Sonic Colors for Nintendo Wii stars videogame icon Sonic the Hedgehog in a game that is reminiscent of previous Sonic games,  but our swift blue hero has also learned some new tricks thanks to some friendly, colorful aliens with some special powers.

If you’ve never before played or even heard of Sonic the Hedgehog, this game may be a bit overwhelming for you.  Both visually and mentally, there’s a lot to digest.  The game’s art style and back story details the creation of a new cosmic amusement park in space that was built by Sonic’s longtime evil nemesis Dr. Eggman.  There are different “planets” in the park, and within each planet are the different levels which comprise the gameplay.

In each level, players take control of Sonic to try and progress through to the end of level, with multiple ways possible in order to reach it.  While traveling through the levels, Sonic collects rings, and as long he has at least one ring, he can’t be defeated by enemies.  This is something that has traditionally helped make Sonic a very family-friendly offering which can be enjoyed by even young kids – players will almost always have a few a rings, so even if they run into an enemy, they don’t automatically “die.”

Each gameplay level (or “act” as they are called in the game), features a variety of ways that the game makes you control and view Sonic.  You’ll hold the Wii-mote sideways, with the d-pad on the left, and the 1 and 2 buttons on the right.  There are times where you will be in “3D” mode, where the camera-view is behind Sonic, and you push “up” to go forward.  This is the “3D” mode, because Sonic is able to move in any direction he chooses, although the level encourages players to continue to move forward. There are other times when you will be in “2D” mode, and you will are looking at Sonic from a side angle.  From this angle, pushing “right” on the d-pad makes you move forward, and it’s considered “2D” because there’s no way for Sonic to stray left or right.

We found it much easier, and more enjoyable, to control Sonic in the “2D” mode.  With the “3D” mode, there were times when we found it easy to accidentally move left or right, and weren’t able to be quite as precise.  For younger kids, the “2D” parts of the game are definitely easier, although in our testing even older toddlers were able to adequately control the “3D” mode.

While in the level, you’ll be able to easily help Sonic do some really cool things, like slide on rails, run quickly through loops, and even transform with the help of the game’s aliens.  By collecting certain aliens at specific times, players will be able to shake the Wii-mote and drill through the ground, fly like a rocket or shoot off like a laser beam ricocheting off mirrors.  The game does an excellent job of providing written instructions and visual controller diagrams to explain what players need to do in order to pull off these tricks.

Having been familiar with previous Sonic games, our family really enjoyed the colorful art-style and levels that are packed with detail.  However, we did play with some folks who had never played Sonic before, and they were a bit overwhelmed at all the visual detail.

The game is also mostly single-player, although there is a “planet” you can select that allows for one or two players to take turns playing, or for one player to assist the other.  These aren’t necessarily part of the regular progression through the game, but rather almost like a side-game. We would have liked it if there were more chances for multiple players in the main levels.  We still think that it’s possible for families to enjoy playing Sonic Colors together by watching each other play, or taking turns playing through the different acts.

Sonic Colors is a great return to action for one of videogaming’s most iconic characters.  Nearly every level in the game provides a number of different ways to control Sonic, whether viewing him from behind or to the side.  The classic system of collecting rings to stay alive helps make this game enjoyable for young kids and even some savvy older toddlers, however the game’s busy art style and heavy use of references from the Sonic Universe may be overwhelming for families who aren’t familiar with it.  Although the game does have a limited two-player mode, it’s aside from the game’s main levels.  But we still recommend this one as a great cooperative experience, especially for longtime Sonic fans.

*FamilyFriendlyVideoGames.com Favorite* - This was one of our favorite family-friendly video games we saw at the E3 video game trade show in Los Angeles in June.  Here's what we had to say about it then.