# Sonic Forces
**Sonic Forces** is a 2017 platform game in the [Sonic the Hedgehog](https://www.edgepedia.org/sonic-the-hedgehog) series developed by [Sonic Team](https://www.edgepedia.org/sonic-team) and published by SEGA for PlayStation 4, [Xbox One](https://www.edgepedia.org/xbox-one), Nintendo Switch, and PC, in which players alternate between Modern Sonic, Classic Sonic, and a player-created Avatar character to fight back against Dr. Eggman, who has conquered 99% of the world.[1](https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/nintendo-switch/sonic_forces) • [2](https://www.nintendo.com/en-gb/News/2017/June/Interview-Sonic-Team-talks-Sonic-Forces-for-Nintendo-Switch-1238419.html) It was released on 7 November 2017.[3](https://as.com/meristation/2017/11/08/reportajes/1510124400_170517.html)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Developer / publisher | Sonic Team / SEGA[1](https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/nintendo-switch/sonic_forces) |
| Platforms and release | PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC; 7 November 2017[3](https://as.com/meristation/2017/11/08/reportajes/1510124400_170517.html) |
| Playable characters | Modern Sonic (3D boost stages), Classic Sonic (2D stages), and a customizable Avatar; some levels combine Modern Sonic and the Avatar[1](https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/nintendo-switch/sonic_forces) |
| Stage count | 30 stages mixing the three playstyles[1](https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/nintendo-switch/sonic_forces) |
| Custom character | Seven animal types (hedgehog, wolf, bird, rabbit, bear, cat, dog) plus swappable Wispon gadgets[2](https://www.nintendo.com/en-gb/News/2017/June/Interview-Sonic-Team-talks-Sonic-Forces-for-Nintendo-Switch-1238419.html) |
| Campaign length | About five hours, with difficulty that rises sharply at the final boss[1](https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/nintendo-switch/sonic_forces) |
| Switch performance | 720p/30fps on Switch versus 1080p/60fps on PS4[1](https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/nintendo-switch/sonic_forces) |
| Reception | GameSpot 5/10; Nintendo Life 6/10; criticism centered on level design, controls, and story[4](https://www.gamespot.com/articles/sonic-forces-review-roundup/1100-6454932/) • [1](https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/nintendo-switch/sonic_forces) |
## Premise and story
The game is set in a world where Dr. Eggman has already taken over 99% of it, and Sonic and his friends fight back.[2](https://www.nintendo.com/en-gb/News/2017/June/Interview-Sonic-Team-talks-Sonic-Forces-for-Nintendo-Switch-1238419.html) Producer Shun Nakamura, a Sonic Team producer, stated at E3 2017 that the game is not a sequel to [Sonic Generations](https://www.edgepedia.org/sonic-generations), which had been an anniversary title built around past stages; although some classic stages such as Green Hill Zone appear, Forces is a new story.[2](https://www.nintendo.com/en-gb/News/2017/June/Interview-Sonic-Team-talks-Sonic-Forces-for-Nintendo-Switch-1238419.html)
A new character named Infinite serves as the central antagonist. In the story, Sonic underestimates Infinite, who defeats him with ease; six months pass, during which Knuckles and Sonic's friends form the Resistance, until the player's Avatar joins the fight.[1](https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/nintendo-switch/sonic_forces) Familiar villains including Zavok, Metal Sonic, Chaos, and Shadow appear against Sonic, with Infinite revealed near the end of the E3 2017 trailer.[2](https://www.nintendo.com/en-gb/News/2017/June/Interview-Sonic-Team-talks-Sonic-Forces-for-Nintendo-Switch-1238419.html)
## The three playstyles
The game's 30 stages split across three character types.[1](https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/nintendo-switch/sonic_forces)
- **Modern Sonic** stages are 3D levels using the boost gameplay of past games, similar to the 3D stages in Sonic Generations, though they often shift to a 2.5D perspective during portions of a level.[5](https://www.windowscentral.com/sonic-forces-review)
- **Classic Sonic** stages are 2D side-scrolling levels with the classic design of the character, who has fewer moves than Modern Sonic.[1](https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/nintendo-switch/sonic_forces) • [6](https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/switch/193374-sonic-forces/reviews/172377)
