History VideoGame / SonicSuperstars

** [[spoiler:Trip's campaign have much more incorporation of the emerald powers throughout the levels than the main campaign does, therefore getting all the emeralds before playing it is recommended.]]

* BalancePowerSkillGimmick: Sonic is the Balance, the levels being built with him in mind, his moveset being the base for the others and his only gimmick being the Drop Dash; Knuckles is the Power, as he can destroy walls while running and he can climb walls to find secrets; Tails is the Skill, his (time limited) flying ability being a way to cheese levels and find secrets easier; and Amy is the Gimmick, as her Insta-Shield is easy to use even if by accident, her Hammer Rush gives her more control than Sonic’s Drop Dash, and she can even double jump. [[spoiler:Trip is a Power and Gimmick character, as she cumulates Amy’s double jump with a spiky armor that allows her to climb walls like Knuckles (in addition to clinging on ceilings), the game’s level design changes to be harder in her unique story compaign, and her Super Mode changes the way you control her]].

** Knuckles in the previous classic games usually has the lowest jump height compared to the other playable characters, with his climbing ability somewhat serves as compensation. Here, his jump height is now as equal as the other characters to help him keep up with them, especially during multiplayers.

** [[spoiler:Black Dragon marks the first time where Dr. Eggman doesn't serve as the TrueFinalBoss in the classic series, as well being the first supernatural entity chronologically that he actively seeks out. However, Eggman does ''not'' find or get to control at all for the entirety of the game's plot, where it just appears completely out of left field and has no connection to him at all, acting on its own accord.]]

** Bonus Stages are the ''VideoGame/{{Cameltry}}''-esque rotating mazes from ''Sonic 1'' and they're accessed from checkpoints. There are 12 rounds in total, each with multiple layers, and they're only worth medals. With that said, collecting all the rings in one of the stages unlocks [[VideoGame/NightsIntoDreams NiGHTS]] costume parts to buy.

* BoringButPractical: While everyone gets their own unique abilities, Amy's is the most basic, in that she is basically Sonic with a double jump and a larger spin attack hitbox. Although not as flashy as the others, this makes her ''really'' good at fighting bosses. [[spoiler:This makes her an ideal choice to fight FinalBoss of the main campaign, where these abilities make it ''significantly'' easier to fight it.]]

* CameraAbuse: The very difficult final boss for [[spoiler:Trip's story has a OneHitKill cork projectile that sends Trip flying into the camera, cracking the screen. What's very satisfying is that once Fang is defeated, he fails to escape the collapsing Egg Fortress and gets blown into the camera as well.]]

* CharacterSelectForcing: All four characters have at least one act that can only be accessed by playing as them specifically, as it usually makes extensive use of their character specific abilities. Most of them are optional, but even if you're doing a single character playthrough, Amy's exclusive act will need to be played at least once due to it being important to the plot, as [[spoiler:her [[BecauseYouWereNiceToMe being nice to Trip]] is what causes the latter to pull a HeelFaceTurn.]]
* {{Checkpoint}}: Checkpoints save progress in a level, create a warp to the rotating maze bonus levels if you get to one with enough rings and also restore your Emerald Powers.
* ChekhovsGag: Eggman in both the animated prologue short and opening cutscene of the game has a [[StylisticSuck crudely-drawn picture]] of what looks to be a dragon, which he drew after finding a strange mural on the Northstar Islands. [[spoiler:This drawing depicts the TrueFinalBoss, the Black Dragon, which makes its appearance in the Last Story mode. The same scribble appears on a wall in Trip's story mode during the second act of Egg Fortress Zone and after the Black Dragon has been sealed away in the purple gem, where the drawing flutters to the ground while the heroes celebrate their victory]].

** Frozen Base Act 2 is [[UnexpectedShmupLevel a round]] of ''VideoGame/FantasyZone'', complete with various enemies (including two bosses) from that series redesigned as Eggman's Badniks. Additionally, while Tails' Eggmobile also based on ''Sonic 2'''s Eggmobile, is moreso designed to resemble the series' main protagonist, Opa-Opa.

