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Digital Foundry - Sonic Colors Ultimate: Every Console Version Tested

Lant_War

Lant_War

Classic Anus Game
The Fallen
Jul 14, 2018
23,580



Summary:

- Higher resolution textures and remade assets, more modern effects like bloom, specularity in certain materials, shading, etc.
- UI is redone for higher resolutions.
- These changes definitely make it look differently, and some might prefer the original look.
- Some small visual glitches on PS5, objects poping, effects flickering, distant geometry missing.
- Cutscenes have been upscaled using AI, results are not perfect but still an improvement over the original.
Differences between platforms:
  • PS5: 1440p at locked 60FPS.
  • PS4: 1080p for the base and 1440p for the Pro, at mostly locked 60FPS with occasional hitches when running through the stages.
  • Xbox Series: 1080p on the S / native 4K for the X, with x16 AF applied on the Series X version. Both at locked 60FPS
  • Xbox One: 900p for the S / native 4K for the X, also 60FPS but with hitches being longer and occurring more frequently. They note that the actual framerate is fine, since it reaches 60FPS constantly when the hitches aren't occurring.
  • Switch: 600p portable / 900p docked, targetting 30FPS but also with occasional hiccups. Lower asset quality and much longer loading times than even the original Wii release.
- John recommends the game on next gen, but recommends waiting for a patch on last gen or Switch.
 

Deleted member 11008

User requested account closure
Avenger
Oct 27, 2017
6,627
PS5 and Series S should be doing a lot better, but I will accept those 1080p 60fps on the S. Shame, because I won't get this soon.
 
Kittenz

Kittenz

Member
Oct 28, 2017
3,156
Minneapolis
asagami_ said:
PS5 and Series S should be doing a lot better, but I will accept those 1080p 60fps on the S. Shame, because I won't get this soon.
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On the S, though, wouldn't you rather have 1080 and rock solid 60 than 1440 with any hitches? A lot of us have an S hooked up to a 1080 TV or monitor anyway, which is why we bought it vs. an X.
 
Darknight

Darknight

"I'd buy that for a dollar!"
Member
Oct 25, 2017
22,840
Why is the PS5 at 1440p while even the Xbox One X is at 4K? Are there additional graphical features being done on the PS5 version over the Xbox One X?
 

Deleted member 11008

User requested account closure
Avenger
Oct 27, 2017
6,627
Kittenz said:
On the S, though, wouldn't you rather have 1080 and rock solid 60 than 1440 with any hitches? A lot of us have an S hooked up to a 1080 TV or monitor anyway, which is why we bought it vs. an X.
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Oh sure, I accept gladly this resolution if that mean it's 60 fps, but I think the S could have a solid 60 framerate at 1440p... assuming the game is optimized, of course. It's not like the game is at the best state anyway.
 
psionotic

psionotic

Member
May 29, 2019
2,086
I'm stunned that the Switch performance is so terrible... 600p and sub-30fps when in handheld mode..? Plus terrible loading times.

It's a shame, because this would seem to be a perfect mobile game.
 
HardRojo

HardRojo

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
26,133
Peru
I'll go with Series X version then when everything is patched and running well. No need to rush to buy it for now.
 
ILikeFeet

ILikeFeet

DF Deet Master
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
61,987
an Xbox One struggles to run a wii game at 1080p. sad

this port reeks of not enough dev time. par for the course for Sonic lately
 

bloopland33

Member
Mar 4, 2020
2,222
Not even 1080p on the Switch? I guess this whole time I'd been assuming it was, and that was probably part of why it was 30fps
 
VinylCassette64

VinylCassette64

The Fallen
Oct 26, 2017
2,426
Colors Ultimate in generals feels like it could had been punted to 2022 altogether, but I'm borderline close to saying the Switch version should had been shitcanned outright if this is the best they could manage with the resources they had.

Worse textures, longer loading times, and a less consistent framerate than the Wii original? And that's before getting into it being an even bigger mess of glitches than the other versions, seizure-induing bug included. Why even bother with rushing that out for 2021, let alone releasing it at all if they couldn't afford more time to develop it.
 
CarterTax

CarterTax

Member
Oct 25, 2017
709
RoastBeeph said:
Yeah but the Series X I S is also just running the Xbox version, in BC mode. I don't understand why the PS5 wouldn't be higher resolution than PS4 Pro or Xbox One X. Xbox One X being higher resolution than PS5 is the biggest oddity.
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It's really not an oddity. The PS5 is simply running the PS4 Pro game in b/c, as such it's limited to the Pro's output of 1440p. The Series X is running the One X version which is 4K. The b/c is working (for better or worse) as intended.

The One X is more capable than the Pro which explains the resolution differences between the PS5 and Series X.
 
shenren90

shenren90

Member
Feb 7, 2021
10
Never got the chance to play it on the Wii but I love Sonic games! Even with all the stories I took a punt and so far it's been perfect on series X
 
kimbo99

kimbo99

Member
Feb 21, 2021
4,799
This seems like a really awful port all around. Will get on Gamepass when available.
 
horkrux

horkrux

Member
Oct 27, 2017
4,733
soniclelnxkjn.png


can't wait to give this a watch
 
ss_lemonade

ss_lemonade

Member
Oct 27, 2017
6,659
RoastBeeph said:
Yeah but the Series X I S is also just running the Xbox version, in BC mode. I don't understand why the PS5 wouldn't be higher resolution than PS4 Pro or Xbox One X. Xbox One X being higher resolution than PS5 is the biggest oddity.
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It's probably a faster/straightforward conversion to just have BC do it's job. PS4 Pro runs at a lower resolution than One X, so you see the same with the PS5 and Series X. Wasn't this very common with PS4 Pro and One X releases?
 
