Sonic Frontiers: The Open-World Adventure Guide
1254 words | Reading time: 7 minutes
GameSonic FrontiersStarfall Islands
On 8 November 2022, Sonic Frontiers took the hedgehog into his first true open world. Directed by Morio Kishimoto and produced by Sachiko Kawamura, it swaps corridor levels for the “open zone” of the Starfall Islands, where Sonic explores, solves puzzles and brings down the Titans, meets the vanished civilisation of the Ancients and faces a threat named The End. The Cyber Space levels replay Green Hill and Chemical Plant as timed courses. Sage, Eggman's artificial intelligence, and the Koco to collect round out the adventure, carried by more than 4.5 million sales and The Final Horizon update.
Summary
Sonic Frontiers is arguably the most ambitious Sonic game of the decade. Released in 2022, developed by Sonic Team and published by SEGA, it marks the blue hedgehog's first foray into a true open world. Here's everything you need to know before venturing onto the Starfall Islands.
🦔 To place this game in the mascot's journey, (re)read the rise of Sonic the Blue Hedgehog.
What is Sonic Frontiers?
Sonic Frontiers is a platform and action-adventure game released on November 8, 2022, for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One and Series, and PC. It was directed by Morio Kishimoto and produced by Sachiko Kawamura, veterans of Sonic Team.
The game introduces a concept that SEGA calls the "open zone": instead of a series of linear levels, Sonic freely explores vast islands, solving puzzles and battling enemies scattered throughout the environment.
🧩 The "open zone" trades corridor levels for vast islands where Sonic solves his puzzles as he explores; our Sonic puzzles hand you the same kind of brain-teaser, only laid flat on your table.
The Story: The Starfall Islands
With his friends, Sonic sets out to investigate the mysterious Starfall Islands. But a wormhole sucks the group in: his companions find themselves trapped in a digital dimension, the Cyber Space. Sonic, however, manages to escape and embarks on a rescue mission.
To free his friends, he must traverse the islands and defeat the Titans, colossal guardians who watch over the place. This is an opportunity to encounter a lost civilization, the Ancients, and uncover the islands' secrets.
đź’Ž The legendary stones of the saga still play a key role: discover the Chaos Emeralds.
Open Zone Gameplay
On the islands, Sonic runs, climbs, bounces, and triggers ramps and rails everywhere. In parallel, the Cyber Space levels adopt the more classic format of the series (fast-paced timed courses), with environments that nod to older games.
⏱️ Cyber Space replays Green Hill Zone as a timed course, which makes it the playground of speedrun fans; our Sonic watches move that stopwatch to your wrist, where nobody is counting your seconds any more.
The game also features more in-depth combat than usual, with dodges, parries, and combos — especially against the Titans.
⚡ Want to compare with "old-school" Sonic? Read why Sonic Mania's physics engine remains a benchmark.
The hero of the adventure
Articulated Sonic The Hedgehog Figurine (14 cm)
The modern Sonic, ready to explore the Starfall Islands on your shelf.
€39.90
See the figurine →
New Characters: Sage and the Koco
The big novelty in Frontiers is Sage: an artificial intelligence created by Dr. Eggman, who regularly appears to Sonic. Enigmatic, she plays a central role in the story, and her connection to Eggman gives her real depth.
We also encounter the Koco, small creatures to collect all over the islands. Returning them to the right guardians allows Sonic to improve his stats: speed, strength, maximum rings, and defense.
🧠The mastermind behind it all is still the saga's evil genius: (re)discover the rise of Dr. Eggman.
Release, Sales, and Reception
SEGA succeeded in its gamble: Sonic Frontiers won over the public. It surpassed 2.5 million copies in its first few weeks, eventually reaching over 4.5 million.
Building on this success, the game received a free update, "The Final Horizon," in September 2023: it adds an alternative ending and makes Amy, Tails, and Knuckles playable.
🏆 Sonic is also a playground for speedrunning pros: read our feature on Sonic and speedrunning.
📦 "The Final Horizon" made Amy, Tails and Knuckles playable in September 2023, on a game that had been out for months already: a shelf of Sonic POP figures fills up on the very same logic at home, with the box that changes everything often arriving long after the first ones.
Summary Table
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Game | Sonic Frontiers |
| Release | November 8, 2022 |
| Developer / Publisher | Sonic Team / SEGA |
| Genre | Platform / action-adventure in open zone |
| Location | The Starfall Islands |
| New Character | Sage (Dr. Eggman's AI) |
| Sales | over 4.5 million copies |
| Major Update | The Final Horizon (September 2023) |
FAQ
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Is Sonic Frontiers an open world game?Yes, it's the first Sonic game in an "open zone": you freely explore large islands, in addition to the more classic Cyber Space levels.
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What consoles can you play it on?On Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One and Series, as well as PC.
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Who is Sage in Sonic Frontiers?Sage is an artificial intelligence created by Dr. Eggman, and one of the central characters in the story.
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What are Koco for?They are small creatures to collect to improve Sonic's stats (speed, strength, rings, defense).
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What does "The Final Horizon" update bring?Released in September 2023, it adds an alternative ending and makes Amy, Tails, and Knuckles playable.
🔎 To go further: Sage, the mysterious AI of Frontiers, Green Hill Zone, Chemical Plant Zone, the complete Sonic gameography and The End.