Sonic X Shadow Generations Review – Nintendo Switch 2

Sonic fans were over the moon last year when it was revealed that Sonic Generations was getting the remaster treatment and coming out with brand new content focussed on everyone’s favourite anti-hero Shadow. Now with the launch of Nintendo’s newest console, last year’s release is now back yet again. The original Sonic Generations has always been one of those rare 3D Sonic games that actually stuck the landing. Bringing it back with a new twist, centering Shadow the Hedgehog, seemed like a smart move. And with the extra horsepower of the Switch 2, it felt like the perfect time to revisit the past and give it a fresh coat of paint, especially if you hadn’t already picked it up on another platform last year.

The game is essentially two experiences in one: the remastered Sonic Generations and the brand-new Shadow Generations campaign. Sonic’s portion plays out as a celebratory lap through his most iconic stages, with Classic and Modern Sonic teaming up across time to fix a broken timeline caused by the mysterious Time Eater. If you’ve played the original, you’ll know what to expect—tight, fast-paced platforming that flips between 2D and 3D gameplay, with revamped versions of fan-favorite levels like Green Hill Zone, Rooftop Run, and Chemical Plant. It’s nostalgic in all the right ways, and visually it’s been upgraded just enough to feel current without losing its retro charm.

But Shadow’s half of the game? That’s where things really get interesting. His campaign isn’t just a palette swap—it’s a darker, more introspective journey that digs into his past, his connection to Black Doom, and what it means to be a weapon created for destruction. Shadow’s stages are entirely new and designed around his unique toolkit. While Sonic’s gameplay is all about momentum and speed, Shadow’s adds a layer of control and aggression. You get access to “Doom Powers”—abilities granted by the Black Arms—that let you manipulate enemies, traverse terrain in new ways, and temporarily alter the environment to your advantage.

Using Doom Spears to impale a row of enemies mid-dash or tapping into Doom Surf to traverse across water the pace dramatically from Sonic’s more kinetic flow. It’s not overly complex, but it brings just enough tactical depth to keep things fresh. Some of Shadow’s levels actually felt like they belonged in an entirely different genre for a moment—with tense platforming, clever verticality, and a cinematic boss battles that had me genuinely surprised. These aren’t just levels to speed through—they ask you to slow down, think, and sometimes, even get a little ruthless.

What ties everything together beautifully is the game’s soundtrack. Sonic games have always punched above their weight when it comes to music, but the Perfect | Reflectionsalbum might be one of the best efforts yet. The Sonic levels remix familiar tracks with a modern twist—Chemical Plant’s synths hit harder, Rooftop Run feels more orchestral—but it’s the Shadow tracks that steal the show. Songs like “Space Colony ARK” blend ominous electronic tones with hard-hitting guitar riffs, capturing that brooding, anti-hero energy perfectly. And then there are the deep cuts—remixes from Shadow the Hedgehog and Sonic Heroes that hit fans of the series right in the nostalgia. It’s the kind of soundtrack you’ll find yourself listening to outside the game, which says a lot. And it’s available on streaming platforms, such as Spotify, if you want to do just that.

And credit where it’s due—the Nintendo Switch 2 makes this all look and feel far better than last years release on the original Switch. Running at a rock-solid 60fps in both docked and handheld modes, the game finally gets the kind of fluidity and sharpness that was always just out of reach on older Nintendo hardware. The load times are quick, the textures crisp (for the most part, more on that later), and the lighting enhancements in certain levels give them a real cinematic flair. The new haptic feedback from the Joy-Con 2.0s isn’t revolutionary, but it adds some nice subtle touches—feeling the rumble as you rocket through loops or land a heavy blow with a Doom Power helps sell the moment. Playing on the go in handheld mode feels surprisingly natural too. The screen is bright, the image is clean, and the framerate holds even in more visually demanding levels. It’s a great showcase of what the Switch 2 can do without being overly flashy.

That said, the game isn’t flawless. One of my bigger gripes is with the new hub world introduced for Shadow’s story. It’s clearly inspired by Sonic Frontiers—a semi-open space you can explore between levels, filled with NPCs, optional missions, and lore bits—but it feels undercooked. The world itself looks great, but there’s not much to do aside from sprinting to the next level marker. Some light platforming challenges and collectibles exist, but they don’t offer meaningful rewards or add much to Shadow’s journey. With a little more interactivity or story content, it could’ve elevated the pacing of the campaign. As it stands, it feels more like padding between the good stuff. I also found that the overall resolution seems lower in Shadow Generations compared to Sonic Generations for some reason. It’s less noticeable if you choose to play in handheld mode where the game utilises the Switch 2’s 1080p screen, but appears slightly blurrier when playing docked.

Another point worth noting: for all the content that’s packed in here, Sega didn’t offer an upgrade path for owners of the original Sonic X Shadow Generations from last year. That stings a bit, especially since there are plenty of people who would have picked it up late last year on Switch and now need to buy it again. Sure, the visual and performance upgrades are nice, but asking people to buy it again, full price, with no discount or incentive, feels like a misstep—especially for the long-time fans who’ve supported the series through its highs and lows.

Still, I can’t deny that I had a blast. The Shadow campaign is far better than I expected. It’s not just a love letter to one of Sonic’s edgiest rivals—it’s a chance for Shadow to finally get the spotlight in a game that understands his character and lets him evolve. The stages are tight, the powers are fun to use, and the bosses are surprisingly memorable.

Final Thoughts

Wrapping it all up, Sonic X Shadow Generations on the Switch 2 is a confident, satisfying package. It’s equal parts nostalgia and reinvention. The Sonic stages remind us why the series earned its legacy, while the Shadow content pushes it into darker, more exciting territory. Performance-wise, it finally runs the way it was meant to, and while there are definitely a few areas that could’ve used more polish—particularly the hub world and resolution in the Shadow portion—the overall experience is undeniably worth the ride. If you’re a longtime fan, this feels like the game Shadow always deserved. And if you’re new to the series? This is a fantastic place to jump in—fast, fun, and just the right amount of edgy.

A Nintendo Switch 2 review code was provided for the purpose of this review.

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