* ConnectedAllAlong: The Battle Mode, featuring an array of customizable Badniks dubbed as "The Prototype", [[spoiler:are given prominence as the boss of Cyber Station Zone alongside Eggman, revealing that the Battle Mode is a way for the best robots to be singled out for his latest excursion. More specifically, the one ''[[CreateYourOwnVillain you]]'' first made gets used as the main boss.]]

** In the final level, Eggman [[spoiler:activates what looks like an artificial version of the [[VideoGame/SonicMania Phantom Ruby's power]] to send time backwards and repair his Egg Diablo when Team Sonic nearly destroys it. This also ties into ''VideoGame/SonicForces'' where he was able to complete the artificial Phantom Ruby and have it work multiple times]].

* ADayInTheLimelight: Some zones have an additional third act that forces the player to use a certain character and will have them play the act solo if in multiplayer. [[spoiler:In the case of Trip, she gets her own story mode after beating the main game's story once]].
* DamnYouMuscleMemory: A gimmick similar to the Magnetic Spheres from the Glowing Sphere Bonus Stages of VideoGame/Sonic3AndKnuckles and Titanic Monarch Zone from VideoGame/SonicMania appears in Press Factory Zone Act 2, however they control differently. In those previous games, you only hold the left and right buttons to adjust the direction where you want to launch off of, but in Superstars, you can get the exact direction you want to launch by directly tilting the analog stick into that desired direction. The spheres in the previous games launch you in a certain distance depending on the location of the sphere you jump off of, but in Superstars, they only launch you at a fixed distance.

* DifficultButAwesome: [[spoiler:Trip's SuperMode, unlike everyone else, [[MechanicallyUnusualFighter completely changes the way she plays.]] It transforms her into a big (relatively speaking) golden dragon with unlimited free flight and the ability to breath fire. As neat as it is to blast through levels as a dragon, her bigger hitbox can make navigating some of the tighter corridors of levels difficult and certain levels such as Pinball Carnival Zone have kill plains that the player can accidentally fly into if they don't know where they are ahead of time. That said, she still has ''unlimited free flight''. In a ''platformer''. Needless to say, if the player knows what they're doing, they can completely bypass much of the level design if they're careful enough.]]

* BalancePowerSkillGimmick: Sonic is the Balance, the levels being built with him in mind, his moveset being the base for the others and his only gimmick being the Drop Dash; Knuckles is the Power, as he can destroy walls while running and he can climb walls to find secrets; Tails is the Skill, his (time limited) flying ability being a way to cheese levels and find secrets easier; and Amy is the Gimmick, as her Insta-Shield is easy to use even if by accident, her Hammer Rush gives her more control than Sonic’s Drop Dash, and she can even double jump. [[spoiler:Trip is a Power and Gimmick character, as she cumulates Amy’s double jump with a spiky armor that allows her to climb walls like Knuckles (in addition to clinging on ceilings), the game becomes harder with her, and her Super Mode changes the way you control her]].

** [[spoiler:Trip starts her campaign with all the Emeralds already unlocked. As such, her versions of the levels have much more incorporation of the emerald powers than the main campaign does.]]

* ChekhovsGun: A strange purple gem is in the middle of the stage select screen and depicted in the center of the mural seen in ''Trio of Trouble'', but nobody pays it any mind. [[spoiler:In the true ending, Trip uses it to seal the Black Dragon once again.]]

** In ''Trio of Trouble'', Eggman encounters a giant mural that depicts with seven people that look like Trip, whose colors match the seven Chaos Emeralds. Not only that, there appears to be a large dragon-like being drawn as well, with a dark gem in the center of the mural. [[spoiler:All of these elements are connected to ''Superstars''[='=] TrueFinalBoss, the Black Dragon. In the game's Last Story mode, the Black Dragon is set free after completing Trip's Story mode and collecting all seven Chaos Emeralds. After a battle between the dragon and Super Sonic, Trip seals the beast back into the black gem that was present on the game's stage select screen]].
** Amy's personal stage in Lagoon City is mandatory, unlike Sonic's in Speed Jungle, suggesting it is plot important. [[spoiler:During the stage Amy helps Trip after her latest trap malfunction strands her in the labyrinth. Later in the game, Trip pulls a HeelFaceTurn because of her kindness.]]

