TechRadar Verdict
Sonic x Shadow Generations bundles the original Sonic Generations and a new Shadow Generations campaign in one thrilling package. Whether you’re a fan of Sonic’s rival-turned-ally or not, his side of the game is filled with some of the best, most well-designed levels in the series’ 3D history. It’s a chunky piece of content, too, with plenty of optional challenges and unlockables to collect. In fact, Shadow Generations is so good that it makes Sonic’s half of the game look somewhat amateurish in comparison.
Shadow Generations is substantial with astonishingly good level design
A metric ton of content across both games
Sonic Generations’ re-recorded voices are great
Banger soundtrack (obviously)
Barely any gameplay updates to Sonic Generations
Classic Sonic’s levels are the clear weak link
Some optional challenges are a bore
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Platform reviewed:PS5Available on:PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PCRelease date:October 25, 2025
Sonic x Shadow Generationsis somewhat analogous toSuperMario3D World + Bowser’s Fury,packaging a remaster of a beloved series game with a brand new, decently sized campaign. And it’s that campaign,Shadow Generations,that alone makes this compilation of lightning-fast platformers worth checking out.
Shadow Generationsis simply phenomenal, showcasing some of the best 3D level design the series has seen sinceSonic Adventure 2way back on the Dreamcast and GameCube. You’re getting 12 levels across 6 unique stages, all wrapped up in a compact hub zone packed with collectibles and optional challenges. And of course, having even more excellent remixes of fan-favoriteSonictracks is always going to be a welcome addition.
Shadow Generationsis such a high-quality experience from start to finish - so much so that it honestly makesSonic Generationsfeel relatively weak in comparison. This is no fault of the 2011 game, of course (the port here is genuinely fantastic) but I had decidedly less fun revisiting what I once considered to be one of thebest Sonic gamesin comparison to its new sibling.
That might be down to the fact that its remaster here has seen very few changes beyond the re-recorded voiced dialogue and an overall bump in resolution and image quality.Sonic Generationsis still very much worth playing, but remains dragged down by the relatively poor Classic Sonic stages and largely boring side challenges required to unlock the boss fights.
That said, you’re still getting tons of great Sonic (and Shadow) content here, especially as it’s not a full-priced game. Not only does that makeSonic x Shadow Generationsmuch easier to recommend, but I can confidently say that your time and money are worth it for the Shadow portion of the game alone.
A Shadow of myself, just who am I?
Let’s kick off withShadow Generations,as I reckon that’s where most of you are going to start especially if you’ve already playedSonic Generations.Shadow’s campaign does take place alongside Sonic’s - instead of celebrating the blue hedgehog’s birthday, Shadow is investigating a disturbance on the Space Colony Ark fromSonic Adventure 2.
Back on Sonic’s side, the Time Eater thrusts him and his friends into a purgatorial dimensional rift as it does in the originalSonic Generations.For Shadow, the fluctuation causes him to come face to face with Black Doom, his arch-nemesis and main antagonist of 2005’sShadow the Hedgehog.From here, Shadow attempts to escape Space Colony Ark, only to find himself in an empty hub world all of his own.
The story is fairly straightforward here and handles Shadow’s tragic past in a pretty safe and inoffensive manner. That’s not to say it’s ineffective - his reunion and closure with Maria and Gerald Robotnik is genuinely touching and the final scene is masterfully done (even getting me to well up a little bit) - but you shouldn’t go in expecting anything especially bleak. Personally, I think that’s for the best;Sonic Frontiersshowed that the series can be capable of sincere, reflective storytelling, and you’ll find more of that inShadow Generations.
All hail Shadow
If you were disappointed by the short length of stages inSonic ForcesandSonic Frontiers’Cyberspace segments,then you’ll be happy to knowShadow Generations’ levels are much lengthier and robust. On average, a single level will take you between five to six minutes your first few times through, and each has a plethora of alternate routes to explore and a handful of collectibles to find.
Shadow Generationsis excellent from front to back, with highlights here being the Kingdom Valley, Chaos Island, and Rail Canyon stages. They showcase some of the best 3D Sonic level design in series history, and even the 2D sections impress with fantastic set pieces and clever usage of 2.5D camera angles.
The six stages inShadow Generationsare split into two acts. Act 1 is typically the more impressive one, given they are fully 3D from start to finish. Most of the Act 2 levels are broadly side-scrolling, but feel much more dynamic thanks to - once again - intricate level design and some super clever 2.5D camera work. These levels may play out in two dimensions, but they sure don’t feel like it.
