Unlike many other games on the Nintendo Switch,Sonic Frontierswill release on the platform as the “same experience” as other platforms according to Sonic Team boss Takashi Iizuka. WithSonic Frontierschanging the formula for the blue blur once again, Iizuka and other devs have put work into the Nintendo Switch port so that it will perform at the same high levels as on PlayStation or Xbox when it releases.
With the upcoming release ofSonic Frontiers, Takashi Iizuka has joined the press circuit to give details about the next-gen title, including the effort that artists and programmers are putting into the game to create the same experience on Nintendo Switch. SinceSonic Frontiersreceived a 15-minute reveal back in August, manySonicfans have had questions about the upcoming title, and with it coming out in two days, more details continue to emerge. Although severalSonicfans are anticipating the release ofSonic Frontiersafter going goldto see what has changed from previous titles, reviews are slowly coming out to confirm that departing from the standard formula may have been a worthy gamble for the series.
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According to Takashi Iizuka,Sonic Frontiersmay still provide the most “high-end assets” on an upgraded PC, but the Hedgehog Engine can reduce the aforementioned assets on Nintendo Switch to make the game look comparable to other platforms. The scalability of these assets is an effort from the team to make sure thatSonic Frontiersplayers on the Nintendo Switchwill have roughly the same experience as anywhere else that the game is available. Although Iizuka also confirmed that these development efforts have been “extremely challenging,” Nintendo Switch players may have fewer problems to report about theSonic Frontiersport than others likeMortal Kombat 11,Overwatch, orWolfenstein: Youngblood.
Because so many games from other platforms have launched on Nintendo Switch with frame rate or graphical issues when lined up next to other versions, Iizuka’s statement may relieve some Nintendo fans. The graphics inSonic Frontiersmay not be as polished on Nintendo Switch as they are on other platforms based on Iizuka’s comments, but it seems like the performance will remain consistent with the asset scaling of the Hedgehog Engine. Iizuka has expressed the risk of delving into new territory with aSonicgame since theSonic Frontiersreveal backlash, but it may be a gamble like theSonic the Hedgehogmovie that pays off in the end.
Though manySonicfans have yet to get their hands onSonic Frontierswhich launches in two days, others with review copies have hinted at the improved quality of the game compared to previous titles. Because of the limited capabilities of the Nintendo Switch tablet which can only hit 720p, someSonicfans have expressed their doubt about its ability to run so well in handheld mode versus being docked.
Sonic Frontiersreleases for Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on November 8.
