Sonic Frontiers, unlike many other games for the Nintendo Switch, would be released as the “same experience” as previous platforms, according to Sonic Team CEO Takashi Iizuka. With Sonic Frontiers modifying the formula for the blue blur once again, Iizuka and other developers have worked hard to ensure that the Nintendo Switch port performs at the same high levels as the PlayStation or Xbox versions when it is released.
Takashi Iizuka has joined the press circuit ahead of the release of Sonic Frontiers to provide insights about the next-gen title, including the work that artists and programmers are putting into the game to provide a similar experience on Nintendo Switch. Since Sonic Frontiers’ 15-minute presentation in August, many Sonic fans have had concerns about the next title, and with it set to release in two days, more information is beginning to surface. Although many Sonic fans are eagerly awaiting the release of Sonic Frontiers when it has gone gold to see what has changed from prior games, reviews are slowly trickling in to indicate that deviating from the conventional formula was a worthwhile bet for the franchise.
According to Takashi Iizuka, Sonic Frontiers may still have the most “high-end assets” on an updated PC, but the Hedgehog Engine on Nintendo Switch may lower the aforementioned assets to make the game seem equivalent to other platforms. The scalability of these assets is part of the team’s commitment to ensure that Sonic Frontiers players on the Nintendo Switch have nearly the same experience as Sonic Frontiers players anyplace else the game is offered. Although Iizuka said that the development efforts have been “very difficult,” Nintendo Switch fans may have fewer complaints about the Sonic Frontiers adaptation than others such as Mortal Kombat 11, Overwatch, or Wolfenstein: Youngblood.
Because so many games from other platforms have been released on the Nintendo Switch with frame rate or graphical flaws when compared to other versions, Iizuka’s comments may provide some relief to Nintendo fans. Based on Iizuka’s remarks, the aesthetics in Sonic Frontiers may not be as refined on Nintendo Switch as they are on other platforms, but the performance seems to be consistent with the Hedgehog Engine’s asset scaling. Since the Sonic Frontiers announcement criticism, Iizuka has voiced concern about venturing into new ground with a Sonic game, but it may be a gamble that pays out in the end, similar to the Sonic the Hedgehog movie.
Though many Sonic fans have yet to play Sonic Frontiers, which will be released in two days, those who have received review copies have said that the game is of higher quality than prior releases. Because of the Nintendo Switch tablet’s restricted capabilities, which can only reach 720p, several Sonic fans have voiced doubts about its capacity to operate so effectively in handheld form vs docked mode.