ILikeFeet

ILikeFeet

DF Deet Master
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
61,987
VinylCassette64 said:
Colors Ultimate in generals feels like it could had been punted to 2022 altogether, but I'm borderline close to saying the Switch version should had been shitcanned outright if this is the best they could manage with the resources they had.

Worse textures, longer loading times, and a less consistent framerate than the Wii original? And that's before getting into it being an even bigger mess of glitches than the other versions, seizure-induing bug included. Why even bother with rushing that out for 2021, let alone releasing it at all if they couldn't afford more time to develop it.
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given how closely tied Sonic is to the nintendo audience, if they can't get a switch version out, I question the entire value of the project. I wouldn't be shocked if 50% of sales come from Switch.
 
jeelybeans

jeelybeans

Member
Oct 25, 2017
6,948
Sucks it can't hit 720p on Switch handheld, even with the framerate drop. :/ This is likely a low effort port but the Switch hardware is really showing it's age and I really wish we had a pro esque refresh instead of the Switch OLED we got.
 
ILikeFeet

ILikeFeet

DF Deet Master
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
61,987
jeelybeans said:
Sucks it can't hit 720p on Switch handheld, even with the framerate drop. :/ This is likely a low effort port but the Switch hardware is really showing it's age and I really wish we had a pro esque refresh instead of the Switch OLED we got.
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It's a dang wii game. Let's not make ridiculous excuses here. A wii game just got released at 1080p 60fps on the system
 

RoastBeeph

Member
Oct 29, 2017
1,027
CarterTax said:
It's really not an oddity. The PS5 is simply running the PS4 Pro game in b/c, as such it's limited to the Pro's output of 1440p. The Series X is running the One X version which is 4K. The b/c is working (for better or worse) as intended.

The One X is more capable than the Pro which explains the resolution differences between the PS5 and Series X.
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Ahh, that explains it, thanks.
 
Hero of Legend

Hero of Legend

Member
Oct 26, 2017
13,610
ILikeFeet said:
It's a dang wii game. Let's not make ridiculous excuses here. A wii game just got released at 1080p 60fps on the system
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Skyward Sword obviously is an amazing example of a Wii remaster, but I think No More Heroes 1 and 2 deserve special props because those are also 1080p60 on Switch and were not made with close collab with Nintendo. Engine Software who did NMH1&2 did an amazing job and should've been the ones behind Colors on Switch, even if it had to be a 1:1 port of the Wii original. I doubt many would care, especially in retrospect.
 
EggmaniMN

EggmaniMN

Banned
May 17, 2020
3,465
ILikeFeet said:
It's a dang wii game. Let's not make ridiculous excuses here. A wii game just got released at 1080p 60fps on the system
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It isn't "a Wii game" it's what was originally a Wii game redone in a completely different engine with lots of upgraded features. Like, I really shouldn't have to say just how terrible it is and how insulting it is to the devs to just say "it's a Wii game."
 
Tohsaka

Tohsaka

Member
Nov 17, 2017
6,796
CloseTalker said:
Geez, PS5 is hanging with PS4 Pro? That's a pretty big gulf between PS5 and XSX
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YolkFolk said:
They couldn't even get past 1440p on PS5 for an upgraded Wii game?
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Darknight said:
Why is the PS5 at 1440p while even the Xbox One X is at 4K? Are there additional graphical features being done on the PS5 version over the Xbox One X?
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It's because there's no native PS5/Xbox Series versions, the game is running in BC mode and the Xbox One X is obviously quite a bit more powerful than the PS4 Pro.
 
ILikeFeet

ILikeFeet

DF Deet Master
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
61,987
EggmaniMN said:
It isn't "a Wii game" it's what was originally a Wii game redone in a completely different engine with lots of upgraded features. Like, I really shouldn't have to say just how terrible it is and how insulting it is to the devs to just say "it's a Wii game."
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they did a lot of work, the AI upscaling, the higher quality assets, and the changes to the weird hybrid engine, but I don't think the performance matches the output. it feels like the game is missing a polishing pass, very obvious from the Switch version. this is less a fault of the developers and more on Sega. a lot of these issues can be fixed with patches (and probably some big ones on Switch), but in a better world, the game wouldn't have been rushed to meet the anniversary
 
Darknight

Darknight

"I'd buy that for a dollar!"
Member
Oct 25, 2017
22,840
Tohsaka said:
It's because there's no native PS5/Xbox Series versions, the game is running in BC mode and the Xbox One X is obviously quite a bit more powerful than the PS4 Pro.
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TaySan said:
PS5 is the PS4 Pro version running on BC. Same with Xbox Series and Xbox One versions.
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Ya, I wasn't aware it wasn't a native game and was just running in backwards compatibility mode. That said, how come the Series S version runs at 1080p instead of 900p since Series S plays games in Xbox One S mode? Is the game running in dynamic res on the Xbox One S?
 
No Depth

No Depth

Member
Oct 27, 2017
18,294
Can confirm I haven't noticed any real visual issues on PS5, but the surround mix is awful and certain effects are ear-piercing.

It does look clean, but now I wish I held out for XSX knowing that version is proper 4k60.
 
Marmoka

Marmoka

Member
Oct 27, 2017
5,028
This video has convinced me to give a try to the game, I loved it on Wii and wanted to replay it.

As a PS4 owner, I will follow their suggestion and wait for some patches. The PS4 one seems to be fine, but apparently the game needed like two additional months to be released in a better state.
 
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