- **Avatar** stages rely less on speed and more on Wispons and platforming, striking a middle ground between the two Sonic styles.[6](https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/switch/193374-sonic-forces/reviews/172377) • [7](https://www.playstationcountry.com/sonic-forces-ps4-review/)
Some levels combine Modern Sonic with the Avatar, swapping between Sonic's fast sections and the Avatar's more intricate platforming.[1](https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/nintendo-switch/sonic_forces)
## The Avatar and Wispons
The custom character system was one of the game's headline features and the first time since 2006's Sonic the Hedgehog that Sonic Team included a playable character other than Sonic.[2](https://www.nintendo.com/en-gb/News/2017/June/Interview-Sonic-Team-talks-Sonic-Forces-for-Nintendo-Switch-1238419.html) • [8](https://nintendowire.com/news/2017/11/10/review-sonic-forces/) Takashi Iizuka, VP of Product Development for Sega of America, said the feature came from fan letters and messages in which fans wanted to create their own characters.[2](https://www.nintendo.com/en-gb/News/2017/June/Interview-Sonic-Team-talks-Sonic-Forces-for-Nintendo-Switch-1238419.html)
Players choose from seven animal types and customize body parts, headgear, glasses, bodysuits, shoes, gloves, and other cosmetic items.[2](https://www.nintendo.com/en-gb/News/2017/June/Interview-Sonic-Team-talks-Sonic-Forces-for-Nintendo-Switch-1238419.html) • [9](https://www.gamereactor.eu/sonic-forces-review/) The Avatar's gameplay gadget is the Wispon, a weapon with different abilities, such as fire or lightning, that changes how stages are played; the Avatar also carries a grappling hook for attacking enemies and swinging from objects.[2](https://www.nintendo.com/en-gb/News/2017/June/Interview-Sonic-Team-talks-Sonic-Forces-for-Nintendo-Switch-1238419.html) • [1](https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/nintendo-switch/sonic_forces) • [5](https://www.windowscentral.com/sonic-forces-review) Certain levels are designed around specific Wispons, allowing access to routes unreachable with the wrong weapon, and most unlockables are tied to the Avatar.[8](https://nintendowire.com/news/2017/11/10/review-sonic-forces/) • [10](https://lordsofgaming.net/2026/05/fun-is-infinite-sonic-forces-review-playstation-4/) A player is locked to one Avatar until completing the game, and Wispons cannot be swapped mid-stage, which reviewers noted makes completionist replays less convenient.[11](https://www.otakustudy.com/video-game/2017/11/sonic-forces-video-game-review/) • [5](https://www.windowscentral.com/sonic-forces-review)
## Development and release
Sonic Team began developing Forces first, and during development decided to target current Sonic fans and casual gamers; for fans who started in the 16-bit era, the team created [Sonic Mania](https://www.edgepedia.org/sonic-mania) as a separate game, released 15 August 2017 on [Nintendo Switch](https://www.edgepedia.org/nintendo-switch), so that 2017 would please the entire fan base.[2](https://www.nintendo.com/en-gb/News/2017/June/Interview-Sonic-Team-talks-Sonic-Forces-for-Nintendo-Switch-1238419.html) Forces was Sonic Team's first game for Nintendo Switch, and Iizuka highlighted that the console's power allowed high-quality graphics in a handheld experience for the first time.[2](https://www.nintendo.com/en-gb/News/2017/June/Interview-Sonic-Team-talks-Sonic-Forces-for-Nintendo-Switch-1238419.html) First Modern Sonic gameplay footage, showing Sonic blasting through a city under siege by Death Egg Robot sentinels, was published in March 2017 ahead of a holiday 2017 release.[12](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Zm0FvEn5CU)
## Reception
Review codes were sent out very late, which Nintendo Life read as a sign that even SEGA had concerns about the game's reception.[1](https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/nintendo-switch/sonic_forces) Critics were broadly mixed to negative. GameSpot awarded 5/10, saying the game falls short due to frustrating design choices and inconsistent level design.[4](https://www.gamespot.com/articles/sonic-forces-review-roundup/1100-6454932/) Nintendo Life scored the Switch version 6/10, calling it a mixed bag with a roughly five-hour campaign and a non-coherent blend of 3D sequences, 2D sections, and cutscenes.[1](https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/nintendo-switch/sonic_forces)
