- Original Platform: PC, Switch, PS4/5, Xbox One/Series
- Version Played: Xbox Series S
- Where to get: Digital stores
The latest Sonic spin-off, this platforming game is a very different kind of platforming to other Sonic games, where Sonic is trapped in a ball and you move him by tilting the level itself, guiding Sonic past obstacles and along narrow paths.
This is the first spin-off since Sonic Jump Fever where Sonic is playable, but not unlocked at the start. Instead, you start as AiAi the Monkey, who was introduced in Sonic Rivals and has appeared in a few spin-offs since then. The story itself is very loose and isn’t really explained at all. My guess is Dr Robotnik (who you never actually encounter) has trapped Sonic in an airtight ball, and he has to make his way through the levels in order to unlock the ball and escape. There is a time limit for each level (presumably representing how much air is left in Sonic’s ball). Some of the levels also imply that Sonic has also been shrunk down, as they take place above giant washing machines or a campsite stove.
Each grouping of levels starts off with a “Green Hill Zone” level. It isn’t called Green Hill Zone, but features the signature chequered pattern, something that is consistent across all levels, but in different colours. There are some imaginative ideas here, as one series of levels takes place in a giant whale that has swallowed multiple cities, trapped in orbs.
The gameplay itself is simple. The levels are made up of floating platforms that you tilt and you have to make it to the goal plate, collecting rings along the way. The rings can be used for unlockables, and collecting them all gets you bonus points. The gameplay itself sounds simple, but the simplicity is misleading as the levels get difficult very quickly. Thankfully, there are no lives to worry about, so you can perfect each level to your heart’s content, and the time from failing to starting again is very short, meaning that the difficult levels are challenging without being frustrating. I think I actually died on one level over 100 times before finally managing it.
Super Sonic Ball is a really great game. The levels can get ridiculously difficult, but it’s immensely satisfying when you finally beat one.
