Sonic Heroes Might Be Getting A Remake, And Here’s Why I’m Excited

After a recent rumor surfaced that suggested Sonic Heroes might be getting a remake, the Sonic fan community has been going nuts. What makes this even more exciting is the fact that the upcoming title is supposedly being made on Unreal Engine 5, so it’s definitely going to look amazing. As with all leaks, probably take this with a grain of salt. But, if it turns out to be true, Sonic fans are in for a really good time.

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For those of you who might not have followed the Blue Blur all the way back in 2003, let me give you a short history lesson on just why a Sonic Heroes remake is so important. Along with the Sonic Adventure games, Sonic Heroes is part of a series of games that pretty much summarize the unique style and flair of Sonic titles in the PlayStation 1 and 2 era. 

It’s a game that fans have utterly loved but sadly had largely been overlooked until this point. With it getting a remake, it’s clear SEGA is finally turning its attention towards this classic. It’s unclear what this means for the other titles of that era, but for now, fans can be excited to replay this gem in an absolutely stunning graphical fidelity, thanks to Unreal Engine 5. If you’re still not convinced, here are some other reasons why I’m so excited.

Sonic Heroes Never Got Released On Modern Consoles

Despite being such a fan-favorite, Sonic Heroes never got a re-release for modern consoles. Even lesser-known titles like Sonic Fighters have been brought over to modern Xbox titles. So it’s all the more confounding why something as loved as Sonic Heroes got the cold shoulder from SEGA for so long. Your best bet at playing it is to either emulate it or try the PC version, which isn’t the best either. 

And while some fans would love to see SEGA’s efforts be put towards titles like Sonic Unleashed, I truly believe Sonic Heroes deserves a remake first. As I mentioned, it’s already a game that has a place in the hearts of many Sonic fans. But even beyond that, the game is almost 20 years old at this point. While it has a great art style, graphically speaking, it’s a bit dated. 

Seeing the game remade with modern bells and whistles would honestly be a dream come true. Even just seeing iconic zones like Seaside Hill or Ocean Palace get remade in Sonic Generations was a total treat. So you can only imagine how a full remake would end up looking like. Fans have tried to recreate the game in the Sonic Generations engine with some luck. So there’s definitely an audience for it still.

The Title Has Become A Cult Classic

SEGA’s hesitance in bringing Sonic Heroes back to audiences might have been linked to the fact that the game initially launched with mixed reviews. While it wasn’t a flop by any means, it’s clear it didn’t live up to the hype that Sonic Adventure 2 had generated. But, much of this had to do with the fact that the game’s controls at the time felt slippery and buggy.

This problem was especially noticeable on certain consoles like the PlayStation 2. Fans also felt like repeating through the same levels with each four teams ended up getting repetitive over time. That said, despite the mixed initial reviews, the game has managed to find its audience over the years. That much is clear from the modding community, who continue to add new things for a game that’s almost 2 decades old.

This era of Sonic games is also loved for their unique style. Sonic writing has changed a lot over the years. And while modern Sonic is known more for his quips and sass, Sonic Heroes was almost cringe-inducing in a really endearing way. Like with Sonic saying he was going to beat Metal Sonic with the power of teamwork. Writing that’s this obvious wouldn’t fly nowadays. But back then, it almost felt like watching a Saturday morning cartoon.

A Remake Is The Perfect Opportunity To Improve The Game

Sonic Heroes isn’t perfect by any means. But it’s a game with tons of potential. The title came out in an era where patching games post-launch wasn’t a concept that existed. So, what you got on the disk at the time of release, was it. This meant that any glitches, bugs, or generally problematic mechanics in the game were a part of its DNA. But nowadays, the story is pretty different.

Making a remake of Sonic Heroes could help SEGA right some of the game’s wrongs. For one, they can deal with the slippery control problem folks had with it all the way back then. But beyond that, they could help to further iron out some of the game’s core mechanics. Players found the level design to be repetitive. So, maybe SEGA can change the levels dramatically between the four teams.

The developers could add new zones to change things up. Or even introduce a whole new team to the mix that may require completing a specific set of challenges. There really is no limit to how SEGA can improve the game. This means that as long as the studio is truly putting its all into delivering a high-quality remake here, this could definitely go down as one of the best Sonic games we’ve gotten recently.