**Common criticisms.** Reviewers repeatedly cited level design: GameSpot described erratic, unreliable control leading to unintentional deaths, and level design that does little to accommodate speed, making it smarter to slow down.[13](https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/sonic-forces-review/1900-6416808/) Nintendo Wire called the Genesis-inspired stages an afterthought with some of the laziest level design it had seen, and [PC Gamer](https://www.edgepedia.org/pc-gamer) cited inconsistent level design, floaty controls, and a storyline only kids and devoted fans would find entertaining.[8](https://nintendowire.com/news/2017/11/10/review-sonic-forces/) • [14](https://www.pcgamer.com/sonic-forces-review/) Gamereactor listed a very short 3 to 4 hour runtime, little replay value, cringe-worthy dialogue, and Classic Sonic's poor handling among its cons.[9](https://www.gamereactor.eu/sonic-forces-review/) The game also had the misfortune of releasing months after Sonic Mania, which reviewers such as Kotaku described as having some of the best level design in series history.[15](https://kotaku.com/sonic-forces-the-kotaku-review-1820261612)
**Points of praise.** The Avatar was the most consistently praised element: Nintendo Wire called the mechanics solid, the set pieces thrilling at points, and the customization options plentiful, making the avatar an overall positive experience.[8](https://nintendowire.com/news/2017/11/10/review-sonic-forces/) Gamereactor noted that the environments and level backdrops work very well, with music shifting between retro arcade styles for Classic Sonic and modern, drum-and-bass-influenced tracks for 3D sections.[9](https://www.gamereactor.eu/sonic-forces-review/) A Spanish-language retrospective at MeriStation placed Forces among the titles that eroded goodwill toward Sonic Team after Sonic Generations, while noting Sonic Mania had kept fan enthusiasm alive.[16](https://as.com/meristation/2021/09/01/analisis/1630501215_292585.html)
## References
1. [Sonic Forces Review (Switch), Nintendo Life](https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/nintendo-switch/sonic_forces)
2. [Interview: Sonic Team talks Sonic Forces for Nintendo Switch, Nintendo UK](https://www.nintendo.com/en-gb/News/2017/June/Interview-Sonic-Team-talks-Sonic-Forces-for-Nintendo-Switch-1238419.html)
3. [Nuevos Videojuegos Noviembre 2017, MeriStation](https://as.com/meristation/2017/11/08/reportajes/1510124400_170517.html)
4. [Sonic Forces Review Roundup, GameSpot](https://www.gamespot.com/articles/sonic-forces-review-roundup/1100-6454932/)
5. [Sonic Forces for Xbox One review, Windows Central](https://www.windowscentral.com/sonic-forces-review)
6. [Sonic Forces Review for Nintendo Switch, GameFAQs](https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/switch/193374-sonic-forces/reviews/172377)
7. [Sonic Forces – PS4 Review, PlayStation Country](https://www.playstationcountry.com/sonic-forces-ps4-review/)
8. [Review: Sonic Forces, Nintendo Wire](https://nintendowire.com/news/2017/11/10/review-sonic-forces/)
9. [Sonic Forces Review, Gamereactor](https://www.gamereactor.eu/sonic-forces-review/)
10. [Fun is Infinite - Sonic Forces Review (PS4), Lords of Gaming](https://lordsofgaming.net/2026/05/fun-is-infinite-sonic-forces-review-playstation-4/)
11. [Sonic Forces Video Game Review, Otaku Study](https://www.otakustudy.com/video-game/2017/11/sonic-forces-video-game-review/)
12. [Sonic Forces - First Modern Sonic Gameplay, YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Zm0FvEn5CU)
13. [Sonic Forces Review, GameSpot](https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/sonic-forces-review/1900-6416808/)
14. [Sonic Forces review, PC Gamer](https://www.pcgamer.com/sonic-forces-review/)
15. [Sonic Forces: The Kotaku Review, Kotaku](https://kotaku.com/sonic-forces-the-kotaku-review-1820261612)
16. [Sonic Colours: Ultimate, análisis, MeriStation](https://as.com/meristation/2021/09/01/analisis/1630501215_292585.html)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Video games and digital play › Games and gameplay › Individual game titles*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 19, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 19, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license