* MeaningfulBackgroundEvent: Trailers and gameplay previews show that keeping an eye on the background will be important, as events play out that can affect your gameplay. This includes massive mechs coming out of the background to attack, Fang's vehicle zooming about and characters that you aren't playing making their own way through the zone.

** After a [[VideoGame/SonicGenerations couple of]] [[VideoGame/SonicMania cameo appearances]], Fang the Hunter returns for the first time since ''VideoGame/SonicTheFighters'' 27 years ago.

* CosmeticAward: The end of the announcement trailer reveals that, similar to ''VideoGame/SonicFrontiers'', subscribing to the official newsletter unlocks the ability to have Amy wear her [[ContinuityNod modern outfit]]. Several more have made the rounds from the full release, such as a skin based on [[Creator/{{LEGO}} LEGO Sonic and LEGO Eggman]] (with LEGO skins for the rest of Team Sonic available with the Digital Deluxe package), and one based on Sonic's earliest design from the same DLC.

** [[ElementalShapeshifter Water]] (Cyan) turns the player into water, allowing them to climb waterfalls and to explore underwater areas freely.

* FlameSpewerObstacle: There are various places in the game where jets of flame are spewed out at regular intervals. Pinball Carnival Act 2 in particular comes up with its own spin: there are red or blue switches and when they're passed over they change to the opposite color, which will the trigger the flame jets of that color. So the obstacle comes from not triggering the switch at a time where it would harm your character in their current position.

* FlameSpewerObstacle: There are various places in the game where jets of flame are spewed out at regular intervals.

* DeathIsASlapOnTheWrist: This is the first 2D ''Sonic'' game that has no lives. Dying simply sends you back to your last checkpoint (had you hit one) and no other consequence is applied.

** [[spoiler:Trip's spin jump animation is in the exact same vein as Vector's from ''VideoGame/KnucklesChaotix'', being a spiky donut shape.]]

* EasterEgg: When Sonic starts running at top speed, he will [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=De8CZPjutf0 point a chili dog at the player]] for a [[FreezeFrameBonus barely noticeable split second]].

* VictoryFakeout: After you seemingly beat the [[spoiler:Cyber Station Zone]] boss and open the Egg Capsule, a bunch of robots are released instead of animals, and you have to fight them as part of the boss' second phase. Some people may be tipped off by [[spoiler:[[SuspiciousVideoGameGenerosity how there is a ring monitor right before the Egg Capsule (even though you obviously wouldn't need one if it really was the end of the level)]].

** Golden Capital Zone is a combination of AncientGrome, LethalLavaLand, and a PinballLevel (which is odd, as there is also a normal pinball level (Pinball Carnival Zone) earlier in the game.)

** Checkpoints that have already been activated can be reactivated even if they're already active. This allows the player to explore more of the level without being punished for activating a checkpoint too early, as well as restore any Chaos Emerald powers that after reaching it before.

** [[spoiler:Super Sonic's boost ability initially cost 10 rings in ''VideoGame/SonicMania'' during the TrueFinalBoss segment in Egg Reverie Zone. But in this game, it costs 5 rings instead to compensate the longer fight against Black Dragon.]]

** [[spoiler:Black Dragon marks the first time where Dr. Eggman doesn't serve as the TrueFinalBoss in the classic series as well being the first supernatural entity chronologically that he actively seeks out, but does ''not'' find or get to control at all for the entirety of the game's plot. It just appears completely out of left field and has no connection to him at all, acting on its own accord.]]

* BossAlteringConsequence: Downplayed in Cyber Station Zone, where the boss is [[spoiler:The Prototype you can customize in Battle Mode. You can change the boss' look but not any of its attacks]].
* BumblingHenchmenDuo: Footage of [[https://youtu.be/zltQZNdhnV8?t=589 the post boss cutscene]] in Speed Jungle Zone Act 2 shows this is how Fang and Trip, the new antagonist, are portrayed together, as if Fang wasn't clumsy enough by himself back in ''Sonic Triple Trouble'' and Trip is already [[TheKlutz a clumsy kid]]. Not only do they arrive too late to confront the heroes, but Trip then [[{{Pun}} trips]] herself and accidentally sets off a trap that catches Fang, leaving Trip panicking while Fang angrily yells at her.

