Sonic Colors: Ultimateis one of the most accessible games inthe Sonic series (which boasts some intriguing titles that were sadly cancelled), but there’s a big difference between being good enough to roll the credits and mastering the game’s mechanics. The game offers plenty of incentive for players to improve their skills as well.
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100 percent completion can only be obtained by reaching S Rank on every stage, collecting every Red Star Ring, and clearing every challenge level. Achieving all these goals is only made possible by understanding how the game works inside and out, from mastering the game’s physics to maximizing its scoring system. Needless to say,dedicated Sonic the Hedgehog fanswon’t want to miss a thing. There’s no way to instantly make the leap from novice to master, but keeping a few things in mind will speed up the process.
10To Obtain S Ranks, Points Matter Above All Else
Back in the GameCube era, the easiest way to secure an A rank was to rush through a level as quickly as possible in order to secure a massive Time Bonus.InSonic Colors: Ultimate, Time Bonus is no longer what matters most.
Instead,players should focus on racking up as big a score as possible before completing a stage.Seek out Wisps and use them until they run out of energy. Every second spent using a Wisp adds a significant amount of points to the overall score. Be sure to kill every easy-to-find Badnik as well, because each of them is worth 1000 points.
9Hunt For S Ranks After Clearing The Game
After finishing a level with a C or D rank, it can be really tempting to hit that Try Again button to improve a high score. While there’s certainly nothing wrong with replaying a level for fun,players who are aiming for 100 percent completion will be better served taking the low grade and coming back after rolling the credits.
Most stages are easier to score well on once every Wisp has been unlocked, as some will open paths with more available points. Waiting until the end of the game also gives players a great excuse to revisitthe best zones Sonic Colors: Ultimate has to offer.
8If A Boss Has Minions, Defeat Them For Points
Boss stages are generally pretty easy to attain S Ranks on (at least compared to standard levels), but it’s important to remember the golden rule of S Rank hunting:Points above speed. Even though destroying bosses in just two hits is one of thethe most awesome hidden tricks in the game, exploiting weakspots is not the best strategy to collect S Ranks. Several bosses bring minions to aid in their quest to destroy Sonic, and those henchmen are the perfect way to farm points!
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The boss of Sweet Mountain is a perfect example. Killing him quickly with the Drill Wisp is not enough to secure a top rank.Make sure to take down his bouncing sidekicks too, and the S Rank will follow.
7Pause And Restart After Every Death
It would be nice ifSonic Colors: Ultimateignored deaths that occur before a player hits the first checkpoint, but it doesn’t work that way.Obtaining an S Rank is impossible after death or a Tails Save, so players need to remember to restart as soon as they die, regardless of where it happens.
There’s nothing more frustrating than finally nailing a perfect run, only to be foiled by an early death that wasn’t nullified by a restart. Even if players are only aiming for A Ranks, restarting is worth it. Thestage timer does not reset after deaths, so an error can kill that time bonus.
6Always Jump Early
Sonic’s speed is a double-edged sword. It can make controlling him unique and joyous, but it often makes Sonic less reliable at basic platforming than his peers.WhenSonic Colors: Ultimatedemands precision platforming,remember to always jump just before the visuals indicate.
Sonic accelerates quickly and jumps slowly, so new players will often find themselves running right into bottomless pits that seem easy to avoid.One false step removes the possibility of obtaining an S Rank, so pros looking to hit 100 percent completion will avoid a lot of frustrating restarts by remembering to jump early.
5Save The Double Jump
Sonic’s jump has never been as iconic as that of his red hat wearing rival, and there’s a good reason for this: Sonic’s jump has been unpredictable for much of the series. InSonic Colors: Ultimate, Sonic’s unwieldy jump is stranger than ever andone of the most frustrating parts of the game.
Sonic can only jump twice, but the way he rises through the air almost gives him a triple jump. By pressing and holding the jump button,Sonic will slow down near the peak of the jump and then accelerate again and gain a few extra inches. That second acceleration can lead to imprecision and frustration, and that’s where pressing the jump button again to perform a true double jump becomes useful. Use the double jump to make midair adjustments. They will be needed.
4Remember That The Controls Are Customizable
There’s nothing wrong with using the default control scheme, but everyone has unique preferences. Thankfully, Sega and Blind Squirrel Games recognize the importance of customizable controls. By visiting the options menu, players can set jump, boost, Wisp Power, and slide to whatever works best for them.
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Setting boost and Wisp Powers to the trigger buttons may be the best setup for players aiming to set speed records. With the controls configured in this manner, it’s easy to maintain a boost while jumping and sliding. This should make navigating each course a far smoother experience.
3Do Not Retry A Stage Immediately After Clearing It Once
For some reason,Sonic Colors: Ultimateonly counts a stage as cleared once the player returns to the stage select screen. Immediately retrying a stage means players won’t be able to advance to the next level without clearing the current one again.
It might be tempting to jump right back into a stage after receiving a bad ranking, butit’s always better to wait through the brief loading screens to mark a level as complete. No completionist likes being tormented by a C grade on the stage select map, but it’s better to deal with that than restart a level, quit, and realize the stage must be cleared again anyway.
2Save The Red Rings For After The Credits
It can be tempting to immediately revisit a stage after missing a couple of Red Rings, but fans are advised to fight that temptation.Most courses will have Red Rings that are inaccessible before saving every Wisp. Once Dr. Eggman has been defeated, every Wisp Capsule will be unlocked, and every ring will be obtainable.
There is no easy way to know exactly which Wisps are required for each stage, so collect as many rings as possible on a first pass and find the rest after defeating Dr. Eggman. Once they’re all collected, the player is one step closer tounlocking Super Sonic via those Chaos Emeralds.
1Go Slow Against Metal Sonic
Racing against Metal Sonic (certainlynot the most obscure character in the series) can be nerve-racking, but the races actually aren’t too difficult for players who take their time. It sounds counter-intuitive, butthe surest way to lose a race is not to finish. Making rash decisions in the name of speed can lead to death, and that means a restart.
There are no bonus rewards for beating Metal Sonic as quickly as humanly possible, and there’s no need to try. Fans should instead be sure they focus on solid platforming. It will get the job done every time.
Sonic Colors: Ultimateis available now, for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and PC.
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