Sonic X Shadow Generations goes appropriately fast on Switch 2

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You don’t have to take my word for it, but Sonic X Shadow Generations is truly fantastic! If you haven’t already, I encourage you to read my detailed review on this site first. Once you’ve had a chance to check it out, feel free to return and explore more of my Sonic and Shadow-related content as well. In fact, I wrote quite a bit about them last year – it was an enjoyable experience!

When the Switch 2 was released and I managed to acquire one, I couldn’t resist asking to cover the new Switch 2 adaptation of Sega’s latest (and genuinely impressive) hedgehog escapade.

I’m usually not easily wowed when it comes to gaming hardware, as I feel like I’ve seen everything by now. The discussions about teraflops and triangles might be commonplace, but they seem less exciting to me. However, handheld devices still have the ability to evoke that special feeling. As someone who was raised with a Game Boy and continues to appreciate handhelds, there’s just something unique about holding games in your hands instead of playing on a monitor or large TV screen.

To this day, I recall vividly the last time I experienced such excitement, which was while playing Mario Kart DS on the original, bulky Nintendo DS. Glimpsing those vibrant, crisp graphics reminiscent of the Nintendo 64, racing at full speed on a tiny screen, all enclosed in a pocket-sized clamshell device… I was left spellbound for a while. Upon the release of the Switch 2, I hadn’t anticipated having another such moment, as I navigated the routine tasks like updating and installing software on an interface that didn’t seem to have undergone significant changes compared to its predecessor.

I launched Sonic X Shadow Generations, tackled the opening stage in Shadow Generations, and overall had a good experience. However, I neglected to investigate its features before diving in. I didn’t consider checking the options until I found myself in a space similar to Sonic Frontiers, known as White Space. There, I discovered an option to adjust performance settings, much like in the PlayStation 5 edition. And that’s when the game truly shined.

The Switch 2 boasts an exceptionally beautiful screen, demonstrating that LED has made significant strides, even though OLED is commonly considered the top choice today. Yet, when playing a game as vibrantly dark like Shadow Generations at high resolution and lightning-fast 60 frames per second on a portable device, technical details become irrelevant. It’s like feeling the excitement I had with Mario Kart DS all over again for a brief while. Simply running, jumping, grinding rails, and crushing enemies in White Space rekindled that long-lost sense of awe usually associated with next-gen consoles. Yes, it’s awesome!

The Sonic games on the original Nintendo Switch, despite good reception, haven’t been as impressive as they could have been. Ports of games like Sonic Forces, Sonic Frontiers, and Sonic X Shadow Generations were respectable and playable, but often fell short of maintaining a consistent 30 frames per second at 720p or lower. The limitations were noticeable. In comparison to the PS5 version I’d previously played, the differences in the Switch version felt subtle and required close inspection. The disparity is significant and should not be overlooked. It would be great if some updates could be made available for those other two games to improve the experience.

Although it’s unfortunate that there’s no straightforward upgrade fee for Switch owners, Sonic X Shadow Generations Switch 2 edition is highly recommended by me. In fact, I could rationalize buying it again if I had previously purchased the handheld version. Given my past experience playing on a more powerful console, I find myself eager to invest more time into this game. It’s remarkable that such a high-quality game can run smoothly on a handheld device, one that doesn’t have the typical issues of a PC crammed into a compact shell with noisy fans and heating problems. Frankly, it feels like a magical experience. However, I might as well call it dark magic given its edgy atmosphere. Kudos to the developers for maintaining that vibe!

The game “Sonic X Shadow Generations” is currently accessible on the Nintendo Switch 2, having already been launched on the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One and Series X|S, as well as PC. In this review, a code for the Switch 2 was kindly provided by the publisher.

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2025-06-18 16:27