** [[spoiler: Much like Knuckles before her, Trip's story has Eggman being replaced by an Eggrobo in the boss fights.]]

* ContinuityCameo:
** Tails Doll appears hovering around [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Wjcfw2gl_A a spot in Pinball Carnival Zone Act 2]], and you get a medal for hopping on it.
** [[spoiler:A purple moon resembling THE END]] is prominently seen orbiting the Earth in Egg Fortress Zone, but doesn't play any role in the story.

** In the final level, Eggman [[spoiler:activates what looks like an artificial version of the [[VideoGame/SonicMania Phantom Ruby's power]] to send time backwards and repair his Egg Diablo when Team Sonic nearly destroys it. This also ties into ''VideoGame/SonicForces'' where he was able to complete the artificial Phantom Ruby and have it work multiple times.]]

* EstablishingCharacterMoment: The ''Fang[='=]s Big Break'' prologue comic shows Trip's meek personality and klutzy characterization, along with how she was coerced into helping Fang and Eggman. When Trip tries confronting Fang with a spear, she is noticeably nervous, indicated by her shaking, and her clumsiness causing her to trip over a branch. Once Fang breaks her weapon, she is then threatened to guide him and the doctor through the islands.

* EvolvingTitleScreen: The initial title screen features Sonic, Amy and Knuckles on the front row, and Tails standing behind Amy. Every so often, Tails glances at the empty spot to his left. [[spoiler:After unlocking Trip, she will sheepishly raise her head from behind Knuckles, look around nervously and then hide again.]]

** [[LimitBreak Extra]] (White) enables a unique move for each character. Sonic gets the Homing Attack, Tails can shoot a tornado with his two-tails, Knuckles performs a punch that can shoot projectiles, Amy is allowed to toss hammers like she could while in Hyper mode in ''Sonic Origins'', [[spoiler:and Trip is capable of shooting fireballs.]]

* VictoryFakeout: After you seemingly beat the [[spoiler: Cyber Station]] boss and hit the egg capsule a bunch of robots are released instead of animals, and you have to then fight them as part of the bosses second phase. Some people may be tipped off by [[spoiler: how there is a ring monitor right before the egg capsule (even though you obviously wouldn't need one if it really was the end of the level).]]

* WreckedWeapon: In ''Fang[='=]s Big Break'', Fang's signature cork gun is crushed by the giant Flicky's foot while running away to his bike. When he manages to capture said Flicky, Trip then tries attacking him with her spear, but [[WeaponGripFailure immediately loses her grip on it]] after tripping over a branch, where it subsequently gets crushed by Fang's foot.

** The ''Toys/{{LEGO}}'' skins for the main cast use the same brick-built ball form Sonic had in ''VideoGame/LEGODimensions''.
** [[spoiler:Trip's spin jump animation is in the exact same vein as Vector's from ''VideoGame/KnucklesChaotix''.]]

** Checkpoints that have already been activated can be reactivated even if they're already active. This allows the player to explore more of the level without being punished for activating a checkpoint too early.

* BalancePowerSkillGimmick: Sonic is the Balance, the levels being built with him in mind, his moveset being the base for the others and his only gimmick being the Drop Dash; Knuckles is the Power, as he can destroy walls while running and he can climb walls to find secrets; Tails is the Skill, his (time limited) flying ability being a way to cheese levels and find secrets easier; and Amy is the Gimmick, as her Insta-Shield is easy to use even if by accident, her Hammer Rush gives her more control than Sonic’s Drop Dash, and she can even double jump. [[spoiler:Trip is a Power and Gimmick character, as she cumulates Amy’s double jump with a spiky armor that allows her to climb walls like Knuckles (in addition to clinging on ceilings), the game becomes harder with her, and her Super Mode changes the way you control her.]]