Upon charging up a gauge by defeating enemies, Shadow can call upon the power of Chaos Control. This freezes time, enemies, and obstacles for around five seconds, and it can be used cleverly to reach new routes in a stage if activated at just the right time. Much of the fun inShadow Generationscomes from playing levels multiple times and learning the best moments at which to execute Chaos Control in order to discover shortcuts you had no idea were there. Level design in this regard is, overall, extremely thoughtful, and finding new paths and shortcuts is a satisfying reward.
Then there’s the open zone, known as White Space. This is a large map that Shadow can explore at any time when not in a stage, itself filled to the brim with collectibles and platforming challenges. By collecting music, artwork, and story emblems in each stage, you can spend them to unlock a treasure chest in White Space, which will in turn make a relevant piece of content available to view in the Collection Room. There are 96 of these chests to find in the overworld, giving you plenty of optional content to discover.
White Space is great fun to just run around and vibe in. While I do wish there was an option to listen to the music you unlock while exploring it, it’s nonetheless a place you’ll spend a lot of time in if you’re shooting for 100% completion. On that note, playing through all the stages for the first time will likely take you around four or five hours. But going for full completion could easily take you upwards of 10-12; there’s just that much to find and do.
Touching on Sonic Generations
If you’ve never playedSonic Generationsbefore, then you’re getting exceptional value for money inSonic x Shadow Generations. The entire 2011 game is present and accounted for here. If you’re unfamiliar, that’s nine stages, broken into two separate acts - one for Classic Sonic and another for Modern Sonic. The former is a side-scrolling affair, while the latter is more akin to the 3D ‘boost era’ titles of the time likeSonic UnleashedandSonic Colors.
Sonic Generationsnow has upscaled resolution and a more stable 60fps framerate by way of the new performance mode (a 30fps quality mode is enabled by default, though I strongly recommend making the switch to performance for better responsiveness). Voiced dialogue has also been re-recorded with the current cast ofSonicvoice actors, and it’s much better than what we originally had with an overall stronger direction. There is also a new collectible in each stage in the form of Chao - adorable little creatures who’ll appear in the overworld once rescued. They’ll also unlock some bonuses in the collection room, too.
Besides that (as well as the addition of the drop dash for both Classic and Modern Sonic), very little has changed inSonic Generations.While still an excellent game in its own right, the lack of changes only exposes its flaws even more,especiallywhen stacked up againstShadow Generations.
Sonic Generations- then and now - simply misses the mark on numerous fronts. The Classic Sonic stages just don’t feel very good to play, with awkward physics and momentum that are a far cry from the smoothness of the original Mega Drive trilogy. Level design is also very hit-or-miss for both Classic and Modern, the latter of which also has an abundance of side-scrolling segments that do not mesh well with Sonic’s ability to boost at high speeds. As for Classic, the field of view is a little too narrow for comfort, making running into unexpected hazards a common occurrence.
Accessibility
There aren’t a ton of available accessibility settings inSonic x Shadow Generations,aside from a fairly robust amount of options for the camera. Here, you can adjust sensitivity and distance from the player character.
There is also an option to adjust the deceleration speed inShadow Generations,allowing you to set the momentum to your liking. Subtitles are present, too, as well as options for voiced dialogue in a variety of languages including English, French, German, Italian, and Japanese. I think an option to better highlight enemies, obstacles and potential pathways would be really beneficial here, especially given the high-speed nature of the game.
Should I play Sonic x Shadow Generations?
Play it if…
You’ve never played Sonic Generations beforeIf you’ve not playedSonic Generations, you’ve got two pretty substantial campaigns to play through, full of unlockable content and some fantastic levels.
You love ShadowShadow Generationsdoes the character justice, especially after years of being absent from the series canon or otherwise straight up being mishandled by Sega. He’s cooler than he’s ever been in this game, meaning Shadow superfans are going to be delighted with what Sonic Team has cooked up.
Don’t play it if…
You’re not much of a completionistThere’s plenty to do inSonic x Shadow Generations.But if you’re the type to finish a game once and move on, then you’re only getting around 4-5 hours of new content here with theShadow Generationscampaign.
How I reviewed Sonic x Shadow Generations
I playedSonic x Shadow Generationsfor around 12 hours onPS5. That was enough time to finish both included games and get near to 100% completion inShadow Generations.I also spent some time collecting Chao and filling out the collection room inSonic Generations.I played the game with aDualSense Edgecontroller on myLG CX OLED TV, often making use of theJBL Quantum 910Pgaming headset to listen to the game’s exceptional collection of remixed Sonic tracks.
First reviewed October 2024.
Rhys is TRG’s Hardware Editor, and has been part of the TechRadar team for more than two years. Particularly passionate about high-quality third-party controllers and headsets, as well as the latest and greatest in fight sticks and VR, Rhys strives to provide easy-to-read, informative coverage on gaming hardware of all kinds. As for the games themselves, Rhys is especially keen on fighting and racing games, as well as soulslikes and RPGs.
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