callSonic the Hedgehogone of gaming’s most flexible series, as the mascot platformer flips around between 2D, 3D, and alternative 3D play styles within the same game and sometimes level. There’s been a lot of missteps along the way, but fans have been given a lot of material to sort through and find something to their tastes.
Even Sonic himself has started getting in on the action. Sonic’s had alternate forms since Super Sonic was introduced inSonic the Hedgehog 2, but more recent titles have been letting players tweak the hedgehog themselves. Customizing Sonic’s abilities and parameters has been a frequent feature, as the upcomingSonic Frontierscan attest to. However, something else was introduced to Sonic’s adventures in the Wii U skew ofSonic Lost Worldseveral months after its launch. In a DLCThe Legend of Zeldalevel, Sonic could don Link’s iconic green tunic. This, combined with the upcoming Rathalos Armor DLC fromMonster HunterinSonic Frontiers, could be the basis for an inspired take onSonic the Hedgehogmultiplayer.
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Costumes and Multiplayer Are Already Prevalent In Sonic the Hedgehog
Visual customization and multiplayer have existed in differentSonicgames over the years. The rarer of the two is a chance to dress Sonic up, with most accessories on his person appearing for mechanical or story reasons out of the player’s control.Sonic Adventure 2,Sonic Adventure 2 Battle, andSonic Rivals 2had outfits that could be unlocked through various means, and2 Battle’s outfits served as slightly altered characters in multiplayer. However,Sonic Forcesthrew the gates wide open with its custom avatars, andSonic Colors: Ultimategot Sonic in on the action with the new Customize feature. While Sonic couldn’t wear full costumes, he could purchase new gloves, shoes, boost effects, and auras with collectible Park Tokens.
As alluded to, multiplayer has been a part ofSonic the Hedgehogfor a long time.Sonic the Hedgehog 2introduced cooperative and competitive multiplayer via Tails, and provided the template for multiplayer to come. ManySonictitles have had racing modes, and some are even built around them.Sonic ColorsandSonic Colors: Ultimatefeaturethe challenge mode Game Land, which one or two players can tackle with Virtual Hedgehogs, featuring unique courses and an unlockable Super Sonic at the end. The different colors thatSonic ColorsandLost World’s Virtual Hedgehogs can come in present another piece of the puzzle, one that a multiplayer-orientedSonicgame may be able to solve.
A New Sonic Multiplayer Title Should Capitalize on Cosmetics
Having the blue hedgehog take on an open world or a host of strangers online are both new experiences for theSonicfranchise, but there’s always room for more experiments.Sonic Forceshas demonstrated how much theSonicfanbase enjoys adding its own visual flair to the games, and showing it off in a space with other people present would be appealing.Sonic’s history with costumesand customization could come to a head in a multiplayerSonicgame that let players personalize their hedgehog.
Whether through progress through in-game ranks likeKirby’s Dream Buffet, progressing through a battle pass, or buying accessories and costumes piecemeal, there are a lot of ways to set up a costume system in a multiplayer game. The heavy customization element ofthe fangameSonic Battle Ralready shows what this could look like in action, and the addition of costumes based on other properties would only make it better. Sega and Sonic Team should keep this in mind as they move forward, and futureSonic the Hedgehoggames should keep pushing costumes wherever possible.
Sonic Frontierswill launch on November 8 for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