* BigBoosHaunt: Pinball Carnival Act 2 invokes a Carnival Spookhouse theme. With a creepy purple and green sky, and some badniks disguising themselves as ghosts.

* BoringButPractical: While everyone gets their own unique abilities, Amy's is the most basic, in that she is basically Sonic with a double jump and a larger spin attack hitbox. Although not as flashy as the others, this makes her ''really'' good at fighting bosses. [[spoiler:To the point where she makes the FinalBoss of the main campaign ''significantly'' easier to fight.]]

** In terms of Badniks, the Splats in their original design from the [[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog1 first Sonic the Hedgehog]], Vultrons, Crawltons, Skorps, Slicers, Uni Unis, and Antons reappear in the game, marking the Skorp's return to the series after a hiatus since 1994's ''VideoGame/Sonic3AndKnuckles'', barring a card cameo in ''VideoGame/SonicRivals'' 16 years prior, as well as the Crawlton, Slicer, Uni Uni, and Anton's return after previously appearing in ''VideoGame/SonicLostWorld'', in addition to a cameo for the ''Sonic CD'' Badnik in ''[[VisualNovel/TheMurderOfSonicTheHedgehog The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog]]''.

* ChekhovsGag: Eggman in both the animated prologue short and opening cutscene of the game has a [[StylisticSuck crudely-drawn picture]] of what looks to be a dragon, which he drew after finding a strange mural on Northstar Island. [[spoiler:This drawing depicts the TrueFinalBoss, the Black Dragon, which makes its appearance in the Last Story mode. The scribble appears on a wall in Trip's story mode during the second act of Egg Fortress Zone and after the Black Dragon has been sealed away in the purple gem, where the drawing flutters to the ground while the heroes celebrate their victory]].

** You can unlock a [[VideoGame/NightsIntoDreams NiGHTS]] costume for The Prototype.

* GiantSpaceFleaFromNowhere: [[spoiler: The true final boss. A mural in the promotional short ''Trio of Trouble'' briefly hints at its existence, but then it just shows up at the end of the game unprompted.]]

* HumongousMecha: The first main boss of Bridge Island Zone has Eggman pilot a variant of the Death Egg Robot, a la ''Sonic Mania''. [[spoiler:An even BIGGER mecha returns as the game's normal final boss, and Fang gets his own to serve as Trip's final boss in her story.]]

** Sonic's "waiting" animation, where he lies down with one foot kicked over the other and wags his finger, is a direct recreation of the one from ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2''.
** In [[spoiler:Egg Fortress Zone]], the player can clearly see in the background [[spoiler:a [[VideoGame/SonicFrontiers purple moon orbiting the Earth]] along with the regular moon.]]
** Golden Capital Zone features a golden loop with a stylized sun emblem at the top, calling back to a similarly designed loop featured in concept art for ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog1''.

* SuspiciousVideogameGenerosity:

It was released on October 17, 2023 for the UsefulNotes/PlayStation4, UsefulNotes/PlayStation5, UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch, UsefulNotes/XboxOne, UsefulNotes/XboxSeriesXAndS, and PC via {{UsefulNotes/Steam}} and UsefulNotes/EpicGamesStore.

It was released on October 17th, 2023 for the UsefulNotes/PlayStation4, UsefulNotes/PlayStation5, UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch, UsefulNotes/XboxOne, UsefulNotes/XboxSeriesXAndS, and PC via {{UsefulNotes/Steam}} and UsefulNotes/EpicGamesStore.

** In Egg Fortress Zone, the background features an ominous purple moon in space -- [[spoiler:A purple moon resembling ''THE END'' from ''VideoGame/SonicFrontiers'']]. It does nothing, and its presence is never explained.

* ConspicuousElectricObstacle: Lagoon City introduces yellow spherical things that emit electricity.

** [[spoiler:THE END]] is prominently seen orbiting the Earth in Egg Fortress Zone, but doesn't play any role in the story.

** In Egg Fortress Zone, the background features an ominous purple moon in space -- [[spoiler:''THE END'' from ''VideoGame/SonicFrontiers'']]. It does nothing, and its presence is never explained.