Sonic may be famous for going fast, but he’ll need to slow down to survive Sonic PICO PARK! Celebrating the blue blur’s 35th anniversary, this charming crossover brings Sonic the Hedgehog into the chaotic cooperative puzzles of PICO PARK.
Teamwork Makes the Dream Work
Sonic PICO PARK supports up to eight players both online and locally, but after struggling to coordinate some puzzles with just my gaming partner, Sonia, I can only imagine the madness of a full group! Much like Big Walk, working together can quickly turn into working against each other.
The puzzles balance teamwork and platforming skills, requiring you to reach platforms, press buttons and use abilities like Tails flying. Some challenges test your brain, while others test your timing ability.
I’d highly recommend using voice chat for online play, unless you’ve developed gaming telepathy with your friends. We certainly needed to talk through tricky puzzles, although laughing at our mistakes was half the fun!
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A Blast From the Past
As a longtime Sonic fan, I love the classic throwbacks sprinkled throughout Sonic PICO PARK. From spin-dashing and collecting rings to desperately searching for air bubbles underwater, there are plenty of nostalgic moments.
There are 11 Sonic characters and eight original PICO PARK characters to choose from, all sporting adorable blocky designs. We played as Tails and Shadow; watching Tails sit down while waiting for Shadow was ridiculously cute! Some levels even let you transform into fan-favourite characters like Big the Cat and Vector, while Dr Robotnik makes an appearance in retro-inspired boss battles.
My favourite touch was carrying adorable Chao through levels. Now I desperately want a garden full of them!
A Few Rings Lost Along the Way
Sonic PICO PARK clearly enjoys trolling its players. Just when we thought we’d mastered a mechanic, the next level would throw something unexpected our way. I’m looking at you, spin dash blocks and random spiky balls!
Thankfully, the game is quite forgiving, offering hints and extra rings when you’re struggling. Sometimes a little too forgiving! We barely had three attempts before the game decided we needed a helping hand. Not going to lie, Sonia needed all the help she could get.
Visually, the simple blue levels aren’t particularly exciting, but the cute characters and charming music make up for it. I just wish a few classic Sonic tunes had made an appearance.
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A Quick Spin Around the Block
At around two to three hours, Sonic PICO PARK is a brief but entertaining adventure. Unfortunately, there’s little reason to return once you’ve finished. A speedrun mode would’ve been a fun addition, especially for a game starring the fastest hedgehog around!
Despite its short length, I had a blast with the charming Sonic throwbacks and the short, chaotic cooperative puzzles. Younger gamers will particularly enjoy the accessible challenges, making this a great choice for families looking for some multiplayer fun.
Grab your friends, practise your teamwork and get ready to run rings around each other. Just remember, sometimes you’ve gotta go slow!
Quest Daily Scores Sonic PICO PARK:
7.5/10
Sonic PIKO PARK releases on November 12th for Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, XBOX Series X|S, XBOX One and PC via Steam for around $12.95 AUD.
Early access to the game was supplied to Quest Daily for the purpose of this review.
